cluffy Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hi all, reasonably new too this site so any advice would be greatly appreciated. 40 odd years ago my old man travelled through Africa. After all his stories etc me and a friend have always wanted to follow on in these foot steps, we want to do a warm up trip for a few weeks through Europe to see how we get on, as much as my dad tries to give advIce on how to plan the trip I can help but think that things have changed since he did it. Being only 19 I feel that if I don't do these trips soon I will never get round to it, anyway I am planning to start at France other than that I have no idea where to go? Ideally we want to keep off main roads asmuch as possible, any people that have done a similar trip I would love to here where you went with what routes, maPs etc. also where dO I start interms of preparing my truck to such an expedition? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated Thanks Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 From the point of view of greater europe , its basically throw your luggage in back and go ! When you get further afield it all changes. It hasnt changed that much from when your dad did it , still politically difficult , but physically much easier eg mobile phones GPS etc . Hundreds of people are travelling everywher nowadays , when i took my first euro trip in my landy I only saw a handful of other GB cars , and saw a bout 3 landrovers !!! Ist step how many going , are you sleeping on board , camping , hotels etc . Whats the start vehicle? have a look on "The Hubb" look in alll the travel sections most is 2 wheel but lot of logistics are same. For Africa look here http://www.africa-overland.net/. That will give you start when you have some ideas firmed up ask for more advice on here , it will be freely given . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluffy Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 It will be me and a mate taking our own trucks, mine is 1989 90 with 200tdi engine his slightly newer also with a 200, as our first experdition (other than Salisbury plain) we want to keep at as low cost as possible, a mixture between sleeping inboard and camping. Africa at the moment is a dream to be honest, there's a difference between being good mates at being sat side by side for a number of weeks. Maybe I am to concerned with planning but I almost want a map highlighting where someone else has gone. The hubb site looks interesting I think I may find my self reading through the site for the evening, we both just don't know what to take spares, jerry cans, tyres and tools. Thanks for the input Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 If going in a 90 you could well just take 1 for europe esp if camping . plenty of sites in france /germany etc . No jerry can as plenty of fuel stations , europe (well central part) is much like uk without so much traffic esp when off main autobahns etc . Join AA/RAC or other and get european cover . Where to go it governed more by what your interests are .. Read lonely planet guides they will give you all the usual touristy places eg Eiffel tower, Neuschwanstein (castle that inspired disney castle) . If its your first time , just driving will be quite interesting as it will look very different to uk for most part . Its also a lot bigger , how much time you have will govern where you can get ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 In Western Europe (and to a lesser degree these days in Eastern Europe too) there is no need to take anything apart from your camping kit, some basic tools and spare parts (service parts etc.), a credit card and some European recovery cover! It's all tarmac, civilisation is not very far away, and they'll nearly all speak English if you're nice to them. Just get a ferry to Calais and drive. There's a million municipal camping sites in France, and many other similar set ups in the other European nations. Get one of those 'Europe Camping/Caravanning Guide' books and you'll soon find places to stay. Most towns in France have a campsite, I don't see any reason why the other countries wouldn't have similar arrangements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4444244 Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 as above, also don't forget your 2 triangles, fire extinguisher, hivis vests for everyone, spare bulb kit, first aid kit. These are required in the car in most european countries, other than that its significantly less hassle than driving into town here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluffy Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 So really there is no need at all to fill the back of the truck up to the brim! Just get uP and drive? Simple as that! Well I think I might just go then thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 As the others have said, a good service, a few tools and basic spares like a wheel bearing, prop UJ, fan belt and you are on your way. An AA (Look at ADAC!) card is good advice too. If you want to do some off-tarmac driving then you can get some great roadbooks from the likes of http://vibraction.pagesperso-orange.fr/index.htm. I have done a couple of their Pyrenees roadbooks. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluffy Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Things like wheel bearings I have gone round and changed all, hopefully nothing to go wrong on a small few week trip, although spare still might be worth taking. In terms of breakdown cover I'm hoping I will be able to get under a friends as he has a car out there a lot of the year, although again it is worth having so that it is valid. Ideally we will be sat on mountain paths going on and off road, but having never gone up a mountain Path I don't know how easy it is to just come off and take your own route? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Badger Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 On breakdown cover, if your at a point where the landy cannot drive, then it will need to go on the back of a truck. This is tricky as first they will send someone over, secondly that person will tow you to a recovery spot, the truck will come and take you car. You should then get a rental car (only valid up to the france side of the ferry crossing) so you have to get a mate to pick you up on the other side, or get the train. Then whoever it is AA or RAC will asses if the car is worth sending back to england to be fixed? At least this is what happened to me when my engine went bang 11km outside of Amsterdam at 4am. Of course this is a worst case, and your mate could tow you back home, so take a tow rope and a battery charger, as if your engine don't work, then your hazards will be on for a long time... Europe is easy, you can camp if you want too, or not it's a long way, but in a week you can get from London / Paris / Berlin / Barcelona and back again. Central Massive is good, and the Alps, Germany is boring unless you are driving a really fast car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 I would take a goodly supply of Euros in cash too, your credit card won't work everywhere (and many banks will stop your card randomly as soon as it gets used abroad, even if you warn them!) and you will p*ss off shopkeepers