Off we go!

[Wellington]

Safe trip ladies
Sounds great
Enjoy the journeys and adventures.
Some probs could be solved by the knowledgeable ones on here if help needed.

Nah, these are all home ones. Although it might be worth noting that Tesco Bureau de change is not open atm, and gas was quite hard to find, as two of our local stations selling it have now closed.

 

[Wellington]

Dont forget to fill your little monster full of e numbers and sweets during the trip it will add to the experience

Have a wonderful time

She’s immune. And she is the most awesome traveller. She might be an obstreperous curmudgeon (often), a terrible sleeper (always) and a pita when when it comes to food, but she’s a great traveller. Never once did ‘are we nearly there yet?!’ Cross her lips, (until learned it was a joke and she thought it was funny!). She was complaining yesterday that I didn’t fancy driving all night and arriving at Auntie Laura’s at 5am!

 

[DangerMousy]

That’s not my system. This is MY system. I like everything to have a place!

I'm absolutely loving your garage organisation....especially the easy-access chair slot. At the moment everything is just piled in our mini-garage and the chairs are at the bottom which I can see is going to become very inconvenient. We have payload issues though so whatever organisational system I put in there needs to be really lightweight.

 

[Motörhead Fun]

Please keep us updated on any border issues and/or paperwork for Covid. We plan to leave for Italy in a few weeks; Calais-Belgium-Luxembourg (for fuel)-Germany (to swap empty gas bottle)-Switzerland-Italy.

Planning on bombing down to Italy as time is limited so would rather avoid lengthy delays

Thanks

 

[Wellington]

Please keep us updated on any border issues and/or paperwork for Covid. We plan to leave for Italy in a few weeks; Calais-Belgium-Luxembourg (for fuel)-Germany (to swap empty gas bottle)-Switzerland-Italy.

Planning on bombing down to Italy as time is limited so would rather avoid lengthy delays

Thanks

That’s easy. There wasn’t any. I think there’s a form to come back. I’m not thinking about that yet though.

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[RustyRuss]

Keep us all posted! I love reading these types of post, the day to day, the problems, the solutions, and above all the great time your having!

Have lotsa fun and stay safe!

Cheers!


Russ n Kathryn

 

[Wellington]

This is SO funny.

We’re at the Ecomussee D’Alsace, near Mulhouse. At the borders between France, Germany and Switzerland. And all we can hear are......

Bagpipes. It’s so out of place it’s hilarious. There are four Germans practicing being a Scottish Marching band. Every so often there is a ‘By zee right, Queek March’ and off they go with the Bagpipes and tare drum again. They aren’t bad, either, it’s just so out of place.

Less funny is the fact that the cab air con has stopped working (it was 33° this afternoon, so I need to do something about it). Hoping that it’s just a regas needed, and the breakdown cover will find me someone local who can do it without too much mining on my part. Jenna is desperate to get to Italy in time to swim in the pool tomorrow, and it’s a good eight hour drive from here.

 

[Wellington]

I'm absolutely loving your garage organisation....especially the easy-access chair slot. At the moment everything is just piled in our mini-garage and the chairs are at the bottom which I can see is going to become very inconvenient. We have payload issues though so whatever organisational system I put in there needs to be really lightweight.

I’m often so short of time. By the time I’ve driven, cooked, washed up, sorted out services and stops, played and nagged about teeth et al, there isn’t much time for sitting out. If it’s a mission to get to the chairs I just can’t be bothered and go to bed instead. We are right up against payload (I have to travel with half empty water, but it’s worth it. I’ll uprate when I get round to a C1.

 

[RustyRuss]

If you’re still near Mulhouse the Bugatti museum is definitely worth a visit, it’s got lots of beautifully preserved vintage cars as you’d expect and isn’t wildly expensive to get in..... assuming it’s open of course!


Cheers!

Russ

 

[orridge]

Thank you all!

Going well so far. Stayed at the Canterbury aire last night, total cost £1, and caught up on my list. New garage arrangements are holding up well and I’ve found a better way of stowing the car seat for stops that means we can use the lounge and both beds. Now chilling out while the tunnel whisks us off to France. All pretty much as per usual up to now.

