The beauty of the Internet other than 24-hour pornography is that nobody knows you’re a dog, or on the other side of the world in London. Right now, I am one of those things.
I’ve been hiding out in England for the past year now, completing a grad school program here. It’s been a year of going to bed at 4am (hey, these podcasts won’t record themselves), navigating the Tube like a friggin’ native, meeting the single most British person in the world, Stephen Fry, and discovering the perils of playing Kings with a bottle of Teacher’s Highland Cream. Hey, you live and learn, right? At this rate, I should be a Cockney tour guide.
I’ve seen cars here, too, and not those fuddy-duddy little furrin’ hatchbacks that people from Texarkana can’t cram a buttcheek into without the aid of a Cirque du Soleil choreographer. I’m talking about Mercedes SLR 722s, Gemballa Cayennes, 1980s Bentley Mulsanne Turbo Coupes, the rare, gull-winged Toyota Sera, four or five Reliant Robins, matte-black X6 diesels, enough Bentley Continentals to stack ’em to the Moon, a Camaro RS with Saudi plates, a Citroen Traction Avant down the street from a Saab 96 and a graffitied Transit van, enough original Mini Coopers to fit in the back of enough Land Rover Defenders, and that 1977 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Oscar India I’ve seen at multiple occasions, but still haven’t been able to chase down. Some of these I’ve taken pictures of, obsessively; some I was only able to get a glance; and some (as in the case of the “murdered-out” X65) so terrifying that it takes a steady hand to hide the camera deep into my coat pocket, lest it gets fried from the overwhelming rays of carbage horror! that’s proven to cause vomiting in day-old lab rats. Trust me on this. It’s science.
The irony, of course, is that I fly back to the States at the end of this month, home for a year before my course starts again (don’t ask). And that I’ve been saving my roadside shots for last, because I’m lazy no wait, to be fair, I am pretty lazy. But the beauty of the Internet is that I can post about silly cars, record a podcast, and recoil in horror at American eBay, all from the confines of my shoebox-sized ivory tower. London’s been fun, but it’s good to slack off at home without feeling guilty about it. Do they still sell the Double Down?
[Image source: Union Jack Wear]
Introducing…British Week!
About
21 responses to “Introducing…British Week!”
-
Both of my vehicles do homage to British sports cars, as they leak a little oil. BTW, my truck turned over 200k on Saturday.
-
-
Mmmm… fish and chips.
-
-
One of my cars was assembled in the UK and its most likely Lucas branded, windscreen washer pump quit on Friday… This will be a good week.
-
Man, this should be fun. I do like the Redcoats with their funny accents.
-
Son, I hope you didn't spend more than $5 for that crappy looking suit.
-
Hello, welcome to England. Just pop your shoes off if you don't mind, come through and take a pew. Fire too hot for you? I'll open a window. Cup of tea? I have Earl Grey or Assam. No? A coffee, perhaps? I tell you what, how about a scotch? It's almost breakfast, I can soon crack open a bottle of Chivas. Lovely.
Can you recommend a good dentist?-
Lovely, mate. You wouldn't have a nice curry simmering back there, would you? Oh look, my glass has sprung a leak.
-
-
-
Sweet! Happisburghs good, too. (betcha can't guess that one without internetting it up!)
-
-
Cuppa' and a full fry? Nothing like blood pudding!
-
So who is in charge of getting replacement smoke for the website?
-
And now, a respectful pause for the British National Anthem (I think)
[youtube MK6TXMsvgQg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK6TXMsvgQg youtube]-
I thought it was this (yes I know the song is actually John Phillips Sousa's The Liberty Bell).[youtube 49c-_YOkmMU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49c-_YOkmMU youtube]
-
When I was in the Army, my chest used to swell with pride as we marched to this song at parades. So appropriate.
-
-
-
I'll just leave this here.
<img src="http://www.scavengeinc.com/images/Product/medium/legavenue/union-jack-dress-outfit.jpg" width="400"> -
My elementary school principal drove a BR green TR6. I was absolutely convinced it was the coolest car on the planet. To this day I have an irrational affinity to that car.
-
I once had a conversation with an English co-worker about MGs. I made the comment "I don't understand how such a wet country could make so many convertibles that leak in the rain".
He responded "Well the floors all have holes, so it's a mute point."-
did he really say mute point?
-
Must be a British thing…
-
Mute, moot, boot, fruit, I'm honestly not sure what he said (They don't exactly speaka de English very well)..
-
-
![http://www.scavengeinc.com/images/Product/medium/legavenue/union-jack-dress-outfit.jpg"](http://www.scavengeinc.com/images/Product/medium/legavenue/union-jack-dress-outfit.jpg"){kind=link}
Leave a Reply