Next week I will mainly be in...

 

Rotterdam Europoooooooooort

Amsterdam

Bonn

Stuttgart

Basle

Somewhere random in very southern CH

Milan

Turin

Nice

 

...and then a long slog back up through France stopping when I feel like it, so long as I'm back for the ferry Thursday morning.

 

Only downside is UEFA have arranged the footy so all the matches are at home in France the first week and then away legs the second week... so I'm going the opposite way around Europe and miss them all!

 

Still leaves time for the Fiat factory, and Nice home fixture (even if they are 19th in the Championat) and a LOT of photos in the mountains :D

 

Wonder how many times I'll get stopped in France in a Lightening "hello, I'm over here ossifer" Yellow car?

Next week I will mainly be in...

 

Rotterdam Europoooooooooort

Amsterdam

Bonn

Stuttgart

Basle

Somewhere random in very southern CH

Milan

Turin

Nice

 

...and then a long slog back up through France stopping when I feel like it, so long as I'm back for the ferry Thursday morning.

 

Only downside is UEFA have arranged the footy so all the matches are at home in France the first week and then away legs the second week... so I'm going the opposite way around Europe and miss them all!

 

Still leaves time for the Fiat factory, and Nice home fixture (even if they are 19th in the Championat) and a LOT of photos in the mountains :D

 

Wonder how many times I'll get stopped in France in a Lightening "hello, I'm over here ossifer" Yellow car?

 

 

Somewhere random in very southern CH = Lugano? U goin down via the Lake Como route? tis very picturesque :D

Somewhere random in very southern CH = Lugano? U goin down via the Lake Como route? tis very picturesque :D

 

I just didn't want to drive all the way through from Basle and then have to get through the mountains the same day... so hadn't really decided! I will investigate the Lake Como recommendation, ta...

Taking My Zed to Amsterdam on the 24th, can't wait to drive on those smooth straight Autoroutes!!!! see what she can really do :hyper: :hyper: :hyper: then back on the 27th.

 

It's the wife Birthday that weekend so taking her away.......

Somewhere random in very southern CH = Lugano? U goin down via the Lake Como route? tis very picturesque :D

 

E35 it is, oh yes... and we got a really silly price for the Swissotel in Basel the night before too :dance:

 

See you all in two weeks...

You've got to go have a look at Lake Garda. Simioni is beautiful and then of course my family home town of Bardellina. If you go down the south of France you should Check out Colliour'e its about 15 miles north of spanish boarded and right on the med. It really is special and the Colliour'e Grand reserva is best wine in France and not silly prices, but sshh keep it quiet the French don't want us to know.

 

 

 

P.s. Are you going in the sewing machine :shock: :slap: :rofl:

Well, we've managed 1800km ish and 7 days without going in an Internet cafe OR an ex-pat bar and now here I sit in Nice in somewhere not half bad that's actually both... it's cost me a whole Euro to post this.

 

Never quite got enough space on an autobahn for Vmax but it seemed like the sewing machine (thank you Mark :mac1: ) had a bit to go at 217kmh (=135mph). The top would definitely be in 5th and not 6th though. Very confused about the whole speed thing because I changed the speedo to klicks on the ferry, and have been thinking that way ever since. Anything over 200 is quite scary on a dual carriageway which is what the majority of autobahn/strada/route are - not three lanes.

 

I think today has been the longest so far - about 340 km from the wrong side of Milan to Nice. No frickin way was I driving through the centre of Milan :eek: Totally true what they say about Italian driving... in fact we're supposed to be in Italy still, according to the original plan, but we got sick of the snooty buggers in Lombardia. Lake Como's nice though - we camped right next to it. Basel to Como in a day is quite easy (that would be ALL of Switzerland) because even in the mountains the roads are good.

 

Concierge let us park right outside the Swissotel in Basel which was good for pose value until some arse in a 612 parked behind. :D

 

Gotthard pass is MINT (I'll post a photo when I get back) and you boys with BOVs would like this road along the bottom of France - 1km tunnel, 5km outside, then another 1km in a tunnel...

 

The missus is back at work on Monday so it's two days in Nice now - then she flies back Sunday morning and I slog it up France next week for the ferry from Caen on Thursday morning. We might go into Monaco tomorrow but I ain't eating there... the mortgage is big enough already.

 

Driving on the right actually feels more natural than the left - now that I wasn't expecting! The only time I'm in danger of forgetting is coming off a roundabout one lane too late. :slap:

 

The other major discovery - Passats are :xxx: in ALL countries. :D

I'm back... and I found somewhere with worse driving than Milan... Versailles!

 

Cols on the route Napoleon were amazing but I can't believe people actually CYCLE over them... nutters. Some good hairpins with no Armco on them too.

 

Also found a deserted peage and had another go at Vmax... got to 230kmh (=144! :shock: ) Not bad for a sewing machine eh?

 

I've developed a nervous twitch like Herbert Lom in Pink Panther every time I see a white Clio now though...

I'm back... and I found somewhere with worse driving than Milan... Versailles!

 

Cols on the route Napoleon were amazing but I can't believe people actually CYCLE over them... nutters. Some good hairpins with no Armco on them too.

 

Also found a deserted peage and had another go at Vmax... got to 230kmh (=144! :shock: ) Not bad for a sewing machine eh?

 

I've developed a nervous twitch like Herbert Lom in Pink Panther every time I see a white Clio now though...

 

Hi Zack

 

I've got to say the Italians only care about looking good, food, singing and sex in that order. So driving is of no interest unless it a ferrari. I think the French are the best drivers in Europe and the Brits in general are among the worst.

 

I know what you mean about Nepoleon. Especially when you walk round Paris and see everthing he built in such a short time. Then think every where you go in France has been heavily modifide by his shortlived Regime.

 

Did you stop before you reached the next peage. We were coming back from Lyon to La'Harve last year in the Misuses Beemer had to get 315 miles in 3 hours. Nailed it 120 all the way. Pulled up at the barrier and paid the toll. Hey up, the barrier didn't go up and along came the Gendarms and take the ticket off the woman in the kiosk. Then starts walking over waging his finger. Got a real *****cking but no ticket. Though my mates did the same on the bikes and got done.

 

I've developed a nervous twitch like Herbert Lom in Pink Panther every time I see a white Clio now though...

 

Gendarm Provincial or National. The Local coppers are usually Ok and know all the best little farms that have 3 or 4 tables and a daily menu of local nosh for peanuts. Thats the best part of France.