Unfortunately the GPS Tracker we have fitted has failed.
However you can keep up to date of our progress on Facebook link above.
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Day 14 – Wednesday 15th May 2013
Ah, how sad, today is the last day of the Italian Job 2013 event, it has come round so quickly, and yet it seems ages ago since the start of the event! Today, they are pushing us to our limits with a timed start from the beginning at 08:33:30hrs and there is a gap before the start line of approx 15mtrs over which you must not stop so it’s a rolling start at precisely the right time, straight into a DOUBLE special stage in the hotel carpark, then straight out into Rome traffic using our road books for our arrival at our destination some 24.67 miles away, also timed so that we must arrive in exactly 1hr 10 mins after our start time, no pressure then!! The double special stage was going around a cone to a specified point in the middle in 9 seconds, and then to the end in a further 8 seconds, sounds easy enough but if you don’t get the first one spot-on right, it impacts on the second one, all technical stuff! We think we did reasonably OK on this, although Ian was supposed to shout as we crossed the middle line for the 2nd stop watch to be started, but he sort of forgot, so it just got pressed when I looked up and realised it needed pressing! Oops! Ah well, it’s the last day and the last special stage, so whatever’s done is well and truly done now, no use crying over spilt milk!
Continue reading Day 14 – Wednesday 15th May 2013
Day 13 – Tuesday 14th May 2013
Whereas yesterday was ‘cultural’, today has been ‘civilised’! We had a very civilised breakfast, we were back in the Minis for a very civilised start time of 09:03:30hrs, which was immediately followed by a Special Stage in the car park of the hotel, an exactly 20 seconds time to go over the line, into a T shape to go in one way, reverse back, drive out again, and cross over the finish line, without hitting any cones, all in exactly the 20 seconds allowed. Again, we were fairly happy with this morning’s efforts, so fingers crossed! We were then straight out onto the roads of Rome, again following our road books, this time heading south, for the wine producing area of Rome. Approx 2/3rds of the way along the route, we came to a beautiful lake, and we had to take a picture of our Minis by the lake, and email or text the picture to Freddie, all of which are going to be judged later by our hotel manager, Davide, who has been absolutely brilliant. He has looked after us all during our time at Crowne Plaza, like an absolute gentleman, escorting us on various trips, as soon as we arrived in Rome after our exhausting 4 hour journey on Saturday and before the police motorbike escorted trip around Rome, Davide was at our meeting point with a list of Teams, all we had to do was confirm our dates of birth and, hey presto, we were presented with our 2 key cards for our rooms – surely the easiest hotel check-in service ever!!
Continue reading Day 13 – Tuesday 14th May 2013
Day 12 – Monday 13th May 2013
Today was a more leisurely start at 9.30am. However, we were not travelling by Mini today, they were staying safely parked-up at the hotel, we were transported by bus! We were dropped off outside the Vatican, and we were then, eventually(!!!), given a 2+ hour guided tour of the Vatican. The number of people there was beyond ridiculous, apparently they get around 25,000 people visiting every day, and I can absolutely believe it! Our guide was very informative and had excellent English, and she certainly seemed to know her stuff. After learning much about the Vatican and its various parts, paintings and sculptures, etc, we were escorted around, eventually ending up at the Sistine Chapel. From there, we eventually managed to re-meet up with Geoff and Carole, and after spending a little time in St Peter’s Square, we walked down towards the river, hoping to go to the Castel Sant’ Angelo, only to find it’s closed on a Monday! So we purchased some lunch, sat in a pleasant park and ate it, feeding our leftovers to the pigeons, then had a walk around the area. There were some incredible live ‘statues’ that were perfectly still in the baking sun, until someone either started taking pictures of them, or dropped some coins in their tins, when they came to life! Very spooky, but amazingly impressive! We walked further along the river banks, eventually arriving nearby where the hotel bus collects, after stopping for a coffee and some biscuits in a local cafe, we got aboard the bus and returned to the hotel. This evening’s meal also included a quiz by the service crew guys, which we unfortunately didn’t win, but didn’t disgrace ourselves, well done Ian! After a drink in the bar, we retired to bed, after a very cultural day!
