- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: At home on the road with an Airstream in tow
- Date: 3rd October 2009
- Summary: GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM(SEPTEMBER 12), 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SIMON AND EMMA PURYER TOWING THEIR AIRSTREAM ONTO CAMPSITE SITE VARIOUS OF SIMON AND EMMA HAVING LUNCH INSIDE THEIR AIRSTREAM (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) SIMON PURYER, AIRSTREAM OWNER, SAYING: "There is a joke to all of this in that when we got married, a lot of our friends didn't know that I was into caravans and we had a caravan theme to our wedding. We had all the tables named after caravans. I think a lot of people were actually shocked initially, but then we've had a few friends that have come and seen this and they're like wow. It's really amazing, again its not what they think caravanning means to them." VARIOUS STILLS OF CARAVAN MODELS AT SIMON AND EMMA'S WEDDING (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) EMMA PURYER, AIRSTREAM OWNER, SAYING: "Well it was a weekend visit and one of the first times I went to visit Simon and there was a pile of magazines in the corner which caught my eye because it was suspiciously large. I kind of took a sneaky peak as he left the room. I couldn't believe they were of Practical Caravan and Caravan magazines and stuff like that. I don't think I approached him for a while and then I mentioned it and then it all came out that Simon was a caravan fan." SIMON AND EMMA IN THEIR AIRSTREAM (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) EMMA PURYER, AIRSTREAM OWNER, SAYING: "They do laugh actually, because it's a caravan and at the end of the day it's an Airstream and it is lovely but it is also a caravan really, so they do laugh, and I can't blame them." VARIOUS OF SIMON AND EMMA WASHING UP DISHES AT THE SINK OF THEIR AIRSTREAM 534
- Embargoed: 18th October 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA6M625UHXHO2YCHRVT1JQH0YG9
- Story Text: As a young boy, Simon Puryer dreamt of owning his own caravan after spending many happy holidays caravanning with his family. But when he met his partner Emma, she didn't feel quite the same way. Until Simon convinced her they should buy an Airstream. After decades of being made in the United States, the iconic American trailer is being manufactured for the European Market to fit narrower EU roads. With it's stylish aluminium body and chic leather interiors, it's really taking off across Europe.
"There is a joke to all of this in that when we got married, a lot of our friends didn't know that I was into caravans and we had a caravan theme to our wedding. We had all the tables named after caravans. I think a lot of people were actually shocked initially, but then we've had a few friends that have come and seen this and they're like wow. It's really amazing, again its not what they think caravanning means to them." said Puryer.
The original Airstream was the design of Wally Byam, an American who believed caravanning should be about adventure. Its design is based on an Aircraft fuselage made from aluminium which hasn't changed since the nineteen fifties. However cool, Simon's wife Emma and her friends still need some convincing. "They do laugh actually, because it's a caravan and at the end of the day it's an Airstream and it is lovely but it is also a caravan really, so they do laugh, and I can't blame them." said Emma.
American Airstream recently celebrated its 50th birthday and the exterior looks much the same as it did back then but the interior has been revamped for the European market. They are now selling in Britain, Holland, Germany and Sweden. The man responsible for bringing Airstream to Europe is Marketing Director, Michael Hold. "The whole thing has been redesigned , reengineered from the American design. So the chassie is German, the furniture's German the electronics are British, heating system's Swedish. It's all European, the only thing that's actually American about Airstream Europe is the shell." said Hold.
A new European Airstream could cost you as much as 90,000 dollars but you can buy an original U.S. one for far less.
Pete and Glynnis bought their vintage 1964 Bambi two years ago after having the interior revamped. "It doesn't feel like a caravan to me at all, it's more like a wendy house on wheels, really for me and its just so much more fun than ordinary caravans, they're a bit soulless. This one's got real personality and it's a very happy looking thing, it makes people smile and it's different. said Glynnis. "It's so flexible, it's such a flexible life. I can be working on a Friday morning and if the weather's really nice we just jump in the Airstream and drive off for the weekend and if it's a really nice weekend we don't come back until the Monday morning." added Pete.
With 100 European owners there's still some way to catch up with the U.S. market who have more than 100,000 owners across the U.S. and Canada. Airstream Europe plans to set-up dealerships in most European countries within the next few years. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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