Day one

Being a gypsy is not easy. Above all because you can’t afford to get attached to anything. In fact “things” are all temporary, disposable and must be left behind, because what really matters is feelings and freedom.
And the same applies to the people that you meet along the way, they all have to be left behind one day, unless they are also a gypsy and go with you. Was I born like this or did life make me into one? Well, after 200 years of Military “Fathers”, each one born in a different place, many miles from each other; after 10 schools, 100 houses and 1000 moves; brought up looking outside, questioning what is behind the next hill and the next one and the next one, how can I be anything other then a gypsy!!
Going back is painful. Coming back to the UK, to my house, to my work, is unheard of for me, exactly because it’s painful and I don’t like pain at all! It is a strange place to be, no man’s land, nor here, nor there, waiting to do the passage, all stamped up and ready to start again. I suppose it is especially painful because this is such a great Country, full of different realities that co-exist side by side in the smallest of spaces, permanently adjusting and respecting, because that is the British way. Some do it by politeness, not really feeling the appeal of the exotic, but the majority does it because of genuine niceness and because they are a civilized people. And because of their DNA chain has 90% more humour genes then everyone else!! How many times a day do you laugh? I for sure took that for granted. It is more important to laugh, in general, then to get a hug. A hug is important, very necessary in times of sadness, but laughing does something to our souls that only making love to that special one can surpass. . Someone told me last week in response to the lack of humour in my new life that, living without it, is like living without music! Very true.

But, like everything else, they too have to stay behind, because the way is forward. I look at it and feel (gypsy life is all about feeling!) incredibly privileged for the time spent in the mist of this society. The lessons they taught me will be invaluable to the rest of my life. Above all try to deal with everything with humour; love, death, joy and adversity, the best way is always to joke.
I seem to pass through people’s lives like a hurricane, fast in, fast out, leaving nothing in it’s place. And I don’t even stay for the reconstruction! This upsets those that have deep roots the most, but it also causes great distress to the ones that actually want to go, but can’t make them selves run and follow what they really feel is right.
So that is the struggle, to feel to the maximum without getting too hurt. Experience the strongest wind on a naked bike and enduring the pain in the neck! Loving friends more then they have ever imagined possible and closing the door when it’s time to go, not for them, but for me. And the struggle goes now to another level. The gypsy soul is in love! Dangerous you might say, especially for the brave/foolish man that decided it was a good idea to love, protect and cherish this troubled being that is me! Dangerous it is, in fact, but that has one huge advantage to conventional certainty: exactly because it’s dangerous, you pay more attention to every detail, every day is a beginning and, again, you feel the all thing much more and intensely. I mean, it’s like getting on your Motorbike every day, isn’t it?! Well, it should be and maybe less divorces existed if people saw it like that instead of being bored out of their minds.

It would have been impossible to be this “wise” and sorted without all the mad races, on or off the bike, without all the crazy escapes, without all the fidgeting!! And I know a soul like mine is not made for settlement, which is very important, because only when we know ourselves can we be happy with someone else. And that is the objective, from now to whenever ( maybe only tomorrow), TO BE HAPPY!
It starts today, I’m choosing the wedding dress…My God it feels an alien concept! Another lesson I suppose and with the help of my friend, much more experienced then me, it should come out alright. Although, the devil in me is trying to lure me to go to Jack Lilley's instead and get a Speed Triple, probably the same price but much better value for money! I say to the devil, I expect to enjoy that dress as much as I enjoyed the bike and intend the get many miles out of it, not just one Sunday ride out in March!!
S

Friends

Friends are the best thing in the world! My life would be void without you and my journeys would not have a purpose. Thank you friends!

4 weeks in the UK

"You are back, how nice! Can't keep away?!" Its true, I can't keep away from Britain. I never thought it would be this difficult to be away, but coming back as also shown me that I did the right thing and I just need to adjust my life there to not get into a deep depression. Still no German, needs to change, and then more riding needs to happen as well!
The Summer has truly arrived here, although we got really wet in Cornwall, where it was suppose to be dry!! But we still got a couple of hours on the beach. Probably should have stayed longer, because the traffic was SO bad!!!
Im staying at a BandB in a Convent, the Bridgittine Guest House, in a little room, of a Tudor house, with a little balcony just for me! Its, as expected, a very peaceful place, allowing for deep thoughts and meditation, which is good for me. Also met there a half Portuguese Priest that was very nice. i would recommend this place very much, www.bridgettineguesthouse.co.uk
Return to Germany is on Friday and the next 4 days are full of racing and track day work between NurburgRing F1 and Spa. After, and armed with my new PaintPod, is DIY time!! Oh joy!! And in between the Firestorm will be coming out for some riding at the The Green Hell.

