General Anouncing the 2009 Fiat Forum Panda Adventure!

[JimMagill]

Hi Jim
I may be on your route Monday 6th April 2009
‘odge to Fifield
I'm in wolverhampton so if you fancy a pitstop or are in need of emergency assistance or even an escort for a small part of your adventure let me know.
James

Aww, shame.... I'm not doing that part of the trip

John is taking the car from Belfast to London that week and I'm meeting up with car and driver in London on the Wednesday night to leave the UK early on Thursday.

Jim

 

[JimMagill]

No. What was the 5th gear fiasco

Sorry Jon, never really answered your question

http://fifthgear.five.tv/jsp/5gmain.jsp?mnk=611&featureid=777&description=Panda+to+Istanbul+rally

Thats the start of it, hehe

Jim

 

[Panda Van]

No. What was the 5th gear fiasco

AAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHH !! Just reminded me, just as the bitter taste in my mouth had faded All you need to know jon - is plough a load of time, money and effort in to a day with 5th gear at their request - and get nothing in return.

 

[JimMagill]

I really shouldn't look at such things on sat nav!

God, we're really far north!!!

Jim

 

[purple haze]

Yep...bit too north for me.......Dover looks nice!!!....

kev

 

[Clangy]

Come and meet Sylvia!

Hello Fiat Panda Fans,
Come and meet Sylvia the Panda

Monday 6th April 2009
​

6pm to 11pm
Merrymouth Inn, Fifield, Oxfordshire
​

As some of you are already aware Jim and I are setting off on an Arctic Adventure over Easter, driving Sylvia from Belfast to Nordkapp in Norway and back. We will obviously be passing through England and will be staying at the Merrymouth Inn, Fifield, Oxon on Monday 6 April. It is a big country pub with plenty of space for an informal gathering and is located on the A424; at the junction with the small road leading to Fifield roughly halfway between Burford and Stow on the Wold.

I know it is very short notice and it is a 'work night' but, it would be great if some of you could join me for drinks and/or food from about 6pm onwards. If you intend to order food could you please give Mo or Bill at the Merrymouth a call (01993 831652) so they have an idea of how many they need to cater for.

Kind regards,

 

[Clangy]

Re: Announcing the 2009 Fiat Forum Panda Adventure!

It's now less than 48 hours to go before Sylvia sets off on her Arctic Adventure. Jim assures me that she is fully serviced and fit to go. Although I do wish he would stop using the phrase 'when we break down' instead of 'if we break down'!

Does anyone have any advice or words of wisdom that they could share before we go?

Regards,

 

[udtrev]

Re: Announcing the 2009 Fiat Forum Panda Adventure!

It's now less than 48 hours to go before Sylvia sets off on her Arctic Adventure. Jim assures me that she is fully serviced and fit to go. Although I do wish he would stop using the phrase 'when we break down' instead of 'if we break down'!

Does anyone have any advice or words of wisdom that they could share before we go?

Regards,

Take WARM clothing

 

[Clangy]

Re: Announcing the 2009 Fiat Forum Panda Adventure!

Take WARM clothing

That is wise advice indeed. Thank you

 

[CLXCraig]

Re: Announcing the 2009 Fiat Forum Panda Adventure!

Take Fred, you'll be fine

 

[udtrev]

Well you DID ask

Also please note - NO cuddling polar bears

 

[Panda Van]

Just a note to wish you well on your trip, im sure it'll be a real adventure, take care and bring that panda back safe

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Re: Come and meet Sylvia!

Hello Fiat Panda Fans,
Come and meet Sylvia the Panda

Monday 6th April 2009
​

6pm to 11pm
Merrymouth Inn, Fifield, Oxfordshire
​

As some of you are already aware Jim and I are setting off on an Arctic Adventure over Easter, driving Sylvia from Belfast to Nordkapp in Norway and back. We will obviously be passing through England and will be staying at the Merrymouth Inn, Fifield, Oxon on Monday 6 April. It is a big country pub with plenty of space for an informal gathering and is located on the A424; at the junction with the small road leading to Fifield roughly halfway between Burford and Stow on the Wold.

I know it is very short notice and it is a 'work night' but, it would be great if some of you could join me for drinks and/or food from about 6pm onwards. If you intend to order food could you please give Mo or Bill at the Merrymouth a call (01993 831652) so they have an idea of how many they need to cater for.

Kind regards,

Oh, same as our second name

Would come, but a tad to far unfortunatly

Enjoy your adventure though, and keep us updated and post lots of pic's, and Jim style youtube video diarys

Jon.

 

[JimMagill]

Erm... Feck!

http://twitpic.com/2tlju

For those who want to follow the arctic disaster of the panda exxon valdese....

Where the hell is that oil coming from?

God,that bloody panda really picks it's moments!!!! Grrr!!!!

Jim

 

[udtrev]

Erm... Feck!

http://twitpic.com/2tlju

For those who want to follow the arctic disaster of the panda exxon valdese....

Where the hell is that oil coming from?

God,that bloody panda really picks it's moments!!!! Grrr!!!!

Jim

It's YOUR fault, she is upset because you removed her old stickers


Trev

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I think she's scared. Poor things kacking herself

Atleast if you get lost you can just follow the oil trail back though

 

[JimMagill]

Ok, de stressed a bit now... John made the ferry (more on that later) and we worked out where the oil was coming from

I did an service on her during the week and all was ok but you know the old 'only turn the filter on hand tight' thing... Well, it was hand tight for the first couple of day, lol!

Grabbed it, felt it to be loose and then gave it a good hard twist to screw it hard and what you know, nothing squirted out!

Jim

 

[purple haze]

Good news...had us going for awhile...

K&H

 

[JimMagill]

Good news...had us going for awhile...

K&H

You wernt the only one... I got so drunk last night worrying about it!

Then had to get up this morning to take pics in the city with Mark the photographer (and I'd not packed my stuff into the car yet either!)

Was a bit mad but I'm in work and john should be on terra firma on Scotish soil by now

Jim

 

[JimMagill]

A few pics from this morning and a message from John...

Sylvia is safely stowed away on the car deck of the HSS and Sinead and I are tucking in to lovely doughnuts and coffee in the Stena Plus lounge. We are travelling in style; however, we need the relaxation after the heady excitement of our departure.

For those of you who are now a bit confused, I should perhaps explain that Jim is not with us at the moment. He will be joining Sylvia and I in London on Wednesday, until then I am accompanied by my long suffering and very patient friend Sinead Ferris. I'm not convinced she really knows what she has let herself in for; but so far she is coping very well.

We have had a hectic morning; Jim brought the car into Belfast and we packed all the stuff we will need into her, then we headed out for some photos at various locations round the city (check the gallery soon). This was followed by coffee in Clement's on Botanic Avenue where we were joined by a big crowd of well-wishers who waved us off. We than managed to cause chaos at the Stena ferry terminal; I blagged Jim and Mark (the photographer) through security even though they weren't travelling and we managed to get some great pics of the car on the ramp up to the HSS.

Special thanks this morning to:-
Mark Lowe for his photographic skills; the staff in Clement's for coping admirably with an unexpectedly large crowd for a Sunday morning and all the staff at Stena Line who were incredibly friendly and helpful despite us getting in the way while they were trying to work.

John