I am back - a UK trip report.

[e6941tb@ix.netcom.com]

Hello, club!

Finally, after 11 days vacation, I am back from the UK trip.

Great country, great people, great beer! The food turned out to be pretty 
good too.
London is one gorgeous city. Very friendly and works like a clockwork, 
both observations are quite surprising, given it's size.  

Driving impressions: none. I admit, I chickened out and did not rent. I 
got, however, baptised by driving my friend's UK-spec Citroen around the 
block - a very funny feeling. Especially the lack of steering wheel in 
front of the *driver's* seat and the need to shift the 1st gear with the 
left hand, outwards and forward.

Riding impressions: they drive exactly like we do in the States, i.e. 
perpetually hang in the leftmost lane, occasionally pass on the right and 
immediately return back to the left lane. :):):)
On a serious note: the British are a live example of how efficient and 
fast driving can be if everyone knew and obeyed the rules. My friend was 
casually cruizing @90mph on M25, passing the slower and being passed by 
the faster. During my stay I saw almost no police, no accidents, no 
cutting off, no finger flipping, no clunkers on the road.
Yes, the roads are narrow and bear no comparison with the roads in the 
US. But the flip side of the coin is a breed of very skilled drivers.

Audi impressions: saw an A3 and an A4 Avant. I must take my words back: 
A3 is a very nice car, I would not hesitate to buy one as a second car in 
the family. Contrary to my expectation it did not make an impression of 
an A3 VW with four rings on the grill. Very few Audis had quattro.

Other cars impressions: saw a late Austin Martin (naturally, in British 
Racing Green). After that sighting one comes to realise that Corvette is 
only a Chevy.
Saw a Z4 WMB (never knew it existed). Its slightly larger and somewhat 
squareish, not as ugly as the Z3.
Saw a very unusual older WMB. Looked like an M1, only smaller. Like an 
old (pre-86) Celica Supra. Along with the pop-up eyes.
Saw a lot of small s'ovloV, 3 and 4 series.
Saw a lot of various, absolutely gorgeous, Alfas. The new Alfa/Fiat 
clones (the ones with a pronounced diagonal crease on the side 
sheetmetal) are an excersise in the finest Italian elegance. It's a damn 
shame that Alfa withdrew from our market right at the time of their 
launch, without even trying to federalize them.
American iron: one late Vette (parked in front of the Harrod's, along 
with the Bentley and RR limos - must be expensive in the UK). One old 
Mustang convertible. One Hardly-Davidson. End of list.

Prior to the trip I received some mail with questions. I'll answer all of 
them in the next few days. Please forgive me if some of the answers will 
turn out to be old news: my mail box goofed up and I am having trouble 
downloading the mail, that accumulated during my absence.

-- 
Igor Kessel
'89 200TQ - 18psi (TAP)
'98 A4TQ - on order
Philadelphia, PA
USA