tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48433019633268591422024-03-13T10:04:17.452+00:00Europe By Camper - Travelling Europe By MotorhomeEurope By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.comBlogger251125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-14072756919676998752014-12-22T12:02:00.001+00:002014-12-22T12:04:20.098+00:00Farewell to Microsoft Autoroute - Discontinued in 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you are familiar with our blog, you'll know Microsoft Autoroute features heavily in our route planning and navigation. For every mile of the 23,044 miles we drove during our 12 month tour we had a <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/03/dashboard-mounted-laptop-gps.html">laptop mounted on our dashboard</a> plotting our position and the location of nearby points of interest and overnight stopovers.<br />
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Last year I spent the best part of a day compiling and formatting a data set in Microsoft Excel for use with Autoroute. Over 130,000 lines of information were formatted as hyperlinks to take you direct to where the information was displayed online from several sources. <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2013/12/2014-autoroute-motorhome-aire-campsite.html" target="_blank">It has been downloaded more than 10,000 times</a> - so at least I know I'm not alone. <b>If you were one of them - please complete the poll at the bottom of this blog post and let me know if you'd download a 2015 version.</b><br />
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However on the <b>31st December 2014</b> you will no longer be able to buy Microsoft Autoroute via the online Microsoft Store. It also seems that all of the CD copies have dried up too and so if you want it you need to act fast, buy online and once downloaded ensure you backup the installation files as I'm not sure you'll be able to access them again. The US equivalent, 'Streets and Trips' which has also been embraced by the American RV are also mourning their loss.<br />
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An extract from the <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/en-us/history.aspx" target="_blank">official statement</a> (which also covers Map Point / Streets and Trips - Autoroute by other names) reads:<br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">"The success of these products would never had happened were it not for the loyal and supportive fans who purchased the product and its various iterations over the years,” shares Larry Petersen, test lead for Microsoft Streets & Trips. “<b>Speaking at RV rallies over the years</b>, I’ve loved hearing about our avid customers’ experiences using the software to plan and enjoy road trips across North America. The feedback and enthusiasm from our users have helped make Microsoft travel planning software a leading solution for nearly twenty years.”</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="color: #0b5394;">We so appreciate the support of our dedicated users over the years. It was a tough decision to discontinue Microsoft’s favorite mapping software products. <b>The retirement of these products will not affect software already installed. Current users may continue to use Microsoft AutoRoute, Microsoft Streets & Trips and Microsoft MapPoint to plan their travel adventures</b> and will have online support until at least July 2015."</span></i><br />
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If you've never used Autoroute you'll be wondering what the fuss is about. It doesn't work on iPads/Tablets or phones or even Mac computers. If you want to use it for navigation you have to buy an external USB GPS dongle. If it was purely navigation you are after then I concede that there are better devices or software available to perform that task.<br />
<br />
However if you want to handle a lot of POI (Point of Interest) data from several sources in a single screen and have full control over those data sets there isn't really a piece of software which can deliver this in the same way. I've always said that a 'Sat Nav' is great at telling you where you are going - but not so great at telling you where you are in relation to points of interest and I don't like the way in which high volume data is formatted and displayed on these devices. In addition, how many times has your TomTom or Garmin deviated you off a main road just to 'cut off a corner'? Having a secondary map view means we have been able to avoid this. It also means that the passenger doesn't have to mentally plot their position on a paper map - their exact position is displayed on screen.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6R6aL7o02Ns/VJgE7ar_GUI/AAAAAAAAgrU/ejfvU2TOOkE/s1600/moreinfo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6R6aL7o02Ns/VJgE7ar_GUI/AAAAAAAAgrU/ejfvU2TOOkE/s1600/moreinfo.png" height="192" width="320" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qEGGn9WvwVM/VJgFzIgz1wI/AAAAAAAAgrk/fSzdzhkMzWE/s1600/pushpins.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qEGGn9WvwVM/VJgFzIgz1wI/AAAAAAAAgrk/fSzdzhkMzWE/s1600/pushpins.png" height="200" width="153" /></a></div>
