Post by Wyvern on Jun 24, 2009 23:33:25 GMT
It's so hard to know where to begin, because my trip to Dunsfold only became a possibility on Saturday and didn't really get firmed up until earlier this week. I feel I should start with the funny coincidence that got me there. Lazza79 from Final Gear had tickets, but needed a female to go with him. I mentioned that I was free, but it seemed that he had an Australian lady ready to fly over. This was to be a truly international undertaking, as Lazza himself was coming from Italy! Unfortunately, the Australian lady turned out to be unable to make it... but in a real demonstration of how the Internet is making the world smaller, the Australian lady in question turned out to be the JMB's own Misspan! She put in a good word, and here I am a few days later still not quite believing it happened ;D
Anyway, this morning I was up at 5am to be at Stansted by 8am to meet Lazza and pick up the hire car (a top spec Fiat Bravo, which turned out to be excellent) and get out to Dunsfold. Unfortunately, we made such good time, we arrived before the pub opened, so we checked out the route to the aerodrome and then went back for some lunch and a pint.
We made sure we got there early and were through the gates by about 1pm. Wristbands attached, we spent money at the merch stand and then watched as proud owners brought their weekend drives in - at least four Lotuses, a Maserati coupé, a white Nissan GTR, a stream of Porsches - one of which contained BTCC driver Tom Chilton and his unlikely hair - and two Lamborghini Gallardos, a pearlescent acid green one and a white 2009 Spider - and sat in the sunshine waiting to be called in. I know it was sunny because I now have sunburned cleavage. Anyway, we were at last called through and trekked across to the hallowed hangar.
As we queued to go in, we saw the infamous Lacetti pull around the corner... and after a moment The Stig got out! Still, it was time to filter in, so we gathered around the podium in the centre of the studio, were welcomed by the director and then Jeremy was introduced... squeezing through a tiny corridor that was opened up right in front of me! He also welcomed us and warned us that if anyone was offended by a certain very rude word, we were probably in the wrong place and then introduced James and Richard, who squeezed through the same narrow channel in the crowd, which was nice.
So the important bit... Jeremy was looking tanned and lovely in a white shirt (thankfully nothing as eye-popping as last week's orange creation), Richard was more wild-haired than ever and wearing a nice black number, and James was dressed like a deckchair, in a shirt with multi-coloured, patterned stripes which he'd coordinated with the almost orange leather shoes he occasionally wears.
The cars for the day were absolutely breathtaking. I won't go into detail in case anyone wishes to remain unspoiled, but there were three fabulous hypercars... and a certain black cab, which will probably only appear in background shots, but was there for a very good reason!
I soon discovered the drawback of being 5'2" in a studio full of tall blokes, but most of the time I could see something of what was going on, and everything was relayed to the screens anyway. Being small had an advantage, though - a bit like when you're looking for a parking space and you think you've found one but there turns out to be a Smart parked in it, evidently from a distance I look like a gap in the crowd as Jeremy ended up squeezing past me again when we'd all moved around the hangar!
This week's challenge is deeply silly and the powertest is absolutely stunning, involving the very last incarnations of one of my very favourite cars. You can see what it is, if you want to, when I eventually get my photos online... Watching them film the link to it was fun, though - Richard was chewing gum when he came in, and he hadn't got rid of it, so when they finished he raised his hand, with the gum stuck to a fingertip, and asked if he could finish chewing!
Stephen Fry was priceless and absolutely lovely, and given that it was the one person I've had a crush on for as long as the good Dr C, I was in severe danger of squee overload - but I somehow held it together! I have to say though, the interview went on for a very long time but I pity the poor editor that has to turn it into something usable - a very, very large proportion of it can simply not be broadcast for a family audience as it involved a rather amusing iPhone App and statements that might bring about legal action from Ricky Gervais, if they were broadcast (though the likeness was uncannny).