Day 11 – Sunday 12th May 2013
Today started, after breakfast, at our allotted time of 08:33:30hrs from the hotel carpark, where we were timed out in 30 second intervals, and then had to navigate ourselves through the Rome traffic using our roadbooks for 34.86 miles to Tivoli. This all proved to be no problem at all, approx 16 miles of it being on motorway, and we were 2nd to arrive at our destination in the town of Tivoli to the East of Rome, a lovely place. Continue reading Day 11 – Sunday 12th May 2013
Day 10 – Saturday 11th May 2013
Another early start with 7am breakfast! We then had a 45 mile drive of approx 1.5hour duration following the roadbook to the Mugello race circuit, although thankfully this trip isn’t timed! We need to be there by 10am at the very latest, so we set off leading with Geoff and Carole behind us, at 7.55am. This journey was pleasant and fairly uneventful and we arrived in plenty of time for another few special stages. The first was having to flatten 6 plastic upside down drink cups held in place with metal discs, and return over the line in exactly 30 seconds, without stopping or reversing. We didn’t do so great on this, we managed to get all 6 cups, but I thought Ian had stopped and whilst I was shouting at him not to stop, we went over our time by a couple of seconds, whoops! I think the Italian Job organisers should have on-site marriage guidance councillors with them on the trip to try to prevent any ensuing divorces!!
Continue reading Day 10 – Saturday 11th May 2013
Day 9 – Friday 10th May 2013
Well, I suppose we should have known it couldn’t last!! The trouble is, when you’re at the top, there’s really only one way you can go isn’t there!! Today has been ‘one of those days!!’. It started off not-great, after an early start of 7am breakfast, with a stroppy waiter at breakfast when I dared to ask for some more milk for the empty jug for cereals! Our task for today was to travel to Porretta Terme by roadbook, some 95.4 miles away, we were timed-out from the hotel in 30 second intervals, our departure time being 08:03:30 and we had 3.5 hours to arrive at our destination (allegedly loads of time!!). The first part was largely on motorway, then there was an optional de-tour to look at some dolmens, which are huge rock mounds, hundreds of feet high, that formed from sea deposits a very long time ago. We decided to opt for the de-tour as we had loads of time (or so we thought!!), but only after we managed to get on the autostrasse (motorway) without collecting the necessary toll ticket, we went through the telepass booth by mistake! That didn’t prove to be too much of a drama as I managed to charm the nice Italian man on the gate when we exited the toll, telling him where we’d got on and he believed me and charged us accordingly, bless! For the charge of €4.60, I gave him €6.00, Ian thought we were ready to go as he revved the engine when the barrier was lifted before I had been given the change, the Italian man shouting to us in his excitable Italian rolling-R’s accent “hey, it’s a Mini, not a Ferrari!!” Continue reading Day 9 – Friday 10th May 2013
Day 8 – Thursday 9th May 2013
Today is the start of the IJ proper so, after a fairly leisurely start and breakfast, we took the Mini round for scrutineering, which involves ensuring everything works as it should; of course, as you would expect, it passed without a hitch. In addition, you are also required to show all of your required documentation, ie, both driving licences, vehicle insurance, breakdown insurance, MOT certificate (which obviously doesn’t apply to us being from the Isle of Man). After all that was sorted, we were presented with our official number stickers ’21’ to go on the door decals, and also our hats, a green one for me, this being only my 2nd IJ, but a black one for Ian as it’s his 3rd IJ and therefore he is now viewed as an “experienced” Jobber! We were also given our dreaded Road Book, which has all of the information in it for our various routes over the days of the event, written in the style of ‘tulip’ diagrams that look more like hieroglyphics and sometimes equally as difficult to understand! Continue reading Day 8 – Thursday 9th May 2013
Day 7 – Wednesday 8th May 2013
Off we go again on our final leg to Imola where we join the Italian Job event and the other 30+ Minis taking part. We decided that the more direct route might be the better option today to get there in plenty of time, so the motorway option was taken. After a lunch break and re-fuel at a services, we arrived mid-afternoon and checked in to our hotel, which has a number of ‘apartment’ type rooms with the garage immediately underneath for extra-secure parking, so Ian’s happy the Mini can be tucked away safe and sound. The Mini got a well-deserved wash as it was looking decidedly grubby and she has managed a total of 1,332 miles so far since leaving home, without missing a beat, so she deserved a bit of a treat! A few other ‘jobbers’ were already there and more arrived during the course of the afternoon, many old friends and also plenty of new faces. After catching up with old friends over a couple of drinks, we ate at the hotel and, after a couple more drinks, retired for the evening, ready for the ‘event proper’ to start tomorrow, first off with scrutineering in the morning, to ensure the Mini is up for the challenge, and we have all of our necessary documentation. Caio!
