Finale

Finale

By roychinnor4 Comments
Firstly my apologies for the delay in posting this 'end of run' blog. After nine months away from home there are so many things that demand attention that I quite forgot that, according to this page, I was still in deepest France. I spent three very pleasent days in Blaymont with my cousin and her husband and did absolutely nothing to the car other than a cursory check of the oil and water levels. The steering still felt secure so I assumed the kingpin was holding up. There are several different routes from Blaymont back to the UK and I surveyed the different ferries available before deciding that I would drive all the way up to Calais and use either EuroTunnel or a ferry. Bridget and I set off for Le Mans using minor roads rather than the main highways. The weather was dry and for the most part sunny, but I didn't drop the hood. Bridget was rather laden down with too many...
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Home Run – 1st Leg

Home Run – 1st Leg

By roychinnorNo Comments
The run home has not started particularly well. Transmediterranea Acciona, the ferry company operating the original ferry service between Cadiz and the Canary Islands, is an un-principled operator with no concern for its customers. In full knowledge of the detrimental effect that sea water has on the bodywork of automobiles they insist on placing their customers cars on the open deck of their ferries. Bridget has a glazed coating of crystallised salt thanks to Transmediterranea. To anyone thinking of taking a ferry to the Canaries I would strongly recommend the alternative company that operates. We arrived in Cadiz and disembarked at 12:30 on Monday. From there we drove the eighty miles to Seville, my first overnight of the run. Bridget and I visited Seville on our first ever run together in 2006 and I was scathing in my summing up of the city. Although I only had a few hours to explore I have to say my previous comments were both...
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Canaria Final Post

Canaria Final Post

By roychinnor4 Comments
Having received an e-mail from my ‘conscience’ in Abingdon pointing out that it has been four weeks since my last report I thought I had better make the effort. My apologies to those regular readers that may have wondered what had happened. This will be our final post from the Canary Islands before starting the run back home. In fact I have been enjoying a very entertaining time. First, my very good neighbour came visiting for a week bringing all the local news for the past eight months. We spent six of the seven days she was here walking in the mountains and were fortunate with mainly warm and cloudless weather, important if you are to be able to appreciate the breath-taking views. The next week I got back into some serious training in the gym and obviously overdid the whole thing because I pulled a muscle in my groin and had to rest it for most of the following two weeks. It...
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Just One More Project

Just One More Project

By roychinnor2 Comments
I am managing to stay sane, or at least I am no less sane than I was before I arrived here in Gran Canaria. I keep reminding myself that laying in the sun, warm and bored is infinitely better than being at home, wet, cold and bored! However, as usual when I have a date for doing anything, the fact that I know I am starting the return journey to the UK in seven weeks’ time I just want to get on with it. There are few things guaranteed to frustrate me more than waiting. The time has given me the chance to start investigating some possible new projects. Having decided to hold on to Bridget for the foreseeable future (2 or 3 days) I think I may treat her to some upgrades. Front runners are; a five speed gear box, all round telescopic suspension and all round disc brakes. This will be in addition to new stub axles (one is...
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Tribute To Hancock

Tribute To Hancock

By roychinnor2 Comments
It occurred to me that I haven’t said much about my stay here in Gran Canaria and speaking to one or two people at the Car Club it is clear that totally the wrong impressions are doing the rounds. So to put the record straight the following, in the style of the late Tony Hancock, is a typical evening: Scene: Sitting room of my duplex in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria. Me, pacing the room wearing checked, knee length, shorts and a Trinidad short-sleeved shirt with a picture of a Hawaiian Sunset. “Grief, another day of rain. May as well be back in the UK where at least I had an umbrella.” “Wonder if I can get a refund from Primark for this shirt. I’ve hardly worn it. Indoor wear only!” Long pause follows, then a big sigh. “Typical; Gran Canarias’ most important annual classic car show and they choose the one day when a cyclone strikes. Stuck here with the roof down and a...
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