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'See, easy. The guy didn't even question it. He just handed me these,' said Ben with a
smug grin. 'Do you want a couple of bags?'
'Yes please,' I said sheepishly. 'Thank you.'
Following a long slog up Scottsquar Hill we were then rewarded with a long downhill
into the Severn Valley. We stopped for a rest on the M5 flyover. We had crossed over
the M5 a couple of times previously - either side of Taunton - but hadn't yet stopped to
watch the traffic. I understand that this may not seem like a pleasurable pastime, but there
was something surreal about watching other people's lives continue at high speed. We had
already become accustomed to living life at an incredibly slow rate, and we had forgotten
what it was like to be able to get in a car and be at your destination a few minutes later. It
was strangely satisfying to climb back on our bikes and continue onwards at our own leis-
urely pace.
It was almost dark by the time we reached the town of Newent. There seemed to be a
selection of pubs and B&Bs in the town centre, so we both were optimistic about the pro-
spect of finding some decent accommodation.
'I'm sorry, boys, but I'm completely full, what with the Onion Fayre and all,' said the
landlady at The George Hotel.
'Onion Fayre? What's the Onion Fayre?' asked Ben, looking at me as though I would
know.
'Why, it's the Newent Onion Fayre tomorrow!' she said. 'Why, it's the biggest day in
the town's calendar. I thought that's why you were visiting.'
'Nope, we're just passing through. We didn't know about the Onion Fayre,' I said. 'It
sounds fun. We're happy to sleep in an outhouse or garage if you have one?'
'I'm really sorry. Every inch of space is full of supplies and onions for tomorrow.
There'll be about 20,000 people visiting the town tomorrow and 50,000 onions.'
'20 THOUSAND PEOPLE? FIFTY THOUSAND ONIONS?' I repeated back to her,
assuming she had got her figures wrong. 'I had no idea that onions were so popular.'
'Neither did I before I moved here five years ago. It's the only one of its kind in the
world and it's been going - in one form or another - for 800 years.'
'Blimey, it sounds like quite a party,' said Ben, trying his best not to sound sarcastic.
'Can you recommend any other places in town that might be able to help us?'
'I'm afraid you'll get the same response at all the other places in town. Everywhere
books up months in advance for this weekend. Sorry, boys, best of luck.'
Onceoutside,BenandIlookedateachotherwithamixtureofexcitementanddejection.
Wefeltprivilegedtohavearrivedinthetownonthemosteventfulnightoftheyear,butwe
werealsofaced withthedilemma ofnothavinganywhere tostay.Ifwecontinued onwards
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