Day 27: Top Gear

I don't always know what I am going to write about every night.

But tonight, while watching the BBC show "Top Gear", I thought, "I'll write about Top Gear!"

I'm embarrassed to say that even though I majored in Mechanical Engineer, I don't know much about cars.  I know basically how the engine works, and what sounds cars make and should make and shouldn't make, and I pretty much know that if anything in my gauges sounds an alarm light, I take the car to the mechanics.

Pitiful, isn't it?

Anyways, back to Top Gear.  I think the only thing my Mechanical Engineering major helps me with is that at least I understand part of what's going on during the show.

There are two formats for the show.  Most of the show talks about racing cars and the specs of each cars.  Usually, they are comparing 2 or 3 cars or trucks or SUV's, what their main function is (racing, hauling stuff, family taxi), and sometimes a race occurs on a track.  Sometimes, the show also invites a celebrity who could be British, European and even American.  Said celebrity will then also race against maybe a professional or one of the three host.  Or, maybe they do stupid things to the car, like "car rugby" or the vehicles get rigged up for something (like limousines racing around London and trying to clear double round-abouts).

But my favorite episodes usually deals with the three hosts (Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond) racing in some country.  I get to see them race cars, each with a car, of the same built (like a Volvo, Volkswagen, and BMW) but also with that, I get to see the countries they are in.

The first show had the three racing across Africa.  Seeing them put cars on a raft to go across a river was quite amusing.  It's almost like watching MacGyver rig up a boat out of toothpicks.  They finally found their way to the source of the Nile River, which was pretty cool.

The second show I'm watching right (at 10:21pm Monday) is showing the three race across Boliva in their 4-wheel drive vehicles.  I think the show convinced me to get a Range Rover if I'm ever living out in the rugged woods.  It is very entertaining how they solve problems getting around natural obstacles, up and through the mountains on the dangerous Yungas Road, and watching a bunch of Brits driving on the right side of the road (not the left side).  Do they get confused?  Maybe not, considering they have to go everywhere around the world.

What I enjoy most is their experience traveling around the world.  I always want to travel around the world...