The Varadero International Meeting (VIM) - where riders of our forum meet > VCIM17-2015; May 22 - May 25 France: photo & video-link, reports

VCIM 17 Jack's diary

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Jack Sawdayee:
VCIM 17

Diary no. 1 from the  15-16/ 05/2015

Before I begin my diaries I want to thank Elico, chairman of the Israel Motorcycle Club, and the dear friend Ayal, for the shield and patches, the gift from the motorcycle club of Israel to the participants of VCIM 17.

My travel diary
Not long I discussed with a club members on my journals, he criticized  my diary that they are full of sad stories, and complaints, he said that usually anyone who writes about motorcycle adventure trip, describes how it was beautiful, beautiful scenery, good food, good friends. And for me it's just the opposite, crying, difficulty, and resentment.

This time I shall make an effort to mention that I enjoyed the view, the food, and the ride.

A word about Varadero, Crosstourer International Meeting 17

I was told that motorcycle is like drug with time you need stronger and stronger.

When I finished school, I jumped strait from a bicycle to a  car.

Motorcycle was the missing link for me, at the age of 41 I planed to do something about it and took a motorcycle driving license.

Only at the age of 45 I bought my first scooter, 150 cc with time it was upgraded to managers scooter, at the year 2000 at the age of 55 I bought my first motorcycle 500 cc.

 Then I went to a Transalp, and in 2003 came to Israel for the first time the Varadero and Zeeve who worked at Honda at the time suggested to me to buy one.

With the Varadero I traveled to Greece and Turkey several times.

Thru Internet searches, I found about the Varadero International meeting.  And that they meet once a year, each time in a different place and this time in the near future in Turkey. I signed up and I went with two other Israeli owners of a Varadero motorcycle to Turkey. I loved the meeting and has been trying to participate each year.

Loading the motorcycle.

All year planning to attend the meeting of this year in southern France.
Two weeks before the planned trip, I got the flu, not a flu strong enough to be in bed, but nonetheless flu.
Then there was huge pressure at work that I could not refuse doing. The result after the flu a  very strong coughing, a cough at the rate of breathing, day and  night, I was even ashamed to sit near people, and the flu left me with complete lack of physical fitness.

Preparing the equipment for the trip realy exhausted me.

Last Tuesday I loaded all the gear on the bike and rode to the port of Haifa where I separated from the bike, the bike went by sea, and I planned to fly to Greece.
The missile transportation to the railroad station.
 
The plane takes off at 5:30 Friday 15/05/2015, I am supposed to be two or three hours before this time at the airport that is something like 3:00.

My wife told me that she could get me a taxi to the airport at a cost of 50-100 ILS (one Euro is about 5 Israely shekel) . And I can go to the airport "like a king".

I firmly said no, I must do it according to the song " I DID IT MY WAY".
My son told me that all thru the night there is a shuttle (I call them missiles) between Tel Aviv and Netanya going on Namir street close to my house and passes  the train station in Ramat Gan for 8 ILS. The cost of the train from the station at Ramat Gan to the airport for a senior citizen like me is 8 ILS that is 50% discount from ordinary people.

I said to myself I'll wake up at 0:00 Friday and begin the usual Friday drill that is self cutting my hair shaving, shower, breakfast and leave home to the airport.

In order to be fresh for the plans I tried to sleep till 20:00. I lay on the bed, with the excitement, I could not close my eyes. I stayed up until midnight and started the drill haircut, shave, shower, get dressed and Breakfast.

I went out into the Namir street, it was dark and quiet, not usual for me. I sat on the bench of the bus stop, luckily after a few moments came the transport (the missile). Car full of young Ethiopian guys discussing football aloud, a game which I understand nothing about.
 
When I came up the bus I asked the driver to drop me off at the train station in Ramat Gan.

 I heard one of the young men saying he had to pee. One of the guys approached the driver and whispered something in the ear, the driver stopped and some of the boys went down to pee.

Either falling asleep or being distracted the driver told me we got to the train station and opened the door. I get off the bus. Having lost the north direction. I see that I was near three tall towers, in the form of a triangle, square, and circle. It took me several seconds to realize I was near the  Azrieli Towers nowhere near the Ramat Gan Train Station.

Where did they move the train station. I started walking in the direction of Ramat Gan, with heavy motorcycle boots. After half an hour I reached the tent city. I asked a she soldier where the train station and she gave me directions.

I finally came to the train station. Box office was not staffed there was no one, only machines. I started struggling with a machine in order to get a ticket to the airport. After several unsuccessful attempts to put the credit card I asked a young man who happened to be by, he was able to withdraw a regular card 16 ILS, it was written how to get the Senior Citizens discout "But I was so exhausted to make a " doctorate degree for ILS 8, even it is a matter of principal.