Then it was time for what passes for 'tea' at Top Gear, and James was manning an urn again. However, he managed to draw a massive crowd and I didn't have time to wait as I needed to run back to the car to grab a couple of things. When I got back, Jeremy and Stephen were outside the production office with a couple of children, chatting away and Jeremy signing autographs. It was all very sweet, and much as I wanted to, I didn't take photos because I'm sure their mother wouldn't want her sons plastered all over t'internet. James, meanwhile, was kept busy with a stream of young lovelies. I was otherwise engaged with my cup of something almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea and trying to find Lazza. Didn't see Richard Hammond in the crowd, but I did see Richard Porter (yay! Another little squee moment for me as I'm a huge fan of Sniff Petrol and Gareth Jones on Speed) in the hangar and Andy Wilman running around outside.
Then it was time to go back inside and I managed to get it right this time - I was in the front row for the introduction of the second part of the challenge, but next to the camera, so I should be out of shot. We were gathered in a tight bunch around James's amphibious Herald, but instead of squeezing through, James and Richard managed to get behind the car and duck under the frame, popping up like jack-in-the-boxes with huge grins on their faces. Then we watched the VT, moved around a bit more for the results, which were perhaps not quite as expected but allowed Jeremy to prove he is an equal opportunities flirt as he played up to a couple of young girls and (shock, horror) a middle-aged woman! They wheeled in the challenge cars for that part and they were... well, the only phrase that comes to mind is, "oh dear"...
There was one more VT, and given the conclusion it was entirely pointless. However, I didn't care because it was a wonderful celebration of two truly fabulous cars - and it was these cars that we gathered around for the conclusion of the show. It's a lovely little bit of film, and Richard seems to really enjoy himself in it. And yet again, I was right where Jeremy needed to be, and he squeezed past again with a polite "excuse me". Honestly, it was such a trauma...
And then it was all over. We were allowed to wander around the hangar and take photos, and then I came out and saw James shooting into the Portakabin having shed the deckchair shirt and changed into his Hawker Hurricane tee, soon followed by Richard Porter (he's easy to spot... he's almost as tall as Jezza). We were just about to head back to the car when I heard a glorious sound from inside the hangar... and one of my dream cars appeared, ready to go into its trailer, shortly followed by a hypercar that is now worth £2 million. And I managed to shoot a little bit of footage and capture that glorious noise! Meanwhile, the Lacetti appeared behind me and Lazza managed to get a couple of photos of that.
And then it really was time to go. Despite the ridiculously early start, it was all over too soon and I'd love to do it again.
I suppose I should take my wristband off now...
Anyway, this morning I was up at 5am to be at Stansted by 8am to meet Lazza and pick up the hire car (a top spec Fiat Bravo, which turned out to be excellent) and get out to Dunsfold. Unfortunately, we made such good time, we arrived before the pub opened, so we checked out the route to the aerodrome and then went back for some lunch and a pint.
We made sure we got there early and were through the gates by about 1pm. Wristbands attached, we spent money at the merch stand and then watched as proud owners brought their weekend drives in - at least four Lotuses, a Maserati coupé, a white Nissan GTR, a stream of Porsches - one of which contained BTCC driver Tom Chilton and his unlikely hair - and two Lamborghini Gallardos, a pearlescent acid green one and a white 2009 Spider - and sat in the sunshine waiting to be called in. I know it was sunny because I now have sunburned cleavage. Anyway, we were at last called through and trekked across to the hallowed hangar.
As we queued to go in, we saw the infamous Lacetti pull around the corner... and after a moment The Stig got out! Still, it was time to filter in, so we gathered around the podium in the centre of the studio, were welcomed by the director and then Jeremy was introduced... squeezing through a tiny corridor that was opened up right in front of me! He also welcomed us and warned us that if anyone was offended by a certain very rude word, we were probably in the wrong place and then introduced James and Richard, who squeezed through the same narrow channel in the crowd, which was nice.
So the important bit... Jeremy was looking tanned and lovely in a white shirt (thankfully nothing as eye-popping as last week's orange creation), Richard was more wild-haired than ever and wearing a nice black number, and James was dressed like a deckchair, in a shirt with multi-coloured, patterned stripes which he'd coordinated with the almost orange leather shoes he occasionally wears.
