VCIM 17 Jack's diary

[fredodidoo]

What a wonderfull diary !
Hope you'll get home soon, to continue this so pleasent one !

Thanks a lot Jack, god bless u

[Jack Sawdayee]

Diary 7 Sunday 24/05/2015

The day began with breakfast at the hotel. Then I sat with some company from England, discussing life.
Participants were getting organized for the daily trip, I am not going to participate in  the trip today, I did the Friday and a Saturday trip. Today I want to rest for tomorrow,
Actually I do not feel comfortable with these roads, the roads are very narrow and winding, the view is great. Traveling very fast for my taste. Driving these roads requires from me so much concentration, all the time I think what happens if a car comes across the intersection, the other guys just go on driving. At intersections, I stop, look right, left and up.
I planned sail on a guided tour on a ship in the river as it was written on what to do in the area, I recruited some friends from England. We went to inquire at the hotel reception, it turned out to be an hour and a half drive each direction. We said thank you we are too old for that.
The ferry from Venice to Greece sails at 12:00 on Tuesday day after tomorrow.
Distance 980 km from the meeting in southern France to Venice. I want to travel on Monday this distance, and stay the night camping at  "camping Fuzina"  right next to the new port where my ferry anchors near Venice. So today I would like to rest for the 980 km tomorrow.
I went to the camping and prepared lunch, omelet, toast baguette, butter, honey and  "Rockfort" cheese that I become addicted to at this meeting especially after the factory tour.
At the end of the meal, came by foot the inventor of the meeting Bernard (that is why he is here), his brother and a wonderful girl from Norway.
I invited them for coffee from Israeli. They either enjoyed the coffee, or just showed that in order to be polite, or maybe that we do have good coffee in Israel.
After coffee I remembered that I had a new and virgin bottle of authentic French wine from the area, we opened the bottle, we started to drink, the atmosphere became  light and amusing,  Jokes, laughter.
After they left, l did my beauty siesta getting ready for the farewell ceremony.
The closing ceremony began as usual in this country, wine tasting, the hotel manager, as custom demands opens bottles and pours to taste, you can not refuse. Drink and drink, one of the girls wanted to be photographed with me, eventually I was in a group photograph with all the ladies in the meeting.
Witty Jewzepp from Catalonia, Spain, said that after your wife see the picture she will no longer say you're crazy for coming to the meetings (I always write that surely my wife thinks that I am crazy for going all the effort for attending the VCIM meetings).
It is acceptable at closing meetings, to have, a presentation of the next meeting, but said there is a problem with the meeting in Belgium, and will be announced in the forum where the meeting will take place next year.
I gave the shield of Israel motorcycle club to Gilles with reading the inscription in Hebrew and English.
I also shared the motorcycle club patches. All those who walk around with coats full of stickers, have added the Israel motorcycle club sticker.
After all the wine I drank, I do not know how I got to the bike and arrived safely to the camping.
Tomorrow I should disassemble and load all the equipment on the motorcycle and take the road home.

[zebulon]

Sorry Jack I've kept all the Stickers and patches with me  As you've seen, a lot of things arrived to me at the same time and a little bit affected  ... I have still patch on my cap and sticker on my pannier.
I bring them with me last year perhaps in Belgium   

[Two Plugs]

Your coffee did taste very good, Jack. It was brewed with love! Shalom!
It was a pleasure to be allowed in to your camp site, both me, Hendrik and Kristin (Pixie) enjoyed it and so your company.

Or was it Turk Coffee after all? 

[Jack Sawdayee]

