Shouting from the Hop

So Annabel says do I want to go on an Italian car rally? Of course, I say. What better excuse to make a visit to the States and get to do a road trip too!

This was last May; I'd finished work on the Friday, and flew off to DC on the Monday morning. Annabel met me, as she always does, at Dulles, and we drove to her home. She lives up past Georgetown, near the Russian Embassy.

I stayed at her place for a couple of nights - eating, drinking, meeting friends, walking around during the day while she was at work, trying to sort out another job, that sort of thing - then we flew off (very) early on the Wednesday morning for LA.

History lesson - I first met Annabel in 1986, when she and Holly were presented to me by my neighbour as young girls in need of a place to stay. They were both over in the UK for six months on a work exchange programme, but needed a temporary home, and I had space at my house. A temporary two weeks turned into six months! So over the few months we slowly became frends through many a turbulent time.

We carried on our friendship over the years, with my visiting California, DC, LA, etc, and Annabel and friends coming over to the UK whenever they could. Originally both from small towns in the hills outside Sacremento, Annabel now lived in DC, while Holly had settled in LA.

This was the first time since 1992 that all three of us would be reunited though!

Annabel drove the hire car up from Long Beach to Studio City, and we took a detour along Mulholland Drive. Holly and her children met us, and we had a lovely day out at Malibu Beach (left). Next day Annabel and I went off to Disneyland, and Holly, her husband Jon, and the kids met us there later that afternoon. On the Friday, we drove over to a friends house near the Baldwin Hills in South LA, and then all drove back north again, with Annabel, me and Stephen stopping off at the Getty Museum. There followed a very drunken night - let's just mention the vodka bottle, hot-tub, and Trivial Pursuit!

Next day, Annabel and I drove around the Hollywood hills, and through Beverley Hills, people watching more than anything. That afternoon, we said our goodbyes and drove back down to Long Beach for the overnight flight back to Dulles.

So what has this got to do with being a cover star???

Well, after landing at Dulles very early in the morning, we hung around for a couple of hours, and then partook in an Italian car rally, starting from the Ferrari of Washington dealership near the airport. It was fantastic arriving (in a Saab!), and after parking away from the Italian showroom, seeing all these wonderful classic car exhibits arrive - Ferraris, Maserati's, Alfa's, Bugatti's, Lancia's, Lamborghini's, etc. I took a bunch of pictures, one of which is here (left).

We borrowed an Alfa, from Annabel's friends Brewster and Sherry, and took off in formation (don't go too fast!) following five Ferrari's. We kept up as long as we could around the back roads of Virginia, but eventually lost them after a couple of the cars in front nearly made a wrong turn. They had to stop, reverse, and then disappeared into the distance as we struggled not to get lost and preserve the gearbox! We ended up at Summit Point raceway, and after watching some fun racing, we got to drive round the track a few times posing!

The bad news was that as it was hot and sunny, and we went too fast for me to wear a hat, I got quite a sunburnt face during our drive!

Anyway, it was a lovely day, and we all really enjoyed ourselves, as we did for the remaining week of my visit.

A few months later, and Annabel has sent me this magazine with us on the cover (bottom - in the red Alfa), and with another pic of us and a namecheck inside! Thanks Brewster!

So we made it on the cover of a magazine - OK , it's not Vogue, or Hello!, but it's a start!

Annabel has invited me back to do it all over again this year, but we'll have to see how that clashes with work, football, and stuff before I agree...it would be good though!