I arrived at the airport, hundreds of people, I do not believe that the gates of heaven would be so crowded. I received a letter at home from the plane company that says I can print and it will serve me a boarding pass.
I printed the letter and went in the direction of the entrance to the security area.
I could not convince the security girl that this is a boarding pass. she called her boss and he called his boss. At the end they told me I had to do it the normal way. I came back and stood in the queue. You all know the exhausting drill. When I got to the airline desk,I asked what did thy mean by the letter being a boarding pass. She told me that I printed the wrong paper, the right boarding pass should have a scanning icon. I went through the security track and sat at the gate waiting for boarding.
aircraft, including breakfast

Years ago I used to feel unwell on planes. Then I learned that if I am on a full stomach nothing happens to me in the plane. So I took it as a habit to eat before boarding and everything went well.

Before entering the, boarding hall I bought a cappuccino and croissant. And I sat waiting for boarding.

I boarded the plane, I sat in the chair I chose online at the end of the plane near the toilet. As a person who watches every part of the television series flying accidents enquiry, and also read somewhere that the highest chance of survival in an aircraft crash  is at the end of the plane.
 
The plane took off. Probably the effect of exhaustion I began to feel terrible dizziness. I said to myself. "Honorable Jack, you are not made to make this trip, give up. In spite  of the already invested capital, it is only money. In Greece you are not taking the bike out of the ferry. You get on the ferry and back to Israel with the bike.

 They brought breakfast. Could not open the box because of the smell of the food. I left it the way it is.

The plane landed, A bus to Lavrio Port, shipping company offices.

In previous years, in this port I would just go up the ferry take the bike and start the journey. This time they said wait.

At the customs office, investigations started,  I can not take my bike out of Greece. I took my passport and showed that this is the eighth time I came through this and travelled all over Europe and back.

After consultation, and telephones, they said at the customs that the shipping company must be a guarantor for the return of the bike, and have me sign a document that the motorcycle must leave Greece until 15/6/2015.

Then with a representative of the customs, the representative of the shipping company and me went to the ship to verify that the motorcycle is the motorcycle that appears in the license.

After locating the motorcycle chassis number on the motorcycle fork, hidden with a few cables. Everyone, even with glasses failed to recognize the number. Locating at the end a young man with AA vision who managed to read something to the Commissioner satisfaction or just gave up and let me get the bike.

I put both GPS and started driving. It was 13:00 the Last time I ate or drank was yesterday. Looking for a place to buy water, I finally came to a gas station, bought water and sandwiches
The first time I travelled the Cornith road to Patras was in 2003. From as they were expanding and repairing the road.

Now there is one narrow path, there were three big trucks, followed by a train of cars. So we crawled for about 150 km at the speed of 30 kph. Eight collecting road fees points. I developed a Drill for the payment of the fee in order not to disturb the rest of the cars behind.

 I stop the bike before the paying office, takes off the gloves, get  money (the amount is never the same each time it is something else  1.5, 1.4, 1.2, 1.6 euro) because I have to drive the motorcycle and use both hands, I put the money between the fingers in  the right hand.  Going to the cashier, pay, receive card. Returns everything back, wearing gloves and drive away. eight times.

6. Port
After I arrived to the Port city of Patras and went to the sea. I have been to this port at least 6 times, but apparently they changed the traffic, I can not find the huge building where you buy tickets, after going several  times, round along the beach finally found the building. They told me that they would not sell me a ticket not for another hour at 18:00. I went to the cafeteria where I always wait.

I found two guys and a girl with custom motorcycles from Norway.

We discussed bikes, I showed them the presentation of the last year  meeting in Norway. I drank beer, ate spagetty. Gradually I began to feel human again.

I saw something like 20 suspicious men near the harbor fences, going from side to side, I was told that these are refugees from Syria, Iraq, Lebia looking for a way to cross the borders, and the police can not do anything.  In desperation they just hold under the truck until the truck is beyond the borders of Greece. Drivers are also chasing these men. Sad it is for us it is a theater of cats and mice games.

The time came to go up the ferry, we put the bikes in place. I went to the hall with plane chairs and fell asleep.



Saturday 05/16/2015
This journal I write at 4:18 am in the plane chair hall of the ferry.

I woke up at 3:00 in the morning, I organized the bags I took before leaving the motorcycle, since as the ferry sails we have no access to motorcycles.

I organized one bag for the  laptop,  documents,  camera and telephone and laptop charging equipment, and the second bag for  shower and changing of clothes.



I went to shower, After the shower, I felt good like I did "half a fuck" as we used to say in the army after a good shower.

I entered the restaurant I ordered 2 eggs, coffee, the coffee is undrinkable. Then I left to the open deck of the ferry.

I was so desperate because of the cough I decided to do something desperate. Smoke a pipe. I loaded the pipe and smoked. A miracle, pipe smoking calmed the cough. Now I have a cough remedy.

