alan h's activity

Questions Asked

I'm planning my route down for a months visit in July.

Mon, 06/04/2012 - 08:13

I logged on this morning to my local webcam, to look at the snow on the ski slopes.

Thu, 01/05/2012 - 04:47

Loved the note about changing the locks!

Wed, 09/21/2011 - 09:20

I have just got back from my latest trip to Italy, and thought some of you might be interested to hear about a Swiss hotel that we stayed in on the way down.It is the Hotel Engel in Stans [near to Lake Lucerne, a few minutes from the motorway

Mon, 07/25/2011 - 05:21

For many years now I have used the likes of 'mappy', 'via michelin' etc for calculating different routes down to Italy - for us its a part of our holiday, so we don't always want to take the quickest/shortest route down.听 We prefer to vary the rou

Wed, 06/01/2011 - 09:25

Today I received an email from the Swiss Travel Centre.听 The relevant portion is;- "The GBP price for a Vignette will increase from 01 June 2011 and we wanted to give you the opportunity to purchase this years鈥 Vignette before the pric

Mon, 05/23/2011 - 09:45

I've just driven down and back for a [much too] short holiday, and feel that an update on how fuel prices look on the way down would be useful to fellow travellers The following is a good site for seeing what prices have been like听听

Mon, 04/04/2011 - 05:02

P&O have introduced a new ferry on the Dover - Calais route - its called the Spirit of Britain. They seem to have a special offer on at the moment [on this ship only] I've just booked a return crossing [car + 2] for 拢60 - significantly less th

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 06:08

Does Tomato soup exist in Italy? We were feeling a bit under the weather when we went out to Italy 2 weeks ago.听 As part of the R&R process, I fancied some soup, and looked around the supermarket.听 There were lots of different soups, but I rea

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 08:29

The route/timings for next years Giro d'Italia have been posted 听 My son rang me up to inform me that the route passes about 100m away from

Sat, 11/06/2010 - 07:04

Comments posted

Sat, 05/30/2015 - 10:53

You don鈥檛 say where you are flying from, but assuming the UKWhy not fly to Nice and start from there?听 Also 鈥 do you really need a car?听 You could use trains for much of the trip 鈥 and they are much cheaper than in the UK.听 For train times, I use http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?newrequest=yes&protocol=http:&NICE - Spend a couple of days there 鈥 or more if you want to do Cannes and Antibes.听 All can be visited by train, and it goes along the coast, giving great views.听 Little need for a carThen catch a train to Levanto [or similar] from Nice 鈥 a great days sightseeing on the train. A pleasant day trip along the Ligurian Riviera, before going inland a bit.The Cinque Terre is best 鈥榙one鈥 by a combination of the local trains and walking the coastal path.听 Road access is 鈥榣imited鈥.听 There are 3 paths, the coastal one which is flat [and crowded with Americans 鈥渄oing the 5 Cities鈥漖, a middle one, not too steep, less crowded, and reasonably easy to walk, and the upper path 鈥 steep in places, but empty of people, and with great views out to sea .[Once had a week鈥檚 walking holiday in the area 鈥 marvellous!]Then by train [again] to Naples, and on by local train to Sorrento [total about 7 hrs].听 We stayed at Hotel Il Nido, just outside of Sorrento - 听 Lovely place and great views 鈥 try his home made Limoncello!!!!听 When we were there [a few years ago now] the owner ran a minibus service for residents, so they could go to/from Sorrento free of charge.The Amalfi coast is well served by buses, and you can also walk the 鈥楶athway of the Gods鈥, an old mule track on the top of the cliffs [hard work getting up to, and down from, it.]听 I wouldn鈥檛 drive the coast road 鈥 you鈥檒l be too busy watching the road and other drivers to appreciate the scenery.听 A day trip to Capri is worth it 鈥 the pathway around the island is well worth doing听That鈥檚 probably the best part of 2-3 weeks of your holiday sorted.听 Then Naples to Florence is just over 2 hours by train 鈥 a car there would be a pain o park etc etc, but you could hire one to explore the countryside thereThen back to Nice by train

Tue, 05/26/2015 - 06:52

For Milan - this may assist[Furniture is towards the bottom of page]听Also -

Sun, 05/17/2015 - 16:39

Well .........................................................Do you mean 'autonomo' rather than 'autonimo'?If you do, it means an independent CH system, i.e. you control it

Sun, 05/17/2015 - 07:52

Well ........................................Remember that US electrical appliances run on 110V at 60Hz, and European Voltage is 230V at 50Hz - so electrical appliances don't readily 'transfer' to Europe from the USAlso - remember to get European chargers for phones etc as soon as you arrive [if not on-line before] - so you don't find yourself isolated due to flat batteries.听

Sat, 05/09/2015 - 16:41

Well .......................听"................... The English owner has assured us that this man has no rights over the land ..................."Get him to confirm via a lawyer that this is correct - otherwise you could be in trouble later

Fri, 05/08/2015 - 06:35

Well .................................................听The answer is probably Yes.听 But it probably varies from Comune to ComuneIf the staircase is out of sight from the road/neighbours, you could probably do it yourself, [but this could create problems when it comes to selling the property in the future]I'd use a local builder and geometra, as they will know how to 'manage the Comune'.听Keep the locals happy and most problems disapper

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 10:03

Careful - You Cannot Transfer Car Tax Sally posted;-

  • "Car Details: 2006, UK registered, .......... Will have 6months UK tax, .........

Under the new rules, following the ending of Tax Discs, it is no longer possible to sell a car 'with car tax'.听 Re-registering the car automatically cancels the Car Tax and a refund is given to the 'seller'.听The new owner must pay the DVLA for a new Car Taxsee;-听听 听

Sat, 03/21/2015 - 06:30

Talk to a local [and I stress 'local'] Geometra.听He will advise on;-

  • what can be done
  • What the local Comune will, and [more importantly] will not permit听
  • what approximate costs will be - so you can decide whether its worth doing - I'd add 20% - 30% for contingencies
  • how long it will take to do the work [I'd add 20% for 禁漫天堂 timescales]听- NOTE - you will be restricted on what you can do yourselves, as most work will require certiification by a 'competent person', i.e certificated tradesmen such as builders, plumbers, electricians etc etc.

Personally, I'd think long and hard about 'doing up' a place, especially one without water and electric.Now the Euro is weak against the pound, I'd look at something more 'habitable, and make an offer about 30% below asking price听 [it worked for me]听Good Luck

Mon, 03/16/2015 - 10:45

Well ......................................听Don't know what one would cost, but remember that you cannot buy a car until you are registered as a 'Resident'

Tue, 03/03/2015 - 14:46

Well .................................This may help -