Where in the world is Ian

[oakwoodforge]

I havent herd from Ian in quite a while, when is the next report coming ?

[Ian]

Hi Everyone
Well there's good news and bad news I'm afraid...........

Okay, first the bad news...
As I write I'm sat in a friends house back in England. It took a ferry, three flights and a hire car to get me here. The reason that I'm here at all was a 'slight' car accident in Lofoten, Norway. I had left my fifty fourth Blacksmith (a truly exceptional and wonderful woman called Oona Torgersen) and was heading from Stamsund to the ferry terminal to get back onto mainland Norway. The roads were icy and it was sleeting, not in itself a problem after nearly 2 months of driving in that kind of weather, but unbeknownst to me the wind was gusting in some places up to nearly 100mph . As I came around a bend on the brow of a hill I was hit by a freak gust and the car was quite LITERALLY blown sideways. Being pushed down an icy and wet mountain side road like a sail boat wasn't expected and in spite of my best efforts I couldn't get the car to straighten out. Long story short I was T-boned by an oncoming car and ended up in Hospital, then spent a few days back in the care of my guardian angel Oona before being shuttled back to blighty by my insurance company. I'm a tad stiff, a little sore and utterly gutted that as far as Europe is concerned I'll have to come back and fight another day. My meager budget has been chewed to bits by all this and time is now an issue. My working holiday visa for Australia becomes valid from late March (and I had till August to activate it, which would have given me time to go through Europe and Asia if the car wasn't dead) so I'll be heading there from here. Still, I got through 5 countries, and met some of the most incredibly generous and kind people, 54 of them in fact ,and they were all Blacksmiths.

The good news?

Well, I now have pretty good access to a computer and the internet so I can try my darndest to get all the reports I'm behind on writing done, and sent to Glenn so he can post them on the site!
Every cloud has a silver lining eh!
8)

[Glenn]

Ian, send reports when you get them worked up. No push on my part for the material. Recover first.

Sorry about the wreck. Chopper and Strine and others from Oz can better inform you of the weather there, but I doubt that Oz has much of the cold, ice, or wind that you have experienced in Norway.

[Ralph]

Ian,
I will second what Glenn said. Rest heal first.
I am glad to hear that it was not worse.

Ralph

[Strine]

Above all else you sound like your on the mend after a nasty spill, which is great news. Best thing for you is to jump right back onto the gee gee.

[Ian]

Thanks fellas,
I'm doing pretty well, nothing broken, Mungo's skull is too thick to crack that easy. Mainly its my neck muscles (whiplash) and the muscles on my right side (where I bounced off the door and A frame) that are a bit sore. Nothing that would stop me getting onto anything that I wanted to given half a chance :wink: .
I'll be heading for the sunshine down your neck of the woods in around a months or so's time Strine, so maybe you can chuck a few snaggers on the barbie and we can crack a tinnie when I get there.
My first priority will be finding a cheap enough flight, then digs (I reckon it'll be an estate if I go for a car, at least I can stretch out in one of those) then a paid job. Lastly and by no means least I'll have to find out where the Aussie Smiths hide their forges and convince a few to show me what they're up to 'down under'.
I'm looking forward to it.
8)

Ian

[Strine]

twill be a pleasure Ian. btw ask for a "station wagon" rather that an estate. Do you like your VB icy or do you spoil it with apoker?

[Leah]

Ian, am glad you are healing. I have really enjoyed living vicariously through you. Now hurry up and get well and go have me some fun in Australia :wink:

[Strine]

Yeah Leah "Right on"

[Tomsjunnesson]

Ian Ian Ian

What did i told you, BAY WINTERTIRES!!!!!!
Well im glad that you are alive and kickin, did you take a picture of the car when you jumped out of it after the crasch?
Just kiddin, then you didn´t went to Gränsfors bruk and the little mad man whit the big hammers, Roger Karlsson, and all the others i told you about.
But next time you come to Sweden we can go there together and some more places that you will like to see, and met some other smiths that i know.
Sara and the kids says hello to the man that spoke funny and much.

Take care
Mad Tom :mrgreen: