Today is a short 200 km run to Place Vendome in Paris. For some this is the greatest excitement. For others, it is the deflating realisation that a marvellous adventure is about to finish. For yet others, it is a huge relief to have travelled 16,000 kms over a bewildering array of countries in a car that is generally older than the occupants.
For Clive and Ces, we get the impression that the feelings are a complete mishmash of the above. Sometimes, they seem truly amazed that they have accomplished such a feat. Other times, Clive seems bitterly disappointed that such small mishaps (the coil and the choke) could have robbed him of a 3rd place trophy. But mostly, they seem to be genuinely pleased to be home (or nearly home).
Chris, Fern, Marian, Karen and I were in Place Vendome (as well as squillions of others) to welcome the dynamic duo onto the finish ramp. As usual, there were some unsuspecting local passers by who wondered if they'd inadertently stumbled onto a period film set.
There were many flags from many countries ... mostly English, French, German, Swiss, Australian, American, Portugese, New Zealand, Dutch ... but also Turkish, Russian, etc. And there were many people with hankerchiefs to their faces ... but they were not mopping up tears of of joy or sadness ... rather they were treating the red eyes caused by the fumes of so many thundering great classic engines.
Here are some images from those final moments in Paris ....
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| The clown already precedes the main act ... |
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| Fugly thunders google-eyed into Paris ... |
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| C&C a're scared of the big crowds ... one grabs onto the passenger door |
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| Oi ... where'd he come from ... but Ces seems typically unperturbed!! |
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| Clive is hanging on ... he's next to be unseated!!! |
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| Finally, they get to the finish ramp ... just Clive, Ces and Fugly |
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| The happy couple ... with Fugly |
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