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29th Oct. All trucks and flyers are now safely back in UK after yet another eventful yet worthwhile convoy

From: Charles Storer
Sent: Thursday 27th 20.00 hours
Aachener land, German border close to Belgium. Robin Hood and Sea Dog are 'bringing up the rear'
All the other trucks went ahead today, while we made our way to the MAN garage to see what could be done and negotiate a solution for the now rather poorly truck 'Mr FLibble', Resuscitation efforts with a hammer having failed. Calls by Tom and Jackie (back in the UK) resulted in contacts from Gert Muller and then Hubertus Sass, the latter who came to the garage and spent the next five hours with us translating, explaining and negotiating..... And we simply couldn't have done it without him. The result of all this effort is not yet conclusive, but to our huge relief, the garage owner, Heinz (We called him Mr Beans!) ... Is confident that he has contacts who will be interested in purchasing the unit, for, let's just say, so as not to tempt fate, a reasonably good price.
Dave and Chris arrived back at the garage at 2pm and we think they were pleased to see us there to help remove all their personal gear, plus things like radios and not to mention about £750 worth of diesel from the long distance tanks which a man in his Volvo overalls (NIck) transferred into the other big rig for it's return journey. They then picked up the second trailer and departed for the second time for Vlissengen in Holland and the 05h00 Friday morning ferry. James Barrett back in the UK has now very kindly agreed to meet Dave in Bristol and drive the unit back to Dagenham to collect the second trailer and return it to Bristol, and all that remains then, is to get the tractor unit back to Leicester! ..... But if only that was all we still had to do.....unfortunately all the pallets in the warehouse in Bristol have got to be back on the trailers and moved to a new site because yet again, as luck would have it, we have to vacate the warehouse quickly..... No one ever said this would be easy.… Well It's good night from him and its good night from Us (Bev and Cough-a-lot .... John and NIck!)

From: Bill
Received: Oct 27, 2011 18:25
Dave and Chris left this morning to return to Koln to pick Flibble's trailer. They now re-booked onto the 0500 sailing friday morning. Meanwhile Nibsy spent the day in Middelberg before boarding the ferry for the 1700 sailing which will dock at Dagenham about 0400 friday morning. Entry's trailer was also loaded onto the same ferry unaccompanied. Dave will return to Dagenham on Sunday to pick it up. So ends another convoy. Bills 39th! Norman's 16th or 17th.

From: Charles Lewry
Sent: Oct 27, 2011 17:02
7.5t split into 3 groups. Frantic and Fox Hunter on 1700 ferry, Gonzales, Grumpies, and Busby slowly negotiating the Brussels ring road. Robin Hood and Sea Dog stopped off at Sankt Augustin in Germany to visit the dead 44 tonner, then following on.

From:Bill
Received: Oct 26, 2011 23:32
Not a good day for the hgv's. Just short of Koln Flibble's engine blew. For the experts big ends, crankshaft and probably pistons. Very expensive. Eventually Nibsy and Entry continued arriving at Vlissingen at 2300.
Dave is planning to return to Koln with entry to pick up the trailer to put it on the ferry to both trailers should make it back to the UK.
Nibsy is booked on the 1700 sailing from Vlissingen to Dagenham.

From: Frank
Received: Oct 26, 2011 21:49
"Faringdon TWO"(Frantic & Fox Hunter) make a 'break' for freedom. Now ~65km from Köln & ~465 to Calais. Great, safe run,TG. ETA Dover Thurs 1630! Nite Nite. Frank:-);-)

From: Dave Smith
Received: Oct 26, 2011 18:37
MrFlibble is near Koln with terminal engine failure. Late Entry now shuttling both trailers to Vlissingen.

From: Charlie
Received: Oct 26, 2011 13:48
Current position just approaching Passau

From: Charles Storer
Date: Wed, Oct 26, 2011 at 8:17 AM
This is the most of a smile we could get from this little girl of 12. One parent died just before the war, and the second was a war victim. Since then she has lived with other relatives . At least she now has something to cuddle.

