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.Ìý We prefer to vary the rou

Wed, 06/01/2011 - 09:25

Today I received an email from the Swiss Travel Centre.Ìý 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’ 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 likeÌýÌý

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 £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.Ìý As part of the R&R process, I fancied some soup, and looked around the supermarket.Ìý 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 Ìý My son rang me up to inform me that the route passes about 100m away from

Sat, 11/06/2010 - 07:04

Comments posted

Sun, 05/08/2011 - 10:53

It happens now and again Ìý

Tue, 05/03/2011 - 07:37

have you considered buying a 5' bed in the UK - there are great sales at present - and getting someone like coseperlacasaÌý to ship it down for you. It would be worth finding out what the costs would be Or you could just get an ½ûÂþÌìÌà bed, [and throw theÌý5' metal frame away - or stand it on end out in the garden and grow roses over it]

Fri, 04/29/2011 - 13:12

There has been plenty of speculation in the UK Press - but Italy isn't mentioned. Ìý My money is on a [relatively] low cost honeymoon - perhaps the Scillies or Scotland. - or possibly East Africa

Answer to: Intasure
Tue, 04/19/2011 - 18:33

Ìý"..........unless of course you swells out there are multiple home owners." ............. or own a holiday home

Answer to: Intasure
Mon, 04/18/2011 - 04:29

The estate agent I bought the house through arranges the house insurance for me - I leave the approx amount with him in January/Feb, and he pays the insurance when it falls due in April - I pick up the certificate when I'm over next, plus the change ICI - I calculate it myself [takes about 5 minutes max - very simple calculation].Ìý Google something like Ìý'Calculate ICI' to find out how

Answer to: Intasure
Sun, 04/17/2011 - 04:19

Just about to renew insurance on my [small] place with Groupama Ìý Cost [no contents insurance - only building, liabilitiesÌýetc ] -ÌýEuros 95ÌýÌý

Fri, 04/15/2011 - 13:20

"would you advise getting off at Faido if you can see traffic ahead? So often you're in the traffic & it's too late to turn off?" It a bit like Sod's Law - if you get off, the motorway will run free, and if you stay on, it blocks up. I think I'd leave it until the junction after Faido [Quinto, I think] unless its very heavy traffic on the motorway [even if its still moving]

Fri, 04/15/2011 - 05:28

" .....You also save the E38.60 cost of the tunnel pass.Ìý ...." There isn't a tunnel pass - the swiss motorway pass [vignette] costs about E40 and is required on vehicles using the motorwaysÌý [I think its a E100 on theÌýspot fine if you don't have one] Ìý I forgot to say in my earlier post - if using the pass, and worried about jams on the approaches to the tunnels, you can get off at Faido going North [or earlier at Biasco] and Altdorf travelling South and follow the local road that parallels the motorway to the pass

Fri, 04/15/2011 - 04:36

" ........ pass is an option though I haven't ever had to use it. I'm told it's about 30 mins extra but the views are slightly better" Slightly!!! - a bit of an understatement Yes - it can add about 20 - 30 minutes, but if its queueing on the motorway its quicker than staying put.Ìý Its a useful 'break point' for the trip - coffee shop and excellent views at the top.Ìý I often use the pass, even if the Tunnel is free flowing

Wed, 04/13/2011 - 16:58

there are many route planners available on the Internet - and many of these give a time travelled at each 'point' on the route chosen, [as via michelin does] What I particularly like about via michelin is the fact you can amend the rout on the map with a right hand click asÌý many times as you like - So you just put in [say] Dunkirk to Garda and then change bits [like the Basle Bye Pass bit] and it automatically reconfigures the route and the timings