I think we might go through Switzerland. I doubt we’ll stop there, because we’ll probably stop at Mulhouse. Or not. We have decided to just find somewhere to stop when I’m fed up driving, rather than plan stops before we set off. My daughter is in favour of the Swiss route, because they do Lindor Truffle pic and mix at the service stations!

Little Secret there is a Lindor outlet that does pic and mix at the Channel Outlet stores by Cite de Europe near the Tunnel ;-)

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[Wellington]

Little Secret there is a Lindor outlet that does pic and mix at the Channel Outlet stores by Cite de Europe near the Tunnel ;-)

She will be ecstatic to hear it. We have visited the magic Coop with Lindor delights, and stopped at Germignaga for tonight. Was going to go on, but the worse than usual queues at the Gotthard because of a broken down tanker meant I couldn’t be bothered to push through.

Naturally, there is a noisy fair on in the town (much to the girl child’s delight) and three fire engines have just barged through on the street and the ALPS SEARCH AND RESCUE HELICOPTER has just landed in front of us. Which just goes to show I can never have a peaceful night anywhere (Although a great deal more peaceful than the poor chap who has just been airlifted out, of course) oh, and the air con is working again. Hurrah!

 

[Wellington]

Hurrah, we have made it Padova without further equipment failure, search and rescue incidents or mechanical issues. OK, there was a Mexican standoff on the switchback out of Germignaga with a bus, but there was at least twice the width of the paint, which is a yawning chasm by Italian driving standards. We are now staying with family for two weeks, either on a site or at their house, so I shall resume our tales when start we proper motor homing again in about ten days, and there is more drama to share.

 

[RobbyMClark]

Wow, been fun reading your exploits, glad that you there safe.
Lovely looking garden,
Await your next instalments of Off we go.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Fabulous, have a great time and let the family take the strain of your girl child for a while - she looks lovely by the way and I bet not as bad as you paint her

 

[Wellington]

She’s not bad, as such. Just intensely sociable. And I’m not. We’re a very poor match, really. And lockdown has thrown us together more than even we’re used to! It’s been really hard for her with just me to meet her social needs

She’s happy now anyway.

I forgot to show the fabulous sight we saw in Mulhouse. A partial halo. Never seen anything like it before.

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[Wellington]

Not strictly motorhoming, but I want to do everything I can to help some of the local businesses who are so lovely here, and I know a few people are planning on heading this way, so here are some recommendations from a nearly-native. We didn’t stay overnight at any, but they all have adequate car parks, and we’re helpful and lovely, so I bet if you’re buying a few cases they would be happy to accommodate.

Home Page

Azienda Agricola Villa Sceriman, vini biologici dei Colli Euganei a Vo' Euganeo e agriturismo

www.villasceriman.it

Villa Scerimen does some wonderful organic white wines, and sparkling reds (yes really). My favourite is a white which is €4.50 a bottle. You can taste anything and they will ship if payload is a tight! Plenty of parking for a MH.

LA DOLCE VIGNA | Wine and Horses

ladolcevigna.eu

At Dolce Vigna you can taste lovely local produce, much of which is made by the extended family, in a beautiful old building with a lovely courtyard. We had a fabulous eight course tasting menu, with a Dolce Vigna wine with each course. They will tell you about the wine and food in good English, and it is also available to ship. Their Moscato is the best I have had in Italy. Also, their lovely dogs Ulysses and Rascal (I forget her Italian name, but that’s the translation!) will come and sit under your table to keep you company. (They were impeccably behaved, despite the name!) Last year the children rode a horse in the courtyard, too, although this year they were officially closed and only opened especially for us)

Luxardo - Maraschino "Excelsior" Girolamo Luxardo

www.luxardo.it

A shop full of very, very nice things. The cherry brandy is to die for, and the cherry gin is also good. Also, I came out with a case of coffee liqueur, apricot brandy, amaretto, and lots of cherries in booze and jam. Don’t go there, They threw in lots of freebies too (their Aperol stuff is lovely). They also have a very nice dog.

And this is what happens when you hit three vineyards in one afternoon (it’s not all mine, honest!)

 

[monzer]

'the girl child'

Worth following this thread purely for phrases like this.

 

[RobbyMClark]

Glad you are having a great time by the sound of it.
Keep the news and views coming.

 

[Minxy]

As you're off on your jaunts I'll use this thread to show you a photos of the step/stool I have which I finally got round to taking a photo of for you!

