Contrary to certain reports, we are indeed still alive!
In Prague right now. We hit the pre-launch campground at about 10PM to see dozens of other teams out drinking and BBQ throughout the nite. One team, Jersey Boys, had already gotten into an accident and had to be towed to a garage the next morning. Got a few hours of sleep and then got up to attend the launch at Goodwood Motor Circuit.
Every team was at the launch with their car, including some crazy ones such as a bright pink and green ice cream truck and a fire engine covered in fur. We hung out with the others for a while along with our friend Dave and his Mongolian son-in-law Amar while being treated to musical performances and Mongolian wrestling. Started to rain right before launch at around 2:00PM. We were anxious to leave as we had to catch a ferry from Dover to Dunkirk, France at 6:00PM (have to check in an hour beforehand). We finally took off around the racetrack along with the other nineteen or so teams in our launch group before heading out of the Motor Circuit on our way to Dover. We proceeded to get lost immediately.
We were supposed to go along with team Rubik’s Cube and another team to catch the ferry together, but the lead car somehow lost us right out of the Motor Circuit. So, it was up to us and Rubik’s Cube, both American teams, to find our way there with a map. After fifteen minutes of going in circles we finally started going in the right direction. We booked it as fast as we could to the docks (three hours away) and just caught the ferry before it left—we we the last car allowed on (team Rubik’s Cube missed the ferry by about a minute).
The ferry ride was about ninety minutes long and before long we were driving our car off the ship and into France. It was nice to be on the correct side of the road again!
To be continued…
