Day 5 Pisa

One of my main aim in doing this was to raise awareness of Leukaemia and raise funds for ELF who support the excellent work of the Haematology Centre, based at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, for the benefit of patients in Devon and beyond. The ultimate vision is to try and make leukaemia history in the South West.  It is organisations like these who raised money which enabled me 6 years ago to recover from Head and Neck Cancer to be the reasonable, staid, sane and quite dull character you see before you.  Without people like you the research needed to make some treatments possible would not be round now.  So a personal thank for me and those future generations will benefit from your charitable donations. 

I recall my own cancer treatment and in particular the chemotheraphy which I often described as an oxymoron.  Today I had an update from the dad of James and yesterday on the progress of Ruby who so bravely waved us off on Friday night but has been confined to barracks due to an infection.  Without sharing the full details with you it brought home the bad old days of my treatment in 2005.  I was 41 these guys are 6 and 8, and when I heard that a young “ward” friend had passed away and James was sad it really struck home to me that the ultimate vision “to make leukaemia history” is a worthy vision.

Together lets kick “Leukaemia’s arse” 

I wish I could get excited about today’s trip other than the news of funds raised was fantastic but today was mainly about driving on a long motorway from Varazze to Pisa with a bit of beach thrown along the way as we came down the West Coast of Italy.  Highly recommended for a beach holiday but unlike the Pizza restaurant we stopped of at lunch I hope that they will be able to serve Pizza next time.  The Monty Python "Cheese shop" sprang to mind.

As I reported yesterday Myrtle is only carrying two adults now as I felt that the weight of the extra person and luggage was flogging Myrtle and with another 231 miles to do tomorrow and then 1200 miles back to St Malo next week common sense prevailed and agent dig dropped off at the train station 

Some of you will know that I did my back in the Sunday previous to coming to Italy and then acquired a heavy cold along the way.  Far from feeling sorry for myself a dose of painkillers and over the counter drugs made the frankly last 4 days of difficult driving bearable.  The first proper cappuccino this morning made it all worth while.

We have driven 1024 miles overtaken 4 cars, yes 4 and today 5 lorries and 1 truck, on two occasions managed to get over 60 mph! We have refuelled 6 times and needed an engine oil top up.  There have been zero road rage incidents and many admirers of Myrtle and too few of the Wing Co!  So the girl has done good as some Football Managers may say.  Today we have had 192 web viewings compared with 111 yesterday and the website has been viewed over 1500 times, thanks to retweets from Welsh rugby legend Scott Quinnell and Wessex RFC old boy Matt Hopper now of England and Harlequins.

Fundraising news went well today, slow uptake on the justgiving.com site but a count of the Poachers leaving party bucket which as also used at Wessex RFC gave us a nice £213.66.  So that makes at 2130 this evening with gift aid the justgiving site showing £1501.62p, Cash in hand awaiting banking £312.22 plus further gift aid of £25 and the kind donation of £500 from Radmore and Tucker we have a grand total of £2338.84.  I am aware that the Poachers Inn bucket has been doing very well and with associated collections in and around the stadium I would be really sad if we did not reach £2500 by close of play on Saturday, in fact I know we will.  

Junior officers tend not to understand too many cultural things including a World Heritage Site, at a young age in particular Pilot Officer Hackers who when seeing the 12th Century engineering masterpiece said disappointingly “is that it....I thought it was bigger” 


Alas we could not get Myrtle close enough to the tower without the risk of being shot by the Police so I gave that one a miss as would hate to miss the rugger!

Keep attacking ! 

Day 5 - Comms update & fundraising update

Chums - no wifi still in the Hotel so mobile alas no thermometer update this morning so the total raised to date stands with the just giving site, gift aid plus £99 collected by the fantastic Mr Cockram means that we have broken through the £2000 barrier and raised a whopping £2060.12 to date - we have still have two buckets to count and a rugby match to collect from so things are looking really good - thanks again everyone ;)

Day 4 update - Italian techno problems

Crossing into Italy this shot took 5 seconds to take before I got out of there as you can road conditions a tad edgy

It has been a trying day but we are safely at the Hotel in Varazze and in Italy.

Pictures to follow !

