Czech to Poland

Monday 24th July 2006 - The day was dry and sunny, and we were up at 8am. We moved Marvin into the shade between 2 lorries so Neil could work on him. First Neil decided to strip the carburetor and make sure it hadn’t shipped water in yesterdays storm. But as is always the way, the carb wasn’t the problem and after trying the engine again he decided it must be the points, not the easiest on a 2CV as they lie behind the cooling fan, which drives the alternator by belt. A lorry driver kept us company and gave us apricots and peaches while he allowed us to work in the shade of his lorry. He seemed very interested in Marvin, and it was such a shame we didn’t share a common language. Neil discovered that Marvin’s condenser had gone so he fitted new points and condenser and then spent hours trying to get them set right. Eventually the lorry driver said he would have to go in 20 minutes but we got Marvin running just before he left and around 12 noon we left the car park with Marvin running great – well apart from the oil leak we still had!

We decided to avoid Prague so we could try and make up some of the time we had lost, and headed towards Poland as the temperature soars into the 30s. We drove up and down the mountains and round the hairpin bends until we were dizzy and eventually came to the Polish border – where we met up with Gav and Ruth – team Penguin Power and team Blue Lightening in a 652cc Fiat. Jan swapped J-cloths for Ruth’s hat – the weather was hot, hot, hot - while Neil and Gav got the Fiat running again for the lads. We then waved our goodbyes and off we went again – more hills and bends!!


We drove on and in Wroclaw Marvins speedo changed to 00000, a new car again! 58 miles later we decided to call it a day and stopped at a motel where we met team Nervous Breakdown – we enjoyed good food, good beer and good company for the evening then headed to bed. The room was built like (and as hot as) a sauna – wooden ceiling, wooden walls, wooden beds, including the mattress, with a tiny window in the ceiling allowing us to hear the heavy traffic all night. Better than sleeping in Marvin? Only slightly - if at all!!!