Leave the other half at home.

[br d]

Unsure where this goes, several forums could claim it, I'll try here in the lounge.

The other half recently went to Eurodisney with her sister and my niece. On her return I said I could do with a break myself after some recent health issues and fancied taking a guitar and going on a little tour. The car only has 2 seats so if the guitar is going then the girl ain't!
To my surprise she said yes, I should do it.

So I'm sitting here now in the Holiday Inn at Folkestone ready to take an early train to France tomorrow.

Won't be any coke and hookers involved, just some spirited drives, decent wine and playing the guitar in some isolated spots.
I'm sure to the younger guys here this will sound pretty ghey, would anybody else rate this as worth doing or would you rather take the missus or a mate?

This is what I'm going in:





And this is the guitar, a nice loud little acoustic:

[url]|http://thumbsnap.com/eIy5hA9R[/ure ]

[br d]

Jasandjules said:

If you are quite happy in your own company then go for it.

And glad you are now feeling better.

Yes JandJ, always been okay with shanksies pony, like company as much as anyone but perfectly happy to do stuff alone.

Thanks for the kind words.

[br d]

Pixel Pusher said:

br d said:

I'm sure to the younger guys here this will sound pretty ghey, would anybody else rate this as worth doing or would you rather take the missus or a mate?

I really wouldn't give a toss what anybody thought.

If it makes you happy, do it. Personally, I'd do exactly the same.

What route are you planning? I've driven down to Perpignan a few times and the route down over the Massif / Millau is lovely.

Hope your health issues are behind you, have a great & safe drive.

Thanks PP.
I have done the route you refer to before but for this one I'm heading to the Loire Valley, Nantes or Tours probably, nothing booked just stay wherever looks nice.
I'm still having a few niggles health wise so I want to stay within a days drive of getting back.

Plenty of wine, plenty of cheese and hopefully a bit of sun, really can't complain!

[br d]

I'm amazed at the great response to this thread, thought it would die on the vine so to speak. Great to read others experiences and thanks for all the support.
Spent the day driving down to the Loire, stopped off in Angers to wash the road crap off the car, god bless the Blue Elephant!
The car gets an amazing response in France, even more so than at home, I've heard "Magnifique!" many times today.

Drove out a little way and found a beautiful Chateaux hotel:



I'll drive into Nantes tomorrow and try and get a picture of the car with a bottle of beer on the roof, don't think they do Birds custard here! Any requests?

[br d]

pboyd said:

Yeah, please don't put a bottle on the roof!

Amazing, cheered up my Sunday and reminds me I must work harder/smarter

I'll use a beer mat!
Working harder I'd definitely agree with mate, but if you ever meet me you'll know smart has nothing to do with it!

[br d]

Am now in Tours staying at the Belmont Clarion, very nice.

Before I left the Chateaux De Noireiux this morning I got a quick pic:



Here's a tip if you stay here boys and girls. The big letter 'C' on the taps stands for HOT, remember that. So, let's say you jump in the shower in the morning, give both taps a half a turn only to be drenched in water hot enough to scold the panels off a Chieftan tank what you definitely shouldn't do is then grab the tap marked 'C' and crank it all the way up. That would be very bad.

Drove into Nantes, which is interesting in a wide car, lots of those French lanes that suddenly appear with high, close curbs. Saw this nice little 924 in the car park:



Outside of Paris you don't seem to see many nice cars in France, perhaps I'm frequenting the wrong areas.

I just got some extremely puzzled looks from the staff here just now when I bought a beer and then went out to the car park to take this:



It's Heineken, I'll try to get a different one tomorrow.
Not sure where I'm heading after this, will have a think later.

Oh, and I tried taking a half bottle of wine and the guitar down to the river at the hotel last night, thought it would be nice to play with the sound of a burbling stream. Unfortunately I was immediately attacked by ten million fecking mozzys and had to beat a hasty retreat covered in lumps, so that didn't really go to plan. Perhaps bringing the guitar was a ghey idea.

