In just over a week the 2011 season is going to get underway. It has been a crazy off season. Just when you had finished memorizing the calendar we ahd uprisings, earthquakes and nuclear meltdowns which put everything in doubt. Just when you thought you knew the driver line up "Lucky charm" Kubica put his season, career, and limbs in doubt. When you expected the usual suspects to be fighting for the title McLaren decided to design a rocketship that refuses to get off the launchpad let alone into orbit (does this remind people of McLarens rocketship MP4-18 calmity in 2004?).
For me personally I thought I was all set for the season too. I got my Montreal race tickets last weekend and knew where I would be for half the Sundays of this summer. Then the big news came through. My Dad would be visiting my brother in England this Summer. For about 1 second, I am ashamed to admit it, I didn't know whether to go or not. Then I got my head in order and quickly checked what race would be on around that time. And so, for the last couple of days I have been busy going through the preliminary stages of organizing my first trip to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps!
There are a lot of things to prepare for when going to Belgium. There is the obvious question of where to buy tickets and through who (There are a lot of dodgy looking websites out there), then there is the problem of getting there since the race is in the middle of nowhere, and then there is the problem of where to sleep once you are there. I have been looking for plane tickets, train tickets, race tickets, bus tickets, visa requirements (none!), camping grounds, grandstand views, and currency conversions. Because of this I have become somewhat of an expert on southern Belgian geography, western European transport systems, market fluctuations in response to international unrest, and I have also developed a sociographic understanding of why it is important to stay away from Germans and their all night techno parties when finding campsites. Formula 1 is very educational.
So I am half the way to being ready for my trip to Spa and almost completely ready for my most awaited season of Grand Prix racing ever. If I get a chance to relax, I'll think of what to get my Dad for his birthday.
For me personally I thought I was all set for the season too. I got my Montreal race tickets last weekend and knew where I would be for half the Sundays of this summer. Then the big news came through. My Dad would be visiting my brother in England this Summer. For about 1 second, I am ashamed to admit it, I didn't know whether to go or not. Then I got my head in order and quickly checked what race would be on around that time. And so, for the last couple of days I have been busy going through the preliminary stages of organizing my first trip to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps!
There are a lot of things to prepare for when going to Belgium. There is the obvious question of where to buy tickets and through who (There are a lot of dodgy looking websites out there), then there is the problem of getting there since the race is in the middle of nowhere, and then there is the problem of where to sleep once you are there. I have been looking for plane tickets, train tickets, race tickets, bus tickets, visa requirements (none!), camping grounds, grandstand views, and currency conversions. Because of this I have become somewhat of an expert on southern Belgian geography, western European transport systems, market fluctuations in response to international unrest, and I have also developed a sociographic understanding of why it is important to stay away from Germans and their all night techno parties when finding campsites. Formula 1 is very educational.
So I am half the way to being ready for my trip to Spa and almost completely ready for my most awaited season of Grand Prix racing ever. If I get a chance to relax, I'll think of what to get my Dad for his birthday.
RSS Feed
