Sorry for the lack of input on here, but to clarify, we DID make it all the way back in the £300 fiesta. Let me take a moment to sum up he antics on the return journey.
We started off Saturday, 21st August, not at a planned 5:30 but we accidentally slept in which means we left at a slightly later, 6:30. In fairness this was also due to the fact we couldn’t get the rear view mirror to stick back on (it had decided to fall off THAT night)!
SO.. half past six we set underway, aiming for Bourges, France, which if I recall was 891 miles. That involved driving the AP7 coast road up Eastern Spain, crossing the border to France and nearly reaching Paris, give it a google, you’ll see how far it is! The journey went without hitch, although, due to our tally chart I can report, if you were to do this journey yourself, you would smell sewerage 18 times throughout Spain (a VERY worthwhile experiment!). We hit traffic a few times and the car got VERY VERY warm, I remember hearing everyone’s thermostat kicking the fan in, yet ours did NOT!. Suffice to say we scraped through every time!
The real drama began in Bourges, we arrived at about 11:30 due to traffic and the later than planned start. We aimed for a hotel we called at on the way down, called the Etap hotel, 46 euros, bit crap, but it was a place to lay our heads. However, the hotels were ALL full and after much driving around (with the fuel gauge well and truly on the red, and the only fuel pumps not taking our cards) we soon decided to continue would be stupid, so we stopped. I can report, a 1996 fiesta driving seat is a comfortable night sleep! We managed to get seven hours, but tempers started to fray. At half 12 the decision was made, sleep in the car in a Novatel car park. The fuel was nearly empty and so were we.
About 7 I woke up first and accidentally woke Adam up and we both accidentally woke rob up in the back. Rob and Adam went for a tooth brush and i sadly, couldn’t be bothered. Apparently thats a bit disgusting, but I brushed them when I got home, so as far as I see it, I’ll survive.
So while they did that I checked the oil and the water and chukced my GENIUS idea of fuel in the jerry can into the car. I took the helm to the next service station and we refuelled the car and oursevles! The end was in sight! So i ploughed on, did Paris and got just past it until we changed over and Adam took over. At about 2pm ( after a stop at some wine warehouses) we managed to get onto the 1610 ferry. So we were off, skipped the channel, and then the slog back up the UK was on! I’d like to point out just HOW MANY 50 average speed cameras there are in the South of England, no wonder they’re not as friendly as Northerners! I JOKE!
So we made it home, back to Winsford at around 10:30, to the tune of the BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN (sorry if we woke you up, Dave!). I got soaked in some Champagne and it was a job well done all round. THE CAR MADE IT!
So its nearly the end of the 3000 miles in a £300 car saga, we’re currently just getting round the last few people for raffle tickets (lets us know if you want one) and then we’re planning a hand over event where we’ll unveil the amount we’ve raised. Cheshire FM will be involved too! So for now we say goodbye and we’re still trying to catch up on some sleep!
So good night!
Jack
