Another lot of Alps nonsense

[br d]

Agree with everybody's thoughts about being decent.

I always go out of my way to chat to everyone behind the bar or waiting the tables.
This place for instance, as soon as I got here people I know from before are out "Hello hello!" I like that.

The French and Germans especially seem to like my awful, thick as mince cockney accent. I think they think it's exotic.
When I go to the bar and say "alright mate, ow ya doing?" they seem to instantly warm to it, always get smiles and friendly banter.

Obviously any English guests in earshot are probably cringing but I never pretend to be anything I'm not, it's too hard to keep up the pretence.

[br d]

I was not drunk! Few wines and a quiet night in.

The concert didn't happen, they may be putting it all up for some big event at the weekend, I'll find out today.

Up early for the pool, it rained heavily in the night so it'll probably be freezing.
Aiming to get out and drive today in the mountains, find something interesting and get some points on me license!

[br d]

Did the pool, was lovely.





The clouds was too low though. Believe it or not the biggest mountain in Europe is right there.



Went up to the Notre Dame Gorge which was pretty cool. A really good fast section of road between the towns. Need to get some sort of camera set up so I can record me being a hoonigan, post it up here and send a link to the French traffic police.

When I got to the top I really wished I'd brought the drone.

[br d]

Ussrcossack said:

Thanks brad d

This just keeps giving

I went through last year's thread last year with my young un.

11 now mentioned it at the weekend.

He had virtually remembered everything

Next time he's with me a lot of work to do going through this thread

Brave man. He's going to pick up bad habits!

[br d]

I've got all dressed up for dinner and was in the garden having a beer when one of them flash storms starts brewing.
The staff all tear about grabbing cushions and stuff. They blow up, you get thunder and lightning, massive downpours and hailstones and then 20 minutes later they're gone.
Everybody here gets it and the streets empty for those 20 minutes, then everybody appears again.

I couldn't resist it and stood out in it, it was fantastic, it isn't cold rain like in the UK. The waitress brought me out a towel bless her but I'm sitting here soaked to the skin now!
Was totally worth it though.

[br d]

shambolic said:

I don’t, sorry it was a throwaway line in your last 7/8 years shenanigans and I was thinking “this must be a belter” but you never expanded.

I’m 23 years married this week and I can’t imagine the big hole there would be without her there. We had a scare last year with cancer but she’s ok now. I lost a friend who was 47 at New Year and I don’t know how her husband and 3 kids can cope.
I think you must when you have kids to look after (we couldn’t) so it would just be me filling time.
Anyway enough with the melancholy and introspection. What are you wearing to the gig tonight. Looks like it might be fun/loud/interesting.

Mate, I didn't immediately respond to this because I don't want to drop into that zone but I'm so pleased she is all good, hug her man.
Sorry to hear about your friend, its too fking young, Shal was 45, no age.
We have no kids, I'm sure it would be a comfort but ultimately there's always 2 o'clock in the morning alone.
There's no get out.

Give her my best wishes.

[br d]

Sway said:

Awesome!

In. Love the pic of Shal making sure you don't do anything too stupid...

Have a great time fella, enjoy the time with Gaia (was that the stupidly gorgeous, ridiculously intelligent young lady or the music producer dude?).

Once life has stopped kicking me in the nutsack, I really have to get myself a semi-worthy car and emulate your trips with my good lady - there's a bit of a time pressure, as she's got a genetic disorder with her joints so won't be fully mobile for too many more years.

Wishing you and her all the best mate. You're both there to support each other and none of us know what will be, both good and bad.

Enjoy everyday that you can, it's really the only option.

I'm always happy to chat.

[br d]

They are sound checking on the stage, so it's tonight.

Got a long drive through Switzerland to Italy tomorrow. Honestly, I can really do without lots of drinking, dancing and happy people.

[br d]

It's a marathon, must be Saturday.

[br d]

Trying! Signals awful.

[br d]

Sorry guys! The usual litany of cock ups the last couple of days!
I've only got a short time I'll try to catch up.

It kept raining and thundering on Thursday so I just stayed out in the garden the whole night and got pissed, was quite wonderful, although I was drenched.

Left chamonix on Friday morning, loads of stress driving down. Massive queue at the Mont Blanc tunnel - when I get more time I want to ask the motorcyclists here a question - went into a garage near Milan and decided a chunk of the curb round the pump needed to come out.



dhead!

Then the most massive storm in history hit and I drove the whole last 2 hours in lightning and flooding. Was pretty good just a bit worrying when people sit 1 foot behind you in those conditions.
When I was probably 20 minutes from the hotel the Mont Blanc called to say they had found - wait for it - my passport, driving license, insurance docs, V5, tunnel ticket and Covid Pass in the room. I have a clip shut folder that I keep everything in so I won't forget it!

Moron!

