All at Sea....… Day 33 Thessaloniki to Igoumenitsa

OCTOBER 12TH, 2010

Peking to Paris Motor Challenge update. More about the race here

[[MORE]]

Frank Bird(AUS) / Ross Oakman(AUS) 1964 Holden EH

This is coming to you from aboard the Superfast Lines ferry on our way from Igoumenitsa, Greece to Ancona in Italy.

We have all dined on an excellent silver-service meal, starting with mushrooms in a blue cheese sauce, followed by a large greek salad with goats cheese, followed by a two-inch thick fillet of steak and vegetables, and no doubt a sweet course to suit but your correspondent has bunked off in order to get back to the typewriter.

We saw three Time Trials today, and the results of these are about to be published on the results section. A good many crews however didn’t bother, opting for the main road course direct to the ferry.

Reg Toohey and Tony Spanjers - Bentley 3½ Park Ward

The ferry hold is full of trucks and is normally out of bounds to passengers but the crew of Car 39 which arrived at the docks on a truck is having a piston replaced and the engine is being stripped down. This is a big job indeed, as it’s a Rolls Royce Phantom and the crew, Dominic Howard and Alex Collins are being aided in the task by Rupert Marks, of Car 23, the blue Ford Model A. The co-driver of the Ford has just landed a £10,000 donation to Debra, his chosen charity, from Jazz FM, so this crew are working hard in all departments.

The weather in Greece however was a disappointment today, particularly as we arrived at the remarkable monasteries on the top of chimney like cliffs towering over the village of Kalambaka. It has rained for most of the day and the low cloud spoiled some of the grandeur of the scene.

While at the docks, crews found plenty of time for a spot of fettling, the Oldsmobile crew of Arthur and Anna Manners received help from Peter Banham with a loose rear wheel which needed some reinforcement.

There is a great party spirit on board however and all are now looking forward to testing last week, starting with Italy and a route through Tuscany into the Alps.