Bongo Fury

Here's a link to a rough idea of my road trip for June/July this year, Google won't allow me to do a more accurate representation;

https://goo.gl/maps/3VZQ3

It is a road trip so little is set in stone although I have an idea how far I'll be travelling each day, lots of ideas for things to do and see and places to stay and where to buy fuel on the way. Other than wanting to be back on Belgium on a specific date for a couple of stages of the Tour de France, the only part of the journey that is set in stone is the trip into Russia as I need to book accommodation so I can obtain a letter of invitation into the country.

Thankfully, there are a couple of hotels in St Petersburg that offer secure camper/motorhome parking so I have sorted my accomodation and I can sort out my letter of invitation through their website. I'll also needed to sort out some third party motor insurance and have the details o some Russian agents who can do that.

I have checked I have all the necessary items for all the countries I intend to visit, including the need for DRL/dipped lights, but after the conversation here last week about spare belts I'd be interested in people's thoughts on what additional items are worth carrying.

I'm getting my head around all the tolls and vignettes I may encounter as that is going to add to the overall expense but the one thing I can't really prepare for are the unmanned automated petrol stations with instructions in languages I'm not fully versed in. They are my kryptonite and can cause me huge stress particularly when you need to fill up.

Hi, nice route. In 2008 (or 2009?) I did something similar, i.e. travelling around Baltic Sea (in opposite direction), though my loop was pulled more to East and Russian part of the route was quite deeper (turning North to St.P-burg in somewhat 300km before Moscow). So, will be happy to share my experience. BTW, I know Russian, so can give some help too (but please not in the volume of translator! )

Regarding insurance question, Russia requires its own 3rd-party insurance. I bought one on EU side in a booth advertising it right before border cross.

Observations on the route:

Germany-Denmark: I preferred the bridge on E20. 150km more but spending very similar time due to continuous autobahn. And free. Well, fuel - but driving is always incomparably cheaper than sailing on ferry.

In Denmark-Sweden crossing I'd recommend a ferry in Helsinborg rather than bridge in Malmo. Costs of the both are approximately the same but the scenic view on some legendary castle (sorry, forgot what it was about ) while sailing is way more exciting. Advance booking not needed (at least in opposite direction... ).

Kopenhagen: Mermaid, eh?

Stockholm: Thinking about Junibacken museum, by a chance?

St.P-burg: Is great as ever. I'm sure you won't miss same exciting chance to visit Peterhof village nearby.

Kaunas in Lithuania is worth to stop too, as I remember.

You're driving so close to Krakow and going to miss it?! This is mistake, really! Better miss Warshawa - just a standard-boring-modern-times-capital.

You're cornering through CZ Rep, it requires vignette for autobahns, you seem not using any, so don't need it.

Autobahn in Hungary does need vignette ('matritsa'). Buy it at petrol station _before_ entering autobahn (otherwise take your risk on travelling to nearest one while on it, as I had to do myself once...).

Same in Austria. All vignettes are multi-day passes but quite useless after you exit their countries - waste of money...

And the last: travelling France South-North with all its wild tolls... I'd certainly prefered route Zurich-Stuttgart-Koblentz-(near Koln)-Aachen-Maastrich-Bruxelle-Gent-Dunkirk. I drove to Stuttgart many times and this route from there to D-kirk is best result from many trial and error attempts. If you specifically want Luxemburg, I've got another 2nd-best route from Stuttgart for it. Very scenic, BTW.

Of course, you might have your specific interests in some places, so I'm recommending just as you weren't as an alternative choice.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks jone_it, that's all really useful.

As I say, other than dates in St Petersburg and Belgium nothing is set in stone. I will definitely consider the route through Germany-Denmark-Sweden and have planned to head for Krakow although it didn't appear on the route as Google maps wouldn't allow me enough waypoints to show both Krakow and Auschwitz.

I was planning on going further south in Switzerland than the route suggests to drive the Klausen Pass and Grimsel Pass, with a bit of wild camping along the way, and then head into France through the Massif des Vosges as one last hurrah to high scenic routes. Alternatively, I could go straight up at Basel and into Germany following the border around into Luxembourg and on into Belgium.

I had thought about going Brussels-Ghent-Dunkirk on the way back as it gives me the chance to get a full tank of cheap LPG in Belgium (apparently 31p/L at the moment) that will take me all the way home.

Just to update you all, I've sorted out my Russian but won't be driving into Russia. I couldn't satisfy in my own mind driving in Russia, and the risk of insurance and breakdown cover, and the kerfuffle of getting in to and out of the country.

The van will be parked up in Helsinki and I'll get the train. It's a Pendolino all the way so no changing at the border due to voltage changes.

I've pinned down fresh water and toilet stops along the route as I don't like to sweat the small stuff so I can focus on the good stuff. I'm learning all about the beauty of the former Eastern Europe.

A quick message to say I did the tour around Europe - 5,500 miles, 21 countries and 17 languages.

The engine alarm went off on the Furka Pass and Le Grand Ballon and I had to flip the passenger seat open to aid cooling but the engine survived.

The tracking got knocked out so I've now got three tyres needing chnging but I expected that before I went.

Forgot to mention, due to the temps my rear undartray has slumped so is catching speed bumps.

best of a bad bunch.

billymansell wrote:A quick message to say I did the tour around Europe - 5,500 miles, 21 countries and 17 languages.

The engine alarm went off on the Furka Pass and Le Grand Ballon and I had to flip the passenger seat open to aid cooling but the engine survived.

The tracking got knocked out so I've now got three tyres needing chnging but I expected that before I went.

Woa, fantastic+++ If you get a chance, post some pics and tell us a tale or two, that's a real adventure you went on there and sounds like the Bongo did you proud

Funnily enough, I helped a mate in Northampton buy a Bongo recently. Iwas struggling to think what other owner there might be in his area. Well now there's one caught my attention

Can't get my mate to overcome his shyness and post here though

Well done
Jealous
We carnt travel until kids have grown up
Only 10 more years then I'm hitting the road

I will post some pictures, just need to go through the 4,000+ shots, find some good ones, resize and upload them. Unfortunately photos cannot do justice to the beauty, scale and majesty of what I had the opportunity to see.

I've also videos from the dash cam of driving up and down the San Bernadino, Furka and Grimsel Passes. The one video I wanted to capture was the single track road off the Grimsel Pass as it was a frightening drive but unfortunately the dash cam didn't capture it.

EDIT: sorted a few photos

Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. A truly, truly stunning place to relax and reflect on life but the people taking selfies became annoying (they're your holiday photos, why do you need to be in your own photos?). Also, if you're out that way the village of Rastoke is a sight to behold, nestling in another ravine set on top of waterfalls.





Lake Superiore Di Fusine in Italy, popular with motorhomes as it's advertised on Park4Night. A truly stunning setting


A shot of the Grimsel Pass and Furka Pass in the distance taken from near the top of the Grimsel Pass. Driving up from Brig I was blown away when you enter the valley with these two mountain passes in front of you.


Mike, if I can help your friend then let him know I exist and get him posting.

Fab++++ pics Billy, what a great trip. I'll send a link to this thread to my mate by email, to encourage him to join in. One thing I'm sure he could use is a Bongo savvy garage near to him in Northampton. Do you have anyone you'd recommend?

I've a couple of local good garages but I insist on doing the coolant myself. I've a V6 and they have not killed it yet. Plus, there's a couple of ex Tickford guys who are local who tune LPG.

Let your friend know get themselves a coolant monitor, engine temperature sensor and tyre pressure monitiring system and he'll have heaps of fun