I knew that before leaving oxford to go back to Swansea on Friday evening that it would rain. I have just spent 3 years living and studying in Swansea - So the weather wasn't really going to be a surprise to me (It always rains on a Sunday morning before lunchtime, for instance). But I think in the short time that I have spent away from Swansea I have forgotten just how heavy and wet rain can, and in fact is in Wales!!!
The weekend didn't really get off to a fantastic start when it took me 2 hours to get out of Oxford via public transport. [I know that no-one could have done much about a freight train that thought it would be fun to empty its fluids all over the track] But its no way to start a long journey packed on trains.
Anyway as soon as I got into Swansea (some 5 hours later) guess what - yep it started to rain!!
Friday night passed into Saturday morning, and by now it was only lightly raining, so off to the rally stages it was! First stop was Epynt and the Army Firing range. After watching all the WRC cars drive past, we thought about moving off, and back down to Cardiff where for the last 3 years the super special stage has been held within the Millennium Stadium. This year the organiser's promised a winter wonderland atmosphere, and with the cold weather, and the stage being run in the dark it really did feel like a real winter stage. But before we left Epynt, we were able to see local Welsh hero Gwyndaf Evans decide that his car didn't like its current gearbox, and proceeded to grind, crunch and mangle as much metal off any gear that got in the way. Needless to say Gwyndaf had to retire and wait for a toe.
After watching all the cars race through the Millennium Stadium stage, there was an extra treat, the organiser's had added an extra challenge to the rally weekend with representatives from the army, navy and air force competing the rally in Land Rovers. So after all the rally spec cars had completed the stage it was the turn of six Land Rovers to tackle the stage!
Sunday morning came after one of the best nights sleep I have ever had on a sofa. By now my only pair of socks and shoes had dried out from the soaking on Saturday, which meant that I would at least have the pleasure of having warm feet. Sunday morning was mainly spent around the service park area in the newly developing SA1 area on Swansea's waterfront. By now as usual the rain had once again started. But this time it didn't matter as the majority of the service park was sheltered. I was fortunate enough to witness Marcus Gronholm's last official World Rally service, and he made an extra effort for his loyal supporters. But ultimately as the cars left the service park Sebastian Loeb would be champion by the end of the day - unless the unexpected were to happen on the Welsh hills. But Sebastian kept his nerve and his World Champion title for another year (thats 4 in a row now, and who could take it away from him next year?)
After the end of the Wales Rally GB it was time to climb aboard another train back to Oxford, and back to bed. If only it was that simple! Engineering works between Swansea and Cardiff meant an hour journey by coach, but at Swansea there were enough people to fill 2 coaches, but the first had left 10 minutes before the second one appeared. This meant that by the time I (and the rest of the second coach) arrived at Cardiff the train had decided to leave without us. So it was now a very cold 50 minute wait on the platform for another train to arrive. Eventually it did, so I could rest until getting off at Swindon, except the next train I had to catch was also delayed by 20 minutes. Once that train turned up it was a sort journey to Didcot Parkway, fortunately the final train to Oxford wasn't late, but it was still busy. All in all it took a good 5 hours from leaving Swansea to getting home in Oxford. I know for a fact that one of my mates (who works for one of the rally teams) can travel from Cumbria to Swansea in the same time that it took me to travel half that distance!
Anyway, please check out the website, and especially have a look at the new Wales Rally GB 2007 photographs. Remember all photographs only cost 99p, with some available as A4 prints as well.
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