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Take the way we travel for example, last year we drove to Slovenia which means a circa 900 mile drive. We drive as far as we can in a day and the distance is governed by weather, traffic and so forth and so forward planning is a bit pointless. In addition there isn't a great deal for a passenger and so it's a better use of time to plan while on the move. I'll probably turn to Sophie and say "I'd like to stop in the next 30 minutes" and instantly we can see the list of stopovers pooled from Camping Car Infos, Camper Contact and Bordatlas - plus where we have stayed before. If we have an Internet connection (<a href="http://www.motorhomewifi.com/" target="_blank">which we always do, of course!</a>) we can then click through to the relative websites and view pictures and reviews and make an informed decision on where to stay.<br />
<br />
The above would be fairly tricky (although not impossible) by any other means.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xq0pp8wZnpk/VJgFGvyA5JI/AAAAAAAAgrc/OWqq4E-rOis/s1600/spain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xq0pp8wZnpk/VJgFGvyA5JI/AAAAAAAAgrc/OWqq4E-rOis/s1600/spain.png" height="200" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spain - Lots of POI information here.</td></tr>
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The sad truth is this software has been a part of my life for almost 15 years. My father had it on his work computer and I was fascinated by zooming into places and seeing such detail and points of interest. In my earlier career as a sales rep it was invaluable to help to plan my call file and when we started to explore Europe, it became an important part of our 'on the fly' navigation strategy.<br />
<br />
The availability of mobile data is perhaps one of the reasons why Autoroute has met its demise. The need for a 2GB offline map is not as essential as it once was and hopefully from the end of 2015 when the <a href="http://www.motorhomewifi.com/blog/the-definitive-guide-to-data-roaming-in-europe/" target="_blank">EU brings an end to roaming charges</a> you should be able to use Google Maps (or Bing as Microsoft would prefer) anywhere in Europe without worrying about the cost of the data it uses.<br />
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So until then, what are the alternatives?<br />
<br />
Open Street Maps is a fantastic resource with detail and built in POI's which far exceed that of Microsoft Autoroute in its 2GB full Europe package. However in order to download the Map Tiles and route them offline you need a piece of software which is also discontinued - Garmin nRoute. We covered some information about this when we were in Morocco (which Microsoft Autoroute doesn't cover) and it worked really well. Where it falls down is the import of third party data sets.<br />
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I for one will be using Microsoft Autoroute for many years to come - we actually <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2012/02/morocco-laptop-gps-garmin-nroute.html">run Garmin nRoute with Open Maps alongside Microsoft Autoroute as nRoute is better as a 'navigation'</a> but for POI data I'm not sure I'm comfortable with any other method. I will of course try and let you know the outcome.<br />
<br />
I don't want to sit here and implore you to download a soon to be obsolete Microsoft product or that you join me in mourning its passing. But consider if upgrading is something you will consider or perhaps try the free trial below and see if you think it will help with your navigation.<br />
<br />
<b>To download a free 14 day trial you can still do so here until the end of the month:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/autoroute/free-trial.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/autoroute/free-trial.aspx</a><br />
<br />
<b>To download our POI data set containing 130,000 locations you can do so here:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2013/12/2014-autoroute-motorhome-aire-campsite.html">http://www.europebycamper.com/2013/12/2014-autoroute-motorhome-aire-campsite.html</a><br />
<br />
<b>If you think you want to buy the software while you still can, the price is £33:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/pdp/AutoRoute-2013/productID.278710300" target="_blank">http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk/en_GB/pdp/AutoRoute-2013/productID.278710300</a><br />
(if you use Quidco, you can get 15% cashback: <a href="http://www.quidco.com/microsoft-store/" target="_blank">http://www.quidco.com/microsoft-store/</a>)<br />
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Before I sign off, I have just one question for you.</div>
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Should we publish a 2015 data set for Microsoft Autoroute now the software is obsolete?</div>
