Tim Tulie (Dukes of Guernsey Skoda Felicia which he shares with brother Mark) with the damage caused after going off on the early in the lap at the nurburgring.

Monday 29 September, 11pm, Mercure Hotel, Klobenz, Germany

WHAT an experience.
The Nurburgring was better than I expected.

For a start the countryside it disects is just unbelievably beautiful.
And for my fellow geeks who like me are whittling away their life on their Xbox (yes ladies I am single and looking – please write to the Guernsey Press at the usual address), the circuit was far more twistier, tighter and hilly than it is on the computer games.

It is so up and down, your ears pop.
Also you have the g-forces which really pull you into your seat when you are on, for all intents and purposes, a 14 mile rollercoaster.

What also did not help was some light rain which fell just before we went out.

It left the road on the greasy side to say the least.

My co-driver Nick Mann found this out, as first up, he proceeded to spin us after one particluary nasty corner leading up to the infamous Carrousel section.

Manno used all of his extensive driving skills to make sure that we did not career into the looming bank but needless to say he finished the lap off at a more stately pace.

I think there’s been quicker ice ages than Manno’s time.

However, Nick was not the only Sarnian to come a cropper.

One local Skoda belonging to the Tulie brothers ended up in the bushes at the early corners and the Gone in 60 Minutes’ Capri blew a tyre and also had to be towed from the track.

The privilege cost them €60.

A number of cars and their drivers looked hot and bothered after going round.

Anyway, next up and the self styled Nelson Picquet of South London, me, was let loose on what Jackie Stewart once called ‘Green Hell.’

In my defence when I went round I had Dale Crowsley, the managing director of Forest Road Garage and the owner of the Guernsey Press rally car, in the passenger seat so I thought it best not to crash.

I posted 14min. 33sec, which I was quite happy with.

That was until Island FM’ superstar DJ and possibly the most competitive man on the planet, James Bentley, who also had a point to prove after himself and Carl Ward were defeated by your’s truly and Manno in the recent media hill challenge, did 12.55.

But it needs to be pointed that Bentely was in his beast of a KIA which is more powerful than our humble Mázda 323.

That aside, the whole day has been fantastic.

On the way to and from the Nurburgring, and off the autobahn, you are driving through some real chocolate box villages and the scenery is just so breathtaking.

But if today was so delightful, tomorrow promises to be the next level up as our challenge for the day is to drive down the San Benardino Pass in southern Switerland Alps.

It has been featured on Top Gear by Jeremy Clarkson who said it was one of the greatest driving roads in the world and on countless car commercials.

I can’t wait.