Driving a 1954 Austin-Healey 100/4 from Peking to Paris in the June 2019 ERA Rally.

Thursday 28 March 2019

0083 Gidget goes to China !!!!

29th March 2019
The most hectic 10 days of my life !

65 DAYS TILL THE START
But Gidget has already gone !!!!

After getting Gidget back to Queensland, there was not a moment to spare.  Wheel arches, spare tyre mounts, oil changes, undertrays to fit, pressure guages to fit, tools and spares to pack - The list was endless.  I can honestly say this has been the most stressful and hectic 10 days of my life, bar none !!  But, to start at the end, she is now gone, and we got (most of it) done !!

Video as we leave home

Saturday 16 March 2019

0082 Gidget comes back from Sydney

16th March 2019
Tidying up lots of loose ends.

77 days to go
But only 11 before Gidget goes on the ship !

Packages arrive from around the world
While Gidget is down in Sydney, there is still a lot going on to keep the whole project moving forwards smoothly - A bit like ducks paddling furiously underwater while on the surface they just appear to keep moving along smoothly !    Ashton has had to apply for Vehicle Import Approval so Gidget can come back into Australia after Paris, while Giles is trying to get 101 things done or lined up so that when Gidget gets back to Queensland from Sydney all the final touches can be added smoothly, hopefully leaving a week free before we have to deliver her to Brisbane docks on the 27th March. More and more parcels seem to be arriving in the mail - On one day alone, 4 parcels arrived with parts or spares for Gidget !  Fortunately they are all very low cost items, but important nevertheless.

Sunday 3 March 2019

Onward, ever onward......

3rd March 2019
Car is in Sydney, so..........
 
Since Gidget is currently in Sydney, I don't have any photos or anything car related to tell you.    But the break has given me time to think about other things, and with the shipping date now only 3 weeks away, the whole event has suddenly become very much more real and imminent to both of us.   Despite having known about it all for over 2 years, the reality of the terrible roads, the fragility of older cars, and the sleep deprivation we will face while we are on the road has suddenly taken on a new urgency in our minds.
How will we cope with it all ?   I guess there is only one way to find out !!

I found this the other day and thought it was partiicularly apt, given our adventure over the coming months. 
  
"Onward, ever onward ............."