TransAm
05-09-2005, 06:41 PM
Well, some of you might have noticed I haven't posted very much in the last month or so...Basically, I was quite busy at work and it culminated in a week-long business trip to the UK (not much point in going for less than a week I guess!)
I didn't take my camera or else I'd share some pics at this point.
This is more of a 'I'm back on JW' post than a travel post I know, but the section is empty so far!
The trip highlights:
Business Class flight to UK (always a bonus on a long flight) so I got given a DVD player and free alcohol all the way! Watched 'After the Sunset' and 'Napoleon Dynamite' on the way over.
Got picked up at Manchester airport and then onto the Marriott at Preston (linky)
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage.mi?marshaCode=BLKBP
After an hour or so's sleep it was into the office where I mostly yawned all afternoon.
The week's highlight was of course seeing my friends in Preston, and it was a pretty good turn out for a last-minute arranged curry on a Thursday night.
Friday morning I drove my hungover self to MAN airport...I flew back to Dallas via Chicago...armed with $100 worth of English chocolate and lots of car mags. TG and Autocar were dispatched on the plane journey home.
The important highlight is of course my rental car review:
2005 Ford Mondeo 2.0 LX Automatic. (linky) http://www.ford.co.uk/ie/mondeo/mdo_overview/mdo_lx
2.0 150hp so I thought it should be ok, y'know, reasonably peppy, no supercar, but quick-ish...no...it was in fact FUCKING RUBBISH! Takes about 12 seconds to decide it will change gear, and I nearly had an accident due to the kickdown delay as I put my foot to the floor to overtake something and nothing happened! Last time I was in the UK I had a 2.0 Mondeo but a 5-speed and let me tell you the manual is worlds better to drive...
The Mong-deo has a sorted chassis though and it went round corners really well, much better than my 93. although the Saab felt like a rocket driving home from DFW airport after the Mong-deo.
I also sold my 96 Civic VTi while I was back in the UK to a friend (well, I actaully 'sold' him the key to my garage as the battery is flat and there is no valid MOT (safety inspection) on the Honda), so I definately need to buy a new car on my return to the UK in 2006! Having watched the Ant and Pete vids I think a 330d is still top of my list for my next UK car.
I didn't take my camera or else I'd share some pics at this point.
This is more of a 'I'm back on JW' post than a travel post I know, but the section is empty so far!
The trip highlights:
Business Class flight to UK (always a bonus on a long flight) so I got given a DVD player and free alcohol all the way! Watched 'After the Sunset' and 'Napoleon Dynamite' on the way over.
Got picked up at Manchester airport and then onto the Marriott at Preston (linky)
http://marriott.com/property/propertypage.mi?marshaCode=BLKBP
After an hour or so's sleep it was into the office where I mostly yawned all afternoon.
The week's highlight was of course seeing my friends in Preston, and it was a pretty good turn out for a last-minute arranged curry on a Thursday night.
Friday morning I drove my hungover self to MAN airport...I flew back to Dallas via Chicago...armed with $100 worth of English chocolate and lots of car mags. TG and Autocar were dispatched on the plane journey home.
The important highlight is of course my rental car review:
2005 Ford Mondeo 2.0 LX Automatic. (linky) http://www.ford.co.uk/ie/mondeo/mdo_overview/mdo_lx
2.0 150hp so I thought it should be ok, y'know, reasonably peppy, no supercar, but quick-ish...no...it was in fact FUCKING RUBBISH! Takes about 12 seconds to decide it will change gear, and I nearly had an accident due to the kickdown delay as I put my foot to the floor to overtake something and nothing happened! Last time I was in the UK I had a 2.0 Mondeo but a 5-speed and let me tell you the manual is worlds better to drive...
The Mong-deo has a sorted chassis though and it went round corners really well, much better than my 93. although the Saab felt like a rocket driving home from DFW airport after the Mong-deo.
I also sold my 96 Civic VTi while I was back in the UK to a friend (well, I actaully 'sold' him the key to my garage as the battery is flat and there is no valid MOT (safety inspection) on the Honda), so I definately need to buy a new car on my return to the UK in 2006! Having watched the Ant and Pete vids I think a 330d is still top of my list for my next UK car.