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<span onclick="if((!event.target?event.srcElement:event.target).tagName!='INPUT'){var c=this.childNodes[0];c.checked=(c.type=='radio'?true:!c.checked);}" style="display: block; padding-left: 30px;"><input name="qp_v199706" style="float: left; height: 18px; margin-left: -25px; margin-top: -2px; padding: 0px; width: 18px;" type="radio" value="2" />No thank you, I won't use it.</span></div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-3987151347659946932014-04-07T23:19:00.000+01:002014-04-17T21:36:37.640+01:00Review: Bristops 2014 UK Motorhome Stopover Book<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BngFUjmmLME/U0G8hnk_u0I/AAAAAAAAf6c/pmUz1XY_phI/s1600/IMG_1649+%2528Medium%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BngFUjmmLME/U0G8hnk_u0I/AAAAAAAAf6c/pmUz1XY_phI/s1600/IMG_1649+%2528Medium%2529.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.britstops.com/" style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;" target="_blank">The Brit Stops</a><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"> book is available <br />from </span><a href="http://www.britstops.com/" style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">www.britstops.com</a><span style="font-size: small; text-align: left;"> </span></td></tr>
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In 2008 we headed off to France in our trusty Compass Suntor. Being our first foray into Europe there were many things we didn’t get right about that trip, but one of the things we did was purchasing a copy of France Passion. The scheme allows Motorhomes (or ‘Camping Cars’ en francais) to stay at vineyards and farms across France free of charge. The hope is, of course, that in exchange for a stop over guests will spend a little money with the owner and in our case we literally had to chase the owner down to sell us some wine!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VReRARhgyT0/U0MzdcSABQI/AAAAAAAAf7Y/T7UDV8ptZ44/s3200/DSCF5318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VReRARhgyT0/U0MzdcSABQI/AAAAAAAAf7Y/T7UDV8ptZ44/s3200/DSCF5318.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A France Passion <br />
(in France, surprisingly)</td></tr>
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The scheme should be no surprise to anyone who has ever been to France as the humble Camping car is deeply ingrained in the French culture. When was the last time you saw a sign with a motorhome on in the UK? Anyone attempting to get such a scheme up and running back in blighty surely had their work cut out for them. You see, something about our culture seems to dictate that motorhomes belong on campsites along with caravans and tents and forget that the majority are totally independent in terms of water, waste and electricity. Buying and running a motorhome is expensive enough already in our view, without having to shell out £25+ a night for a site likely miles away from anywhere.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The brute of a book, you'll hear that<br />
drop through your letterbox!</td></tr>
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Enter Steve and Mandy from <a href="http://www.britstops.com/" target="_blank">Brit Stops</a>. After embarking on a similar trip to France they set about getting a British motorhome stopover scheme off the ground. Unperturbed by the lack of understanding of the concept in the UK by potential hosts or motorhome owners alike, they began the arduous task of educating and compiling a list of willing hosts and formatting the information in an easy to navigate book for the benefit of their members. We've been using this book with great success, hindered only by our lack of free time due to work commitments.<br />
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Now entering its fourth year the book, still with a cover price of £25, now contains over 350 locations where you can stay for free with no obligation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OtIJwj22j0Q/U0MzHg9R6QI/AAAAAAAAf7Q/0haP4zO_kN0/s3200/britstop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OtIJwj22j0Q/U0MzHg9R6QI/AAAAAAAAf7Q/0haP4zO_kN0/s3200/britstop.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farm Shop Stopover</td></tr>
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While it was perhaps inevitable that many of the locations are pubs and restaurants, as many farm shops, British vineyards and quirky locations have been included along the way. In the spirit of France Passion the hosts agree not to make guests feel in any way obliged to spend with them, this is obviously the hope and many visitors do just that. We arrive at such a stop feeling ‘up’ on the day and so even if its a few beers in the bar of an evening, a hearty breakfast from a farm shop or some fresh local produce to stock up the vans pantry we may spend a little or a lot depending on how the mood takes us.<br />
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Services aren't always available, however some hosts are able to offer water or waste and some even electric (occasionally for a small charge) and so if that is a consideration there will likely be a host that can accommodate you. Each entry in the book clearly details what is available, their location, a description of the stopover, directions and any special information such as a tight entrance. Sometimes it is required that you call ahead and if you were travelling far perhaps that might be advisable anyway.<br />
