Sunday 17th October

It can't be all over, surely. Spent too much time chatting and saying our goodbyes that we were late leaving the Place Vendome, then couldn't find the exit and reversed into a lamppost!! No damage to our wonder car though and we headed north to Calais and made the train with 4 minutes to spare! Drove on and had a good trip chatting to some friends of other ralliers who had been following us. Surreal to be back on the M25, luckily without the normal queues.

Paris!!!

Supposedly given a lie in this morning which meant an 8.58am start time. Another beautiful drive on straight B roads, much more fun than the autoroutes favoured by some, we thought. The only issue was getting hold of petrol as there is a strike in France. After many visits to fuel stations we finally found some that we reckoned should get us back to England. Suddenly there we were in Bois de Boulogne, but had to wait on the side of the road for an hour,very frustrating, to appease the French authorities. Then we were off alongside fellow competitors, horns blaring, directed by French police in roller blades up Champs Elysses into Rue Royale where we picked up George and David and they rode our running boards into the Place Vendome-just amazing. Lots of people and cameras and chatter and Caroline, Lisa and Louise there to meet us too-what fantastic friends are they. Poor David and George were introduced to all our new friends and got in quite a muddle especially when we met them all again at the dinner later. The first prize to be handed out was the Coupes des dames and guess what, that was awarded to us! then a slide show and videos of the rally. I can't believe that it is all over but the best and most amazing experience. It might not be our last rally......!

Friday 15th October

Supposedly a lie in but we were on the road at 8.31. A nice day but not sunny. At least not raining. The amazing news is that we are 17th! We can't believe it and hardly dare breathe the words. We worked hard to get there though, but will we keep our place today? Big question especially as the only time trial was the Circuit de Bresse. We went round twice but also had to stop astride a line 3 times. All very difficult in such an unsporty car. What a pity to have such an exciting opportunity but to have to do it in such an unwieldy vehicle! Rachel's taste for the sport has suddenly been discovered. Had to drive by Beaune which was disappointing but we had another wine tasting nearby and drove on in the correct direction, unlike some. We raced on through lovely French countryside and were in time for the MTC with 5 mins to spare. Phew. Last supper as rally gang tonight, albeit in 2 shifts, and Paris tomorrow! Yay!

Wednesday 13th October

The ferry docked very late and we all got in a complete muddle getting off and onto the autostrade because the police had blocked our route. It poured with rain all day which was so disappointing as we all think of Italy as such a lovely sunny country. We stopped for a wine tasting at Andreas (one of the Italians who we love to follow) mother's vineyard which was a delicious diversion but it still rained, as it has done in Iran, Turkey and Greece. We stayed in a very nice hotel in Viareggio after slipping around on those bendy hills... A shock absorber is not great, but good enough. No time for that sort of work now. 20th today!

14th October

Yay we are 19th!! That long hard climb back from 35th has been worth it. We always said we only wanted to get back into the teens. Today was really lovely but very hard. We did 4 very steep and twisty time trials. Rachel's arms are getting well developed. Steering the old machine around those corners is something else. There were a couple of hairpins that we didn't quite make, though. A three point turn in a time trial is a bit embarrassing. All day we were in such a rush. It started with Paddy very kindly helping to adjust the clutch at 6.30. We couldn't stop for lunch, even though we were dreaming of pizza. Then finally we climbed up and up, following Simon and Rupert to the top of Europe where we crossed the alps in the most glorious sunshine and wonderful autumn alpine scenery to rival Mongolia, into France. A downhill run, overtaken by Simon on the inside of a hairpin, and into Aix les Bains at 7.00. Rachel decided to change the fuel filter after it had seemed pretty blocked today. She struggled for a while to get it off from it's awkward position in the boot, when suddenly 'pop', off it came but squirted in her eye. Very painful and burning but ok now.

Tuesday 12th October

More time trials today. Best advice so far re gears is to put it into 2nd or 3rd then try 1st. Seems to work. Or try double declutch. A lot less grinding today which is less stressful. Didn't push the time trials so hard today because it was pouring and foggy. Luckily for us the fog cleared enough to see the beautiful monasteries at Kamalka. We had lunch there then drove up and up til we hit the motorway, a bizarre experience. On the overnight ferry to Ancona in Italy now. We are eating up the countries. Ferry very upmarket. We have ensuite bathroom!

Monday 11th October

Drove to border this morning. Western Turkey is much more European than the East. But now we are in Greece, Europe proper. The engine is running very nicely but it is very difficult to change gear which is important on the tricky time trials we've had today. The first was quite straightforward but the next 2 were on steep hills with lots of hairpin bends, and rain. We skidded about a bit but nothing like the anadol which had an Italian job moment. We are not sure if it is a gearbox or clutch problem but are receiving a lot of advice.