NewcastleFalcon wrote: 22 Sep 2023, 16:34
Last summer the Falcon younger generation visited Hamburg and the "Minatur Wunderland", and found it fascinating.
Nice reminder for them of their holiday, they stayed up at Lubeck and did a bit of travelling around but "Minatur Wunderland" was the must see bit of their trip.
Of course even these superb models need some welding from time to time!
As you may have realised the entire experience is pretty overwhelming and by 10.30 we had found ourselves thinking "Oh it's another train/car/lorry/bus/fire engine/ship/plane etc and so we retired gracefully, not forgetting to buy the book telling the story of how it all began!!
On Saturday we returned to the nursing of a fairly sick car which reverted to 3 cylinders at anything under 2000 rpm thus warranting a significant amount of gear changing to keep it going. Left in 'Drive' it simply changed up too soon and nearly died, so it made for an entertaining drive from Hamburg to Eindhoven's outskirts. Sunday was a case of more of the same which resulted in an anxious drive to Calais hoping to catch an earlier ferry than booked to permit me to see the football. It went very well despite the engine issue and we managed to get to Calais in time for the 2.30pm boat. Sadly we then had to queue at check in and were advised that the earliest ferry we could take would be the 5.50pm in accordance with our booking for the 7.25pm one. (Irish Ferry fixed fare policy, only one boat before or after the one booked).
Feeling a trifle deflated having managed to get there by 1.20pm we headed off towards our designated parking lane, 161, which entailed an urgent stop at the loos on the way. Eventually we made it to the front of 161, being the only car around and pulled up expecting to pass the time with some shut eye. However a chap wearing a high vis came over to us and motioned for me to open the window. "I shouldn't do this" he announced "but if you drive up that ramp over there you may find yourself on the 2.30 departure!" I didn't need telling twice with the prospect of getting home for the football back on the cards. We had already decided that we would go straight to Hertford and swap cars to SWMBO's to take Bob home as I didn't want to do the extra return to Reading in the, by now, 3 cylinder limping machine or put those miles on the MX3 while her car was sitting asleep in the garage. Leaving Dover at 3 we had time to get to Hertford for 4.45 then I could run Bob home for 6.15 and get back home in time for the kick off - brilliant!!
Then the M25 happened need I say more, other than I ended up getting home at 9.25 in time to start watching my recording before the nation sunk into despair!! A diabolical end to a truly fantastic Hamburg Hop. Thanks to Bob and Nic and Tris for making the whole time such a laugh, roll on the next one!!
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
Looking forward to hearing all about it in the proper way - over lunch 
