G’day back home!

I hope everyone’s enjoying the sun, surf and sand back home - there’s nothing like an Aussie summer.



Well, it’s been a while since I last checked in but there sure has been a lot happening in the rally world. We’ve just finished fifth in Mexico in the new car which I’m happy with. It was unlucky what happened to Petter, but we both know this car has a lot more to offer, which is promising.

Norway and Sweden were okay. I only managed one point for the two events but we did show speed, and trust me, driving on thick snow ain’t the easiest of things! Mexico was a welcome change from the two events in the snow - the weather was similar to home, which I enjoyed.

After Sweden and Norway a mate from home came to stay for a few weeks and we spent some time kicking back, checking out some of the spots around Monaco. We found a nice sports complex hidden away in the mountains behind the city, so we bought a soccer ball, basketball and a footy and did a bit of training before Mexico.

We met a few young local soccer players who challenged us to a bit of three on three mini soccer. We thought we had it in the bag, but ended up getting absolutely schooled, and to make it worse they were about 10 years old! I think I’ll stick to my day job.

I bought a proper sushi kit from the local Casino (a supermarket chain in France) and have been whipping up heaps of different creations - not as good as the Mr Sushi on the Goldy (Gold Coast), but we’re getting there. Salmon avocado with a bit of light mayo is probably the pick of the crop so far, and I’ll tell you what, the seafood markets in Monaco and the French Riviera have some of the best fish I’ve ever tasted!

I’ve just picked up some proper wasabi and rice wine vinegar from one of our Japanese crew, so I’ll be hitting that up when I head back home from Mexico.

After a day trip to Nice, which is about a 30 minutes drive, my buddy  and I discovered not one, but four Subways! It’s about time I found some near-by because it’s by far (up there with sushi of course), my favourite food and the owner tells me Subway Monaco is only six months away! Happy times! Sorry, I’ve been watching far too much Borat. He cracks me up every time.

In between Norway and Mexico I headed with my mate to catch up with some friends who live on a farm in the Province in France. We spent a couple of days there and had a ball doing the tourist thing and watching a bit of six nations with the local rugby team.

It was a good night out, especially with France giving Wales a hiding. The locals were all in full celebration mode. It was actually a really nice part of the world to visit, the history is amazing and we visited a wine cellar that was hidden underground amongst deep caves in the mountains. Check out the pics and you’ll see what I mean.

We also cruised around the farm on some bikes and as you’ll see, they weren’t the most advanced two wheelers I’ve ever ridden!
   
We’ll be doing a bit more testing, then we’re off to Portugal, which I’m looking forward to because it’s a new rally for everyone, which makes it more of an even playing field.

Macneall is off to NZ for a week after Mexico so if anyone sees his ugly mug, make sure you say G’day.

Enjoy the rest of the summer (even though it’s over!) and make sure you check out the pics, there’s some crackers in there.

Catch ya later.

Chris.

CHECK OUT ATKO'S EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS 


 

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