54
Our little car had struggled up the
mountains at the start and we
were massively behind time,
so I was doing my best to catch up
on the downhill sections.
sounding engine! Once we had practiced and two plain cakes. My sugary teeth
some “regularity sections” on the felt revolting and I regretted not bringing
quieter roads and learned how to change a toothbrush with me. Somehow I
the wheels, including the left handed managed a 20-minute nap on the hard
wheel nuts on one side, we flew back floor. My shoulders were in agony as my
to London in excited anticipation. On 29 fixed racing seat was too far away from
January, we flew back to Milan, collected the wheel, but we got back on the road
our little car and drove to Turin. This was feeling more refreshed and drove until
where the rally began for us. 5pm when we reached Monte Carlo.
The atmosphere in Turin was As we came up the ramp I had never
electric. After a carb-fuelled lunch with felt so filthy and desperate for a shower.
our mechanics, we changed into our We were therefore overjoyed to discover
racing suits and waited for our position a room with two large double beds
to drive up the ramp. We were about to and a huge bathroom with fluffy white
embark on the concentration leg, which bathrobes when we checked into the
is the first part of the rally and lasts up Fairmont.
to 20 hours. Armed with Nurofen, Pro After one of the best night’s sleep
Plus, Red Bull, Fox’s Glacier Mints and I’d had in a while, we set off again
mixed nuts, we set off rather nervously the following morning. This time the
onto unfamiliar streets, Friday evening “regularity sections” were becoming
traffic and the long journey ahead. more frequent. We were flying along
Jason was driving his new toy - a 1300 at certain points, hoping not to get
Giulietta Sprint Veloce and helpfully led caught by the speed cameras, and were
us through the city. As a navigator there guilty of road rage when certain cars
is so much to think about, especially on held us up. However as my confidence
the “regularity stages” and the Tulip grew in the Giulietta and her trusty
notes Camilla and I had made weren’t brakes, we were able to overtake more
always that clear so we were grateful cars. We discovered that the stories of
for the support. The night seemed to photographers and spectators throwing
pass without drama and I was surprised snow on the roads were indeed true and
at how easily we were making the time that having flash photography on the
checks. I had assumed it would be a corners was sometimes distracting. At
constant battle with the clock, but the one point on the very icy Col de Turini,
first night is more about endurance than I narrowly avoided a photographer
speed. As we drove through France at and ended up in a skid, bumping the
7:30am the sun was coming up and we Giulietta’s nose and damaging the
ended up stopping for a time check. paintwork. This was nothing though
Breakfast consisted of single espressos compared to my truly idiotic mistake,
and plastic bags containing a juice carton which was to leave the original 1957 fuel
avantoure
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adrenaline rainbow
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