The next day the Club had arranged a scenic run with a difference as not only did we get to see some fantastic Swedish Countryside but also had the opportunity to drive our F/TFs with buckets on our heads, off road of course, eat free ice creams at an ice cream factory and then puzzle over a broken MG logo , answering MG related questions and identifying various car badges whilst eating our salmon buffet lunch and being watched over by a figure dressed in full armour.

Having got back to the hotel we barely had time for a paddle before it was suits on , slightly crumpled having travelled 1000 miles in the back of an F, for a champagne reception and prize giving . Haaken came 7^th in the Rally whilst our highest UK placed competitors were Dave Alexander and Michelle King who came 11^th.

We then headed straight up for the gala dinner and more speeches and awards. Our video car crew Jonathan and Colin Lee won the furthest travelled award having driven from Southampton. Adrian gave a thank you speech to the MGCC Sweden and then we embarrassed the committee by presenting them all with MGF Register bags containing bottles of Old Speckled Hen kindly donated by all those that took part.

Sunday saw a POO and Concours competition with a Mexican Spec MGTF150 winning the F/TF category. It was then time to book out and Hakan and Per-Ove took us on a country route hugging the coastline back down to Helsingborg for our final night in Sweden. Our evening meal was taken in a unique way bouncing between Denmark and Sweden on the ferry, one course each way !

We bade farewell to our Swedish hosts and prepared for the journey home. It was in Heslingborg that the group split up with some remaining in Scandinavia for a few days or taking the ferry back from Esbjerg. A hardcore of half a dozen were driving back through Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France but that was all dependent on Andy Phillips managing to get Scarlet Fever going again. A bolt had sheered on the gearshift system leaving Scarlet with no gears. Luckily Andy is like a Boy Scout and is always prepared.  So having dismantled the car he repaired the offending bolt and Scarlet was ready to roll again, if only that boot lid would stay shut. The hardcore took a slightly different route back to take in the Zuider Zee which presented one more photo opportunity of many on the Viking Express.

The Viking Express

Viking Express Organiser - Adrian Clifford

Swedish MGF Register Organiser - Hakan Sigemark

Sweden MG Meeting  - MG Car Club of Sweden , Hansi Borgstrom

Printed Reports - FasTForward Autumn 2006, Safety Fast October 2006

Photo acknowledgements

Tim & Liz Morris , Dave Alexander, Hakan Sigemark, Adrian Clifford, Hajo & Daphne Witzel