The cars for the day were absolutely breathtaking. I won't go into detail in case anyone wishes to remain unspoiled, but there were three fabulous hypercars... and a certain black cab, which will probably only appear in background shots, but was there for a very good reason!
I soon discovered the drawback of being 5'2" in a studio full of tall blokes, but most of the time I could see something of what was going on, and everything was relayed to the screens anyway. Being small had an advantage, though - a bit like when you're looking for a parking space and you think you've found one but there turns out to be a Smart parked in it, evidently from a distance I look like a gap in the crowd as Jeremy ended up squeezing past me again when we'd all moved around the hangar!
This week's challenge is deeply silly and the powertest is absolutely stunning, involving the very last incarnations of one of my very favourite cars. You can see what it is, if you want to, when I eventually get my photos online... Watching them film the link to it was fun, though - Richard was chewing gum when he came in, and he hadn't got rid of it, so when they finished he raised his hand, with the gum stuck to a fingertip, and asked if he could finish chewing!
Stephen Fry was priceless and absolutely lovely, and given that it was the one person I've had a crush on for as long as the good Dr C, I was in severe danger of squee overload - but I somehow held it together! I have to say though, the interview went on for a very long time but I pity the poor editor that has to turn it into something usable - a very, very large proportion of it can simply not be broadcast for a family audience as it involved a rather amusing iPhone App and statements that might bring about legal action from Ricky Gervais, if they were broadcast (though the likeness was uncannny).
Then it was time for what passes for 'tea' at Top Gear, and James was manning an urn again. However, he managed to draw a massive crowd and I didn't have time to wait as I needed to run back to the car to grab a couple of things. When I got back, Jeremy and Stephen were outside the production office with a couple of children, chatting away and Jeremy signing autographs. It was all very sweet, and much as I wanted to, I didn't take photos because I'm sure their mother wouldn't want her sons plastered all over t'internet. James, meanwhile, was kept busy with a stream of young lovelies. I was otherwise engaged with my cup of something almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea and trying to find Lazza. Didn't see Richard Hammond in the crowd, but I did see Richard Porter (yay! Another little squee moment for me as I'm a huge fan of Sniff Petrol and Gareth Jones on Speed) in the hangar and Andy Wilman running around outside.
Then it was time to go back inside and I managed to get it right this time - I was in the front row for the introduction of the second part of the challenge, but next to the camera, so I should be out of shot. We were gathered in a tight bunch around James's amphibious Herald, but instead of squeezing through, James and Richard managed to get behind the car and duck under the frame, popping up like jack-in-the-boxes with huge grins on their faces. Then we watched the VT, moved around a bit more for the results, which were perhaps not quite as expected but allowed Jeremy to prove he is an equal opportunities flirt as he played up to a couple of young girls and (shock, horror) a middle-aged woman! They wheeled in the challenge cars for that part and they were... well, the only phrase that comes to mind is, "oh dear"...
There was one more VT, and given the conclusion it was entirely pointless. However, I didn't care because it was a wonderful celebration of two truly fabulous cars - and it was these cars that we gathered around for the conclusion of the show. It's a lovely little bit of film, and Richard seems to really enjoy himself in it. And yet again, I was right where Jeremy needed to be, and he squeezed past again with a polite "excuse me". Honestly, it was such a trauma...
And then it was all over. We were allowed to wander around the hangar and take photos, and then I came out and saw James shooting into the Portakabin having shed the deckchair shirt and changed into his Hawker Hurricane tee, soon followed by Richard Porter (he's easy to spot... he's almost as tall as Jezza). We were just about to head back to the car when I heard a glorious sound from inside the hangar... and one of my dream cars appeared, ready to go into its trailer, shortly followed by a hypercar that is now worth £2 million. And I managed to shoot a little bit of footage and capture that glorious noise! Meanwhile, the Lacetti appeared behind me and Lazza managed to get a couple of photos of that.
And then it really was time to go. Despite the ridiculously early start, it was all over too soon and I'd love to do it again.
I suppose I should take my wristband off now...
but I shall keep it QT.
I held you, you felt me, I touched you, you kissed me.......
