I have checked the traffic regulations and the paraphernalia required to be carried onboard by the busybodies of  six European nations. I have everything apart from my Austrian motorway sticker and apparently I can pick that up at the border. Speranza is looking and sounding good. I am looking forward to being back on Kerouac's 'holy road'.

My hotel in Prague has responded to my enquiry about parking. We have agreed that she will stand out front under 24/7 supervision as their garage is down too steep a ramp for her road clearance. My hotel in Vienna has, surprisingly, not responded yet so my remaining task for tomorrow (apart from packing for 12 days on the road) is to chase that up.

In Berlin I will be staying at a friend's house on a road named after Ethel and Julius Rosenberg - two American traitors who spied for the Soviet Union. He tells me that the district is still mostly occupied by former aparatchiks of the East German Communist Party so there's no demand to change the name. His German Shepherd will guard Speranza and - as the Communist elites never stinted themselves - I am sure she will be in good automotive company too.

It's interesting that Germany isn't embarrassed about continuing to honour America's enemies in such a way. But then the USA doesn't seem very embarrassed about having listened in on Chancellor Merkel's phone calls! There are allies and then there are allies, I guess. But that's getting dangerously close to the political blogging I have forsworn so I shall say no more.

I am driving on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and hope to be in Vienna in time for the finish of the local marathon on Sunday. It's odd that they hold it on the same day as the London Marathon. It's also symbolic of my odd personal history that I have friends to cheer on in Vienna not London.