Diary 8 25-26/05/2015 Monday –Tuesday
 I have disassembled the tent, the tent has been standing here  in Nant since Monday 18/05/2015 a whole week.
Packed everything on the bike, becoming hard work for me.
At the hotel, breakfast, saying goodbye from friends, my bike with all the luggage made a sensation, many photo'd it.
Good buy with a kiss from the hotel manager "Avion" good buy with a kiss from the host of the meeting Gilles and his charming wife Michele, they did an enormous job hosting this meeting. For me an experience for a life time.
Started the 980 km trip. Time 11:00, I have at least of actual riding of about ten hours, I planed a rest at every gas tank fill, that is about 300-350 kms, at the first stop I cooked food from what is left in the baggage omelet, baguette toast  coffee.
Quite a long and exhausting trip, never ending, time 20:00 and still 200 kms from destination. Dark, I see flash lights of thunder in the horizon. My fear that when I arrive to the camping near Venice the camping office would be closed, or what a friend told me that they went there and were told that the camping is full, in my head I planned to find a corner anywhere, assemble the tent and sleep for the night.
I got out of the main highway paid the road fee of 48 euro for all of Italy, the price now is not a surprise, 22:00 lucky the camping office was open and had room for me, I paid for a tent pitch location, electricity and internet. Asked if the restaurant is open, I deserve being spoiled after this trip. I was answered that the restaurant closes in half an hour, so the first thing to do is to the restaurant.
At the restaurant I asked for beer, and spaghetti (spaghetti because I am in Italy now), the beer came, for the spaghetti I had to wait, it seems I was forgotten, After a reminder, they brought me a small glass of beer for compensation without charge and the spaghetti. The spaghetti was good.
I went to the work of constructing a tent, time 23:00, drops of rain, I did not want to wake the neighbors so the tent was without studs, hardly stepped inside and sleep.   Occasionally hearing rain drumming on my tent, and the sounds of wind on a tent without studs.
The next day, Thursday started with disassembling and loading on the bike, I bought a baguette at the camping shop, Cooked breakfast and coffee, arranged for bags to the ferry, as I have already said no access to the bike during sailing.
Travelled to the ferries office, about one km from the camping, the fee changes all the time, depending of the clerk, this time 128 euro me and the bike. 10:00 on the way to board the ferry.
It seems that the Italian Police was teaching cadets how to do the work, there were three police cars, with about 15 police men and women. They were dressed for party with coats and emblems as if going on a parade or receiving a president of a foreign country.
I was chosen as a pilot. They asked for papers, they did not understand the strange plate number I put in the motorcycle. As I was taught in Israel on how to deal with policemen or women is to take off the helmet in order that they recognize that they are dealing with a senior citizen and not a crazy teenager. I took out of the bag the original Israeli number plate, when they saw the Israeli flag on the license plate, they started laughing and said to me in English pointing to the flag, "danger, danger" and showed that they understand the problem.
One of the policemen admired my bike, I showed him the road map and explained about the meeting. I think I made a great impression on him. After telephone enquiries I got my papers back and on the ferry.
This ferry does not have a canteen or a bar on the deck. For lunch I choose on the take away restaurant spaghetti with meat and cheese, first test, not for me I separated the spaghetti  from the meat as much as possible and ate what was possible to eat. Same mistake I did two years ago, I thought that they would have improved the dish during two years.
Free time to update the diary, pity unable to send photos, I guaranty to anyone interested, a presentation of the trip with pictures.

[Jack Sawdayee]

