Thursday, April 23, 2009

Participants

Potsy, Zeb and Ken Victoria



Jenny and Ray, New Zealand


Marilyn and Tony, New Zealand


Jim and Sandy, Western Australia


Dale and Karen, Queensland



Rene, Belguim and Hans, NSW



Dave and Maggie, Victoria


John, South Australia


Mark and Herman, USA



Fiona and John, NSW


















Anne and Robert, Queensland


















Nigel and Leisa, Queensland
















Lorraine and Sam, South Australia















Lang and Bev, Queensland

















Graeme and Mick, NSW
















Karen and Mike, Queensland


Seems everyone is keeping records of the trip. It will be very interesting comparing reports!

http://www.sewellnormandy.blogspot.com/
http://www.sydney-normandy-2009.blogspot.com/
http://www.anzacconvoy.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

ANZAC Convoy Program and Route

Date

From

To

Distance

Hours

Notes

May-01

Istanbul

Gallipoli

270

5.5

Starting from Selimpassa Camp to Gallipoli National Park camp site

2

Gallipoli

Layday

Day in Gallipoli. Can take 15min ferry to Canakkale and Troy and return if desired.

3

Gallipoli

Alexandropolis

187

3.5

Enter Greece

4

Alexandropolis

Thassos

130

2.5

Get 30min ferry from Keramoti. Stay in one of several beachside camp grounds

5

Thassos

Layday

Day off on rugged island of Thassos. Spectacular views and great seafood.

6

Thassos

Thessalonika

230

4.5

1hr ferry trip to Kavalla then on to the pretty second city of Greece.

7

Thessalonika

Volos

222

4.5

Via magnificent scenic route past Mount Olympus

8

Volos

Athens/Piraeus

292

6

Board ferry to Crete at 2000. Arrive Iraklion 0630.

9

Iraklion

Chania

125

2.5

Lunch at Rethimnon. Outdoor café dinner on ancient harbour wall.

10

Chania

Sfakia

95

2

Morning Maleme airfield/war graves then mountain drive south coast evacuation point.

11

Sfakia

Chania/Suda

105

2

Walk up spectacular gorge, winding drive to Souda (Main Crete war Cemetary)

12

Souda

Iraklion

125

2.5

Explore ancient harbour town and lost city of Knossos.

13

Iraklion

Iraklion

148

3

Drive the beautiful coast - lunch at Agios-Nikolaos. Return to ferry at 2100/ Piraeus at 0630

14

Piraeus/Athens

Korinthos

60

1

Day exploring Athens then short drive over Corinth Canal to camp site.

15

Korinthos

Patra

120

2.5

Relaxed costal drive. Visit ANZAC evacuation ports. Board ferry at 1700/ Ancona 1300

16

Ancona

Layday

Arrive 1300 rest and explore. Meet up with Italian Military Vehicle Club members.

17

Ancona

Scarperia

200

4

Cross Italian mountain spine to Scarperia. Picturesque Tuscan village 20kms from Florence.

18

Scarperia

Pisa

82

1.5

Sightseeing Florence and Pisa.

19

Pisa

Garlenda

268

5.5

One of the most beautiful coastal drives in the world. Garlenda village welcome.

20

Garlenda

Turin

180

2.5

Pretty drive to probably the nicest big city of the whole trip.

21

Turin

Feriolo

160

2.5

Drive up the picture-postcard Lake Maggiore. Camp ground on the lake waterfront.

22

Feriola

Layday

Day off to catch up on washing, shopping, sightseeing and swimming.

23

Verbano

Seelisberg

200

5

Winding Semplon Pass, Furka underground railway, Seelisberg mountain-top lake camp.

24

Seelisberg

Mulhouse

160

3

Three great museums - Automobile, Firefighters and Railways.

25

Mulhouse

Verdun

250

5

Enter France

26

Verdun

Layday

Visit the Citadel, untouched WW1 battle sites and French National War Memorial.

27

Verdun

Bois de Boulogne

280

5

Night visit to Paris if desired

28

Bois de Boulogne

Layday

Paris day. Drive or catch train. Visit French Military Club large workshops.

29

Bois de Boulogne

Bagnoles de L'Orne

170

3.5

Beautiful small spa town nestled in forested hills.

30

Bagnoles de L'Orne

Pontorson

80

1.5

Straight on to Mont St Michel (9kms) for day before returning to camp.

31

Pontorson

Periers

60

1

Nice drive to Peter Tomb's farm. Clean-up. Look at Peter's collection, BBQ

1-Jun

Periers

Etreham

50

1

Join British MVT at campground.

2 - 7 Jun

Normandy Activities

8

Etreham

Dieppe

220

4.5

Via coast road and outstanding scenery.

9

Dieppe

Villers-Bretonneux

100

2

Australian national War Memorial.

10

Villers- Bretonneux

Amiens

130

2.5

Ancient cathedral town. Many war cemetaries and museums enroute

11

Amiens

Eiper/Ypres

180

3.5

Canadian Memorial Vimy Ridge, tunnels. Last Post/ Lowering of Australian flag Eiper Menin Gate

12

Eiper/Ypres

Zeebrugge

60

1

Loading, customs etc. expected 1-2 days before train to Brussels or Paris etc for trip home.




The Start Of The Adventure




Well, after only 12 months from inception, there are now 15 restored World War Two vehicles sitting on the dock in Istanbul awaiting our arrival, appropriately on ANZAC Day.

I must say that the administration to get to this stage was considerably more than anticipated (you would think we would know by now!) and a number of bureaucratic hurdles were placed in our path that had been clear runs on previous expeditions.

Unfortunately, while the rest of the Western World is achieving something of a streamlining of administration in international customs and movement, Australia is descending into a growing morass of mindless regulations and employing an expanding army of lethargic public servants who have the efficient operation of the business of the nation as the furtherest thing from their minds.

Anyhow, as they say, we didn't let the b....ds beat us and are on our way. Bev, as always, carried the brunt of the burden and, while I cast aspersions on some Canberra mental-pygmy's parentage, she calmly chained herself to the computer and carried on. Bev, has only half her baggage allowance as the rest is taken up with vast amounts of paperwork and files required to take 15 vehicles and 35 people on a trip across Europe from Australia.

The variety of vehicles, 13 from Australia and 2 from New Zealand, is wonderful. We, have 5 Jeeps and also 3 Canadian Pattern Chevrolet "Blitzs", a Ford and a Chevrolet utility (pick-up), Chevrolet 1 1/2 ton, Studebaker 6X6, Chevrolet 3 ton, Dodge weapon carrier and Harley Davidson motorcycle.

All these vehicles have an Australian or New Zealand history and carry their full wartime markings.

This web site has been changed from our previous set-up and may need a little tweaking so bear with us while the glitches are sorted. Quite a number of other trip members are doing blogs and putting up photos and as these become available we will let you know the blog addresses.