 I saw a man with a T-shirt very familiar, look closely On the T-shirt written the  14th motorcycle meeting in Catalonia, Spain. I have exactly the same "T-shirt". I went to the man and asked him where did he got the shirt and it was Costas and his wife, two members from Greece that are coming to the meeting in France. We sat all morning didcussing bikes, meetings, and try to solve the world's problems.
Tomorrow morning I shall start driving in the direction of the meeting place.

Jack Sawdayee:
Diary no. 2 Sunday 05/17/2015,

Yesterday afternoon I walked into the dining lounge in the ferry, I did not find anything I want to eat. I went to the deck, where there is a kiosk making Suflaki, not being a Suflaki is not my favorite, hunger is also not my favorite.
 I bought a dish for Ten Euro 50 ILS which includes suflaky, chips, tomatoes, onions, yogurt and pita, everything on the plate, as well as a glass of draft beer. Was good. In the evening the again, entered the dining room and found no food than I want to eat, I got up and ate the same as noon.

I went to sleep as much as possible in an airplane chair, I woke to see a little light in the window. I ran to the shower before people wake up, but people had the same idea, I had to wait to get into the shower, feels good to take a shower, but stayed with the same clothes I had no replacement.

The ferry began to enter the port Fuzina  "commercial area south of Venice", there's nothing out there to see. Once the ferry used to  entering the heart of the Venice and we can enjoy all the beautiful buildings and landscapes, but now you can see swamps.

The ferry finally docked, they let us go to the garage, I searched few floors to find my motorcycle, next time I shoul write where it it located. I got on the bike and went outside.

Finding a spot, I organized the bike as much as possible.

 I planned the mobile GPS and the Garmin to the  designated meeting point in southern France and the two devices show 970 km.

970 km trip should take two days, the meeting is on Friday, some friends do come a day earlier Thursday, that leaves me two spare days.

. I considered visiting Venice, two years ago I visited there, certainly they have not added anything since then.

I weighed visit the Jewish Quarter and the Jewish Museum. Here in Israel  I am full of Jews and their problems, surely not missing Jewish history and suffering of the Venicaian jews.

The internet  site gives many attractive sites to go arround in the Alps.

But at the meeting it is planned that they should take us for two days of rotations. They also gave an address for rafting  and a trip on the river, maybe I'll go for that option.

I told myself today I'll go the distance of the two fuel tanks.

Then I shall sleep at the closest camp. Home I registered about 20 camping  addresses along the way.

I went through a paypoint  at the beginning of the trip and received a ticket.

Travelling through the mountains, lots of tunnels, near the sea, I enjoyed the ride very much the same road I enjoyed two years ago for the meeting in Spain. I did  not bother to take pictures along the way I did that two years age.

After spending two fuel tanks at the gas station I searched for the nearest camping ground near Monaco 30 km inside France.

 I started traveling, I had just gotten to the Italian border there was a paying station for the road. The price went 50 Euro 250 ILS, In Israel I had to travel for one year in a toll road and the price was less than that. Having no choice, I asked if there is a special price for senior citizen, when No was the answer, I heart, I paid and continued to France.

I came to the camp after getting lost many times taking the wrong direction.

I was exhausted. I got a place for my tent in gravel floor. I got the bike to the place, and then I thought I could not get the bike out in the morning if I did not reverse the direction of the bike, I started to turn around with my feet on the ground. I felt that the motorcycle is going to fall. Using all my power I began feeling all is under control, the bike decided otherwise and the bike fell.

Lucky I jumped.


 All camping residents came out and started asking if I was okay.

Nothing was hurt but the honor of Jack.
 
Camping worker came to help me pick up the bike, I said it is impossible to upright the bike with all the baggage attached.

After unloading we were able to pick up. Safety for the owner of the motorcycle and the motorcycle.

I put up a tent. I did it easy, easy,  I planned to cook food, the camp attendant told me that today is Sunday and everything is closed.

In the camp were machines selling drinks, I asked if there is a beer machine.

The attendant said here in France it is prohibited selling drinks .

This country is really deteriorating to prostitution( an Israeli expression). I opened a can of tuna from the home country, I coocked coffee. And for the first time since I left my country I'll sleep in the bed in my tent.

Traveling to the meeting camping is scheduled tomorrow.

zebulon:
Sorry Jack not enough time to read all. You tell me tomorrow  ;D

Two Plugs:
Another great write up, Jack! Your report is starting to become a real VCIM tradition... now you have to attend to all upcoming VCIM's till the end of days!  ;D

Thumbs up and keep writing!

Past It:
Nice read Jack  :)  I am glad that you have found the answer to your ills.  A pipe and a good cup of coffee has kept me going for years! 
It is a pity that I have never been able to get my wife to smoke a pipe and drink coffee -  if I had I would be there with you  :)

Kindest regards,

Barry – no longer a Gentleman of leisure!

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