After the truck passed its test last week it was down to having all the final paperwork done. After a couple of days of running around I had my tax disc, insurance and temporary log book. Gary from the garage took me out for a quick drive to familiarise myself with the controls and driving a truck again for the first time since I passed my test almost 11 months ago which was very helpful. Then on Friday I picked up the truck and took it on my first drive unaccompanied. 1350km back to Prague. The drive went well and as it was mostly motorways was pretty straightforward. Even getting it on and off the ferry was pretty easy. However it is definitely a truck, as you are sat very high up and manouverability is completely different from a car. I can certainly better appreciate truck drivers and why they pull out and why it takes an eternity to pass things. I broke up the drive by sleeping in a truck park near Koblenz. Easy really, I just took my sleeping bag in the back. The only tough bit was getting it down the drive at home. Our street is narrower than the length of the truck and our drive is pretty steep. Gilly had tried to keep the cars from parking outside our house to give me more room but there was a mysterious car parked in just the wrong place. None of the neighbours knew whose it was. So here is me trying to get it in forwards:



This did not work so I had to reverse it in around the car. Fortunately a man that was passing was very helpful. Gilly's spatial awareness was, let's say, not used to the size of the truck. In the end all safely in but getting it out could be fun.

The girls were delighted and excited to see it and spent ages inside it.



So now things are starting to feel very real. We have a preparatory trip in it planned in 3 weeks time to Italy where we will be able to try everything out.