They said they'd courier it on but didn't want to risk sending it to this one over the weekend, where was I staying after this?
I had a brain fart and gave them the details of the hotel near the Stelvio where I am going on Thursday. Completely forgetting that I'm staying 3 days in St Moritz before that!
So I've got no docs whatsoever till Thursday.

Tit!

Got here - Lugano - knackered obviously but had a nice meal and just crashed.





So, Gaia was due to come to this hotel this morning and we were going to get the train into Milan to Meet Francesco and his partner, spend some time in his studio, go out for the evening and then probably stay in a hotel in Milan.
(If none of this means anything to you my apologies, these are people I met last year.)
Friday night someone in Gaia's office goes down with Covid, they all test, she's positive.

So now I'm going down to Milan. This morning I have a thought, I'm in Switzerland, Milan is in Italy. I ask the reception guys "Do they check your passport on the train?"
"Yes, they do. Not always but often".

st.

So I text Francesco and say its a bit risky, I've got no ID at all, and no idea what they would do in that case.

He says, the legend, "Don't worry, we will drive up to you!"
Cool. So I'm sitting now waiting for them but have no signal and the WiFi won't let me upload pics.

[br d]

Got to try to remember to take more pics.

Went for a good hoon along the twisties around this lake.



Not fast roads but still fun.

Lugano though. Down there today, sun shining, hot, huge verdant mountains all around, lake glistening, superb.
Its a pretty well to do place and the pavements are rammed with lovely women in summer wear.

I'm not a poser but not gonna lie, cruising down there today with roof down and a bit of music was pretty bloody good!

Edited by br d on Sunday 26th June 00:50

[br d]

Sway said:

Awesome, and utterly daft all at once.

You utter, utter plum.

You very clearly need a personal assistant to follow a day behind you on these trips, hoovering up the mess you leave behind...

Funny you should say that, when I get home I have a PA/Operations Manager starting. She's st hot and should be able to knock the disaster that is my life into some shape!

[br d]

It's 2 o'clock in the morning, I'm pissed. Francesco and Tanya just left.
They brought me an expensive bottle of wine, which I'm debating whether to open right now!



Will meet them for brekky and get some pics. Then go into Lugano and try to convince a good looking woman to take a pic with the car, I'll probably get told to fk right off, or whatever the Swiss equivalent is.

Gutted you couldn't be here tonight Gaia. X

[br d]

Didn't open the bottle! Got up early, had breakfast and then said goodbye to my friends.
Had a cracking night, fun, food,booze and heated discussions (never talk politics on red wine!)

Absolutely lovely people, Tanya is Russian and speaks perfect Italian and English, has a bachelors degree and is 25. I'm always amazed at how intelligent and erudite the people I meet are.



Thanks for coming up guys!

[br d]

There's a song, an old song, by Sade called 'Maureen'.
It's about her friend who died when she was young.
I always found it very poignant, even back then when I knew nothing.

There's a line, "You'll never meet my new friends".

Pretty unbearable now.

I've just driven up into the mountains, cried like a baby the whole way here.
It's better now, it's a lot better, but it'll still kick the wind out of me if I drop my guard.

Going to see if I can do something with the drone.

[br d]

Fabulous. Mental.
A brilliant couple of hours on the mountain roads, wonderful driving.
If you can't enjoy a car on these roads its oyster card time.





Miles and miles of this stuff. Its just floor it, stamp the brake, wrench right, wrench left, floor it for ever and ever. So many times I thought I was going to stack into the side wall or go over the edge but the car just does what you hope it will. You can get so much speed between the turns your hearts in your mouth all the time!

Lots of these "straight over the edge" type sections too so you have to be wide awake.







This car has massive ceramics but it was blistering hot and I was mashing the brakes, I had to pull up here because they were getting a little gooey.





The smell of cooking ceramic made me laugh out loud! At least it's getting used!

Edited by br d on Sunday 26th June 14:34

[br d]

The pool bar, donchaknow.

There is actual WiFi here, its crap everywhere else in the hotel.

Somebody keep me talking so I'll have an excuse to stay near the beer!

Actually, I want to catch up on some people's posts, signal was too flaky before.

[br d]

I had intended to put the drone on follow mode and chase the car up some switchbacks but there are just too many trees here. It will lose the lock.

I did come up one ridiculously tight section coming into a little town so I stopped and flew the drone over it and had a little nose around some of the scenery. It's not the greatest footage but I'll put it up later anyway.

[br d]

Turn7 said:

This thread, is for me, living the dream vicariously...

Im so happy to see someone just living the life to full, not conforming to any set precedents and just taking each day for the most of pleasure available.

Very jealous, but vey happy to enjoy the shared ride....

That's good of you Turn.

It's always just about turning up and seeing what happens. It can often be boring and lately sad too but then one of those moments will just happen and its worth it.
I know my whole style is just all over the place and I'm sure it can be maddening but it's all I can do. I think the failings probably make the best reading. Just lurching from fk up to fk up, it's fun!