New owners and not been abroad yet...until son decides to get wed near Florence!

[hilldweller]

TeeMyob, Don't even go there!!!!! I have no idea....his grandmother asked him why not Cardiff where he lives!!!!!

Once you've been there you will notice the difference between Cardiff and Florence and why the venue is there.

My apologies for calling Fiorenza, Fiorino earlier. you could have ended up in a FIAT van instead of a beautiful city.

 

[Spike62]

Apologies I didn't remember the stress related bit in your intro.
You are in for a spectacular drive, seeing some of the moutain views and valleys in the world.
I hope to follow same route as soon as is practically possible, we love Italy, but never driven to it, only flown in.
Hope your wrist is well on the mend and ready for action nearer the time. I know all about broken wrists, my left one is now a little deformed but I get by with it.
Best wishes.
Les

Thanks Les, physio is the hardest bit...and my very low pain thresh-hold (officially, medically noted!!!)

 

[Spike62]

Sorry to hear about your wrist @Spike62. A lot of things can change between now and May 2020 so plenty of time to get ready.
Not knowing your day job it’s difficult to judge how you will find driving a 6 hour google map estimate (which will probably be longer on the road). Many on here are professional drivers, coach or truck and think nothing of it, but for us 3 to 4 hours is the most we could do, and not days in succession, but then we are older. Everyone is different.
Is it possible that your wife would take a Motorhome manoeuvring course and help share the driving?
Hopefully your wrist will improve and you will be able to take a test run in France later this year. Unfortunately Friday before half term not the greatest day to travel as you know but it’s worth a shot at you having the day off, ready the MH, and picking your wife up direct from school to go off.

Thanks Riverbankannie, I totally understand comments on 6 hours a day, I was based in Scotland and used to "weekend it" to home most weekends when not away! If we had more time we would take a gentle run to the Chianti area and back but unfortunately that's not possible this time. On the flip side, I don't want to make it such an ordeal that the OH will hate it and not want to tour in Europe again!! Bit of a conumdrum I know!
The OH is insured to drive Dilys but hasn't tried yet, I thought she might offer a weekend away, what with my bad wrist, but not forthcoming yet!
I have some great suggestions on here so will work something out I'm sure.
Thanks again, Spike

 

[Spike62]

I would prefer Cardiff .

Much more cosmopolitan and money for the local economy (ducks head)

TeeMyob, I'm with you all the way....but not my decision!!

 

[Spike62]

If you go via Switzerland you'll need a vignette or an HGV pass depending on if you are rated at under or over 3500kg. The vignette (under 3500kg) can be bought in advance but the HGV pass is bought at the border. We paid CHF cash for ours but they do take euros (rubbish exchange rate), I don't know about cards. We had to have the HGV pass which is valid for 10 days within the 12 months from when you buy it. You have to mark down every day you are in Switzerland whether you are using the roads or not. It covers all Swiss roads and tunnels - no extra tolls to pay.

If you decide to have a night in Switzerland Area Camper Tamaro is very good, GPS n46,13926 e8,90675 You pay by the hour so arrive latish on I think the first two hours were 10 or 20 CHF and then it was 1 CHF per hour after that. Water, tank dumps, electric and wifi included and you pay at a kiosk just before you leave. There is a cafe (part of the fuel station just outside the security fence). There are lots of walks around and also an army base the other side of the road opposite the camper park entry. I'm not sure about loos or showers as we didn't use them. We actually stopped there both going to Italy and coming back The full service site in Switzerland wasn't nearly as good as the camperstop and far more expensive.

Private message me if you would like a summary of our route - or I will edit this post to link to our trip report as you might find something useful in there apart from my gibbering dross

Broken Link Removed

Puddleduck, Thank you so much for all the useful information and the very interesting trip report.....sorry if I've missed news elsewhere but assume relative is on the mend? So much to take in at the moment but will look back again and again, making notes!!
Best wishes
Spike and Nina

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[Spike62]

Just Googled Certaldo, campsites near - this one sounds good on paper - http://www.campingchianti.it/?lang=en

OTOH nothing to stop you going in the car which presumably your wife CAN drive anyway and staying in reasonably priced hotels en route or hired accommodation on a campsite - many sites hire out gites, chambre d'hotes, cabins and/or static caravans. (Also 'tin towns' - ie static van/chalet sites where tourers can't go.) Weigh up extra ferry/Eurotunnel prices, fuel and accommodation costs. (more expensive in school holidays anyway)

When we used to go by motorbike we'd have a destination in mind but not booked, stayed in budget hotels when only passing through, but campsites en route for a couple of nights when our bums needed more of a rest - and that worked well.