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So, what’s stopping you from Googling for a pub yourself and phoning ahead asking if you can stay? <br />
Nothing, of course, but if like us you've tried that approach in the past you’ll no doubt find yourself having to explain your intentions to a baffled shop assistant or drive 200 miles to find the owner failed to mention the carpark slopes 45 degrees and he’s already put you down for three courses in the restaurant- we've been there. However, should you find a hidden gem, Brit Stops actively encourages you to submit locations you have found for the benefit of other members and if they make it into the book you are rewarded with a free copy next year. Win-Win!<br />
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You could say that one nights free stopover pays for the book,<br />
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however I prefer to think of it as having the freedom to be able to spend some of the money we would have used on site fees (after all, if you close your blinds you could be anywhere!) to being able to enjoy a drink, meal or even just a loaf of fresh bread without starting the day out of pocket. For many it won’t replace sites, but its an excellent way to break up a journey or enjoy a couple of impromptu days away.<br />
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With the 2014 edition published in February, now is the perfect time to purchase a copy and put it to good use over the summer.<br />
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For more information and to buy online, visit <a href="http://www.britstops.com/" target="_blank">www.britstops.com </a></div>
Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-28253637430793177632013-12-29T19:33:00.000+00:002014-09-21T15:02:29.075+01:002014 Autoroute Motorhome Aire, Campsite & LPG GPS POI's<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This POI data set contains almost <b>130,000</b> freely available points of interest from some of the best motorhome resources across the internet; all highly relevant to the European motorhome traveller.<br />
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We have been creating this information as our sole source of planning while on the road for several years. While compiling, translating and formatting this information for use on Autoroute takes Adam several hours, we are making the files available here in the interest of helping others who use Microsoft Autoroute and not for commercial or financial gain.<br />
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All POI's remain the property of their respective owners or collaborators and we encourage you to visit their websites or use their own applications for the most up to date information, since changes may have been made since this file was created.<br />
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This is of course likely to be some duplication between POI sets (I haven't de-duped between groups), but see this as further validation that a particular POI exists if it is listed on more than one directory.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Summary of Contents</span></b><br />
<br />
<b>2011 Europe By Camper Trail - 212</b><br />
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<b><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vlok8GZtBuE/UsBofEOMhZI/AAAAAAAAf2k/hIEs78XKwbg/s1600/pushpins.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vlok8GZtBuE/UsBofEOMhZI/AAAAAAAAf2k/hIEs78XKwbg/s320/pushpins.png" height="320" width="244" /></a></b></div>
Data of where we stayed during our 12 month tour of Europe in 2011. Includes type (eg Free, Wild, Site), a link back to the relevant blog post and if free WiFi was obtainable at the time.<br />
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<b>2014 Discount Camping Card - 2,739</b><br />
Discount campsites for €12, €14, €16 or €18 per night. You must be a member of the scheme and have a copy of the 2014 book (costs £12) in order to benefit from the discounted rates - but it soon pays for itself. See: <a href="http://www.campingcard.co.uk/">www.campingcard.co.uk</a><br />
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<b>2014 Camper Contact - 16,257</b><br />
Excellent resource run by the Netherlands Kampeerauto Club. All push pins link directly back to the free website for more detailed information and often photos. Consider supporting this resource by purchasing the excellent iOS or Android app for £3.99.<br />
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This data is broken down into:<br />
Service Locations (no overnight parking) - 850<br />
Overnight Locations - 15,407<br />
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<b>2014 Bordatlas Aires - 6,010</b><br />
