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The day began with thunder and lightning and pouring rain. On the road we sloshed through water deep enough to send waves over the hood of Green Car, which sailed on steadily forward. It rained and hailed as we took our lunch inside the car. In the town L'Hospitalet de l'infant we found an open supermarket and stocked up on smoked mussels. The camp-site was right on the beach and almost empty. We picked a spot under green trees and pitched our tent. We kissed, heated the canned food and had our dinner under the stars in the dim glow of our flash-light. Whether others would have enjoyed the darkness and the wind we do not know, but we love camping and think ourselves very lucky.

Nina

When we woke up in the morning Green Car was fully charged. No worries. Before leaving Cheste we did a good shopping and Green Car got its long overdue bath. First Hjalte hosed down the car and then it got a trip in the car-wash. Green Car sparkled in the sun as we roller-coasted into the mountains. Along the road almond trees blossomed between grey-green olive-trees. On the fields millions of oranges had fallen from the trees. Our road-side lunch was windy but a pure delight. Now we hope to stay warm in the tent to-night.

Nina and Hjalte

On a cold and dark winter night a month ago I Green Car was loaded into a container in New York and strapped firmly in place. My memory is blank before I suddenly saw the doors open and felt mild spring air enter the metal box. Hjalte and Nina had found me on a lorry and now I really woke up. My batteries still got power and I started without problems. Hjalte connected the 12 V battery and off we went. The sun was shinning and spring had come to Valencia. In the evening Hjalte and Nina found a campsite and rolled out their old tent. They sat on the car-seats, turned on the radio with some Spanish music and celebrated our lucky reunion with a bottle of wine. "Like coming Home" and calling me "dear Green Car". I had got a new Spanish plug and enjoyed the fresh power tickling all my batteries. And now you can see me again on the map on the homepage. What more can you want. 

Green Car

Lets hope to-day was the last day in Valencia without Green Car. We went to the America's Cup Habor where the double-king size boats were the size of passenger ships. The plugs on the quay were also rather big. We tried the smart, new metro back to town and surfaced next to Roman ruins. The urban culture of Valencia is really old. The town is good for walking - so utterly different from the car-cities of USA! On the way home we bought wine and bread, tomatoes, avocados and olives - and had a party at our hotel-room. Next week Spain will reduce the max. speed on freeways to 110 km/h to make up for the Mid-east revolutions surge in oil-prices. No problem for us, we don't use oil, we drive slow and prefer the small roads. 

Nina and Hjalte

Here begins the third and last stage of our round the world tour. It will take us through Europe and end in Denmark. But first we had to go to Valencia in Spain, where Green Car landed after crossing the Atlantic on a ship from New York. Our local train took us to Aarhus, an express train to Copenhagen and airplanes to Madrid and Valencia at the Mediterranean. A journey from winter to spring in one day. We woke up to sunshine and 20 degrees, almost impossible to believe. Next door to tiny, clean and friendly Hostal Waksman, where we stay, we found a cafe with tables outside and wifi, the perfect place to take our meals. We bought a card for the busses and after two visits at the shipping office it was certain that Green Car was in Valencia and it should be through customs on Tuesday. So much easier than entering the US. During the day we walked through this beautiful European city. At sunset we got lost in a landscape of wild architecture. We promise to come back and explore.

Nina and Hjalte

For the last time in Shanghai the cable was rolled up. Green Car, driving better than ever set off in  the early morning. Shanghai is enormous and the port gigantic. The containers were stacked like a city of skyscrapers. We found the right place from where the car will be shipped to USA. We said goodbye to Green Car and see you in San Francisco! Green Car was rolled into a container, the door sealed and we took the metro back to the EXPO-village. This blog will continue while Green Car is crossing the Pacific Ocean - keep visiting our home-page!

Nina

Green Car beamed with the sun as we early in the morning rolled into EXPO. Filled with joy we jumped in the air. We made it to EXPO, 113 days and 13500 kilometers from Copenhagen Town-hall Square! Now, who say electric cars cannot go far? Before the one million daily visitors were let in we cruised through EXPO and photographed Green Car. 3 o'clock we drove into the Danish Pavilion and had a happy welcome from the Little Mermaid, general commissioner Christopher Bo Bramsen, Chinese EXPO-vips, a throng of photographers and journalists and thousands of visitors. Hands clapped when Green Car opened its jaws and revealed its electric inside. Afterwards a reception was held in the VIP-room where we presented our picture show about the journey and gave interviews for several hours while Green Car was admired side by side with the Mermaid. The day ended with a Chinese farewell-dinner for our indispensable guide Serena.

Nina and Hjalte

Many emails, persons and offices are set in motion to give Green Car permission to enter EXPO. We are in China and it is like entering the Forbidden City. Guards at Gate 4 should now be ready let us in tomorrow... At the Danish pavilion the last details were fixed. The weather is rainy, but we are optimistic for the sun to greet Green Car. We walked through busy streets with small shops outside EXPO and stumbled upon an outlet for clothes selling three pieces for ten RMB (1 euro) Unfortunately all the jeans were Chinese sizes, way too small for us but I got to fluorescent jackets. While Shanghai flashed and beamed outside our windows we used the evening to finish our picture-show for tomorrow.

Nina and Hjalte

The old Continental-tires were hardly worn after 13.000 kilometers. But after some crooked iron damaged two tires in Mongolia we have driven with rear tires of a wrong dimension. So to make Green Car ready for the EXPO it got four brand new Conti tires. It only took a few moments for five employees to do the job. Afterwards Conti filmed a short interview with us, where we told about our experiences driving an electric car round world. Green Car smiled satisfied on the street with new shoes.

London has built a 3-story zero-energy house to demonstrate how you can build sustainable for the future. When EXPO closes on October 31 it will be torn down. Then the Chinese property-developers move in and erect high-rises with luxury flats. EXPO is full of nice words, good intentions and technical solutions. And silence about the big conflicts that shape our future. The fine, little pavilion of Sao Paulo is the only one - of the ones that I have visited - that mentions conflict. The mega-city has after struggle introduced a "Clean City Law" that prohibits advertising in public space.

Hjalte