Thanks trophychap, yep seen that one and another called Semifonte nearby. There is also an overnight stop off place in Certaldo itself....maybe for the actual day/night of the ceremony!!

 

[GeordieBoy]

Spike and Nina
Can't help you with the tunnel or clubcard points as never used either but got our first and only MH in July 17 because of Margaret's illnesses and its a great life and reckon we have spent circa 50% of our time since away in MH a lot of it in Italy. Margaret can't (or won't) drive MH but haven't been to Florence so no help there either but still in Southern France on our way back home after latest trip starting end January down to Sicily via Genoa and ferry to Palermo (another no no) and up through Italy after another short ferry trip across the Straits of Messina (oh) but can give you lots of tips of driving tips from Calais to Southern Germany, down through Switzerland with vignette across Northern Italy to Venice and another ferry trip to Greece (oh another no no) for some 2.5 months last year and this year's 3 month trip has all been about Southern France and Italy since leaving in Jan 19.

As said we haven't been to Florence as went there a few years ago before MH but have since been nearby to Modena, Lucca and Pisa all great places to visit plus lots more after the drive up through Italy then back through France, all non toll road driving and nearly all staying in free aires. Shame about Nina not liking wine because it is one of our favourite past times but Margaret can only drink special 'no added sulphite' wine so at present our MH is loaded up with bottles we have bought along the way - a lot of it Italian so maybe Nina would get to enjoy it!

My main tip though from what you have said is spend some significant time in the MH in the UK to make sure you have everything sorted before venturing abroad. We spent the whole of Oct 17 in the Lake District and never stayed on a site once. It taught us both a great deal about long term living (together) in the MH. After that it was only the European driving issue which was no big deal and one week just seemed to roll into another. Now due back home in Pittville, Cheltenham around Easter time so happy to meet up and exchange some experiences and can even offer Nina a taste of Margaret's wine to see if it helps. Go to it and enjoy yourselves especially the wedding!
Ken and Margaret

 

[Spike62]

Spike and Nina
Can't help you with the tunnel or clubcard points as never used either but got our first and only MH in July 17 because of Margaret's illnesses and its a great life and reckon we have spent circa 50% of our time since away in MH a lot of it in Italy. Margaret can't (or won't) drive MH but haven't been to Florence so no help there either but still in Southern France on our way back home after latest trip starting end January down to Sicily via Genoa and ferry to Palermo (another no no) and up through Italy after another short ferry trip across the Straits of Messina (oh) but can give you lots of tips of driving tips from Calais to Southern Germany, down through Switzerland with vignette across Northern Italy to Venice and another ferry trip to Greece (oh another no no) for some 2.5 months last year and this year's 3 month trip has all been about Southern France and Italy since leaving in Jan 19.

As said we haven't been to Florence as went there a few years ago before MH but have since been nearby to Modena, Lucca and Pisa all great places to visit plus lots more after the drive up through Italy then back through France, all non toll road driving and nearly all staying in free aires. Shame about Nina not liking wine because it is one of our favourite past times but Margaret can only drink special 'no added sulphite' wine so at present our MH is loaded up with bottles we have bought along the way - a lot of it Italian so maybe Nina would get to enjoy it!

My main tip though from what you have said is spend some significant time in the MH in the UK to make sure you have everything sorted before venturing abroad. We spent the whole of Oct 17 in the Lake District and never stayed on a site once. It taught us both a great deal about long term living (together) in the MH. After that it was only the European driving issue which was no big deal and one week just seemed to roll into another. Now due back home in Pittville, Cheltenham around Easter time so happy to meet up and exchange some experiences and can even offer Nina a taste of Margaret's wine to see if it helps. Go to it and enjoy yourselves especially the wedding!
Ken and Margaret

Ken, brilliant to hear from you and thanks for all the suggestions and tips. We have used Dilys as much as work allows but currently unable to drive as explained. To get first-hand experiences, ideas and thoughts would be great as we are so close!! Please mMessage me when you get back and let's see what can be arranged.
Cheers
Spike and Nina

 

[Puddleduck]

sorry if I've missed news elsewhere but assume relative is on the mend?

Thank you so much for asking.

Ted is off the danger list but obviously not the man he was. After the first episode he got home only be be readmitted, home again and then had a stroke a few weeks later. The stroke was during the night but luckily his wife woke (maybe he trashed about, who knows) and realised what was happening immediately. The ambulance was there within 5 minutes so he got the golden hour treatment and the damage is far less than it could have been.