tommi Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Hi all. Thought I’d post up a few pictures of my holiday this year. Me and a mate took the landy on a little jaunt into mainland Europe. We caught the ferry from Dover across to Calais. I should point out that I am 18, and this is the first time I have ever been abroad. Omaha Beach Le Mont St Michel Then came the first and only breakdown of the trip. One of the rear wheel bearings collapsed while on the motorway. I had a spare, but I couldn’t get the old bearing off the stub axle. Thankfully we were only a couple of miles from a small town with a garage. After much confusion (due to the fact that neither of us can speak French), this is how the day ended. The next morning, the garage had the new bearing on within minutes, and we were on our way. The Dordogne The Millau Viaduct Diesel was pretty cheap everywhere in France. Here it is €108.9, about 91.6p a litre. Gorge du Verdon The South Coast of France Monte Carlo – we managed to squeeze into one of the underground car parks. Heading towards the Alps Interlaken - we climbed up Schynige Platte, a 7000ft alp. This is the view from about half way up. Typical mountain pass View of the Matterhorn from Zermatt We took the cable car up to the top of the Klein Matterhorn – the view was quite immense. Lake Lugano Passo del Stelvio We found a convoy of British cars and followed them down the pass, only to get held up by a campervan. Doh. Aprica, Italy Inside the truck The Black Forest Amsterdam Brussels Saw this rather nice 90 parked up The ‘Atomium’ Heading home We did just under 4000 miles in 25 days, and averaged 27.8mpg, which I think is pretty good considering my driving style. A few post trip jobs to do, the main one being sorting out my transfer box’s unhealthy appetite for EP80/90. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off Road Toad Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Cool trip, that looks good fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Amazing, I'd love to do something like that. Did you camp all the time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve b Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Looks like you had a good trip, you have some very good photo's there cheers Steveb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Excellent photos, Tommi Are you looking forward to doing it again ? Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landmannnn Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Cracking adventure. Guessing not a camera phone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell_ds80 Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Hi, Looks like you had a brilliant time. I'm 18 and seriously thinking about doing something like this. If you don't mind me asking, how much roughly did you spend for the whole trip?? Also what was it like insurance wise? Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 18 years ago I was 18 and all my troubles were about to begin! I wish I could do a trip like that. Smashing photos. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommi Posted September 20, 2010 Author Share Posted September 20, 2010 Amazing, I'd love to do something like that. Did you camp all the time? Yeah we camped every night. Only way we could afford to do it Excellent photos, Tommi Are you looking forward to doing it again ? Mo Definitely. Hopefully if funds allow we will head back next year, maybe with a couple more cars in convoy. Cracking adventure. Guessing not a camera phone! Nah... Most the pictures were taken on a Canon 1000d. Hi, Looks like you had a brilliant time. I'm 18 and seriously thinking about doing something like this. If you don't mind me asking, how much roughly did you spend for the whole trip?? Also what was it like insurance wise? Cheers. All in, it cost me a little over £1000, but that does include everything; fuel, ferries, campsites, food, occasional meals out, paying the mechanic . My normal car insurance covers me to drive in europe so that was no extra cost, although I am paying the best part of £1000 a year because of my age . Didnt bother with health insurance 18 years ago I was 18 and all my troubles were about to begin! I wish I could do a trip like that. Smashing photos. Chris You only live once You gotta get these adventures in quick before jobs etc start getting in the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 18 years ago I was 18 and all my troubles were about to begin! I wish I could do a trip like that. Smashing photos. Chris No reason why not Chris ! Campsites with toilets and restaurants and bars Maybe even a hotel or two Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell_ds80 Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 thats not as bad as i thought it might be. but £1000?? who with?? me and a few mates are hopefully going to go next summer but ill be going in a peugeot 205 so we can enjoy some of those mountain roads:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Campsites with toilets and restaurants and bars Maybe even a hotel or two Could be the basis for a trip... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Beautiful pics, looks like you had a fun trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommi Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 thats not as bad as i thought it might be. but £1000?? who with?? me and a few mates are hopefully going to go next summer but ill be going in a peugeot 205 so we can enjoy some of those mountain roads:) Insurance is with Footman James, but I had a years driving experience as a named driver before I got this policy. Mountain roads are good fun, but in the summer, unless you drive them early morning or late in the evening, you will inevitably get stuck behind camper vans, slow cars and even lorries. Even in a fast car I imagine it would be very difficult to overtake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Cracking photos there . Snap for Millau, and snap for Monte Carlo, though we were stopped from driving in front of the Casino, and couldn't find any parking, so we went back to Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommi Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 Cracking photos there . Snap for Millau, and snap for Monte Carlo, though we were stopped from driving in front of the Casino, and couldn't find any parking, so we went back to Nice! Parking was a bit of a nightmare in Monte Carlo. Problem is, although there are plenty of car parks, you can't see what the height barrier is until you commit to the entrance, usually down a narrow one way entrance. The car park we ended up in was 2.1m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Could be the basis for a trip... Chris No campsite/hotel Whiners allowed Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soylent Green Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Thanks for the pictures! looked like great fun! loved the pic of refueling in Amsterdam? reminds me of what i do often with my TD5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TobyMellin Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 What SLR and lens are you using tommi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Aww, I'd forgotten about this thread. Now I want to drive to Europe again. Just wish I had someone to go with! It says he used a Canon 1000D above, but doesn't specify a lens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Cleland Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Parking was a bit of a nightmare in Monte Carlo. Problem is, although there are plenty of car parks, you can't see what the height barrier is until you commit to the entrance, usually down a narrow one way entrance. The car park we ended up in was 2.1m. Yup, same in Strasbourg - all the parking is underground or multistorey inside an old building and invariably 2m max height. First try was the underground car park by the station, went down the steep, curving, single-lane ramp to meet the height barrier - cue reversing back-up a steep, curving, single-land ramp in a fully-laden 110 after 12 hours on the road! Luckily it was 10pm on a weekday night so I got to the top without meeting someone coming down. After that experience every car park is reccied on foot now. Eventually found a multistorey with a 2.1m limit the other side of Strasbourg city centre, but Strasbourg's not that big, so it wasn't too bad. Edited to add - just Google mapped & streetviewed Strasbourg - the 2.1m car park is on Rue Fossé des Tanneurs if anyone's planning on parking a Defender in Strasbourg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
q-rover Posted February 16, 2011 Share Posted February 16, 2011 Next time why not come to Scandinavia? Ferry from Harwich or drive round through Germany to Denmark, short ferry to Norway, or cross the bridge by Copenhagen and go through Sweden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommi Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 What SLR and lens are you using tommi? As James pointed out it was a canon 1000D body with the standard 18-55 lens. I've since purchased a 450D with a 28-135 lens, which I have found to be significantly better. Aww, I'd forgotten about this thread. Now I want to drive to Europe again. Just wish I had someone to go with! It says he used a Canon 1000D above, but doesn't specify a lens. You're right about that, biggest problem is finding other people to go with... My mate is up for it again this year thou which is good Yup, same in Strasbourg - all the parking is underground or multistorey inside an old building and invariably 2m max height. First try was the underground car park by the station, went down the steep, curving, single-lane ramp to meet the height barrier - cue reversing back-up a steep, curving, single-land ramp in a fully-laden 110 after 12 hours on the road! Luckily it was 10pm on a weekday night so I got to the top without meeting someone coming down. After that experience every car park is reccied on foot now. Eventually found a multistorey with a 2.1m limit the other side of Strasbourg city centre, but Strasbourg's not that big, so it wasn't too bad. Edited to add - just Google mapped & streetviewed Strasbourg - the 2.1m car park is on Rue Fossé des Tanneurs if anyone's planning on parking a Defender in Strasbourg! Gotta love the exclusivity thou Next time why not come to Scandinavia? Ferry from Harwich or drive round through Germany to Denmark, short ferry to Norway, or cross the bridge by Copenhagen and go through Sweden. Sounds like a good possible trip for the future, I think Morocco might be next on the agenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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