Day 6 – Tuesday 7th May 2013
Woke up to a dry and reasonably bright day and admired the mountain views from our hotel room balcony. The hilarity of the day started at breakfast where there was an option of boiled eggs. However, poor Ian hadn’t realised the ones in the dish weren’t already cooked so the 1st one he cracked open was raw! Sussed out there was an egg boiler so tried again. 2nd one came out raw too, it took our host to give us a demonstration of how to work it, third time lucky!! After our host checked for us a number of times of the possibility of the Stelvio Pass being open, sadly it appears it is not, apparently they don’t usually start to clear the remaining snow until around early June-time so we’re just a bit too early. So we set off heading for St Moritz via the Julier Pass. Some stunning mountain scenery, we stopped off for a loo stop at the summit and got chatting with a group of people with their dogs off for a week’s training camp for obedience, so had a doggie-fix and showed off some photos of our little angels! Stopped at a posh hotel at the end of the lake in St Moritz for coffee and reminisced of our honeymoon when we walked on that iced-over lake when on an excursion from skiing in nearby Livigno. I was worried we might fall through the ice until we saw a truck drive past us on the lake! Continue reading Day 6 – Tuesday 7th May 2012
Day 5 – Monday 6th May 2013
Set off again from Basel after another pleasant breakfast. Geoff very kindly went first thing in search of a place to purchase our motorway passes, required in Switzerland, although we are very much sticking to the scenic routes where possible as we have plenty of time and makes the journeys all the more enjoyable. Briefly went over the border into Germany, then back into Switzerland. Pretty much following along the banks of the River Rhein for quite a while, reached Zurich by lunchtime where we stopped to re-fuel and purchase some lunch. Found a suitable vantage point shortly after our fuel-stop to break to eat our lunch by the side of the road looking down over the valley. Starting to seriously climb now and sadly it’s started raining, through quite a few fairly long tunnels, one of which was particularly long and went up hill, and immediately after the exit went straight on to a small roundabout without much warning – Geoff had to employ a bit of impressive stunt driving to manage to negotiate this particular obstacle, made slightly more exciting by the wet roads – thanks for the entertainment, Geoff (and the warning!!) Arrived in Davos, Switzerland, late afternoon, in really rather unpleasantly-heavy rain and the temperaure has certainly plumetted from what we’ve been used to so far! Very pleasant alpine-hotel, lots of pine everywhere and seriously-big radiators!! It obviously gets pretty cold round these parts at times. The hotel owner was a rather amusing and pleasant chap, after settling in our rooms, decided a walk in down-town Davos wasn’t such a good idea in the pouring rain so stayed in the hotel and enjoyed the stunning mountain views from there. Had a most enjoyable meal where Geoff and Carole’s menu choices were cooked table-side by our host, who’s English was excellent, and sense of humour even better, whilst trying his best to set fire to the place with his entertaining cooking skills for their Boeuf Bourguignon. Too risky!!
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