No German

and another day has passed between boxes and stuff and more stuff!! Where did all of this come from??? I have obviously bought it, but I don't remember!! Its looking better, less boxes at least and tomorrow it the top floor's turn. It needs to be ready for Thursday arrival of the first guest for Easter. And another day has passed without any chance of me speaking German. It's not good! I have to learn soon. Any way, another day, another victory! We did a walk to the track and it was a test day so saw some special cars being tested, like the new Porsche GT2 and the new saloon. tomorrow the tornado starts again!!

Germany

That's it, I'm here! It was very emotional to leave the UK, a lot harder then I had forseen. And being here is hard because I don't speak German yet, so every little thing I want to do requires help and I hate that!! Today I gave up on buying bread because it was going to be too difficult to do it. Its an incentive to learn faster I supose and I intend to do it quickly. I was invited to a party with a new friend, Melanie, but I feel too tiered and a bit lost really, so I will wait for next time. The bike journey was good, nice weather and not a lot of traffic, although there were several hairy situations in Belgium, but their driving can only be compared to Mumbay on a good day!! I have to give this place a chance, there are really nice people around, but the life I had in England was really good!! well, life is not suposed to be easy and to achieve what we want, there are always sacrifices to be done, nothing comes free.

New begginings

My party at The Ace was really good, 30 people and everyone enjoyed it!! I was very lucky with the weather, after a week of English Summer weather, Friday night was perfect for biking, so the Ace was packed. Steve came with little Steve and Stan, they were 3 hours in traffic... It was a great night. Saturday I went mad and bought half of Windsor!! But its the last chance. For the last time I went for a ride out with Nick and Simon to Newlands Corner and then, totally what of the blue, Jochen proposed while we walked for the last time at Sunningdale Golf Course!!! I was totally surprised and I knew he would do it somewhere, somehow, that I was not expecting. He said he did there and then because he could see how special England in Spring is for me and he was right to wait for that moment. We even had a puppy Labrador run up to us and sat down looking at him while he went on his knee!! All in all a great moment.

Flat...

The VTR has a flat tyre... manage to get a mobile tyre crew, GS tyres, to come and sort it out. Pat's advice, that as a true pike, knows where to find the right people at the right price! And he is ok with being one, so no offence there;)) Today is the procession for Steve Lilleys funeral. I will be there with the shop staff and friends and family. Its raining a bit, but should improve so we don't do all of it in the rain.
Only 3 weeks now!! I am having difficulty sleeping, so many things dancing in my head; what I have to do there, what I have to do here, what I have to do in Portugal... No point thinking too much, every journey starts with the first step and every mountain can be climbed, 1 meter at a time!!
S

