Finaly caught up with some other teams. One in an Sj like ours and the others in a Mini Moke that has broken suspention and is waiting for parts. Realy sound blokes and it great to be able to share some of the stories and experiences along the way. Getting here was a nightmare with the exhaust hangin off and no power. Also sleeping the Jeep was no fun once again, so on arrival we booked into the Phattest hotel in town and took it nice and easy. Odessa is just the nuts and so utterly different to the other parts. There's loaded people and realy poor people here and the rest of the Ukraine is like going back in time 40 years, very poor and everything is old and crap. Still the countryside is stunning. Though very flat for the most.
Going to wait here till the other team gets their part and then see if we can convoy with them till our car dies, which I feel will be quite soon. Certainly not going to get it fixed again, getting the exhaust welded was very nearly a very sticky situation and the mechanics were all trollied and were OK to begin with but then it got a little nasty and we were bundeled in the the jeep and basicaly told to f**k off. Not nice and my heart was in my mouth for a little while. Still we're Ok and having fun again. Cancelling my flight from Mongolia as there's no way I'm going to make it in the time left even if the car was going Ok which it ain't. Still I've driven over 2500 miles now and that I feel is a small achievement at least. Can't wait to get back to Claire !!!!
Monday, 6 August 2007
Thursday, 2 August 2007
LVIV the Ukraine
Famous for Chernobyl and a poisoned president the Guide tells us, nice! :-D The reality is that the country is at least where we came in very nice, hilly and pretty, then it flattens out and that's about it. The Drivers here all went to clown School and the people that do the signs and the road building too. Plenty of tanks and and old School USSR type stuff all around. Like being in Rocky (the one where he fight Ivan Drago)
Anyways tonight we're in Lviv and the roads in town are worse that I've EVER seen and having covered a fair amout of Indonesia and other countries the award for worst roads on the planet is not given easily.
Witherway things are suddenly very cheap, full tank of fuel is now down to about 10 quid :-D
Onwards, Odessa is the next target if we make it.
Getting hotter all the time.
If I get sunburned again Earl is bang in trouble !
D
XXXXXXXBABYXXXXXXXXXX
Anyways tonight we're in Lviv and the roads in town are worse that I've EVER seen and having covered a fair amout of Indonesia and other countries the award for worst roads on the planet is not given easily.
Witherway things are suddenly very cheap, full tank of fuel is now down to about 10 quid :-D
Onwards, Odessa is the next target if we make it.
Getting hotter all the time.
If I get sunburned again Earl is bang in trouble !
D
XXXXXXXBABYXXXXXXXXXX
Monday, 30 July 2007
Bratislava Slovakia
For one I'm happy to have made it to the eastern block, but to that I have to add that when you drive in across the border you don't half know it. Just loads of ugly concrete tower blocks reminicent of Legoland. The old part of the City is much nicer and there'eve a castle up on the hill that is quite nice. Still the task in hand is the next jump to the Ukraine. Odessa being the target if we can get the Jeep fixed here. Earl is arriving tomorrow with some spare parts that I'm hoping will sort us out for at least 1000 miles. If not screw this for a game of soldiers I'm going home to Claire and some catch up kissing. Anyway so far so bad. Off out to find some food and see if there anything else worth looking at.
Dylanski
Dylanski
Sunday, 29 July 2007
Goodnight Vienna
Made it to Vienna like a slug with a limp. Not sure how much more cash we can keep throwing at this or in fact if it's worth it. Still having fun and meeting some great and helpfull people on the way, but not had confidence in the Car since Alex changed the Head gasket and that turned out to be short lived. Also the missing Claire factor is getting worse, especially in the absence of Earl to shout at. Still, Bollox to can't it's do or do not time and I'm still going to have a shot at Bratislava, though maybe tomorrow as my chances of getting parts I need is better here.
Vienna rocks, the Sun is out and other than not knowing where the hell I am most of the time it's a beautiful place.
Dylan de Marco
Vienna rocks, the Sun is out and other than not knowing where the hell I am most of the time it's a beautiful place.