[br d]

Jasandjules said:

I want to leave my OH at home and go for a trip to Germany. Can I borrow your car

How can I say this without hurting your feelings JandJ? I know, I'll put it off.

Currently sitting in a very french French restaurant where they have no English and I have no french. So as well as looking a complete dick being the only person in the place sitting on my own I'm also trying to order using Google translate. Now that wouldn't be so bad but I happen to be a vegetarian. If you think being a vegetarian on pistonheads is awkward you should try it in France or Spain, they view you as something alien.

I can't read a single thing on the menu (my fault entirely, I'm in France, I ought to know something of the language) but I have just about established 'No meat' (they hastily took away the ham entrée :-)).
So I await whatever they bring, should be interesting, I might post a picture of it, seems the done thing on PH.

Regardless, they will be getting a large tip because frankly I think I am an awkward bd of a customer and they are very busy here.

Oh, and no you can't borrow the car!

Edited by br d on Tuesday 4th June 23:03

[br d]

First thing in, hope it isn't the main course! It was lovely though!

[br d]

Jasandjules said:

In that case might I suggest you go to Portugal, theyc
love vegetarians there...

I do hope you will at least Vmax her on the Autobahn. And I am hopeful that your legs don't hurt, I can't imagine it is the lightest clutch/gearbox to drive.

No clutch boss, I'm a veggie remember, I don't have the strength to push a clutch pedal.

Next course:




It was gorgeous, these guys know their stuff!

[br d]

And the dessert to finish. Unfortunately I forgot to take the pic until after I'd eaten it but the glass of Congnac went down well:



I'd like to take a moment here to reflect if I may. I've obviously had too much to drink (the English language badly needs a word between 'several' and 'many') but I think it's worth saying.

I'm aware that this thread is coming across all supercar and posh restaurants and I'm sure it is alienating some people but it's important I explain some stuff.

We are very lucky to live in the small part of the globe where you can make somethng of yourself if you work hard enough, believe me, there is no question that I had a worse start in life than 95% of the people posting on Pistonheads.

I will be 50 in 6 months and it has taken me 30 years of grafting and stressing to get here. I'm no billionaire but I'm very fortunate to be in the position where I can buy nice things and have nice holidays if I want them. It has been a very hard road, affecting my health, and my relationships.

What I'm trying clumsily to say is that to anyone reading this thread who wants more out of life I would say you can get it, it's out there for you but it's fecking hard. Please don't think that I am posting this stuff to stroke my ego, I come from absolutley nothing, from nowhere.

It won't just happen but it can happen.

I am pissed and will regret posting this in the morning but wtf. I didn't have a holiday from 20 years old to 42.

[br d]

Fantuzzi said:

I see you have the Dunlop 88mm tortex, nice plectrum.

Lambos good as well I 'spose....

Have fun

I bow to you sir! I didn't even know that's what it was but I just examined it and you are right! You are scarily well informed.

[br d]

Jasandjules said:

Well, keep taking the pics (of the car and your trip especially the stunning views). Hey, will you do the Millau bridge?

Nah not this time mate, done it before but staying North this trip. Just booked an extra day here, it's a beautiful Chateaux and a lovely town so I want a bit more time. I need to take some better road pics though you're right. I'm up for some requests, car outside a chemist or next to a drunken Frenchman, that sort of thing.

[br d]

SkepticSteve said:

Well done to you sir!
I certainly did not think that way at all!
I hope and wish you a swift recovery to full health now you are taking time to relax.

I too came from nowhere, but along the way after a mini burn-out, I decided to take it easier, so only have a Boxster S and a Jaguar STR.
Both well used examples before I got them, but having two older brothers and a poor upbringing, I'm used to hand me downs!

Kids today??

I'm off to France in 10 days with some good friends whom I have not seen yet this year!
I enjoy their company greatly, as we are from such different backgrounds ourselves.
One of whom has for the last month has been to the USA, New Zealand, Hong Kong and India on various business/project visits.
He text me from a bike market to ask if I needed anthing for my Indian mad ROyal Enfield!
Now that is what I call a friend!!