My dear friends,

The time has come to say good-buy to the UK and it is fitting that, one we have a party (!) and two, you endure, once again and hopefully not for the last time(!!), me rumbling on about something!! I promised myself I was not going to make this too long and too smoochy...I failed! Better get the tissue box first!!
So, how do I summarise the last 8 years of my life? Putting it simply, they were the happiest times I have had so far. Because of you, your kindness, your welcoming ways, your humour and your incredible polite patience, listening to me seemingly in agreement with everything, but realistically just to polite to stop me! They were also the happiest because of the bikes and how I was able to fulfil my dreams, above all living and breathing my love affair with Triumph. And lets not forget my "little boat", the Barchetta, that has given me 7 years of happy motoring. The UK allowed me to be free. Free to speak, Free to travel, Free to help, Free to be me!! This is not the Land of Freedom, this is the "Mother" of that concept and because of it, it is no surprise a "freedom-child" like me fits in so nicely.
If Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away, then the measure of my life here is off the scale! I arrived on the 25th February 2001, the day Foot and Mouth was declared. In the midst of devastation and, without a doubt, a land mark in the History of Britain, after that event the Country was not to be the same again. The Country would never be the same after my arrival either, but fortunately for Tony Blair my impact was a more limited affair then Foot and Mouth disease!! The first year, in the company of little Rita, was a discovery of so many things, but mainly of myself and for the first time of real freedom. It was the year I got my first bike and my first TT of the Isle of Man! My biking life was starting in the best way possible. In fact, 2001 was a year full of blessings and luck, as if my Guardian Angel was catching up with me on a daily basis! I fired my self and half-hour later was offered a job! Now that doesn't happen everyday, does it?! Mark Proctor, you are a corner stone of my life here, without you this adventure would have been cut short and for that I can only be eternally grateful. You invited us to work for an organization with values of fairness and kindness employees can only dream of. The job was difficult, but you and Simon always took care of me, even when I was weak and going the wrong way.To be able to trust your boss and be supported is, once again, a blessing. I will never forget the people at the Willows Veterinary group and to all of you, thank you for your help and support. During that time I worked more directly with a group of inspectors that really took the brumpt of my "big" personality! Charlie, you are the professional any Vet wants to work with, because you know your stuff, but above all you are just a good soul, a good mate. You never gave up telling me jokes, even thought you knew that there was no chance I would ever understand them... I did laugh when you explained though!! I miss your humour, your spontaneity and I miss making you so scared driving at speed through the Cheshire lanes, dodging mud and ladies on horses!!! God bless you. Four years in Cheshire allowed me to experience the British Country Side at it's best. It is a beautiful part of the World, with the green fields and the wonderful hedges that my Dad loves so much! Being an Army man, with an obsession for order and neatness, the geometric shape of the landscape appeals to him no end. On a sunny day, from the top of Beeston Castle, seeing his face in awe of miles and miles of tidy landscape, was bliss! I'm not that keen on order, but he was in Even and that made me very happy!! In Cheshire I made many friends and I met someone that is like one of those solitary trees in a field, with low, wide branches, protecting and giving comfort to all forms of life. She has always been there, waiting, reassuringly waiting, for me to run under and avoid the burning Sun or the heavy rain. Barbara, if there is one person that has helped me through emotional ( and physical!) upheaval, it is you. The mug is always ready with my coffee and your arms are always there for the hug I need, the essence of a true friend. Thank you for being you, for making me feel better, for making me see the other side of things, for picking up the pieces of my mistakes. And for joining me in the adventure of biking (on a Triumph!!), its much better together!!

Since I arrived, seeing this amazing Country, all its Natural beauty, incredible History and Heritage, from Cathedrals to pre-historic stones, from industrial landscape to charming cottages, from the top of Snowdon to the tip of Cornwall, was a set goal and I have done my damn best to achieve it!
Traveling North, to the very top of Scotland, with Rita and Pedro, in a Motorhome we hire together was a fantastic trip, experiencing all forms of weather and all forms of landscape. Elgol beach, in the Isle of Skye, features in so many postcards and photography books for a reason. My advice? Do not miss the chance to go there and see it for yourselves!!
The Peak District and North Wales where regular destinations on the bike, specially with Kenny and Graham's group. Great people, with genuine goodness inside. The Cat and Fiddle, Porthmadog, Matlock Bath, Snowdonia, Buxton, Caernarfon. And Yorkshire, don't forget Yorkshire!! What a beautiful country this is!! And what great roads you have!!
From Cheshire I also travelled South, all the way to Portugal on a little bike, a journey that became a turning point in my life, a spiritual discovery, a sense of achievement that only those that experience serious hardship can comprehend. 1600 miles through one of the worst storms ever seen in West France and North Spain, me, the Bike and a determination to arrive home!!
That trip brought into my life a very important person, a person that truly opened the door for my happiness. And how have you done this Steve? By getting me out of a very bad place and showing me that life with some one that makes us feel special, listen to us and guides us through bad times, is so much better then by ourselves! You showed me the way and I was able to see Jochen was the ONE for me. Quite simple really. For that I will love you forever! And for all the miles we rode together, for the fun we had through Belgium motorways and doing Lands End - John O'Groats OUR WAY! For the NurburgRing... And the list goes on and on!! Without you, my life would be a lot poorer so you are not allowed to ever disappear! Yes, I am bossing you again, and you love it!!

Life in Cheshire finished with a Bike crash, a hike up Snowdon with my arm in a plaster and a Wedding! Well, it is me we are talking about, nothing is simple and when one thing happening should be enough, it never seems to go that way!
So starts the next stage of my British voyage, in comes 2005 with a new job at London Heathrow, the 1050 Speed Triple (in yellow!) and a great Summer to enjoy it. In comes Jack Lilley, a place I already knew and admired, but that quickly became my second home! Guys (and Natalie!) you are all amazing people, really friendly and fun. You have always taken such good care of me and my bikes, even now that I ride a Honda, you are still looking after me!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
This same year I visited for the first time a place that many dismiss simply as a Motorway Junction, Swindon! Honest, there are serious phenomenon in this Town, I have seen several, but the gem has to be Stan! A man that has ridden more miles then me and all my biking mates put together ( probably in just one of his bikes!!), that has more knowledge about bikes then humanely possible, but still is so humble his manners, a joy to be with and a true Master of what biking is all about. Stan, you are the MAN!! I gladly rode to Swindon twice a year to see you and I am sure I will come all the way from Germany with the NC30 for you to work your magic on it!
It was not just the bikes that got the Royal treatment, the Barchetta has also been lucky, for the majority of it's life has been in the hands of DTR SPORTS, simply the best when it comes to handling Latin temperamental, unpredictable, moody characters, and I am not just talking about the car here!!Paul, visiting your place is always a delight, seeing the beautiful restorations you do and talking endlessly about our passion, Italian Motorcars! I always looked forward to the MOT and annual service, as did the Barchetta, I am sure, so we simply cannot go by without you, hence our house and the NurburgRing await you!!