Dylan de Marco
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Gentlemen Start your engines (again)
Going back to the Garage now to see if Frtiz the Über Grease Monkey has fixed the car. Keep everything crossed he payed attention at School. Photo's can be seen under my profile if you join www.FACEBOOK.com
laters
Uncle Traveling Mac
laters
Uncle Traveling Mac
Heavy Fuel
Tried to update the Blog yesterday but the website was being funny. Anyroad, just to dispell the rumours, Earl has not completely ababndoned me, he's just gone back to Dublin to take a Pilot's test and will then fly back here to whereever I am at the time. Which should be Bratislava or Prague at a guess. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Managed to find a 10 day old offer of an engine on a Suzuki enthusiast site and mailed the Dude Monday night. Tuesday monring there was a mail back from him saying yes he still had the engine but I still didn't know where he was or have his phone number. So seeing I was in Cologne and there was a Suzuki specialist near by I thought I'd kill time visiting that. They like all the others couldn't help. So back to the little Internet Cafe in Cologne (sure the woman in there thought I was nuts) where I finally got half of what I needed, the address of the Engine. Not Ideal as it was south of the Danube about 5 and half hours drive away but with no other concrete leads for an engine it seemed to be the last viable shot at getting the show back on the road. So I set off sending the Dude a mail asking him to text me when he got it and that I was on my way and wanting to pick up the engine. A few hours passed and I got a bit nervous that I was making a monster trip just to find they flew to Menorca or something, so I went to another Internet Cafe to check my mail. Still nothing so It was either go for it or keep surfing. Go for it seemed the more proactive choice if not the cheapest. So I set off again towards Würzburg and Nürenburg, you gota love the Autobahns :-D if your car is good you can make such good progress when it's quite. Anway about an hour into the Mystery Tour the text came "Praise Be" I thought (realy did which is something my gran might say which is why I remembered). They we're in and had read up about the rally :-D which meant there was suddernly a box of spare gaskets and other parts and even a gear box too thrown in. Not to mention the kind offer of Coffee and Food should I have time. Feeling a little more like things may begining to go our way I floor it and put the Xsara into warp speed. I got to Petra and Alex's (our new friends and saviours) at about 21:30. The Coutryside round there is realy beautiful but it was getting dark so I had a coffee and a chat about everything and nothing and loaded up the Xsara with the engine said a thankfull good bye with the intention of making it back to Aschaffenburg in one hop. About an hour later I realised it was not to be, things were happening too fast and judging speeds was getting difficult so I decided to stop for a little rest. Truck stops are so ming, don't even like stepping out of the car there, but had to in order to drain the lizzard before traing to get some ZZZZ. Felt a touch on the lonely side at that point as I couldn't even reach Claire to say good night, so I got on the back seat in my sleeping bag and wrote a text instead, half way through which she called me, so after a nice comforting talk to her all was well with the world once more and I figured we may me heading east again by the end of the next day.
Wednesday:
I woke up at 5 am and somewhat bleary eyed fired up the mighty Picasso and shot to Aschaffenburg which I made in time for the opening of the Garage with the hope they could get straight on with it. They said they'd start lunch timeish and so I toddled off for Breakfast and a wander round town and along the river. Lunch time I went back and still nothing done grrrr but after the previous days victory I stayed up beat and went swimming and wrote the odd card (big mistake as I'm now very sunburned) Back to the garage near the end of the day and still nada, so I had words and they were all appologetic and said they'd crack on in the morning. Seeing as I once again had time on my hands I drove to Nassau for a beer in a Bar I used to frequent alot when I lived there during my year out. Nothing had changed, just the people were gone. I found it all quite surreal as I had not been there in 8 years, but it was still good (going to go Cylcling there in the near future I hope) after that I decided to treat myself to a hotel in Frankfurt. I use the word treat loosly as it turned out to be alot crap and due to the advertised Parking being non existant I got a ticket too :-(
Bounced out of bed this morning ready to go see the Jeep. Made it to the Garage in 30 mins and eagerly went to look. The Jeep was on a ramp but that was it. NOT HAPPY and made my feelings clear to the Boss and the Mech who'd been harping on it'd be done in time.
And that's about where we are now. I'm off back to see how they're getting on though I need to find some aftersun too and also invent a way of getting on my back :-D
Also missing my baby loads, not least cos she could help with the Sun Cream, but cos I love her, never thought for a second it was going to be this hard.