A mainly German based aire guide with POI's freely available from their website. All pushpins link back to the website, for which a valid 2014 book needs to be purchased in order to access. The book also contains pictures for the majority of sites.<br />
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<b>2014 Archies European Campsites - 30,980</b><br />
A collaborate resource giving the best POI data for campsites in Europe. Consider supporting this resource by purchasing the iOS on Android app for £1.99.<br />
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<b>2014 myLPG.eu LPG Filling Stations - 26,678</b><br />
Not for profit resource, reproduced here with kind permission of the owner Matija Matvoz. Visit<br />
<a href="http://www.mylpg.eu/" target="_blank">www.mylpg.eu</a> for the most up to date information.<br />
<br />
<b>2014 Camping Car Infos - 18,432</b><br />
Excellent French language resource Camping Car Infos website might be a bit dated, but the information it provides is excellent. All pushpins link directly back to the website for additional information and pictures. Consider using Google Chrome as your web browser for automatic translation from French to English. Consider supporting this resource by downloading the Android app. The set comprises of:<br />
<br />
Aire De Service - 5,544<br />
Parking Areas Tolerating Motorhomes Overnight - 5,472<br />
Designated Motorhome Overnight Parking - 650<br />
Motorhome Parking - 495<br />
Aires Camping Farm - 263<br />
Campsite Aires Accepting Campers - 4,109<br />
Campsites With Services - 801<br />
Service Point Only - 629<br />
Motorway Service Points - 469<br />
<br />
<b>2014 Womo Wild Camping Spots - 12,521</b><br />
From <a href="http://www.womo-sp.org/" target="_blank">www.womo-sp.org</a> - use these as a guide rather than going too far out of your way to find a Wild Camping location, but we've found some hidden gems in the past thanks to this data.<br />
<br />
<b>2014 LIDL Europe Wide Locations - 9,858</b><br />
Lidl - the motorhomers friend! Locations all over Europe correct as of January 2014.<br />
<br />
<b>2014 McDonalds Locations - 5,761</b><br />
For the Free WiFi of course!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Total POI's 129,448</span></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VzICxPP_IM/UsBotRa9u7I/AAAAAAAAf2w/PBMqJkf_ScA/s1600/moreinfo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4VzICxPP_IM/UsBotRa9u7I/AAAAAAAAf2w/PBMqJkf_ScA/s320/moreinfo.png" height="192" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All Camping Car Infos & CamperStop.nl Pushpins link directly<br />
back to the free website for detailed information and often pictures.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Download Links</span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ytzU_Xj0qiA/UsBxgQtWKII/AAAAAAAAf3Q/uq8DATcRBdM/s1600/download.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ytzU_Xj0qiA/UsBxgQtWKII/AAAAAAAAf3Q/uq8DATcRBdM/s200/download.png" height="145" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a>Download the correct version to match your version of Autoroute to save you having to convert previous versions. I would highly recommend that you consider upgrading to 2013, as the huge differences between 2010 and 2011 were documented on this blog post <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/08/microsoft-autoroute-2011-europe-review.html" target="_blank">here (click)</a>.<br />
<br />
Click below to download the file, if you are unsure on what to press see the image to the right for steps 1 and 2.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://goo.gl/kBd57F" target="_blank">Autoroute 2013, click here and choose 'Download'</a></b><br />
<b><a href="http://goo.gl/UmK7by" target="_blank">Autoroute 2011, click here and choose 'Download'</a></b><br />
<b><a href="http://goo.gl/auX69d" target="_blank">Autoroute 2010, click here and choose 'Download'</a></b><br />
<br />
Unfortunately conversion to Autoroute 2007 or older would be a lengthy process, since the version handles POI data slightly differently, so do consider upgrading or using one of the free trials below. I regret that I cannot supply these files in any other format (eg TomTom) or assist you in installing them on your device. Please visit the website owners to obtain the raw data files for use on your other devices.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vgj6YNBLwwE/UsBpNiPuIII/AAAAAAAAf20/i17uK2fOWUk/s1600/spain.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vgj6YNBLwwE/UsBpNiPuIII/AAAAAAAAf20/i17uK2fOWUk/s320/spain.png" height="200" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of pushpins for Spain and Portugal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Notes & Tips on Usage</span></b><br />
All POI sets are 'turned off' by default. Right click on the set that interests you and select 'Show pushpin set' in order to view them. Unless you have a very fast computer, turning on all of these POI's while in the 'Full Europe' or a whole country view will most likely grind your computer to a halt. If you don't have a GPS dongle (you can buy one for £26, see below) to display your exact location, then zoom to within a couple of hundred miles of your area of interest and turn on the POI sets that are relevant to at your destination or along your route.<br />
