Re: Look at Scotland this way..


"Josiah Jenkins" <josiah-jenkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:6i8nr1daqk20ea3s3as93bbumpne3stp9j@xxxxxxxxxx
> On Wed, 4 Jan 2006 01:23:48 -0000, I read these words from "Nebulous"
> <nebulous@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> :
>
> >
> >"Josiah Jenkins" <josiah-jenkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> >news:hc5mr1d936c7fl0bibdou9udo5pm3qkqks@xxxxxxxxxx
> >> On Tue, 3 Jan 2006 19:58:37 -0000, I read these words from "Nebulous"
> >> <nebulous@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> :
> >> <snip>
> >> > . . . I wish I'd done the travelling thing when I was younger,
> >> > before becoming responsible for other people, but only as a
> >> > temporary arrangement- not permanently.
> >>
> >> You've got a caravan, haven't you ?
> >> What's to stop you exploring Europe ?
> >> Get the maps out !
> >>
> >> -- jjj
> >
> >I bought the caravan to explore Scotland. Prior to that I tended to do
the
> >Eurocamp thing in France. We've been about 7 times. I can only get a
> >fortnight off in the summer and its a long way to Europe from here.
>
> Rosyth - Zeebrugge is good but somewhat on the expensive side
> with the caravan.

Last time I priced it it was over £1000 for the crossing only.

> >
> >With Eurocamp I used to do over 1000 miles in about 22 hours.
>
> Don't fancy that day-after-day driving stuff myself. Did it one year
> down through France heading for Portugal, never again.
> >
> >My children grew to dislike the journey so much that I stopped.
> >Its different with the van though. With a slower pace and regular stops
> >the journey becomes part of the holiday, rather than something to be
endured.
>
> You can be in the Rhine valley in around 8 hours towing a van
> (comfortably) driving via the Netherlands or into the Mosel valley
> using a route through Belgium.
> >
> >I must admit I'm actually quite happy with my lot. However when I see
> >youngsters nowadays for whom travelling appears to be the norm I wish I'd
> >had a chance to take a year off with a backpack.
>
> Driving times to ports take a fair chunk out of a two week holiday !
> Four days driving to Dover and back for you ?
> And the additional Ferry costs eat into your beer money !

Thats what I meant by the 1000 miles. I left Aberdeen on Friday night and
was in a campsite in France by Saturday tea-time. It meant almost non-stop
driving though.

With a Eurocamp type deal you pay a fixed price for your tent, your electric
and gas and your crossing. They offer some crossings at standard rate and
some at a supplement. Rosyth had a £650 supplement the last time I checked.
The tunnel is one of the free ones. They are also very flexible with
timings. I have had an 11am crossing booked and turned up at 6.30 am. They
just fit you on the next train, or the one after that to let you have a
toilet and shop stop.

Its the cheapest way to go abroad with a big family. When you get to the
campsite just about every second vehicle is a people carrier

>
> I'd probably wander much more if I was based in Europe.
> >
> >We still may have the chance when our youngest two are a bit older
> >to do the caravanning bit.
>
> When you're on your own, switch to a motorhome.
> Much more freedom to roam.

Roll on retirement! I would like a motorhome. Too expensive at the moment
though.

> >
> >I just bought a Navman 510 Satnav.
> > Going back to Europe would give me an
> >excuse to buy the European maps as well as the UK ones!
>
> Got myself a Garmin c330 unit in the Summer.
> The UK and European maps are pre-loaded . . . it's brilliant.

That must be one of the fancy ones with a built in hard-drive. I need to
install the maps on a memory card. I'm very impressed with it so far though.

Neb



.

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