take it easy people and wish us luck
Dylan
Managed to find a 10 day old offer of an engine on a Suzuki enthusiast site and mailed the Dude Monday night. Tuesday monring there was a mail back from him saying yes he still had the engine but I still didn't know where he was or have his phone number. So seeing I was in Cologne and there was a Suzuki specialist near by I thought I'd kill time visiting that. They like all the others couldn't help. So back to the little Internet Cafe in Cologne (sure the woman in there thought I was nuts) where I finally got half of what I needed, the address of the Engine. Not Ideal as it was south of the Danube about 5 and half hours drive away but with no other concrete leads for an engine it seemed to be the last viable shot at getting the show back on the road. So I set off sending the Dude a mail asking him to text me when he got it and that I was on my way and wanting to pick up the engine. A few hours passed and I got a bit nervous that I was making a monster trip just to find they flew to Menorca or something, so I went to another Internet Cafe to check my mail. Still nothing so It was either go for it or keep surfing. Go for it seemed the more proactive choice if not the cheapest. So I set off again towards Würzburg and Nürenburg, you gota love the Autobahns :-D if your car is good you can make such good progress when it's quite. Anway about an hour into the Mystery Tour the text came "Praise Be" I thought (realy did which is something my gran might say which is why I remembered). They we're in and had read up about the rally :-D which meant there was suddernly a box of spare gaskets and other parts and even a gear box too thrown in. Not to mention the kind offer of Coffee and Food should I have time. Feeling a little more like things may begining to go our way I floor it and put the Xsara into warp speed. I got to Petra and Alex's (our new friends and saviours) at about 21:30. The Coutryside round there is realy beautiful but it was getting dark so I had a coffee and a chat about everything and nothing and loaded up the Xsara with the engine said a thankfull good bye with the intention of making it back to Aschaffenburg in one hop. About an hour later I realised it was not to be, things were happening too fast and judging speeds was getting difficult so I decided to stop for a little rest. Truck stops are so ming, don't even like stepping out of the car there, but had to in order to drain the lizzard before traing to get some ZZZZ. Felt a touch on the lonely side at that point as I couldn't even reach Claire to say good night, so I got on the back seat in my sleeping bag and wrote a text instead, half way through which she called me, so after a nice comforting talk to her all was well with the world once more and I figured we may me heading east again by the end of the next day.
Wednesday:
I woke up at 5 am and somewhat bleary eyed fired up the mighty Picasso and shot to Aschaffenburg which I made in time for the opening of the Garage with the hope they could get straight on with it. They said they'd start lunch timeish and so I toddled off for Breakfast and a wander round town and along the river. Lunch time I went back and still nothing done grrrr but after the previous days victory I stayed up beat and went swimming and wrote the odd card (big mistake as I'm now very sunburned) Back to the garage near the end of the day and still nada, so I had words and they were all appologetic and said they'd crack on in the morning. Seeing as I once again had time on my hands I drove to Nassau for a beer in a Bar I used to frequent alot when I lived there during my year out. Nothing had changed, just the people were gone. I found it all quite surreal as I had not been there in 8 years, but it was still good (going to go Cylcling there in the near future I hope) after that I decided to treat myself to a hotel in Frankfurt. I use the word treat loosly as it turned out to be alot crap and due to the advertised Parking being non existant I got a ticket too :-(
Bounced out of bed this morning ready to go see the Jeep. Made it to the Garage in 30 mins and eagerly went to look. The Jeep was on a ramp but that was it. NOT HAPPY and made my feelings clear to the Boss and the Mech who'd been harping on it'd be done in time.
And that's about where we are now. I'm off back to see how they're getting on though I need to find some aftersun too and also invent a way of getting on my back :-D
Also missing my baby loads, not least cos she could help with the Sun Cream, but cos I love her, never thought for a second it was going to be this hard.
take it easy people and wish us luck
Dylan
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
day 3 and the rain is not helping my mood
Stuck in Cologne in an Internet Caffe and Judas Melville has flown back to Dublin and left me to sort out the Jeep. Bit anoying not to be at least able to bounce Ideas arround but to be honest I probably move faster without Earlon schmerlon and so it's pedal to the Metal.
We did manage to find a possible donnor last night and after a few mails this morning it would seem I'm now faced with a 5 1/2 hour drive to Sunny Bavaria to pic up an engine this Dude says is good. Then I have to hoof it back another 3 1/2 to Aschaffenburg where the Jeep is currently still standing. Will probably instruct the mechanic Dudes in Aschaffenburg to start taking the engine out of the Jeep ready for the new one that I'm hoping to have there at some point tonight. Gona mean some hardcore driving action and a night in the Picasso :-D but as they say when the going gets tough.......................the tough fly home to Dublin (sorry Earl could resist)
pray the rain stops so that I can maximise the lack of speed limits here :-D
Dylan
We did manage to find a possible donnor last night and after a few mails this morning it would seem I'm now faced with a 5 1/2 hour drive to Sunny Bavaria to pic up an engine this Dude says is good. Then I have to hoof it back another 3 1/2 to Aschaffenburg where the Jeep is currently still standing. Will probably instruct the mechanic Dudes in Aschaffenburg to start taking the engine out of the Jeep ready for the new one that I'm hoping to have there at some point tonight. Gona mean some hardcore driving action and a night in the Picasso :-D but as they say when the going gets tough.......................the tough fly home to Dublin (sorry Earl could resist)
pray the rain stops so that I can maximise the lack of speed limits here :-D
Dylan
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