I am writing this blog on my iPhone due to the WiFi not working at the interesting named Hotel Lido - whilst the visiting Uncle is able to access the Internet one has to query what he is actually watching to block off the Hotel's wifi connection.

The Hotel has an air of the 1930s about it than chic 2012 Italy. However we need to thank Fifth Consultancy for their kind sponsorship of all accommodation.

Day of contrasts Varrase at the end of the day

I am not Peter Prefect and we all make mistakes but today was a real whacky race. My huge hippo mistake today was not checking the relief of the route assuming that it was fairly flat cause it looked like that on a map. At 2000 metres in falling snow and with 6 feet of snow either side, failing light, deep snow covered mountains and ravines icy road and snow covered Myrtle we did no more than 10 mph in reaching the top. We were all frankly bricking it , of course being a bloke only admitting this about three miles down the other side of the mountain whilst eating a chocolate eclair - true leadership for you ;)

Fortunately it's all downhill from here well so it likes on the map but will check the terrain tomorrow just incase.

I know we have reached the magical £2k today and supporting Wooden Spoon and ELF's vision to eliminate Leukaemia in the South West I will brief you tomorrow and hopefully normal service will be resumed due to third world communications - the Uncle is smiling so it must be good what he is watching.

Day 4 - Fund raising update - £1936.12 raised to date

Yesterday the fund got a boost of  £82.12p from the good work of Nick Cockram who knocked on doors with his ELF shaped collecting tin.  Nick's son James 6 is currently undergoing treatment .  Nick let me have a picture of James in which this smiling happy lad wipes away the fears and insecurities  of us adults.  James like the fab Ruby I met on Friday has lost his hair through the treatment, like I did 6 years ago, many will say I have none now .  However with just £64 to our target it will be amazing to help our Rugby collection in Rome if you could dig deep and ask your friends to help us push the mercury through £2000 by tomorrow, lets do this for James and Ruby and others by supporting ELF.

Current total means we have at least £1436 to give to ELF plus 2 collections boxes bulging with notes and Euros.

Donating is easy online at www.justgiving.com/myrtlemini or by text in the number box put 70070 and text the words myrt99 £5 or any amount up to £10.

Day 3 - French Hills and Mountains

Great shot by Pilot Officer Hackers - The full moon over GAP

We are now 790 miles from Roscoff in the French Alps Town of GAP.  Today has been eventful starting at 1000 hours with -17c in Le Puy and Myrtle in real trouble.  At -17c even the best car would have a challenge starting including Myrtle and second time she fired with considerable manual intervention from choke and right foot.

The next problem was human breath with temperature in the car being around -13c breath was freezing on impact with the windscreen and side windows.  For 30 mins the only solution was to park her in the sun and await the temperature to rise.  Those that know Mini’s will know that by today’s standards the heaters and windscreen heaters are ineffective a hairy start to the day.  The only day I wore hat gloves and my coat whilst driving it was so cold.

The journey through the Ardeche and French Alps a mere 200 miles in comparison with previous days was delightful mainly clear roads and many horseshoe bends to take care of.

Myrtle is going well but with three in car with luggage I made an executive decision that on reaching the Coast we need to lose a passenger each day and follow behind by train.  Whilst Myrtle is capable of doing so I do not want to flog her all the way to Rome as the last two days she has had some hectic workforce behind her and frankly she is whacked.  I do want to get her home as well and so decision has been made.

I did our first Radio Exe broadcast today, thanks to Chris Dinnis and I think it went well - what also went well is news that Nick Cockram’s (Dad of James) ELF fundraising ELF raised a splendid 82 quid for the cause so thanks again Nick a splendid effort really appreciate it.

I must admit with 3 people in small MINI and in sub zero temperatures things can be difficult but whatever the drama lets remember Ruby and James and keep attacking.

Fundraising update - Day 3

We secured another 60 quid yesterday online so the grand total has moved up to 1854.50 - with Radio Exe covering the journey and the numerous cash we have in buckets else where confident of breaking the 2k this week :)  Thanks again.  Cold day ahead  - 16c in Gap.

