Just for fun, that's all!
Inflatable unicorns are all the rage right now. Or is it flamingos? The main thing is that they're big and float on the water. In Switzerland, the water temperature in many bodies of standing water is currently above the 25-degree mark. That's very pleasant. In contrast, interior temperatures in many classic cars climb to 40 degrees Celsius and higher in these summery conditions. So you end up getting wet before you've even jumped into the water. And I'm actually lucky: In this roughly 4.5-meter-long VW T1, the engine is mounted as far away from the driver as possible. Plus, the engine compartment in this ambulance is additionally insulated, and the small windows also help prevent the cabin from heating up too quickly. So you could say: I've got it good!
And when you're doing well, you often get a little carried away. That might explain why I met up with nine other colleagues on Sunday morning for a Float & Drive. The whole thing was organized by Chris Wyer from The Drivers. Yes, there's Cars & Coffee, especially early on Sunday mornings, or Stop & Go… but “Float & Drive” sounds—so much more refreshing!
Or just some friend who gets the idea to strap an inflatable animal to the roof, cruise through town, drive onto the ferry as a group, and stop at a grassy area by the lake, set the animals free, toss them into the water, and jump in after them. Actually, it's a drive first, then a float. Well, you're already “floating” on the faux leather seat in your own sweat beforehand. So the order makes sense. But let's leave it at that.
The first edition of Float & Drive 2025 was already a huge success with about six cars—so now there were ten of us. A massive success!
But the refreshing part wasn't just the water—it was, once again, the realization that cars alone don't do much except sit there. It's the people who do something with the cars.
In this case, that meant: getting up early, making a bit of fools of ourselves, and having fun in the process. Neither the cars nor the rubber animals suffered any damage. The event ended with ordered pizza and new acquaintances. Another edition is guaranteed. But maybe we'll need our own private beach by then.
