Special K 442 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Got back yesterday afternoon following a really great week in Malta. First time there... a petrolhead paradise where the 420,000 locals own 380,000 cars between them! First words a baby learns is not 'Mama/Papa' but 'where's my car?' A taxi driver told me he used an MX5, I asked him about spares and he told me he had three of 'em to plunder... classic MGB's, Corvettes and the like, in beautiful condition, can regularly be seen on the roads.. True to his word Andrew met me at the airport and ferried me to my hotel in his GT86. The roads are appalling - potholes that eat Transit vans - but that didn't deter him from drifting his rear end about like a demented Lauren... the driver/car combo is good which is more than can be said for their petrol at 87octane.. he has to load 30 Euros-worth of octane booster into each tank of fuel every 2-3days... ouch! A positive step is to go water/meth injection, should get rid of the need for accelerator. Like me, Andrew and his gorgeous girlfriend Julia (who has not passed her driving test yet but already owns an immaculate ex-UK WRX STI) are food gourmets, so we had a number of superb meals. When left to my own devices I did the touristy stuff - the Cathedral in Valetta is a fantasic example of Baroque architecture, I spent over two hours there and the walled city of Mdina is amazing with an a-v presentation of its history and that of the Knights of Malta - fifty minutes of fascinating history for 12 Euros. If you're a beach bum there's loads of places to get your kit off and roast yourself but beware, the UV factor there is amongst the highest in the world... There were two especial 'treats' - I chartered a 37ft yacht for the three of us for a day (with a skipper) and we cruised up to Comino and back with a swim at the lunch stop, with Julia pushing a reluctant Andrew off the bathing platform... tsk, tsk, who's idea was that..? Shame there was not a trace of wind so we couldn't hoists the rags but had to donk everywhere - turned out that Adrian our skipper was into IT so he and Andrew were having techy conversations whilst Julia and I engaged in convivial imbibation... I got sunburned to blazes, it was so damn hot.. Second treat was Thursday evenings trip to the drag strip. This is the only spot for 'motorsport' on the island, if you want to track your car you have to ferry to Sicily.. Met up with all of Andrew's chums - including Kim who has a Ninja GT86 and thus two-thirds of the island's GT86 owners were present. This is real manicville - just join the queue and blast up the strip whenever you like. Run what you brung.. music at 120 decibels, food and booze on call, it was so laid back it was horizontal.. The friendliness and goodwill these guys have towards each other is amazing and I was made so welcome amongst them it was like being at a TSS round... I was also given a special treat as passenger for a run in Andrew's car as we logged some data for Adrian (Fensport) to tweak a bit.. Andrew's friend with a Skyline insisted on drifting it around the paddock and finally blew a rear tyre, stopping inches from the rear of a Golf... quick wheel change and no harm done.. and Andrew beat the Skyline over their run together.. respect! Finally met up with Andrew as I prepared to leave yesterday morning - he was in total awe of his new map from Fensport and it was a shame I did not have time to experience it. He hopes to drive up to the UK some time in October and I have offered to show him around and see if we can get some track time / social meets organised. This is one seriously committed Forum member, as can be seen from his detailed postings on HKS s/c installation, but in addition he is a bloody nice guy who went out of his way to make my visit memorable. And is sure was. Spec K 11 Mike, Gringosteve, Omer86 and 8 others reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Sounds fantastic, Keith. It's great when members come together. All you need is the same passion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rob275 1817 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Sounds like you had an awesome week! If Andrew comes over, there is the trackday at Donington http://www.gt86.org.uk/forums/topic/2573-club-trackday-donington-park-national-29th-october-2015/ Open Pit - £175 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Glad you had a good time Keith, Andrew sounds like a Gem!! I think I would very much like that Drag strip night.. Beer, loud music AND cars!! Might pay them a visit??? I probably wont meet up with Andrew though.. he would think all the club members were grumpy old Men lol :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special K 442 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Thanks for the comments - I could wax lyrical about the place and the people, it makes a big difference when there's someone like Andrew on hand to make all the introductions.. seafood you would die for, booze at realistic prices, fags at less than a fiver a packet.. national dish is rabbit, about time a use was found for 'em.. A leisurely three-day drive down there... a week in the sun... leisurely drive back..? Just an idea we chatted about, whereupon he committed to organise a shipment of V-Power for us... no holding this fellah back... Nige - I just could not get grumpy, most disconcerting, my persona down the toilet... the hotel was full of ancients with 'singalongapiano' nights... no screaming brats... sheer bliss... Spec K 1 Keethos reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special K 442 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Sounds like you had an awesome week! If Andrew comes over, there is the trackday at Donington http://www.gt86.org.uk/forums/topic/2573-club-trackday-donington-park-national-29th-october-2015/ Open Pit - £175 Hopefully Andrew will read this thread... he makes fairly frequent visits to London on business so I've invited him to try and make a weekend soon for a Grasshopper social and mebbe a 'hoon as my guest... Spec K Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rob275 1817 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Hopefully Andrew will read this thread... he makes fairly frequent visits to London on business so I've invited him to try and make a weekend soon for a Grasshopper social and mebbe a 'hoon as my guest... Spec K Speaking of grasshopper, what was the name of that place we went to in essex when you had the fensport yaris? Was going to sort a social there again as the food was awesome great. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike 458 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Sounds like you had a great time, for some reason reading your post, there was an ad on the radio saying trips to Malta were cheaper than you expected! As Rob says, track day at donny sounds perfect for him if he's coming over in October Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keethos 842 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Whats an awesome trip Keith and big respect to Andrew for showing you around and stuff. Definielty get him over here, maybe a social meet at Fensport? Gives him a chance to meet the team there etc as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tareim 343 Report post Posted July 5, 2015 Whats an awesome trip Keith and big respect to Andrew for showing you around and stuff. Definielty get him over here, maybe a social meet at Fensport? Gives him a chance to meet the team there etc as well. would love to do a social meet @ fensport, need them to help me out with something so could do it there at the same time hopefully Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special K 442 Report post Posted July 11, 2015 Speaking of grasshopper, what was the name of that place we went to in essex when you had the fensport yaris? Was going to sort a social there again as the food was awesome great. Red Lion at Boreham? Musketeer is the local guy, he can confirm.. Spec K Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rob275 1817 Report post Posted July 11, 2015 Found it! The Lion Inn i'll get a thread up soon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Test Drives Unlimited 278 Report post Posted July 11, 2015 Looks like you had a fantastic Holiday in Malta Keith I was thinking about the Grasshopper the other day and how nice it would be to all meet there again Sent from my Archos 53 Platinum using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special K 442 Report post Posted July 11, 2015 Looks like you had a fantastic Holiday in Malta Keith I was thinking about the Grasshopper the other day and how nice it would be to all meet there again Sent from my Archos 53 Platinum using Tapatalk Yes, it was good. Very good. But it was Andrew who made it special, as not only do we share that common interest which promulgated this Forum, he is a bloody nice guy with really nice (maniac!) chums... a really special treat for me ... not an 'ageist' among 'em, how could I get grumpy..? The yacht charter was excellent but with no wind I couldn't display my 'Americas Cup' trimming skills and get him honking over the rail... needs a force 7 in the North Sea, preferably in December, to bring it back to reality... Serious for a moment, as I have been giving it thought since I returned... there is a crying demand for some sort of trackday facility in Malta, if only to meet their petrolhead populace. The finances are available... the enthusiasts are there... but the political desire is not. All of the infrastructure development in Malta is supported by the EU - everywhere there are billboards stating as such. It only needs a petition of 10,000 registered with the EU to get Commissioners asking questions... ( why does it take a Brit on holiday to suggest this..?) And a direct petition to the EU works downwards - a lot of Maltese civil servants arses would twitch.. Also bear in mind that, here in the UK, a petition of 100,000 demands an answer in our Parliament - mebbe we should raise support for this by petitioning for removal of their George Cross due to 'lack of government support for motorsport development' ? After all, motorsport contributes £7billion to the UK's economy.... and Idrew has spent most of that with HKS/Fensport If I had a year to spare I would take this on... Spec K Spec K Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iddrew 86 Report post Posted July 12, 2015 How did i not see this thread? hahah! Keith, thanks for the lovely words, it was a pleasure having you over, we're all in it for the same thing, the love of cars! I think i'm quite right in saying that the majority of 86/BRZ owners are quite like minded ( minus the quarrels ). Thanks for the yacht charter, we really had a blast! Spec K is right, we do kind of struggle with basic motorsporty stuff like a track or some basic, decent fuel! having said that, very little stops us! Anyone who ever wishes to come over please drop me a message and i'll make the necessary arrangements to free up as much of my time as possible! (@Nigelr32 i'm looking at you! After getting the chance to meet keith nothing can break my opinion about the forum members :P ) I simply love this forum, everyone is so helpful, nice, and not afraid to rip the warranty sticker I come up to London every month or so on work related stuff, but i'll be definitely be coming up with my car to meet all of you and pop a couple of beers @Lauren maybe we can do some twin-drifts as i've heard you're quite the tail-happy gal any high speed drift tracks around? have a great day all Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
