Bored on ferry..

.. so thought I would jot down a few notes. 

Well, a week gone on the London to Cape Town Rally or 25% as we enter Egypt early tomorrow morning (Sun 8th Jan). What have I learnt so far?

Firstly (though this might change when we experience northern Africa), van tyres might not have been the best choice. While we are the highest placed car using them, we have consistently been beaten only by cars using more grippy rally tyres. The difference on dry tarmac is less and on the wet, it is more. When muddy, it is very marked indeed. If we had used gravel tyres in Europe, we would have done better. 

Secondly, it is important to do well early and get up the seeding. We have missed most of the pile-ups hitting those further back by being up at the front. 

Thirdly, this is primarily a navigator's rally. You need to be in the right place at the right time. This means juggling the detailed road book with the trip meter and the satnav to get the right junctions and turnings and all while bouncing down bumpy roads at speed. The reason we did well so early was down to Bob in the lanes of Kent. When the crews of some very serious cars got lost and gave up to go to the ferry, Bob got us round and in a good position. There will be the odd mistake sure, but we've made less than most of the others. 

Fourthly, our fellow competitors are an interesting bunch, from all wakes of life. There are several crews driving MGs and as these naturally have something in common they help each other. When the all-girl crew in car 24, hit a roundabout due to a diesel spillage in fog in Italy, they all rallied round and helped to get the car fixed and on the ferry for Egypt. 

A particular mention in despatches here for Owen and Matt in the current leading car, another MG. Matt is even courting a thick ear and stitches after falling off a step ladder while trying to take remove a bend in the girl's car sump guard by dropping a garage car hoist onto it weighted with their car. The hoist then got stuck with Owen's car at max height. While trying to fix it, Matt fell off. They were nearly out of the rally because of a broken Greek garage hoist. 

Then there are the classics guys. These are devotees of the highest order of particular classic marques like Peugeot, Volvo, Mercedes, Datsun and Ford (though strangely only one Escort on this rally). They could talk for days about camshaft shim variations  dating from 1973. They form one of the strongest bonds with their fellow class crews because they spend so much time mending their cars and helping each other out of some crisis or other. Most seem to relish adversity. "Our cylinder head needs rebuilding again - means another late night for us!" they exclaim with barely disguised joy before setting to the task with others bringing them tea and snacks through the evening And into the night. A central part of the enjoyment on an event like this for these guys is keeping a 30 year old car going against the odds. A breakdown is not a cause of despair, it's another excuse to get the tools out and 'get stuck in'. 

Then there are the professionals. With an almost unlimited budget and a beautiful hand-built car worth well into 6 figures, they have matching jackets and are often found huddled together discussing tactics, tyre choices and various pieces of intelligence gathered on the next day's events. Individually, they are perfectly pleasant but they are men on a mission. They have another competitor vehicle acting as their service barge  (which is legal - you just have to buy 2 entries) to carry spare everything so they want for nothing. Accordingly, they are the ones to watch.

Looking at the other 'valiant and keen' amateurs in the field, they are a real mixed bunch. There are adventurers in a mixture of big mostly modern 4x4's; some not having been on a rally before and enjoying it all the more. This group even includes a couple of husband and wife crews. 

One 911 has what looks like a mattress on the roof - really a cover for spare tyres and tools. There's a classic 240Z carrying just about everything they and the car might need for at least a year and another Datsun which seems to be carrying only 2 small holdalls. This one hit a local car in Greece and missed the ferry. They are air freighting it to Jedda to pick up the route. The Morgan V8 expired in Greece too so the crew have left the car and will be hiring a 4x4 here in an attempt to keep going and follow the rally. 

All the crews seem to have one thing in common; they take this very seriously and are fiercely competitive against those around them in the daily results. Very serious during the day and good natured at night in the bar re-living the day's events, dramas and controversies of which there are usually quite a few. The deputy clerk of the course Peter regularly has in tow a couple of competitors querying something or other about their times. In the last days of stuck cars, he has been a busy man. 

Then there is the organising team. About 10 in total including volunteers to man the controls, a doctor (Norwegian Army special forces) and the backroom team crunching the times and compiling daily results tables. The general approach is relaxed and friendly. 

Postscript

We landed in Alexandria earlier today (Sun) and went straight out in City traffic. Blimey, what a drive it is down the 200 or so miles to and around Cairo. Anything goes on these roads. When there are lane markings (which is rare), no one takes notice of them anyway. Every man for himself and nearly all cars carry the scars of Egyptian roads. People just stop in the middle of the road to speak to someone, buy oranges, change a wheel or even just have a pee. We finished in the dark and perhaps only half the cars showed any lights. Makes it all pretty stressful.

One surreal moment occurred when we heard a police siren approaching from behind in a busy 4 lane highway. We pulled over to let him through. But he pulled alongside and inside sat 3 para-military policemen smiling and gesticulating to us to go faster. Not wanting to disappoint, we speeded up and they followed still waving. They still had their siren on and lights flashing so cars moved aside and we must have gone 20 miles weaving through the traffic - from lane 1 to 4 sometimes with them in front and sometimes behind at about 95mph. We passed several other rally cars. Some must have thought we were being chased and others simply looked puzzled to watch us whizzing by behind a police car with flashing lights and siren and with the occupants laughing and waving out of the window. Wonder if it will catch on in UK. 

Tomorrow, we are off to do some desert stages before catching the ferry to Saudi.