Well, we managed to find the car at Milan airport eight weeks ago, where we’d left it for about 6 weeks having been away for the flyaway races - I was surprised that it was still there. There is no way it would have been if it had've been left in an Australian airport for as long as that!

One of the things I mentioned last time was a new bike, or future restoration project, which I’ve bought, but still haven’t actually seen yet. It’s a 983 Ducati Mike Hailwood replica that I bought from a friend in Australia after looking at a photo of it. I had it shipped down to Sandra’s parents’ place in Melbourne and her Dad is looking after it for me, so I’m sure it’ll be polished up by the time we go back to Oz.

We made a slight detour after arriving back at Milan airport and called into my old team’s base to attend the first communion of a friend's daughter, which, in a catholic county like Italy is quite a big affair. After the church service there was a fiesta for the extended family members where gifts were exchanged, speeches made and lots and lots of fantastic ltalian food eaten!

Monza was a difficult meeting for the team and one just to look forward from. It was pretty much my local European round being just 60km from our apartment, and afterwards we headed back there and spent some time chilling with each other and training. There are some great cycling and running tracks around Lake Lugano where we live and the temperature was perfect.

A couple of days before we had to head to the UK I got the call that I had been waiting for, to say that my new Sherco trials bike had arrived in Italy and was waiting for me to pick it up. I headed down to the importer only to find that the bike had arrived without any documents, which would have been fine if I didn’t have to pass the Swiss dogana (like customs) to get to Campione d’Italia where we actually live.

After waiting so long I couldn’t bear to leave her there, so my Ozzie “she’ll be right” attitude kind of took over and I loaded her in the car. We almost made it through the dogana without being stopped but we got held up by the car in front and after initially getting the wave, we were suddenly having to pull over and explain how an Australian got a brand new bike from a Spanish company into Italy and then wanted to enter Switzerland without any documents for the bike (not even a receipt of purchase!). Luckily one of the guarda seemed to have an interest in trials bikes and after Quattro chiaccare (chatting away) we got the nod from the Italian guard who said he would sort it with the Swiss guy – and believe it or not but no money changed hands! The only issue now is how to get back into Italy with the bike to go trials riding, but I guess I’ll sort that out when the time comes.

We live on the fourth floor of an apartment block so we took the bike up in a crate in the lift. I put it together in our lounge but then of course there was the task of getting it back down – and once assembled, it didn’t fit in the lift! So, the only way was to ride it down the marble stair case! I got Sandra to go and check that none of the neighbours were outside or coming up the stairs and when she gave me the nod, down I went. Everything was looking fine until I started going down the stairs and the new rubber tyres started squeaking like hell on the marble steps. All the neighbours came out and were getting rather animated Italian style and worried about possible tyre marks everywhere. I told them not to worry and that I’m a professional!!!!!!!!!!! I also had to promise that it wouldn’t happen again but they still get a bit nervous when they see me mucking around with the bike outside!

We flew over to the UK the week before the Silverstone round and had the team’s fan club open day on the Saturday. I was really impressed by how interested everyone was, not just in the team, but also in us as riders and also the team’s premises. A lot of people asked if I minded being there on Saturday but honestly, I don’t mind doing stuff like that at all. It was good fun to meet everyone and be a part of the ‘other side’ of the sport we’re in and I also get a buzz out of seeing people enjoying themselves.

Form there we drove down to Cheddar in Somerset to ride in a twin shock trials event that I do with my mate every year. The thing with my mate is though, he prepares the bike for me. This year I’ve put in a huge effort and back in Australia I was out riding loads to improve so that I could whip his butt in the trial, but, when he prepares the bike, he prepares them so that he wins I’m sure! This year I was leading two laps out of four when the rear brake pedal fell off, so, I found that and bolted it back on, but then in the next section, the back brake cable snapped and I had to ride the last two laps with no rear brake - in the rain, mud and downhill – quite ‘interesting’ with only a front brake!

A few weeks ago we went to visit some friends in Reggio-Emilia, near Bologna, for the weekend. It was nice and quiet and they have a lovely house there with a bed whenever we want it, so we just hung out and watched the MotoGP at Mugello and stuff. The on the way back we called in to see another one of our mates in Monza. The Milan area is famous for its aperitivos, so we went out and had a couple of camparis at his local panini bar – the Speedy pub. We had a super speedy sandwich and I kid you not, is the best sandwich I’ve ever had in my life – although I'm not totally sure if that was my actual recollection or just my recollection after a few aperativos! There’s loads of motocycling memorabilia in the pub so I added my signature to a few things from years gone by.

A few weekends ago we flew back to the UK for a friend’s wedding, and witnessed how the British put on a fine event! In short, two people fainted, a police car and ambulance were called later into the reception and mysteriously in the morning, there was one of the bridesmaid’s dresses hung over a chair in the middle of the dance floor and she can’t remember when or how she left, or what she was wearing! And this was meant to be a very classy affair!!!! It’s definitely the best wedding we’ve ever been to!

Last week I went out on my new trials bike a few times up in the Swiss alps, as we’ve not got over the problem of me being able to take my bike back into Italy to ride it due to the customs stuff. I didn’t really attempt anything too serious as I didn’t want to injure myself before our race at Misano and as you can’t really go by yourself in case anything happens, Sandra came out with me and sat in the mountains watching, and also doing a bit of cop spotting as you’re not meant to ride in any part of the Swiss forests! But it’s so high up and remote, I say ‘good luck’ to anyone who even wants to attempt to find me up there!

Catch you later.

Steve