Rally to the Midnight sun

I haven't written anything here for over a year now, but that does not mean that adventures have not been had, just no rallies.  Since Vietnam, I've  been to Italy (twice), Slovenia, Switzerland, New York, Cambodia (obviously), both India and Bhutan three times and had a marvellous little tour of Scotland, taking in Skye, in deepest January.  I know that Scotland isn't exactly foriegn for me since I am half Scottish, but I hadn't been to the Hebrides before and wonder why as it was so fantastic.  In truth, I only really blog when we are rallying and we are off again.

We leave today for the start of a rally to Norkapp, the most northern part of Scandinavia you can drive to without falling into the sea.  It's been organised by the lovely Paddy and is vaguely following the route of his parents' honeymoon on 1955. We are a small group of adventurers who mostly know each other through other long distance rallies that we have competed in.  It promises to be utterly fantastic!

Our car is a seductively beautiful Bristol 401; a car manufactured by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, who diversified into motor vehicles when their aircrafts were no longer in demand after the war. I bought it, on a bit of a whim, last August and since then our good friend, the wonderful Charles McGowan, mechanic extraordinaire, has turned it into something special. Charlie is also the rally mechanic on this jaunt.  Hopefully, he and his wife, Dee, will have little to do as our cars will all perform without incident(!), and they can just enjoy the scenery.

We begin, today, by taking the ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland.  We will spend tomorrow night in Denmark before arriving in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Friday for the official start.  It will be marvellous to meet up with old friends again.  What larks we will have.  I'll keep you posted.