Unpredictability - Good for your health

Our modern life is based on organising an environment free from the unexpected. The house needs to be as stable and reliable as possible. The job as safe as possible. Nothing should break down. Nothing but what we predict, should occur.
This is the life of the zoo animal. Let's explore the life of the Nomad. Let's live the life of the Nomad.

Friday 30 December 2011

The Showmen - Fratton Park Portsmouth

As I have mentioned in another post, it is a commonly held view that those who live the mobile life are poor, uneducated lazy and unemployed transients.  But it simply is not true and those that call themselves showmen are a prime example.

We all know that atmosphere associated with the fairground.  The flashing lights, stomach churning rides, fairy floss and temptations to win a prize by throwing a ball through a ring or shooting at metal ducks hopping at the back of a van.

Those responsible for creating this experience call themselves showmen -and you can get a good view into their lives by watching the episodes of Fairground Attractions - a reality documentary shown on Channel 5.  The episodes can now be viewed on the internet at:
Fairground Attractions

These people live a nomadic existence, travelling around the UK, and all over the world during the summer months.  They invest huge amounts of money on their showground rides and hope for a decent return.  These rides can cost millions of pounds, and since they require a good deal of manpower to get them assembled at each site - these nomads have to employ people to assist with the business.

In the winter months they will retreat to their home base, which may be a park large enough to accommodate the mass of their show equipment along with their caravans.  So it was a surprise to see, this time of year, a show being staged at Fratton Park in Portsmouth.  Fratton Park is the football stadium for the Portsmouth Football Club.  The rides were assembled on a car park on the outskirts of the stadium.  The price of entry was a very reasonable 8 pounds and this included as many rides as your stomach allowed.  It was a cold, wet and miserable day - and in my view this is the best time to be at a fairground since there will be no waiting in a queue.  Into the old Transit van hopped my two girls and me and off we went for a day of showground adventure.  Here are a few pics.  Firstly my two girls trying to look cool with hands in pockets and distancing themselves from Daddy who is definitely Mr Uncool.


People will actually pay to go on this one.  Arghhh.

Want a whiplash?  Try the dodgems.

This ride left me feeling very woozy afterwards.  I had had enough but the kids were on for more.



Peace to All


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