A welcome, and very cool start to the Event.

The Irish Massive. Little did the organisers know how much we'd drink, or how many tires we'd consume. Inside here was the main presentation of the cars, with DJ's playing, a food buffet (Serving Rabbit of all things), the three new MINIs, and touchscreen terminals for us to compete against each other in product knowledge. The event had us driving from venue to venue, attending training at each stage, and each stage had a terminal for us to clock up points. Tres cool indeed.

The fleet. The poor, abused fleet. Not a bad sight to wake up to eh?

The ever gorgeous Vicky, my co-driver on every MINI event so far, and besides me, the only long term MINI staff member.

The world's 2nd crappiest photo, taken through the Windscreen of our MINI, as we drove around the coastline near Rome. Gorgeous weather, roads, and scenery!

One of the training sessions happened at a Castle outside Rome where Celebs get married. Here's the MINI doing it's thing on a ladder. No, I didn't park it there ...

One of the training rooms inside. This one was for trims and upholsteries, there was another room for engines and safety systems, and one more room for paint finishes.

The MINI fun Bus!

The MINI Hotel, inside this MINI is a TV, Bed, Sink, Wardrobe ... and reception phone. It was parked in the Atrium of the Radisson SAS Hotel in Rome.

A fleet of MINI Cooper S' waiting to be abused ... and by Chrisht they were abused.

Myself, and my usual driving Guru, Mr. Rauno Aaltonen, winner of the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally.

The world's crappiest photo, taken from our bus, and if you look very carefully, you can see our police escort out front. The Colleseum was incredible.

The rooftop party, which was supposed to end at about 2, but we kept it alive until 6. Free drink, food, cigars, and a swimming pool with holographic sharks swimming around it. A live DJ stayed as late as we did, so it was all good. And before you ask, yes, we did run out of drink.

Des & Nicola pouting like they were competing in the Olympic pouting championships.

Il Papa. Here's Mike doing his best Pope Impression, which went down a treat.

The baby of the group, Leonie, who was only in the Network a month, but fit right in - party girl if ever I've met one.

The Irish Massive having it large at 6 in the morning. Everyone else had gone home at that stage, except the tormented bar staff, and the DJ who swore he was coming to Ireland as soon as he could to par-tay.

Babewatch. The sequel. Oooh, I was being a naughty boy, and you can see it in this girls face. Her mate in the background though knew what I was up to, and was in stiches laughing at me, and the other male Dealers behind me all behaving like pre-pubescent schoolbooys. Boobies!