Oh, whilst I'm on a roll instead of using the sink cover for the wall shelf, I use a plastic extendable chopping board which fits perfectly so that it sits tight in the slot so if you see one on your travels snaffle as it has proved to be VERY useful.

 

[Wellington]

'the girl child'

Worth following this thread purely for phrases like this.

I like to think I am an entertaining writer (of course, so do some incredibly dull people. The beauty of forums is that anyone can scroll past and not appear rude!)

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[Wellington]

That would make a perfect bin or laundry basket, if you could flip up the black bit. I have a folding version, in two heights, which is my equivalent of Ford prefect’s towel. We use a small one for under the girl child’s feet (as she is too small to reach the floor in the cab) and if she doesn’t want it folds flat in the doorwell. Another serves as a bin, as it’s the perfect height to fit under the buddy seat in that unaccountably un-used bit of storage space, fits an old carrier bag nicely and also goes between us in the cab for using while on the go. Two higher ones serve as small tables outside (known here as ‘occasional tables’ in a tongue-in-cheek fashion) which are perfect, as they fold flat as you pick them up and can be stored inside the Lafuma chair as you fold it, so are much easier to get out than a big table. They also double as extra seating for people or somewhere where you want to perch, but cba to haul your lafuma recliner over, like if I’m faffing about in the garage, or watching the girlchild play somewhere.

You can even use them to stand on if you are short (as we both are) and can find one not full of rubbish, laundry, recycling or Jinnantonix.

I shall look for a thingy that fits my bracket. For some absurd reason I can’t fathom, my sink cover doesn’t fit in it (even though it clearly should) so I never use it, and have left it at home, but it’s never occurred to me to find something else to fit into it. Duh!

 

[Minxy]

That would make a perfect bin or laundry basket, if you could flip up the black bit.

The black top does flip-up and there is a 6" deep storage compartment below it which is what I was considering cutting the bottom out of to make a bin ... still pondering on that though as it will leave an 'exposed' bag which the dogs will probably attack!

I have a folding version, in two heights, which is my equivalent of Ford prefect’s towel. We use a small one for under the girl child’s feet (as she is too small to reach the floor in the cab) and if she doesn’t want it folds flat in the doorwell. Another serves as a bin, as it’s the perfect height to fit under the buddy seat in that unaccountably un-used bit of storage space, fits an old carrier bag nicely and also goes between us in the cab for using while on the go. Two higher ones serve as small tables outside (known here as ‘occasional tables’ in a tongue-in-cheek fashion) which are perfect, as they fold flat as you pick them up and can be stored inside the Lafuma chair as you fold it, so are much easier to get out than a big table. They also double as extra seating for people or somewhere where you want to perch, but cba to haul your lafuma recliner over, like if I’m faffing about in the garage, or watching the girlchild play somewhere.

You can even use them to stand on if you are short (as we both are) and can find one not full of rubbish, laundry, recycling or Jinnantonix.

I've got some of the fold flat stools too, they are very useful as you say and we use one for a table and another which I rest my feet on when slobbing outside in my chair whilst doing puzzle books etc. Another use is for when using the collapsible silicone bucket full of water (eg rinsing washing) which has been known to partially 'collapse' and dump the contents, so I sit the bucket inside the inverted stool which prevents it from doing this.

Just a thought ... would using a small and then a tall stool help getting in/out of the rear bed?

I shall look for a thingy that fits my bracket. For some absurd reason I can’t fathom, my sink cover doesn’t fit in it (even though it clearly should) so I never use it, and have left it at home, but it’s never occurred to me to find something else to fit into it. Duh!

I can feel a shopping expedition coming on ...

 

[Wellington]

I do indeed use a stool for the rear bed, and if we’re stopped for any time, the front as well. If you could store rubbish in one, and laundry in the other it would be very convenient. I need to have at them with a hot knife! I couldn’t find any kind of storage stool before we left, but I’ll keep an eye out.

We’ve moved to Camping St Michael, which is OKish (this is the part where we camp with my cousin and pretend to be tuggers). They are also big beach fans, which I’m not really, but the Girlchild is enjoying the sea and her cousins, and there is gelato and pizza, so there are compensations. Would be better if she hadn’t fallen asleep every single time we get near a pharmacy I could have stopped at, and I could get some gel for our bites. Bloody mozzies in Veneto are man-eaters!

