Roadtrippin', Euro-Style.

[carbonboy]

Did you take the time to walk to the top of the cathedral? The views are amazing and the number of stairs sorta removed the guilt from the lemon gelato/vodka dessert that night. Like eating a Lemon Ruski :)

 

Will have to look up the times we did the the kart track, although we only got to play on the indoor track. But, I wasnt complaining when it was free. Will see if I can dig up a couple of pics of what you missed inside TTE. Have a few until we were told to get rid of the camera ;)

 

I did have time, but was pretty buggered by this point so just did a walk around, took heaps of photos & took off. Was disappointed to not be allowed into TTE, but yeah, I get why. Seriously jealous of you now, cheers for digging some pics up! :y:

 

Peugeot 208

 

Second one has me stumped for the moment... Looks a bit Audi, possibly Skoda.

 

*ding ding*

 

2012 Peugeot 208, which has quite possibly the worlds smallest factory turbo. :lol: However, it was really nice to drive & had USB connectivity so I could plug my phone in & listen to my music instead of the local radio stations. I managed to go god-knows how long in Australia without hearing that Call Me Maybe song, start the car & guess what was on the radio? Scared the living bejeezus out of me.

 

 

 

I'll let you keep working on the second one, as a hint it's niether Audi or Skoda.

 

One more shot from the Kart Centre, I reckon I could make it fit in my Corolla. Just gotta work out how to fit it in my suitcase... :hmm:

 

 

Another of Cologne Cathedral.

 

Edited August 26, 2012 by carbonboy

[7shades]

Opel Insignia.

[carbonboy]

Ladies & gentlemen, we have a winner! I'll have to send you your prize when I get back. :y: (back to phone & wifi, so no photos yet)

 

Small confession: I'd never driven a car with semi-slicks & I'd never driven on a racetrack before. Just to add to the fun, when I arrived in Nurburg, it was pi$$ing down rain. This wasn't just jumping in the deep end, this was a coffin drop with a runup. Then again, what better way to learn?

 

I had four laps booked, the first two were very wet so it was do one lap, take a break, do another & rest again. Each time I got out of the car I was shaking like a leaf, probably half fear, half excitement. The next two I did in succession as most of the track had dried out a fair bit, so was actually able to push it a little. For anyone who might be curious, going by the dash clock my laptimes were about 15-16 minutes in the wet & about 11-12 minutes in the dry-ish conditions. Had several (okay, many) 'OH FCUK' moments but managed to return the car in one piece & undamaged. Nor did I over rev the engine according to their data-logger, which was good as it cost 150 Euros for every 200rpm you went over their stipulated limit.

 

Two important things: Gran Turismo/Forza etc are useful for learning the general track layout, that's it. Laptimes, corner speeds etc are completely irrelevant. Second, anyone who thinks nothing is better than sex needs to get out more. I don't care if it's a room full of Playboy bunnies, chains, leather straps, melted chocolate & whipped cream, it simply pales in comparison to the pleasure I got out of today.

 

I'd hoped to grab a taxi-lap after my laps so I could film it, but the track closed after my last lap. Sadly, the one place that hires out video cameras was closed today (yes, they were still checking for personal cameras & I saw a guy in a GT3 get booted off for having one), seriously pi$$ed off! Even more so when I was chatting to a guy who parked next to me afterwards & discovered he worked for RaceLogic & could've rented me one. Will be checking out few 'Ring photographers websites to see if there's any pics of me, if so, will order all of them! :)

 

The driving academy here has a whole fleet of GT86's as well as a a special exhibition that required a pass to get into. Luckily, a kind hearted security guard saw me drooling from a distance, decided that the Toyota F1 jacket I was wearing would suffice & let me in (after checking that noone else was around). I have some photos that make up for not being able to get into TTE. :D

 

If I believed in heaven, today I died & went to it.

Edited August 26, 2012 by carbonboy

[B.L.Z.BUB]

I have a case of the green-eyed gazunga's.

[carbonboy]

I have a case of the green-eyed gazunga's.

 

....??

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Jealous. (Simpsons reference from the episode where Selma marries Troy McClure)

[carbonboy]

Edit: Double post, web connection timeout :(

 

Ahhkay, I understand. :) My intent is not to be rubbing anything in, this is still kinda surreal to me. Almost afraid I'm going to wake up in the morning & find that none of this ever happened. :blush:

Edited August 26, 2012 by carbonboy

[carbonboy]

Things didn't quite go to plan yesterday. After a quick photo session at the Nurburgring, I headed off on a 550-ish kilometre trip south-east towards Dachau/Munich. Being summer, there were roadworks & banked up traffic on ALL the major roads so was held up by a few hours. Had to make call between an oversized clock (the Glockenspiel) or one of the biggest pieces of WW2 history.... Despite the camp being closed, it was still a very humbling experience walking around the memorial site in Dachau. Germans aren't proud of some of their history, but they accept that it happened & feel remorse for it (unlike some Australians).

 

Continued on to Schwangau, such a beautiful place! Scenery isn't usually my thing, but wow, had an amazing view to wake up to this morning. Breakfast for me used to consist of a coffee & a cigarette but when you're in a country where they don't hold back on the amount & variety available...might be coming back a few kilos heavier! :lol: Half the time I can't name what I'm eating, tastes good so not fussed!

 

Heading up to Neuschwanstein Castle for a few photos once I finish gorging myself, then on to Stelvio & San Bernadino! :D

[carbonboy]

Edit: Triple post, dafuq?

Edited August 28, 2012 by carbonboy

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Germans aren't proud of some of their history, but they accept that it happened & feel remorse for it

 

Only because they lost :P

[carbonboy]

That could have something to do with it, though not sure if anyone really 'won', the war just ended as I see it. :( I find it rather saddening that so much technological development/breakthroughs came about from humans inability to just leave each other the fcuk alone.

 

From what I've seen, there's two types of German women. The 'is that a man?' type & the 'ZOMGWTFBBQ I want to marry her & have babies' type. Sadly, more of the former rather than the latter so far. :laff:

Edited August 28, 2012 by carbonboy

[7shades]

Beirfrau.

 

Ample bosom, child bearin' hips. Will force feed you whilst grinning manically.

 

And the other type... Slender, fantastic eyes, smile that makes you simultaneously melt AND thicken up like pancake mix.

 

 

Oh and, you're in my old hood down there in the schwarzwald... I lived in Kirchzarten, near Freiburg.

Edited August 28, 2012 by 7shades

[SLO-030]

Beirfrau.

 

Laughed way too hard at that.

[carbonboy]

As it's late & I'm completely stuffed, I'll just leave this here....

 

Not a bad place to stop for lunch at all.

 

 

[carbonboy]

Finally have internet access again, the wifi at the hotel near Nice was an absolute joke, I could send updates via carrier pigeon faster. REALLY missing my Corolla, I wouldve given an organ, ANY organ for a slightly smaller car as the roads arent exactly wide.

 

Because race car.

 

 

Fapfapfapfapfap.....

 

 

Pick an 86, any 86...

 

 

Shit yeah!

 

 

Sleeping Beauty Castle in Schwangau.

 

 

Stelvio Pass, as scary as it is beautiful.

 

 

 

The top of the San Bernadino Pass.