Shipping my RS America To Europe, Going to Le Mans and a 4 month drive around Europe Options

[DonTraver]

About 6 years ago, went on a trip to Germany, even drove the Ring in a new 997S. Great trip.
While there, I got this weird idea. How great it would be to drive my RSA in Europe and the autobahn.

Well, it’s taken about a year of research and work, but it’s going to happen this year,

I started receiving all the import/export licenses a couple of weeks ago for the RSA. I got all the forms in this week. Shipping has been arranged to ship my RSA in her own private container to the UK with approximate arrival on May 19th.

Found an insurance company that will insure me in 29 countries for about $165 a month.

Joined the Porsche Club Great Britain, got my membership card on 3/31/10. I’m going to Le Mans with them.
They put together a 5 star camping trip to Le Mans every year, they camp in the Porsche Curves at Le Mans, they even put up your tent for you, It runs about $800 for 5 days at Le Mans, Euro Tunnel Pass, tickets, fully catered camp site, private restrooms and showers. How cool is that. I’ll be traveling with the PCGB from the UK to Le Mans, should help me not get lost. I’ll get to watch testing, practice, qualifying, and the race, wow.

I’ve been a member of a 964 Porsche series group for about 7 years. Since I told the group about my plans, I’ve received invitations to all over Europe, Luxemburg, France, Germany, UK, Portugal, Spain, and the Ring. Planning at least a week at the Ring.

After Le Mans heading south, Normandy, Madrid, Lisbon, Valencia, and maybe Monaco. After that head north to Germany, Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, the Ring. Etc. Want to catch a couple of Formula 1 races, Spa, Ring, etc. At least that’s the tentative schedule so far.

Found this website that lists a lot of the tracks in Europe and if they have open track days, they do. So I might get to drive Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Spa, and a bunch of others. http://www.trackdays.co.uk/tracks/

Just finished a 60k service on the RSA, new rotors, pads, brake fluid, set valves, new tires, new O2 sensor, had a ipod cable put in for tunes, and waxed and detailed her, dyno tested 250hp at rear wheels.

Had a set of PSS10 Coilovers installed, with new alignment and corner balancing last week, sweet.

Oh yeah, since I won’t be in any one country more than 4 months, I get to keep the California plates on her, cool. I wrote a lot of emails to a lot of countries to confirm that, all said fine by email, printed out all those emails, just in case.

The RSA ships in 2 weeks, when I get a confirmed delivery date, I’ll book my plane tickets.

So long story short. I’m going to Le Mans and will be spending over 4 months driving around Europe in my RSA with California plates, a dream is coming true.

Here's a picture of my RS America at the Lake Arrowhead Porsche Timeline last year.

Don

[DonTraver]

5/31/10

What a day, just great. Much more than I even imagined.

I’m staying at the Falstaff Hotel (1st built in 1403, wow) here in Canterbury. I like it much better than the Chaucer Hotel. One reason, I was given a ground floor room, they don’t have elevators either. The room is twice the size and the Canterbury West Gate is right outside my window, the windows are partially stained glass too. Parking is nicer and the lot is much larger. The lot is sort of like an inner courtyard, has a gate that you need to enter a code into to get out, the lot and gate are also covered by CCTV cameras. At the Chaucer, they had maybe 10 spots, small spots. Breakfast is a buffet style here verses ordered. Last but not least is FREEE
Hi Speed Internet. So I got all the pictures uploaded today, and I took a lot of pictures today.

I left the hotel at around 8:30am and walked to the Canterbury Cathedral. The Cathedral was incredible, to say I was awe struck doesn’t begin to tell the story. As I walked through the gate, the first thing I said was, OMG, then when I went through the door, it was one WOW or OMG after another. The stained glass was just beautiful, and while you’re trying to take it all in, you realize this was all built over 1000 years ago. If part of the design was designed to humble you, it certainly will. The main floor, crypt, cloisters, vaulted ceilings, towering columns, are just incredible. While I was in the Monks Cloisters, the docent there was kind enough to try to explain each panel of the Stained Glass to me, and how each panel told a story, history. By the time they were half finished, I said I should have gone to the gift store first, to buy a book that would explain it all to me before I saw the windows. I did go to the Gift Shop and they did have a book about the Stained Glass windows, but I think they call it a Coffee Table Book, really big, just don’t have the room for it right now. Once you go into the Gift Shop, you cannot go back into the Cathedral, the sign that tells you that is inside and once the auto doors close that’s it. Before I knew it, it was after 11am. I’m going back tomorrow, there is no way you can see it in just a couple of hours. I’ll read up on the Cathedral online tonight.

From there I went to Canterbury Tales, it was ok, but it’s possible that it was just ok is because I’d just left the Cathedral. It’s pretty much like set scenes. The sign on the outside says, Bold Knights, Men in Tights, and Medieval Misadventures. The scenes were all meant to bring a laugh. I’m glad I went.

The next stop was the Roman Museum and Ruins. It was quite impressive looking at all the Roman artifacts from BC. There are also the excavated foundations for a couple of homes. At one exhibit there was a Roman Soldiers Helmet with a sign saying, “Try it On”, so I did. I didn’t realize how goofy I looked until I uploaded the pictures. One of the really interesting facts is the Museum is about 15-20 underground, Canterbury is built on top of the ruins.

. I found the Tourist Office today. I was surprised to find out, that there are no tours available to see the rest of Canterbury. The only tours offered are walking tours of the city center. So this sounds like a job for the bicycle.
There is a boating tour that I’ll go on tomorrow. It’s called a Punting Tour on the river Stour, ok, fine by me.

I’d like to go on a tour of the West Gate, but it’s only offered on Saturday’s from 11am to 12:30pm. Better be fast for that one.

After all that, my feet were saying, it’s time for a break, so I headed back to the hotel. So took a break and headed back out just sightseeing. There is so much to see here, so much history.

That’s about all for now.

Don

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