2005 was not just a fantastic year for me, it was where here and now began. Jochen "caught" me (literally!) on the 28th of August, with his camera while I was on my last lap of the NurburgRing. From that picture to today, on the eve of moving to Germany, it was all but a mere whiff in time. At least that's what it feels like!
With Jochen came a new family and, being the luckiest girl in the World, I not only got the greatest boyfriend ever (yes Daring, you are!), I also have been accepted into a wonderful Belgium family. I wish everyone could be as fortunate as me, now blessed with two fantastic Dads and, in an extraordinary twist of life, finding the Mum I always wanted and needed. I am very much looking forward to being with you all.

If Cheshire was the ephitomy of "Green and Pleasant Land", London is a Planet Earth experiment inside the M25! It is a privilege to live and work in a place where so many nationalities go about their business together and London Heathrow Airport is, in fact, more diverse then the whole of the United Nations building! I will miss that very much. I will miss seating next to Shazhad and learning about a tolerant Islam that should be much more visible so ignorance could vanish.
I will miss you desperately Miguel. You have been such a great friend for so many years, from the mad party nights in Lisbon and Vet school all the way to London, through good and bad times, a great teacher of LIFE. You have showed me how to face difficulties with a cool head, how to handle emotional turmoil, how to find that most precious of things, our inner balance. You are an extraordinary Human Being, protecting everyone around you and forgetting about yourself, so many times hurting and no one knows about it. I love you very much. I hope my replacement will give you less headaches then me, although, sometimes, I think you actually liked the utter madness I brought into the Office and into your life!
I suspect the Office will be a very quiet place after the 31th March...Hopefully the void created and the silence wont be so great to generate a vortex!! Thank you everyone for your help and support through these 4 years. And Julie, thank you for enduring my "magpie" attacks on the stationary cupboard so gracefully!
A very special thank you to the best boss ever, John Watkins. Thank you for giving me time and space to be able to help my family. You didn't have to, but you always went out of your way to make sure I was alright and had a place to come back to. Thank you for the guided visit to Bath and telling me what an "Ha-Ha" is, yet another fabulous, quirky English invention! You have a kind soul and working for you was a pleasure and an honour.

The last four years revolved almost entirely around bikes, traveling through the Continent, going to MOTOGP races, runs to the Ace Cafe, Pub meets and being RAT PACK Leader at Jack Lilleys. Lots of fun, laughter and companionship on an infinite succession of priceless moments of all the emotions we can experience in a life time. Shouting to Rossi how much I love him on the Finish straight of Le Mans, arriving in Portugal on a warm, sunny afternoon in exhilaration and crying so much on the way out... Leading 12 bikes to the NurburgRing and coming back with everyone in one piece, the epic endurance trip of 848 miles in 13 hours, getting lost trying to find the "Circuit du Mans" and ending up doing a lap of Le Mans with a nice Frenchmen!
All of it made extra fabulous because of the people I met along the way and that welcomed me into their lives. Thank you Pat for your guidance and training, sorry if I still haven't put everything into practice, but I have master the "U" turns thanks to you! Thank you Nick for being the "Shadow Minister" of the RAT PACK, doing everything to make my life easy, ensuring things I missed were sorted and all the trips went on smoothly. God only knows where I would be without you there! Thank you Simon and Carol and Trevor and Bob. Our travels together will continue, I will just have to meet you in Calais instead of St Peters Way, J11 of the M25 and Europe here we come!!

