The Plan

Ok, so that's enough about the personalities. What about the trip itself?

Technically, it starts in Koblenz. Which, for any American readers, is in Germany. Which is in Europe. Which is outside of the USA somewhat to the east.
We'll be starting from South London, so it's a drive across The Channel and a four or so hour drive to Koblenz for an overnight stay before the big off.

Day one is a drive to Colditz castle, where we've all been before bizarrely enough, near-ish to Leipzig. Then it's onto Dresden where we overnight.

Day two starts with a drive to Stalag Luft III, the prison camp where Richard Attenborough and Donald Pleasance stuck two fingers up at Jerry and then got themselves shot. Then onto Prague for the night.

Day three comprises a drive to Regensburg and Munich possibly via Berchtesgaden (where I've also been before incidentally). It all finishes with tea and medals and a night or two at the Oktoberfest, assuming we make it that far.

View Full Size Travel Map at Travellerspoint

The car itself needs to costs no more than £200 but there appears to be a bit of flexibly on investing in safety and MOT's etc. Whatever the case, there does need to be some jeopardy and unpredictability involved. It's kinda the point. 60 Teams, no support, no hotels booked etc. it's left pretty much down to you to sort yourself out. Which is fine.

That's going to be it for a while. I wanted to set the thing up with a few introductory posts as some clever people have already found the web address and started looking (I never knew I was so popular!). There won't be much more to say until we get closer to D-Day I don't think, but if there are any further updates, I'll stick something in.

Note: There is bound to be more than a few references to the war in these posts - there already has been. I would like to go on record as having a enormous respect for combatants of all nations, in any conflict. No-one can do anything more significant with their lives over putting life itself on the line. My writing may appear to treat the subject lightly, my awareness of the desperate and appalling nature of war remains acute.
I know that all sounds terribly serious but I wouldn't want the casual reader to conclude that I don't know or don't care about what I'm taking the piss out of.

Early Preparation

Fortunately, a few days away in a car doesn't require the meticulous preparation that a three month trip into the arse end of nowhere does. So no survival kit this time, no D-rings, no camo gear etc. required. There are however a few essentials required.

Firstly, a ready supply of chocolate. In this regard I have no need for concern. One of the team members always brings a prodigious quantity of the stuff. Normally a carrier bag full. He is also one of the more cash rich members, so it's usually the good stuff. A bang on a Thorntons truffle every now and then usually provides a sufficient hit to calm the nerves and ease any in-car tension.

Secondly, a game of Risk needs to be brought along. This will amuse at least one person I know but the international language of world domination by force of arms, is a sure fire way to make friends with fellow weary travellers. Rolling three sixes and shouting 'In your face Red' is surely the best way to cement a friendship with someone you've only known for 15 minutes right?
Not reeeeeally practical when backpacking but in this case, a car boot with space to spare and subsequent hotel bar would be a sorrier place without it.  

Thirdly, in-car entertainment. Scandinavian Hair Rock is a personal favourite, but not to everyone's taste. I have leant this from many years of trying, and failing, to convince my nearest and dearest of this irrefutable fact. My smart phone playlist is as a consequence, often accompanied with choral groans when plugged in. I have therefore been accumulating a more eclectic mix of tunes to play to what is frankly, an eclectic and diverse taste in musical preferences. Love & Rockets, The Cure, The Cult, Boston, The Housemartins, The Scorpions, James Blunt, they now all get an airing along the way. It's a bit like the worst 80's disco you ever went to without the benefit of sloping off to the bar to see if there are any attractive (not an essential quality now I come to recall) women who have not yet found a partner for the evening. At least three people tut at the opening bars of every track. Sometimes four.

Lastly, car discussion topics. With two grocers in the group, the conversation leans towards the Retail sector quite often. Given that I work at the higher end and the other interested party works in the middle ground, the conversation frequently ends up in a 'who's better' versus 'who's bigger' discussion. There are no winners in the best grocer debate. Except of course the consumer. Assuming they shop at Waitrose.
The other two bang on about graphic design and banking now and then but as soon as we break out the chocolate, the conversation returns to food again.
To the annoyance of some, I do drone on about the war quite a lot. Any war as it happens. And really quite a lot. There are others with greater authority, but few with greater passion for digging up facts of dubious authenticity. My companions are particularly good at nodding, smiling, asking me the occasional question, the answer to which they have no interest in. That's what friends are for.

Basically, me after a few pints.

On The Road Again

So I ought to explain. This is a short record of a planned trip across Northern Europe as part of the 2015 Crumball Rally, a (sort of) organised rally with three friends in September taking in a few WWII sites, final destination Munich. If none of that is of any interest to you, forget it. It will be blokes, bangers, booze, breakdowns and almost certainly, mostly bollocks. Don't panic, it's only a few days and therefore only a few posts. Hopefully there will be more substantial and more exotic and educational blogs in the future. Think of this a a Top Gear Special without the back-up, budget or brains.

http://www.crumballrally.com/thegreatescape2015.php

I have yet to ask but I know my travel companions to be internet savvy (sort of) but also internet shy. So don't be surprised if I use 'one chap' or 'annoying passenger #2' quite a lot. I'll ask them if they're happy to be referenced personally but don't hold your breath. They've lived in the virtual shadows since the dawn of the internet and have a panic attack every time a smartphone app asks if they want to allow location services to be enabled. Nothing dodgy, just private people. I on the other hand, have posted my arse on the internet and feel like it's a bit late to expect any kind of anonymity. The one consolation is that I know so few people, my now public arse remains to this day, still relatively unfamous rather than infamous. I'm not exactly Kim Kardashian (will need to explain that ref. to chaps 1,2 &3).

We've been friends for 28 years now and spent a great deal of time together over that period, including many, if not most, European Ryanair and Easyjet destinations. A few more days in a car together on this trip is unlikely to provoke major interpersonal dramas but if it does happen, I will faithfully report with only modest tabloid style exaggeration and personal bias. Whatever bickering, ridicule, incompetence or lost passport incidents occur, I can assure you that it won't be my fault (sort of).

Published without the kind permission of the other team members