AFTER A LONG LONG TIME MY WIFE IS STARTING TO GET BETTER AND I`M NOW ABLE TO BOOK MY TRAVEL TO FRANCE AND THE UK AGAIN. I BOOKED A PASSAGE FROM OSLO TO KIEL ON THE COLOR LINE FERRY FOR THE FIRST DAY IN OCTOBER. JUST MY LUCK, THIS COINCIDED WITH THE FIRST DAY OF THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS SO IT WAS A HUNDRED QUID MORE EXPENSIVE THAN NORMALLY.
UNFORTUNATELY, FERRY CONNECTIONS FROM NORWAY TO THE UK HAVE DIMINISHED OVER THE YEARS AND THE LAST AVAILABLE FERRY FROM.DENMARK TO HARWICH WAS CLOSED DOWN A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
NOW THERE IS A CHOICE BETWEEN COLOR LINE FROM OSLO TO KIEL OR STENA LINE FROM GOTHENBURG TO KIEL AND THE DRIVE TO CALAIS, WHICH TAKES A DAY. MASOCHISTS CAN DRIVE THE WHOLE JOURNEY FROM OSLO TO CALAIS THANKS TO THE ORESUND BRIDGE BETWEEN SWEDEN AND DENMARK, I`VE DONE IT A FEW TIMES BUT PREFER TO USE THE FERRY FOR THE FIRST LEG AS IT`S LESS TIRING.
THERE`S A LOT OF BENTLEY SMALL STUFF AWAITING COLLECTION FROM THE FRENCH HOUSE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SPENDING A FEW DAYS THERE BEFORE DRIVING TO THE UK.
I`VE HAD MY SHARE OF PROBLEMS FROM THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING WORK FOR ME IN THE UK. THE 4.5 LITRE BLOCK THAT I TOOK TO THAT SPECIALIST IN OXFORDSHIRE IS STILL NOT FINISHED AFTER EIGHT MONTHS AND THEY NEVER RESPOND TO MY TELEPHONE CALLS ASKING FOR A PROGRESS REPORT BY EMAIL! WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS IS THIS!
THE OTHER SPECIALIST IN HAMPSHIRE THAT I DELIVERED A LATE 3 LITRE SUMP FOR THEM TO WELD AND SPRUCE UP COSMETICALLY DID NOT SEND ME AN ESTIMATE UNTIL ABOUT SIX SIX MONTHS AFTER I HAD DELIVERED IT!
I PURPOSELY DID NOT REMIND THEM JUST TO SEE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE THEM TO RESPOND. AFTER AGREEING A COURSE OF ACTION WHICH WAS TO SIMPLY WELD IN A BROKEN LUG FOR THE FILTER SKIM UP THE TOP FLANGE AND PLATE IT AND COSMETICALLY REPAIR THE BAD WELDS ON THE OUTSIDE THEY PRESENTED ME WITH A BILL FOR NEARLY 3 GRAND.
BOTH OF THESE COMPANIES HAD DONE SATISFACTORY WORK FOR ME SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT AS WE KNOW, JUST LIKE FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS, QUALITY AND SERVICE CAN PLUMMET DUE TO INTERNAL PROBLEMS IN THE COMPANY.
I WILL LET YOU KNOW HOW THESE COMPANIES RESPOND WHEN I GO TO VISIT THEM WHEN I ARRIVE IN THE UK.
I`M SALIVATING AS I THINK OF ALL THOSE PUB LUNCHES, CURRIES AND JUICY STEAKS THAT I`M GOING TO HAVE IN THE UK.
YOU MAY HAVE GLANCED AT MY EXPLANATION OF HOW I TACKLED THE JOB OF BUILDING UP A COMPENSATOR FROM A KIT OF PARTS.LINK ALAS, I HAD TO FORGET ABOUT BUILDING MY SECOND BITSA DUE TO BEING TOO OLD TO GO FURTHER WITH IT AND SO I WAS ABLE TO MACHINE UP AND ASSEMBLE THE COMPENSATOR AND SELL IT TO A BITSA BUILDER FOR LESS THAN HALF THE PRICE THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SAME THING FROM BENCHMARK.
i WILL BE BUILDING UP A STEERING COLUMN FROM THE KIT OF PARTS THAT I HAVE AVAILABLE FOR SALE, IT WILL BE BUILT TO THE STANDARD THAT YOU CAN SEE IN MY EXPLANATION OF HOW TO DO IT. LINK IT WON`T BE EXPENSIVE. I WILL RE-ARRANGE THE SPARES PAGES WHEN I GET BACK FROM MY TRIP SO KEEP LOOKING FOR UPDATES THERE WILL BE A LOT OF ACTIVITY THERE SOON.
ALAN