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The
Trans European Challenge was an epic 7000 mile European journey
undertaken by Jimmy and Jan Di Carlo, in their Fiat 500, as a charity
run for The
Parkinson's Disease Society.
The
Parkinson’s Disease Society was set up to assist the sufferers,
increase the awareness & fund research of this dreadful illness.
Below
you will find a number of reports, postcards and photographs which
we received while Jimmy and Jan were on their journey.
Report
Number 1 (15/08/2000) - The Send off
Update
17/08/2000
Report
Number 2 (22/08/2000)
Report
Number 3 (26/08/2000)
Pictures
from Germany (30/08/2000)
Report
number 4 (03/09/2000)
Report
Number 5 (06/09/2000)
Report
Number 6 (13/09/2000)
Report
Number 7 (20/09/2000)
Update
26/09/2000
Report
Number 8 (29/09/2000)
Norway
The
Netherlands
Italy
Garlenda
The send off
The
send-off for Jan and Jimmy Di Carlo, for their 2 month European tour in
aid of the Parkinson's Disease Society, started well, with a warm and
sunny morning.
The party was at Cleveland Cars, a Fiat dealership in Ash, Surrey, who
kindly
provided eats and drinks for the assembled party, quite a few of whom
had turned up not only to wish them well, but also to pledge
sponsorship for their chosen charity. Fiat 500's, 850's, and the
odd 600 among them! "Buggsy" the lovely Abarth replica Fiat
500 was on show in the car showroom, a local newspaper had an article on
their front page with a photograph of the car and Di Carlo's, and Jan
had to get up really early to be at a local radio station to be
interviewed on air about the run.
Talking to Jan and Jimmy, they have never worked so hard or been so
exhausted as they are now they have retired!!!!!!!!
I am sure we all wish them well, a safe and uneventful (well only nice
events!) trip, and a rest!!!!
I am hoping to receive regular E-mails from Jan as they proceed from
country to country, and will endeavour to keep you all informed.
Charlie
Below
are some pictures taken so far.....
Click
on the small pictures to view full size.
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Jan
rang from Bergen about 8:00 pm on Thursday 17/08/2000 and said
that Jimmy, Jan and "Buggsy" had arrived safely in Norway!!
Jan
and Jimmy are still in Norway where they found time to send us a postcard.
They tried to make it to the Arctic circle but sadly the weather has been against them, and although they
managed to get half way, the rain, snow, cold, and mountain track roads
were a bit of a strain for "Buggsy" so they have decided not
to push the little 500 to the limit at the beginning of the
run. Jan said, they are at present staying in a nice
little B&B overlooking a Fjord, very picturesque!
They
are off to Denmark this Friday, then will be in Kiel in Northern Germany
Wednesday 30th. and Thursday 31st. of August. Next it will be
Venlo in Holland Friday 1st. and Saturday 2nd. of September, then on to
Belgium on the 3rd.
Jan
will have her mobile phone switched on each morning, so if anyone wishes
to contact the couple, mornings will be best. The mobile telephone
number is 07730-402202.
Ciao
for now Charlie
Jan
has been in contact on Saturday 26th
of August at 09:45.
Jan and Jimmy are now in Denmark, they crossed the new bridge from Malmo
to Copenhagen on Friday night (25/08/2000), and were warmly greeted by
members of the Denmark 500 Club, then went off for a super Italian meal.
The weather had still been pretty miserable as they went through Sweden,
but is now improving, and they have seen the sun!!!
Today, as I was speaking to Jan, "Buggsy" their 500 was being
admired by local fans, and they were just about to head off for a tour
round Denmark, escorted by members of the Danish Club.
Charlie
Jan,
Jimmy and "Buggsy" met up with the FIAT 500 EXCLUSIVE
CLUB KIEL. Our
sincere thanks to Holger Wurft for sending us the pictures (below) from Kiel
in Germany.
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on the small pictures above to view full size.
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The
following report was received from the Dutch 500 Club (via Charlie of
course):
We, a few Dutch members met Janet and Jimmy in Venlo.