buying a mars bar and can of coke and trying to put it on an English VISA card. Make sure you have roaming allowed on your phone, lots of operators these days leave it defaulted to OFF to avoid big bills if your phone gets nicked. GPS is a must but so is a paper map - GPS's can go wrong or get nicked and it's far easier to plan routes on a big paper one. Last trip I did we stopped at the first supermarket to buy sweeties, red bull, and an up-to-date map as there are toll roads all around the place, and it changes from year to year as they argue over who pays for what. Mind you, that trip was 1500 miles in ~48h in a Freebie with no planning at all until the ferry landed, only equipment carried was the legal requirements (bulbs, triangle, spare wheel, hi-vis), a gallon of diesel, and a large MP3 collection. I would take a jerry can, most places fuel stops are easily come by but you can sometimes get caught out, I've never had to use it yet but there's been a few close shaves when I've been very glad it's in the boot. My other half is travel mad and she has a bookshelf full of Rough Guides, reckons they're nicer than Lonely Planet etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cluffy Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Alps are boring, that was one of the bits i was looking forward too most. Was sPeaking to the AA earlier and they said for x£ amount per year they pick you up and take you home/any destination, now wondering if that is U.K only! Was speaking to someone who said the more Sapir tyres and Kerry cans you take the better! I think this was just down to his lack of planning fuel stop? Must invest in a first aid kit etc, never bothered just in u.k! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamC Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 Alps are boring, that was one of the bits i was looking forward too most. No I think he means the alps was good but Germany was boring? I hope so anyway as I'm heading to the Alps in May. Here's a list of what we carried on our trip to Morocco http://www.liamchallis.co.uk/morocco/inventory.html I will carry most of this kit again when we go to Europe. The only thing we really needed was the spare lift pump. We also had a PAS pump bearing fail but on a 200tdi defender you can just remove the belt and carry on, if we were in a disco we would have been stuffed as its linked with the water pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmgemini Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 No fuel cans at all empty or full on any ferry..... So make sure you hide them well. Just get up and go. You can prepare your truck to the best of your ability and still, like we did, have expensive unseen problems. However in europe at least you have a better oportunity of getting home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 1st aid kit and spare tyre are among the various legal requirements on the continent, along with fire extinguisher, hi-vis jackets for all passengers, warning triangle (or TWO!), etc. etc. so worth checking before you go. The AA etc. and your insurance company will probably have to be chased up to include full euro cover, make sure you have the international number stored in your phone too as calling 0845 from a mobile abroad doesn't always work. In any other vehicle driving to Europe would be a non-event that required a top-up of the screenwash at most before setting off, if your Defender is that unreliable you need to take a pallet of spares & tools you need to have a bit of a think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted January 5, 2012 Share Posted January 5, 2012 France and Spain are heaving with great campsites, and most French supermarkets are stocked better than halfords for car spares and camping gear, so you really won't need much. It is worth sorting breakdown cover out if you are not massively confident in your car or your ability to fix it with a lolly stick and tape if it goes wrong. I had an engine sieze in France a couple of years ago with no cover and it cost me more than I'd care to remember to get out of the situation. Also try calling a French speaking breakdown company and explaining what's wrong and where you are.... You can often get it as a cheap extension to your car insurance. If you've got a few weeks, I can recommend heading over the Alps, through Austria and into Slovenia and Croatia. From Croatia you can get a car ferry back to Bari in the heel of Italy for a nice loop back up towards the Alps again and home. Stunning scenery, lots of campsites and a great coast road through Croatia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 No fuel cans at all empty or full on any ferry..... So make sure you hide them well. Empty jerry cans are allowed on the ferry, well at least on P&O. I had heard lots of stories about this after our last trip so emailed to customer service at P&O they confirmed we were allowed to take them. I printed the email just in case but we didn't have an issue and had four on the roof and one on the trailer. Didn't need that many but filled them all up in Andorra for the trip home. Jason. Oh if you are doing lots of driving in France I found it worth it getting a French Toll Tag as it makes things easier and you don't pay until a couple of months after the trip!! I did a write up of our last trip to the Pyrenees which you may want to take a look at. First time I did France/Spain was when I was 18 in my Series 2, me, my mate, money, AA Card and had a great time. Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escape Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 If you're passing through Belgium, let me know. We'd be happy to show you around Leuven a bit (to a good pub for example) and you're welcome to use the Workshop for a quick check-up and spending the night if you like. Greetz, Filip Belgium Collective PS: Haven't read the whole thread, but if you have specific questions, send me a pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Badger Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 The Alps is a good drive, if you try and hit up all the road that are only open in summer, they are usually the more remote ones, also there are routes off them that are even more remote. Northern austria and Southern Italy are great for staying in huts in the mountain, some even have beer on tap.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronny S Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Get in touch with the National or regional Land Roverclubs in the countries you want to visit. Usually they will give you a lot of tips on where to go, and you will also be invited to happenings held by them. They may have contact with garages if you should need more help than you can manage by yourself. I have been driving thrue Europe some times, and bring not more than I need. Parts are easily to get in Western Europe, and if you are having difficulties, call the local clubs. Ronny S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike4444244 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 these people do a euro extension to your breakdown cover for £60 odd for a whole year http://www.europeanbreakdowncover.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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