From: Bill
Received: Oct 25, 2011 16:28
After a good day the hgv's have stopped for the night at Geiselwind in Germany. Unfortunately Cobbelfret cannot accommodate us on a ferry until 1700 on Thursday so we will be back in the UK early Friday morning.

From: Bev
Received: Oct 25, 2011 16:09
Arrived at Serbia / Hungary border at 15.30 this time greeted by people begging and trying to sell apples and a mile and a half of stationary trucks . Fox Hunter were able to proceed to front to give us a sitrep. In usual convoy style and as we were empty we moved as far forward as possible and then requested to join front of queue at front in bulk! through no mans land and to Hungary border and through; out and rolling at 17.00

From: Charles Lewry
Date: Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 9:11 PM
This morning Frantic discovered that they had been sharing their 7.5 ton bedroom with a small uninvited guest. A nibbled pear and packet of biscuits were Stuart Little's calling card.
Very good progress was made today crossing two countries and arriving at Hegyeshalom for the night and a genuine Hungarian Goulash.

From: Bev
Received: Oct 25, 2011 08:32
Now transiting serbia on our return journey, after good rest at hotel Nais in Nis - all quiet as we reflect on our trip. During our 'mop up' day yesterday and clear up at warehouse. Robin Hood crew and Caroline with reps from MTS re visited the Rama family whom we had met during our first couple of days in Kosovo, with various items of aid. Mr Rama was out seeking work, but his wife and 7 children were so pleased with the goods we provided and 3 of the children immediately had fun on the scooter and toy car, which we gave them. Hopefully they had am easier night and did have food and fire wood for Mr Rama's return - hopefully he did find some informal work yesterday - last week he had earned 6 Euros as a market porter in one day but that is very intermittent and could be only work for couple of weeks . Hope and Aid with MTS will continue to provide help.

From: Bill wit the HGVs
Received: Oct 24, 2011 19:55
We have stopped for the night at Hegyeshalom. The border into Hungary took just over two hours.

It has rained heavily for much of the journey.

From: Charles Lewry with the 7.5s
Sent: 24 October 2011 19:52
Spent the day tidying up the loose ends, and then we set off on the return journey. Reasonably quick crossing of the border into Serbia via gate 5. Have stopped at Nis for the night.

From: Dave Smith with the HGV's
Received: Oct 24, 2011 10:36
Arrived at Tompa border. About 10 trucks in the queue. Aiming for Hegyeshalom tonight.

From: JOHN DESTY
Sent: 23 October 2011 18:31
The drop we did today was amazing, 20K south of Ferizaj and we then took a single track road up into the mountains, 24 hairpin bends (some having to do 3 or 4 shunts to get around, we had climbed well over 1000 ft up the side of a mountain with sheer drops on the side of the road. Eventually we arrived at a village where they were so remote they had never had an aid drop. They farm on the side of the mountain and survive on only what they can produce themselves. At the top there was nowhere we could turn the truck around so we had to get the school gates opened , reverse in and turn around in the school playground.A very worthwhile drop but should only be done in the future in a 4 wheel drive and not a 7 1/2 ton truck! Last drops to do tomorrow morning before starting the long drive home.

From: Bill
Received: Oct 23, 2011 17:03
Subject: The hgv's are on their way home.
The hgv's are on their way home. Nibsy did a return visit to a school with some supplies they had specially requested the we departed from the
warehouse at 1400. We crossed the border into Serbia in 14 minutes. Is this a record?

From: Bev
Received: Oct 23, 2011 15:59
Last night Johno organised a fundraising night at Paddy o'Brien's Irish Bar in Pristina for MTS. Great night - irish stew, live band, raffle and auction raising over €3,700 for them including all expenses paid trip across Europe - yeap johno and friends will drive one way with the convoy! Nice day today to Albanian community in Pozhran with Sarah, Tracey and 2 ASK students with Zef and on way back stopped for quick pizza with sea dog and mummies. Now on way to warehouse to do final clear up and loads for drops tomorrow on way to border.

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