Boys like big stuff. Men love big stuff. Fact. The great ship Les Mans Express, though not the biggest ship on the sea is still massive.
Some quick fire stats for you : 168 metres long and 10 decks high. Top speed of 19 knots. Her diesel engine has over 15,000 horse power. She carries over 4,000 vehicles from Japan to Australia, NZ, Mexico then USA. To buy her would set you back $50,000,000
Today was a good day, it would have been a great day if it wasn’t for the fact that both Amy and I were proper green from sea sickness. After a little more than an hour of being up for the day Amy was sick, was it a record on this ship?
It was pretty creepy as we approached the port at dusk. The ship does not take passengers so it was all a bit confusing at port security. The two security chaps were equally confused as everyone else, so whilst we were waiting I settled in to a spot of Aussie bashing on the back of the 2nd test victory by England. Jan and Graham kindly waited as the paperwork was being sorted. After some fun and games with customs and the cargo coordinators, Amy and I stood at the edge of the water staring up at our ship, the Le Mans Express. There have been many surreal moments on this expedition thus far and this was right up there for being particularly odd. Eventually a nice chap in a van pulled up, we chucked our stuff in the back and he drove up the ramp and into the ship. Our home for the next 9 days. Up a tiny lift and we were 10 stories up on the upper deck. A long a corridor, door after door with all of the crew jobs titles on them, we were taken to our rooms. We were Wiper A and Wiper B, cleaners I think.
Due to shipping complications, we have had a few days before we head over to New Zealand. Time to get our heads down and catch up with everything that keeps this big red truck on the road. It has been like checking into rehab as Jan and Graham have shown us a crazy amount of hospitability. Parents of Amy’s friend Mel, they have the ultimate pad just outside Brisbane by the river. Here we have set-up FTFE Headquarters, giving us the spring board to not only rest but to catch up on all sorts of admin and paperwork. Dream stuff as I can finally smash through an enormous to do list, whilst catching up with the 2nd ashes test of course. There will be no internet connection on the ship, so its a frantic time re-planning the final stages, allowing for the knock on affect of shipping delays and re-routing.
Having said an emotional farewell to a mo-less Captain Paul Barham at Brisbane airport last night, Steve and I spent another day getting our hands dirty down at the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Centre. The guys there have been incredible, fixing everything from Martha’s passenger door (which we haven’t been able to lock since late October, ssshhh) to changing a few of the wheels around to stop her bouncing away unnecessarily at any speed over 45mph. Plus giving Martha a thorough clean to remove four weeks of red dust and grime from her exterior. Legends!
After 80 days on the expedition it’s time to say good bye to Paul Barham. A man instrumental over the past couple of years in not only getting this project off the ground but keeping it a float. Captain Barham, we salute you.
Even with a crazy amount of preparation, the expedition is still very much dependant upon the help and assistance of people we meet along the way. Helpful and caring people seem to pop up everywhere almost like a scene out of the Truman show. This time round it was a nice chap called Mark Griddle. Mark heard from Channel 9 that we were driving through Surfers’s Paradise a few days ago and hunted us down. During a road side natter I mentioned that the impending import into New Zealand was giving me a huge headache. Due to shipping complications stage 6 (NZ) has been cut back which has been a complete shocker on the planning side, testing the patience of our man on the ground Jamie Abela. Not sure he enjoys me moving the goal posts every other day but shipping is a silly little sausage. As we now have limited time in the Kiwi Kingdom we need to hit the ground running and this means clearing their very strict quarantine quick. Apparently NZ are even stricter than OZ, so after our experience in Perth we are justifiably bricking it. I mentioned this issue along with a few mechanical issues and Mark was straight on the blower and booked us into the Queensland Fire and Rescue Workshops.
Though nobody believes me but our timing to arrive in Brisbane during the Ashes first test is by complete coincidence. Myself and Paul are huge cricket fans and hearing that the truck was being shipped out of Brisbane just after day 5 of the cricket was greeted by excessive excitement. London to the Ashes in 133 days, a thousand pieces of the puzzle to get us here but seeing the Ashes in Australia is an uber treat. We don’t get many days off so what better way to spend a day than settling in at the GABBA and enjoying our cricketing heroes battle it out.
High point: 14,000 feet – the height Steve jumped out of a plane over Bryon Bay
Low point: Paul and Fuad were sad to have their last innings behind the wheel of Martha
No point: Getting lost driving round the block with precious cargo on board, FTFE fans Jack (8), Charlie (5) and Lilah (2). Jack should be promoted to Navigator!
Pap point: Being photographed against the beautiful backdrop of Byron Bay Lighthouse by awesome photographer Benjamin Sherack http://www.benzwaves.com
