On Friday 22 June at 6:30 am a few of us (30!) met up at the ESSO garage at Dartford for a run to the ferry. We were standing having a chat while waiting for a couple of the late ones when someone shouted "Have you all got your passports?" "No", a voice said - Phil King had left his at home, so off he went saying "I'll catch you up". We arrived in Dover at about 8:20 am, rode onto the ferry, parked up, found a seat and had some breakfast. About 20 minutes later Ian and Julie sat down and said that it was lucky they got onto the ferry - some problem with the tickets. (Phil King had caught up in time as well).
We had a lovely relaxing ride to the site with no problems and arrived at about 1:00 pm. We found a pitch, put up the tent and made up some drink (for later?) We signed in and got a T Shirt, then went for a walk to find a pub and try a few beers. We found a small café that served beer and had great music. Andy tried a few beers and tried a change in personality too (pissed!) We then went on to a restaurant for a meal where Andy was very loud and enjoying himself immensely. I was shocked as he is usually very quiet but it was nice for a change to see him let himself go. Friday evening's entertainment was OK - 2 bands and an all-night DJ.
I was woken at 5:45 am next morning by a cockerel, but fell back to sleep. Later I had a wash in the tent as the showers were about half a mile away and mixed (as were the toilets - OK for the females)! There was a run that afternoon which the Belgian TOMCC had organised, but it was only to a pub and most of us had decided that this was too boring, so another run was organised to see Waterloo. On the way Tom Burnett's bike broke down - the back chain had snapped. Also Gary Lineham had blown a fuse but we didn't find out about Gary until we stopped for Tom. Jackie was wondering what had happened to him but relaxed a bit when she realised that Bob Colvin was with him. Tom 'phoned and made plans for his bike to be picked up after we had visited Waterloo.
A few people actually climbed the 70-odd steps up to the top of the hill but the rest of us had a beer and a meal. Afterwards we rode back to Tom's bike, dropped him off and went back to the site. The Essex branch had arrived by then and we had a chat whilst someone was shooting oranges all over the site from a drain pipe. We all decided we would take a walk and have another drink and a meal.
After the meal, dodgems and music, a few of us walked back to the site and arrived just as the prizes were being handed out. Tom and Gwen got the oldest rally-goers award and the unluckiest award too! Chris Moore got best Meridan and I got best Hinckley. A rock and roll band came on next and as I wasn't feeling too good I decided to stand outside. Later we walked back to the tent and sat outside talking. Andy went back inside for a while as we had all been given raffle tickets when we signed in and he could hear them calling numbers. Hours later he came out chuffed as he had won a wet suit jacket and he really needed a new one.
Well off to bed we went amid the noise of bagpipes mixed with heavy metal in the background. The next morning we left, had a lovely run back and I already had next year in mind. But before that a few of us are going to the TOMCC Holland rally in July.