26/09/2010
Heading onto Patra from Athens, I boarded the ferry to Ancona, Italy. After the usual trying to find out exactly where to go. Finally on board, because I asked for ‘Camping on Board’ which is basically sleeping in the campervan, they said they don’t do that but would give me a cabin and free meal for the same price. After relaxing in a nice cabin, after my meal another guy opens the door to the cabin whilst I’m writing this blog and starts to make himself at home. Speaking no English he show’s me the card with the same cabin number, so after having a moan at reception they said I have to share with 3 people or upgrade for 40euros for a cabin on my own and that it was a good deal. So just a note of warning if you go with a crappy ferry company called Minoan, you have to ask about every conceivable situation as they don’t tell you anything on the phone and it says nowhere on the tickets – and these bunch of cowboys were supposed have won customer service of the year.
27/09/10
After a good night’s sleep (luckily the Bulgarian trucker slept quietly) I still had a bit of time on the boat then finally 22 hours later (4pm) arrived at Ancona, Italy. Headed in the direction of Milan and stopped to fuel up in Bologna and had a 15 minute conversation with a keen non English speaking Italian pump attendant (Max) from what I understood was also a windsurfer. He also put me on the phone to his Mum who explained how to get to the large supermarket, so I could get loaded up with Italian wine etc.
Heading on, the obvious stop off point was Lake Como near to the Swiss border, after about 30euros worth of Italian toll costs, I found a parking spot at this very picturesque area where the mountain is littered with houses and mansions lit up and cut into to the rock face overlooking a calm lake. There are many parking restrictions here but I found a small car park where the toll free hours were midnight until 8AM which was when I arrived. I must admit I am glad I didn’t have a vehicle larger than the van as is would make it difficult to navigate some of the roads here and it would have been difficult to ‘free camp’ here which would have meant staying at one of the service stations on the toll roads which is not a bad option but it is nice to go to some of the small bars they have in these off the road locations.
28/09/10
Headed towards Zurich, Switzerland through some lovely looking countryside and some great toll free road infrastructure and through the 3rd longest tunnel in the world (St. Gotthard Tunnel) at approximately 16.4km long and contra-flow-wow! By the afternoon I was there, I thought I stay here and have a look around the city. I enquired at the campsite for parking up for the night and was told it would be 31 Swiss Francs (25 Euros) instead I parked over the road in small car park for 2 euros and cycled into town. Looking around Zurich was quite interesting but I would say it was not a great place to visit with everything being so expensive e.g a coffee from Starbucks was the equivalent of £5 and even a dodgy hamburger you are looking at £7. I stayed the night and a first time use of the winter sleeping bag was required, I can see the acclimatisation back to British weather is going to be difficult for me after the nice Greek summer.
29/09/10
Headed towards Frankfurt and out of Switzerland, I always seem to get stop at the borders and asked if I have anything to declare and if I was carrying more than 10,000 euros after saying ‘Switzerland was too expensive’ and ‘I wish’ respectively. They let me on my way. That night I stayed with some family friend’s in Germany near the Luxemburg border I found it quite funny that they had a neighbours pig called 'Paulina' that would roam the street and venture into their garden eating the chestnuts. Thanks Jeanette and Bert for putting me up.
30/09/10
Headed onto Dunkirk for the ferry to Dover, I arrived that night for nice home cooked meal at my Parents – great!
No comments:
Post a Comment