Diary 9  27-28 / 05/2015 Wednesday Thursday
Wednesday, ferry, took from the takeaway restaurant a spaghetti dinner in tomato sauce with cheese it was bearable. I went to bed on aircraft seat, took two chairs with sleeping poses change, the night passed.
For breakfast, two fried eggs sunny side up, butter, honey, coffee knowing that you can not teach the Greek to make coffee, and bread.
Again noon spaghetti with tomato sauce. In the evening I got fed up with spaghetti with tomato sauce and I chose rice with vegetables.
Greece Patras ferry docked at 23:00. The choice for me to find a place to sleep or go on a night trip to Lavrio harbor about 250 km where I need to give the bike Friday, noon tomorrow. My flight hour 23:55 on Friday.
After lowering the bike from the ferry, stood on a platform to organize myself for the ride. I wore a special army overall for cold weather called here in Israel "Hermonit" in the name of mount Hermon,  It was there in a cloth bag over the back bag I take it in case of emergency. I started traveling to the port of Lavrio around 12:00. To find the way I try to tail after a truck most of the cars travelling at this hour are heavy trucks.
As I said previously there is only one lane with maximum speed of 60 kph.
You have to adjust the bike between the light reflectors on both sides of the street. It requires enormous concentration in the dark (I tried to sleep in the afternoon and evening, but could not do that). I stopped at a gas station open 24 hours. I bought a Cappuccino and a cheese pie. Even with the over all "Hermonit" I was cold so I wore a flannel jacket under the Hermonit.
I sat for half an hour to rest. I continued, some light in the sky, stopped to refuel. I sat on the sidewalk, near the bike, I cooked coffee, tried to sleep, or at least close my eyes. Half an hour's rest and continue on the way.
I ended at Lavrio port at 5:00 am. It was far too early to go to the camping, "Bacos" where I stayed twice previously. I sat on the bench half asleep half awake until 8:00 then began signs of life around.
I travelled to the camping, last time I was here a year ago, at the tent pitch location, there was a plague of fleas, because of the cats going around, I sincerely hope that they sprayed or did something about it because cats are still going around.
I registered and paid, breakfast eggs half made, after boiling the water, I put the eggs and with the stop watch on the telephone 6.5 minutes on the second. Shaving, shower, sleep in the tent till noon. Very strong rain started, I was inside the tent, went outside, put the bike cover on, and back to the tent, the rain relaxed at about 18:00.
I drank tea with sweet milk, the English style, and started to update the diary. Tomorrow noon, I should give the bike at the Port and go to the airport.
Friday 29/05/2015
This diary I am writing at the Athen airport, Time 13:30, the flight should take place at 23:55, 10 hours I should spend at the airport.
A heavy rain showered me in the morning, while warm in the sleeping bag, the question is to do all the practice of shave, shower, change of underwear or  give up. Jack does not give up, went outside in the rain, after wearing a storm suit.
I looked for clothes to change, found a clean T shirt, no clean underwear, lucky I am wearing chemical underwear that does not stink even after infinite wear. I bought them in previous trips. Shaving under the open sky in the rain, shower, the she camping owner started shouting at me that I am using the women's showers, the men's are at the  other side, I said next time and both laughed.
Dismantled the tent, folded it in the rain, I thought to myself that I am bringing Greek water to Israel.
The bike near the tent, the road till the main road of the camp is not paved and muddy of rain. Shall I take the bike to the main road and load it there, or load where it is, No strength to drag all bags, I thought that I shall load the bike and God is my help. Loaded the bike, ate Greek bread from yesterday with sardines from a can brought from Israel.
Sat on the bike, prayer "Hear O Israel God is our God, God is one", the prayer worked. I was out in one piece.
Raining, with storm suit on arrived to the port, the firms office was open, they told me that they were not informed from the Israel office that I am coming. I told them that yesterday I spoke in the phone with Alissia and said no problem give the bike at the port. Several telephone calls and things were settled, I parked the bike   near the check post of the port, sat in the bus stop, raining, from the bus stop you can see the haul village of the port. Contemplating, Shall I see another time in the Future this port.
The bus arrived, I need to change buses at the village of "Marco Polo", to another bus to the airport, last time I missed getting down and had to take a taxi to the airport. This time  I asked the bus driver, the ticket man in the bus,  people sitting next to me to tell me when we reach "Marco Polo" when time came five voices said "Marco Polo".
A second bus to the airport, I was starved to a coffee and something to eat. Bought at the airport and sat writing this diary.

[Jack Sawdayee]

Home in Tel Aviv as of this morning, the bike should arrive by ferry on Tuesday, Thank you all for a very wonderfull lovely experience specially Michelle and Gilles

[Athanman]

Thanks for sharing my dear friend Jack, your report its trully one of a kind. Greetings

[Snurrepus]

Today we spent an hour with coffee and reading your diary.
Unbelievable to read about all your experiences.
You're right. Jack don't give up.
Unfortunately you disappeared very fast after breakfast, so we were not able to say Au Revoir.

See you in Belgium - or whereever.

Hugs from AnneGro & Erik

[aalopes]

Jack enjoyed reading the diary he has done, thanks for sharing.
about gifts he received, was not the age which by the way, well Bunita.
I enjoyed seeing attention releasing all that rudeia, and exeplu for all Motards as a Motard want can achieve.
Big hug and hope regreço trip have gone well.
Jack tried to send e-mail but could not send the error.
aalopes

[zebulon]

At the hotel, breakfast, saying goodbye from friends, my bike with all the luggage made a sensation, many photo'd it.

 

[jackyork]

Thoroughly enjoyed Intrepid Jack's diaries.
Thank you Jack.

JK

[zebulon]

This one is (much) better !!! 
(I've stollen to Erik / Snurrepus  )


©Snurrepus

[TallGuy212]

Packed nicely, but personally I would not drive a bike like this with so much weight behind the rear axle.

[bogdanbc]

Jack, what did not you take with you ? 
I at the whole house does not have so many things.
This year You have more stuff than at Slovakia ...
Big respect