I spent these last four years in Sunningdale, a gorgeous little Village that I love so much, I convinced Jochen to call our home "Sunningdale House".
Sunningdale also guards a very special secret: Nadia! Beautiful, as beautiful as the clear, gorgeous night, with a blue sky carpeted with shining stars. Utterly stylish and petite, like a bijoux piece of Jewellery! However the real "gold" is not outside, its not Tiffany or Cartier, its her heart. Nadia, you understand me to the most minute detail, with an accuracy that still has me puzzled! And I know its not just me, everyone that is fortunate to deal with you, is a much happier person. You have that touch, like Princess Diana, of transforming our lives forever with your gentle demeanour. Thank you for transforming my life as well as my "armoire"!! Insha'allah we will continue our friendship for many years to come.

There are many more of you that will receive this letter and I have not mentioned, I am sorry... It is not because you are less important, no way, and I will not forget any of you ever!

As you can see, it is IMPOSSIBLE to exist without all of you in my life, so for the future I expect to be visiting the UK and be visited by the UK many times!!!
Germany is Germany (don't mention the War!), but the NurburgRing area is special, actually a little UK enclave in the Eiffel forest. Sunningdale House is a very happy house already, and I expected after the "Portuguese tornado" goes pass and some Frozenspeed pictures are added, it will be even better. Here is the address:
Sunningdale House, Muhlenhard Strasse 62, Herschbroich, 53 518.

I leave a better person, with this Country I love as much as Portugal, in my heart forever. I am also very, very thankful for all the experiences I had here that have made me into what I am today.
Do not get drag down with the news of "gloom and doom", the knife crime, the recession, the waiting lists, the bad Government Policies and all the rest!! You have been through 2 World Wars plus countless other encounters with the Enemies of Freedom and the Friends of Oppression and you always prevailed! You make this Country what it is, with your believes of Fairness and Humility, pass it on to the next generation and Great Britain will be as Great as it as always been!!

To all of you, a very big kiss!!

Sofia

XXX

Chernobyl

http://www.elenafilatova.com/
This girl is without a doubt a great person. She and what she does is of immense relevance in the world today. In fact they are a critical wake up call to all of us. And she is a biker!
The reality she witness on her trips and that comes into our lives through her web site from the dead zone is much more important then any fake special effects film. I have been following her for a couple of years and admire her wisdom very much. I also admire her as a person immensely and really hope she is not silenced by powers that feel disturbed by her accuracy. Well done Elena!! You are 1 of the very special women our civilization has had the honour to have seen through its history.

Great Day!

Beautiful weather and great Friends, what more can you ask for?

The thing that stops BMW GSs!

Yesterday, on my way home, my friend Pat join me on the slip off the M25 with his big GS. I find them quite something at the best of times, but yesterday it demonstrated how clever it can be. Whilst filtering ahead of me, a van pulled out in front of him, I could see from behind the van driver was going to do it, but Pat was too close for comfort!!! I had a flash of Pat going up in the air...But no need to worry, he is a great rider AND when he squeezes that brake lever, magic happens!! The big STOPPED DEAD a sniff from the back of the van and he was a saved Paddy able to carry on to the next one. Remarkably he didn't even look at the driver, much less wave obscenities and shout insults. He really is a cool dude:))

New hair!

Yesterday I has a hair cut. My curls are gone and I now have shortish hair as I like it!! Its funny how my hair seems to cause so many reactions from people. Its black, for starters, and wild like me. But for me short is always better, matches my personality and makes me look younger, happier. The curls can be very nice, if only I had the patience they require to look really good. Some how, a girl with short hair always seems more attractive, because the options are other then wast time with looks and more with the content!

Spring is in the air! For the first time in weeks the atmosphere is clear and pleasant, finally spirits will start to lift and depressions squashed under the heat of the Sun! Of course its still a very weak Sun that brightens our days, but its already a great thing. My brain suffers terrible with the lack of light, I suppose everyone suffers, and depresses me no end. I am always the happiest person when this first lift happens. Going to put the geraniums back outside again, its time for re-birth!

I wish I was there, where the Sea is MORE blue and the sky is so clear you want to fly. I wish I could go now to feel the heat warming my bones, drying the dampness in my soul. I wish I could see the horizon, curved and empty of pollution, enticing me to go somewhere. I wish I could be there...

SNOW

Today I went to London and for the first time in 8 years it was a very pleasant experience! There was no one there!! It was sunny, beautiful blue sky and white, everything was white. People where not running, they where walking and looking, observing buildings and places they never took the time to look at, because in London, normally, everyone is running for some reason. Everyone has something to do and can't wait 1 minute to look. Today there was no such rushing, no stress, nothing!! People smiled, talked and where pleasant, cars where not moving and streets were clean and not crowded. Today I actually liked London and it would be wonderful if it was like that always. In fact it should snow twice a week, it would paralyze the country just enough to make it a good place to live!