7 days till departure to france/spain - advice required :)

[Nick65]

Now that's what I call good scenery

If only I could work out how to get my piccies onto here, then I could show the same

[briwy]

Just a word of caution, there are not so many fixed speed cameras in France as here and they usually have massive signs warning of them.

However, the gendarmes are getting sneaky and set up cameras on small tripods that you can't see until you are on top of them and they lurk behind bridges etc.

This is not just on motorways where I guess the 80mph limit is generally not likely to be a problem in a Bongo but on ordinary roads and in towns.

Night time too, we have seen speed traps on the Lourdes ring road at 1.30 in the morning.

[froghandler]

Briwy's right - we sometimes do a bit of overnight driving and saw them (albeit very last minute) late on, on the main road through a large village - and they weren't wearing the hi viz stuff like our lot do.

It's also reminded me that on our last trip in Spain they also use mobile cameras, although I suspect some of them were dummys. We were heading back to our friends on the road that runs from out of Andorra and at various places were what looked like large rubbish bins. We found out that they were in fact mobile cameras put out to catch the weekenders coming back from Andorra. There were that many tho that I'm not convinced they all held a camera.

[Nick65]

Hi - I have been preparing my bongo ready for a 12 day trip leaving next wednesday. I need to see my cousin in barcelona for couple of days the rest of the time i wish to tour spain. I planned to ferry or rail to calais, head down central/east france to barca then head south before getting back to santander for the trip to portsmouth. I get the idea that many people head south then race back to UK to get back to work... maybe the 24 hour / 35 hour ferry would be relaxing.. ? Or should I just drive back to calais?

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A GOOD PLAN? really I dont know - i have never driven in france or spain before. Overseas yes, but never campervan tour like this. Will I save time and money by returning via Santander? SHould I just aires it to Spain - or should i try find 2 day stop in france? Should we try and take in Paris?

I KNOW THIS IS ALL PERSONAL STUFF, BUT if anyone has ever done a similar journey I would be happy to follow your route if it will maximise my Enjoyment.

Is there a fact sheet called 10 days in Spain in April? I have been searching the forum but short of printing out 1000 posts and piecing together a strange jigsaw I am a bit lost.

I know this is a big ask - but with the short amount of time i have to get this sorted help from the members of this excellent forum wil be much appreciated.

Should I take 2 gas bottles? Do i need a waste water container? Will my girlfriend need a porta potty? Shall I use motorway and pay the tax or use the b road../.?? Should I try and get a driveaway awning? Will I have time to use it on this trip?

Seriously If someone can offer me a 10 day route plan I will somehow return the favour...... pippin... can yo help?

OK - i am getting a bit panicky - drop links done, bike rack bought, windows tinted, matress being made (by my mum - as we speak) ....

thanks in advance...

Nic

Sooooooo?????? How did it go??

[theskunk]

Good People of Bongolby

Yes it is is true, I, Nic "Earl of Arundel" and Jen "Export of Australia" did venture far and wide this month of May 2011 with our presently unamed 1997 Bonfo Friendee - full converstion.

I would like to thank all for their input on this thread/forum since it helped me extensively with my preparations.

Whilst we planned to head south to Barcelona this plan was scrapped the night before our departure due to the bad weather front. How exciting.

We ended up doing 2-3 days in Netherlands, 5 days in western Germany, Heidelberg area, touching on Black Forest, then 5 days back through france followign the Loire Valley on the Chateau trail. We had the most fantastic time... really.

I guess the bongo was doing 230 Miles on a tank. Lowest price fuel i found was at a Netto 1.31Euro/ltr. I had some spare cans in the back for this opportunity.

My Haydn alarm once fitted worked a treat and gave us confidence to keep on cruising.

Got a tug from the German constabulary who were sniffing out marijuana. No idea what thats about. But if I did - for sure i wld be taking care in Germany. He went through my tobbaco pouch et al.

Did a total of 2500 miles in 12 days... and that was the limit i think. Wldnt want to be doing more than that.

I discovered bongo has its own method to get you up in the morning. By dropping condensation water into your eyes.... nice.

In late september we will do the spain portugal trip.... COOOL. And bank holiday coming we may do Belgium... or UK somewhere... depends on the weather.

SO ONCE AGAIN A BIG THANKYOU TO ALL YOU CRAZY GUYS WHO HELPED MAKE MY BREAK A SUCCESS. WLD ANYONE LIKE TO SEE A PHOTO ?

Nic

[mikeonb4c]

Good People of Bongolby

Yes it is is true, I, Nic "Earl of Arundel" and Jen "Export of Australia" did venture far and wide this month of May 2011 with our presently unamed 1997 Bonfo Friendee - full converstion.

I would like to thank all for their input on this thread/forum since it helped me extensively with my preparations.

Whilst we planned to head south to Barcelona this plan was scrapped the night before our departure due to the bad weather front. How exciting.

We ended up doing 2-3 days in Netherlands, 5 days in western Germany, Heidelberg area, touching on Black Forest, then 5 days back through france followign the Loire Valley on the Chateau trail. We had the most fantastic time... really.

I guess the bongo was doing 230 Miles on a tank. Lowest price fuel i found was at a Netto 1.31Euro/ltr. I had some spare cans in the back for this opportunity.

My Haydn alarm once fitted worked a treat and gave us confidence to keep on cruising.

Got a tug from the German constabulary who were sniffing out marijuana. No idea what thats about. But if I did - for sure i wld be taking care in Germany. He went through my tobbaco pouch et al.

Did a total of 2500 miles in 12 days... and that was the limit i think. Wldnt want to be doing more than that.

I discovered bongo has its own method to get you up in the morning. By dropping condensation water into your eyes.... nice.

In late september we will do the spain portugal trip.... COOOL. And bank holiday coming we may do Belgium... or UK somewhere... depends on the weather.

SO ONCE AGAIN A BIG THANKYOU TO ALL YOU CRAZY GUYS WHO HELPED MAKE MY BREAK A SUCCESS. WLD ANYONE LIKE TO SEE A PHOTO ?

Nic

Excellent news. I do like an adventurer. Pics woud be great. 230 miles per tank doesn't sounds that great - is it a 4WD - were you caning it or doing a lot of urban driving? My 2WD gets about 250 miles on a tank around town, about 400 on long distance running at 6-65mph. But I hope you enjoyed cruising in the Bongo as much as I do in mine (on the occasions when I get to do it )

[froghandler]

Piccies Please

Whereabouts in the Netherlands did you go - considering heading that way myself.

[theskunk]

hi - we hit amsterdam first.. but then doubled back to take in the tulips near Lisse and the windmills in Kinderdjik (all in the very northwest of holland) ... holland is a little flat for my liking... as it seems is much of central north western europe BUT I AM SO PLEASED WE TOOK THE BIKES - EVERYWHERE THEY GREATLY IMPROVED OUR EXPERIENCE. if you didnt do brugge yet... then I wld say that might be nice easy trip with reasonable return.

HOLLAND


NORTH GERMANY (NEAR HAMELIN)


SOUTH GERMANY (HEIDELBERG - AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING)


SOUTH GERMANY (HEIDELBERG - AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING)


RETURN JOURNEY 4 DAYS ON CHATEAU TRAIL - LOIRE VALLEY (wild camping all the way)