<br />
You can always delete sets not relevant to you by right clicking then and choosing delete, or make any other changes you wish by simply selecting FILE > SAVE AS before exiting. Because it is so easy to make changes to the data set accidentally, I would recommend having a backup copy saved on your computer.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Why Microsoft Autoroute?</span></b><br />
Autoroute is one of the best offline mapping tools, despite the many excellent smart phone and tablet apps available. It is able to handle and manipulate a large amount of data from multiple data sets, as well as plot your location with an inexpensive USB GPS dongle. This is what we have, <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360254511011" target="_blank">available on eBay for £26 (click)</a>.<br />
<br />
We use it with a dashboard mounted laptop on <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/03/dashboard-mounted-laptop-gps.html" target="_blank">this blog post (click).</a><br />
<br />
Autoroute already contains millions of built in POI's including Fuel Stations, Cash Machines and Banks, Parking Lots, Supermarkets, Pharmacies and Post Offices.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Free Trial of Microsoft Autoroute / Purchasing</span></b><br />
You can download a 14 day Free Trial of <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/autoroute/free-trial.aspx" target="_blank">Microsoft Autoroute 2013 by clicking here.</a><br />
You can download a 60 day Free Trial of <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/streets/en-us/Products_AutoRoute.aspx" target="_blank">Microsoft Autoroute 2010 by clicking here.</a><br />
Or you can buy it for £33 here (DVD or Download) <a href="http://www.microsoftstore.com/autoroutegb" target="_blank">by clicking here.</a></div>
Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-58202450712025112952013-12-19T20:27:00.000+00:002013-12-21T13:18:04.290+00:00200w Solar Panel Install<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CkGXUzJU2ZI/UrHUjCHrSmI/AAAAAAAAfw4/D2okuSEQE_w/s1600/IMG_0033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CkGXUzJU2ZI/UrHUjCHrSmI/AAAAAAAAfw4/D2okuSEQE_w/s400/IMG_0033.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fitted Solar Panels</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After having installed 2x 100w solar panels on the roof of our van, I don't know why I didn't do it sooner. It wasn't nearly as complicated as I envisaged and the install came in at just under £280. It could have been up to £50 cheaper had we chosen a cheaper solar regulator; but Adam wanted one with a remote display.<br />
<br />
The truth is our 2x 125AH batteries actually seem to outlast our requirements. We don't watch TV very often, all of our lights are LED and we have two laptops with an 8 hour battery life (Asus UL30A) both with 12v chargers. I can only recall one occasion where we've run out of power - and that was after three days of running the blown air heating while attending the Harrogate motorhome show in a foot of snow.<br />
<br />
So why have we gone down the solar route at all? Partly for the challenge and partly because the flexibility that it could offer us in the future; should we return to longer term touring. Our dependency on the internet if anything has increased over the last couple of years and so having the ability to run our laptops and charge our devices for extended periods without electric hookup could be advantageous.<br />
<br />
In addition we spent 10 days on site in Lake Bled in glorious sunshine and could have saved 40 euro on hookup had we not required it to charge our devices. With the amount of sun that was present, it would likely have been possible to run the fridge via the inverter with the excess power that could have been generated.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nlgcizw42as/UrHUrJ_8pFI/AAAAAAAAfxU/bAxPzrlvAHY/s1600/IMG_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nlgcizw42as/UrHUrJ_8pFI/AAAAAAAAfxU/bAxPzrlvAHY/s200/IMG_0037.JPG" width="200" /></a>Lets start with the panels. If you're going to be installing solar, it's no harder to install a 100w panel then it is a 20w panel and so it makes sense to install the most that you can either afford or have available roof space for. In our case I measured that we could fit 2x 100w panels down the right hand side of our van and still have enough roof space to get onto the roof without having to step over the panels.<br />
<br />
Two possible downsides to this was it is possible to see the panels from ground, but no big issue as the aluminium brackets matched the panels themselves and look fairly neat and tidy. The other is that the small roof light over the bed could cast a small shadow on the panel at certain angles - but I think the effect of this will be minimal.<br />
<br />
<b>Parts Required - all bought from eBay</b><br />
2x 100w Solar Panels - £140<br />