I hope your next adventure can be shared with a good "mate"!

Enjoy your trip Steve, they sound like great mates! Where in France are you heading?

[br d]

Thank you to everyone giving positive feedback, means a lot to me.

I'm out here on my own for feck sake, the PH family is all I've got!

[br d]

Boshly said:

br d said:

What I'm trying clumsily to say is that to anyone reading this thread who wants more out of life I would say you can get it, it's out there for you but it's fecking hard. Please don't think that I am posting this stuff to stroke my ego, I come from absolutley nothing, from nowhere.

It won't just happen but it can happen.

And most importantly, irrelevant of wealth or background, Brad is a really nice guy and generous with his time, enthusiasm and encouragement and support of his fellow PH'ers. Good guys can and do succeed

Keep the blog going, great read!

Oh and lastly, as for requests, mine is quite simple; the prettiest French girl you can find alongside the Lambo

Thanks for those kind words Andy. There is a slight problem with your request though, along with all those good traits of mine I'm also bug ugly, getting a beautiful girl anywhere near me is always a struggle (aside from the wonderful Mrs br d, I just keep her drunk all the time so she doesn't notice!)

I think I have a plan though, watch this space!

[br d]

Can't say regarding Prague, I wouldn't think there would be much choice ther though.

I had a week in Nigeria once, on the way back I pre-booked a veggie dinner for the flight (Virgin). The stewardess thought it was a mistake, she said she had been flying that route for 8 years on a daily basis and had never had a request for vegetarian before!

[br d]

Right, didn't do much today, went into town for a Pizza and get some bloke supplies then spent the afternoon in the Hotels gym and pool (my god describing how I spent another day poncing off work feels so decadent!)

However, I have met Boshly's request for some girl/car action.
There are some lovely girls working here at the hotel and seeing as I haven't paid the bill yet they couldn't really say no!
Bad quality sorry, taken on a phone and I don't have the first idea of how to frame or light a picture properly.









The lovely brunette at the front in first pic asked if I wanted her in a bikini, I blushed, looked at the floor, mumbled something inaudible and did one of those pathetic false laughs. Many PH man points lost there I'm afraid.

I'm now going open a bottle of red and possibly have a walk up the road to the bookies later. They have these weird betting shops here that have a full bar in them and live racing on the telly. Everyone rushes around writing out tickets and I haven't a clue whats going on so I'm probably going to lose my shirt.

[br d]

Mark Benson said:

Czech 'cuisine' is meat and potatoes. Mostly meat. And beer (well, fizzy lager).
If you're in the centre of Prague there are restaurants to suit all tastes however, so you won't starve.

br d - done the same myself (in a Lotus though, and without the guitar), enjoy your trip and keep us posted on your progress (especially with the pretty French girl photo).

Mark, just looked at your profile, you've done a ton of stuff I wish I had the balls to try! Where did you go on your lotus trip?

[br d]

Mark Benson said:

I have a friend with a painting and photography school near Marmande in Lot-et-Garonne, so instead of flying down there to visit, I gave my wife a plane ticket and drove down over the course of 3 days, then did the return leg over the course of a week and a half.
I can't remember the exact route, but it took in chateaux in Bordeaux and Nimes, along with gites and small hotels in whichever small town I found myself in after each (random) leg of the journey. I loved it and plan to do the same in the not-too-distant future.

Solo travelling, on the odd occasion is great. Being out of your comfort zone and with few familiar things to fall back on helps to give perspective on the rest of your life I think.

Couldn't agree more. I am often alone at home but it's different when you're away, you do reflect on stuff that doesn't occur to you normally.
Your trip sounds great, get that other one planned and post it up here!

[br d]

snotrag said:

Please return immediately to the Hotel and do the right thing!

Great thread, I could definitely do this, in fact in a way I'd prefer to do this alone as I'm the type who can enjoy my own company.

Enjoyed your profile description!