 

[Minxy]

I was in the camper yesterday and remembered what you'd said about your sink cover:

I shall look for a thingy that fits my bracket. For some absurd reason I can’t fathom, my sink cover doesn’t fit in it (even though it clearly should) so I never use it, and have left it at home, but it’s never occurred to me to find something else to fit into it. Duh!

Were you trying to slot it in to use as a 'shelf' by turning it over and having the white chopping board bit upwards? If so it won't work like that as it has to be the normal way up (ie with the chopping board bit underneath) so that it fits tightly into the wall slot.

 

[Wellington]

I can’t remember now! I will try both ways up when we get back. Tbh, I’m unlikely to use it, I think. There’s too often washing up in the sink to put the lid on!

I’m getting ready to go off on our travels again. Any recommendations for nice restaurants along the Ligurian coast or south coast of France? We have a week or so spend along the coast, and then another one to get up to Calvados and spend a few days with my dad. I like food, pretty views and local produce. Herself like English children to play with, WiFi, gelato and beaches/pools (needless to say, I do not expect any one stop to tick all of our boxes, some are more for her, others more for me. Also, there are no brits anywhere, anyway)

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[Wellington]

Well, we had another week at two sites in Diano Marina. A nice little town, but it got busier than I was comfortable with, so I planned to move inland. Until the Girlchild developed a temperature. I made a run for home, and good job too, as we squeaked in under the quarantine deadline (we’d never have made it if we left this morning when they announced it, even if I read it right away, and could have got on the tunnel) Of course, we have to quarantine anyway, but for ten days from her temperature, not fourteen days from next Wednesday, which would preclude starting back at school and our bank holiday plans. Assuming we do have CV of course. There are apparently no tests available today, so no way of telling at the moment). It would be just typical of us to abort mission and just have a regular cold!)

 

[Minxy]

Well, we had another week at two sites in Diano Marina. A nice little town, but it got busier than I was comfortable with, so I planned to move inland. Until the Girlchild developed a temperature. I made a run for home, and good job too, as we squeaked in under the quarantine deadline (we’d never have made it if we left this morning when they announced it, even if I read it right away, and could have got on the tunnel) Of course, we have to quarantine anyway, but for ten days from her temperature, not fourteen days from next Wednesday, which would preclude starting back at school and our bank holiday plans. Assuming we do have CV of course. There are apparently no tests available today, so no way of telling at the moment). It would be just typical of us to abort mission and just have a regular cold!)

Surely that's better than the alternative!

 

[big map]

Well, we had another week at two sites in Diano Marina. A nice little town, but it got busier than I was comfortable with, so I planned to move inland. Until the Girlchild developed a temperature. I made a run for home, and good job too, as we squeaked in under the quarantine deadline (we’d never have made it if we left this morning when they announced it, even if I read it right away, and could have got on the tunnel) Of course, we have to quarantine anyway, but for ten days from her temperature, not fourteen days from next Wednesday, which would preclude starting back at school and our bank holiday plans. Assuming we do have CV of course. There are apparently no tests available today, so no way of telling at the moment). It would be just typical of us to abort mission and just have a regular cold!)

I’m glad you made it home safely and I truly hope your girl child makes a speedy recovery. All the best.

 

[gus-lopez]

Well, we had another week at two sites in Diano Marina. A nice little town, but it got busier than I was comfortable with, so I planned to move inland. Until the Girlchild developed a temperature. I made a run for home, and good job too, as we squeaked in under the quarantine deadline (we’d never have made it if we left this morning when they announced it, even if I read it right away, and could have got on the tunnel) Of course, we have to quarantine anyway, but for ten days from her temperature, not fourteen days from next Wednesday, which would preclude starting back at school and our bank holiday plans. Assuming we do have CV of course. There are apparently no tests available today, so no way of telling at the moment). It would be just typical of us to abort mission and just have a regular cold!)

Sorry to hear that / fingers x'd all turns out ok.

 

[Wellington]

Surely that's better than the alternative!

Oh, yes. It would just be typical. I have long known that I am the personification of Murphy’s law! I think we’ll be fine. She’s already much better, and I only have a sore throat so far.

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