Day 2 - Frankly flippin bonkers

Myrtle outside the hotel in Loches today

I have to say to drive 300 miles in frankly crazy driving conditions in a small mini with one excited co-pilot and a nervous wreck of a passenger was hardly the start I needed to the day.  Picture the scene a fairly comfortable if not cold night in a rather shabby French hotel was preceded by Crepes of the finest quality washed down with a few tour Cidres.  The room one I would imagine would be turned down by a German officer if they stayed here in the war as not being up their usual standard of cow shed it can only be described as “in need of some renovation and a heater that could do more than make an apology for the heating industry” 

Waking at 7 and considering a bath before breakfast as most Englishmen abroad would do  pulled back the curtains with horror only to reveal 4 inches of snow laying deep and crisp and even.  Hackers was awoken and it was like all her Christmas had come at once as she scuttled along from her room, her window in her cell would only achieve a view if you had a step ladder and an external telescopic ladder.

The view from the window was frankly beautiful but scary.  The first two days of the trip are the long hauls.  My thinking being that 2 long days early on would give the chance to relax later in the week and break the back of the journey, if not mine.  Will we get out the Village? If so how far? and if so would the roads be open.

I had heard from the French lorries drivers that snow clearance is frankly piss poor so much so it makes the English Highways Authorities best practice experts when we have had 1cm of snow last year.  

Myrtle was covered in snow fortunately outside the Boulangerie which was open, the roads  cannot be cleared but as least you can get a fresh some fresh bread!  She started first time and with front wheel drive plonked her outside the front of the Hotel.  

As one wag suggested that I strap the french loafs from the bakers to Myrtle and use her as a motorised sled.

The next 30 mins can only be described of french farce as passenger known as dig could not make up her mind whether my mind whether she wanted to die just yet at the hands of Isambard.  I can understand her thought patterns had thought gone completely barking proposing to drive 250 miles in a small mini in falling snow, with 5 inches on the ground and piss poor snow clearance on the roads.

I packed the car and frankly ready to go as prevarication reigned.  I am not totally bonkers so decided the motorway route although less scenic guaranteed a measure say 45% chance of survival at the end of the day.  I was proved right.

Somewhat clearer conditions further South

It took us over an hour to drive the 25 kms to the motorway.  No snow clearance and a bunch of French Sunday slow drivers that would put a London cabbie to shame.  At times the road was 5 inches deep in snow and the only route when not sliding around was to get into the tracks of the car in front.  

The arrival at the motorway was not much better, the toll booths were closed and deep in Snow - too deep to drive into - that was my excuse i was sticking to it (only to have a very long winded conversation with the border guards, opps Toll booth operator at Clermont about why I did not come Paris today - either way it cost me 36 euros!)  

The next 2 hours was the most painful driving experience i have ever had - 30 mph on a single track through the snow on the motorway - in effective salting and gritting and only at the end snow ploughs tested Myrtle to her limits.  I stopped twice in the middle of the empty motorway to defrost the windscreen wipers - a dangerous activity at the best of times but in falling snow frankly a must do - the road was empty.

It was a tad hairy and any slight relaxing of the grip of the wheel you felt Myrtle slip left or right on the packed snow.  She was also very sluggish - as she was packed with ice underneath and her underbelly skirting the top of the snow.  At 30 mph control was easy but I was wary that any slight mistake could have been fatal.  

I am pleased to say that I am typing this as we head south of Clermont towards Le Puy on a clear motorway - agent dig is driving and Hackers is asleep in the back - the road is void of any road snow. Travelling through the beautiful Volcanic region of the Massif Central - my A level Geography days remind me of the stacks and French rift valley.  This is Rugby country and as we travel through I am following the ireland v Wales match on twitter.

We have had many a French rugby fan at various service stations come up to us and admire Myrtle and discuss Rugby.  I am really proud to be part of this great sport.  Even if Matt Dawson on twitter seems to think that the English Ref, Dave Pearson was not up to the mark today,  Wales win 23-21.

Fundraising has been slow today but I see another 60 quid added online today (Thank you)  we are doing very well with 6 days to go before the match :)  

Whatever happens today we are thinking of little James and Ruby back in Exeter.

The motto of my rugby club Wessex RFC is Semper Audex “ever daring”  today was daring enough thanks very much! 

Wing Commander.

PS: Just arrived at Hotel 12 hours after setting off !!!! Time for a cider!!!!!!