European Tour to Croatia - June 2019
It was exceptionally hot in Croatia in June. Our squad of Giulietta drivers endured with little complaint. Enjoying the journey and the locals along the way, we all returned home triumphant and renewed, including John Halliday and his family all the way from South Africa. Day 1 through the Chunnel, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, into Germany in a Guderian “blitzkrieg” to reach Dusseldorf and the sleeper/car train to Innsbruck, in Austria. Here our group of nineteen drivers and navigators in nine cars were joined by Austrian Register Member, Stephen Auer, in his lightweight Sprint Veloce. Over the superb Grossglockner High Alpine route, the highest paved mountain road in Austria. On through Slovenia. More beautiful roads through mountains with a tragic history around Kobarid. Then down to the Adriatic coast and on to Dubrovnik.
On the way a grumbling gearbox finally refused to go any further. But the Wizard of Zadar, aka Saint Arman Bogdanic, worked a miracle. Arman obligingly rebuilding the ‘box from his own stash of Alfa parts over the weekend! Several serendipitous strokes saved spider and Suggetts’ skin.
From Split by ferry to Ancona and the Italian leg began. Charles Walker (Register Member living in Spain) joining our party in Florence and on our run to Milan. Over the St Gottard and Sustepass mountain passes and into Brienz, in Switzerland. Back in France, Christian Nething, a local Register member meet us at Obernai. Last stopover in Châlons en Champagne and mostly motorway to Calais and the Chunnel to UK. Nine cars and three more along the way, and ten countries in two hot and glorious weeks!