Unfortunately the weather was terrible.
We had a splendid breakfast in a caravan that belong to one of
the members. Jimmy and Janet had a cabin but they moved to a nearby
Motel, because the weather made things a little bit worse.
The next day we went to a market in Roermond and even then we had
some rain. On Sunday they
moved on to Switzerland and Italy.
It was great fun to talk with them about their trip.
We wish them the best and nice weather.
Henk, Annette, Frans, Annemiek, Joost
and all members of the Dutch 500 Club
Jan
and Jimmy (with "Buggsy" of course) have now arrived in
Italy, and are taking a well earned rest, in a lovely farmhouse on a
hillside overlooking a beautiful valley, with good food and a nice
bottle of wine! Poor Jan has been unwell for a few days, but
is now hopefully on the mend. The weather is getting better now, the sun
is out!!!
Tomorrow they are heading for Padova, taking in Turin and by Sunday will
be in (Cheva/Savone???) for a local 500 Club meeting.
I asked if they could bring me back a 500! but they don't think
"Buggsy" could cope with the extra load!!!! They did not think
much of my suggestion about balancing a 500 on the trailer - oh well it
never hurts to ask!!!!!!!
Charlie
Jan,
Jimmy and "Buggsy" are staying with Jimmy's relatives in
Padova, Italy. Jan has started a course of Antibiotics, as she had not
been able to shake off the "bug" she had picked up. She
is now beginning to feel better thank goodness.
Jimmy has a relative who is a dentist, so he is taking the opportunity
for a check-up!, so that only leaves "Buggsy" to be seen to!
He has been behaving very well so far, touch wood! (Buggsy that is,
don't know about Jimmy!!!).
They have received an enormous welcome in Italy, the Italians seem very
interested in the trip, and have been out in large numbers to meet the
intrepid travellers, and Jimmy and Jan have been invited to various
"do's", and have been presented with two GINORMOUS trophies,
almost too big to fit in Buggsy!! They will have to have them
posted home!!!!!!
They played "sardines" in a 500 as three adults and two
children squeezed into one to travel across town, apparently a very
tight fit!!!
Jimmy and Jan had only heard a small mention about the fuel crisis
happening in G.B. and so far have not had a problem, they will be
travelling to France and Spain next week, so hopefully they will not
have trouble getting fuel, and that everything will be back to normal by
the time they return to the U.K.
Jan's mobile phone has thrown a wobbly, so if anyone would like to
contact her, she should be able to be contacted (mornings) on her other
mobile. Tel. No. 07714-205366 this has an answerphone as
well.
Charlie
Jan
telephoned this evening (Wednesday, 20/09/2000) to say they are still in
Italy, and were warmly greeted by the folks at "the home of the
Fiat 500" in Garlenda, and had a brilliant meal last night with
them. They will be driving on to Nice (France) tomorrow, and from there
on to Spain. They went to Venice today and had a cup of coffee in
St. Marks Square, (only cost the equivalent of approx. £1.70!!! that is
cheap, I heard it can be about £5 a cup!). Jan said that they have now
driven 3,700 miles, and that doing 500K's a day is leaving them shaking
like jellies when they get to their destination!!! and for some time
afterwards as well, told them they should take more water with it!!!!!!
Charlie
They
are coming home!
Jan
and Jimmy rang last night from Spain. They are heading back towards home
now, and will be catching a ferry from Bilbao on Thursday. They had a
minor problem with "Bugsy" when the dip stick fell to pieces!!
but luckily they found a Fiat dealership who kindly mended it for free!!
Charlie
Jimmy,
Jan, and "Bugsy" are home. They got home this evening after a
frightening journey on the ferry from Bilbao. It was blowing a force 9
gale in the channel, and the waves were enormous, tossing the ferry all
over the place.
The crossing took about 27 hours, and seasoned travellers as they are,
they were not seasick, just rather shaken, though Jimmy managed a few
hours kip!!! I am sure we are all glad that they are home safely, and
look forward to hearing all about the epic adventure in due course.
Charlie
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