Morning Star RM25 Regulator with Remote Display - £70<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c0vHooozvBU/UrWU8oTCrwI/AAAAAAAAf2A/fJEmHGzZFVI/s1600/regulator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c0vHooozvBU/UrWU8oTCrwI/AAAAAAAAf2A/fJEmHGzZFVI/s320/regulator.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
8x 50x50x3mm Aluminium Angle £15<br />
16x M5 Threaded Inserts £3.50 (pack of 20)<br />
16x M5 Stainless 15mm Bolts - £1.70 (pack of 20)<br />
1x Tube Sikaflex 512 - £10<br />
1x IP66 Weatherproof Junction Box - £5<br />
2x 20mm Glands - £2 (pack of 6)<br />
2x 5m Pre-Crimped MC4 PV Solar Cables - £20<br />
2x 2-1 MC4 Connectors - £5<br />
<br />
1x Inline Blade Fuse Holder ~ £1<br />
2x Spade Connectors ~ 50p<br />
2x Copper Nut Battery ~ £2<br />
2x 1m of 8AWG Cable ~ £4<br />
<br />
<b>Tools:</b><br />
Cable Cutter / Crimp Tool<br />
Threaded Insert Tool<br />
7mm Drill Bit<br />
5mm Drill Bit<br />
Hex driver<br />
30mm Hole Cutter<br />
<br />
Our solar panels were purchased from German eBay, where prices seem cheaper and sellers more reliable. 2x panels were £142 including DHL shipping to the UK. Most solar panels seem to be monocrystalline now and so that's what we opted for.<br />
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The second major part of a solar install is a regulator. These can be bought for as little as £20, but I really wanted one with a display so I could measure the benefit and detect any issues. Originally opting for one with a display on the regulator itself, I soon realised that for a tidy, wire free install I would need a remote display and choices are somewhat limited. Morning Star have a superb range of regulators, I opted for the Sunstar RM-25 bought from Beco on eBay for £70 delivered.<br />
<br />
The regulator has the ability to charge two battery banks, meaning I can charge the cab battery in addition to the habitation one should it be required. This can be undertaken either 50:50 or 90:10 in favour of the leisure battery, which is what I've selected. The only downside is that it is 'only' 25A which means I can only put another 50w of solar on the roof before I need to change regulators for the higher amperage Tri-Star regulator - but I'll see how we get on.<br />
<br />
For me by far the most stressful decision was the brackets. The location of the panels dictated that the brackets would be positioned with the feet tucked under the panels which meant for a custom bracket install. I also wanted the ability to remove the panels from the roof if required - which meant I couldn't permanently attach the brackets to the panels.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Dd2DSPulB4/UrQ8UgCM7KI/AAAAAAAAf1I/bUTYivHS1Fg/s1600/photo+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1Dd2DSPulB4/UrQ8UgCM7KI/AAAAAAAAf1I/bUTYivHS1Fg/s320/photo+(3).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mastic still to tidy up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The solution was found in installing threaded inserts into the aluminium frame of the panel, using a threaded insert rivet gun and attaching to the bracket with a stainless steel M5 allen key bolt.<br />
<br />
The brackets themselves are made 8x 150mm lengths of 50x50x3mm aluminium angle, purchased for £15 for 8 pieces from <a href="http://www.forwardmetals.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.forwardmetals.co.uk</a> - a company geared up towards small orders such as this. They arrived next day with no sharp edges; highly recommended. I would advise for the price, you should purchase a spare bracket just in case.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3XY1l0yUyGI/UrHXAHhkEsI/AAAAAAAAfxg/mwOixvK6jo4/s1600/IMG_1271+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3XY1l0yUyGI/UrHXAHhkEsI/AAAAAAAAfxg/mwOixvK6jo4/s320/IMG_1271+%2528Large%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
The bracket allows for a 2cm gap beneath the panel, which is perhaps slightly less than optimum. I drilled the aluminium brackets first and used it as a template to mark the holes for the threaded rivets. Drilling the aluminium brackets free hand was tricky, if you had a bench drill it would be much easier, but this method means that any misalignment can be compensated for in the positioning of the rivets.<br />
<br />
Once attached, the roof was marked where the brackets would be located and the panel removed again and area prepared. Given the amount of dirt on my roof I used a bit of fine grit sandpaper before applying Sikaflex 512. I actually used almost a whole tube for two panels as each panel had a nice bed of Sikaflex.<br />
<br />
Once in place, I located a gap between two panels inside the van in which to drill the 30mm access hole. Drilling from inside the van first, I marked the central point and drilled up out of the roof, then from the roof back down into the van. This was surprisingly simple, although care has to be given to miss any embedded cables. Once drilled, you can breath a sigh of relief.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T3-d8og03fE/UrHUVJ-ZNYI/AAAAAAAAfw0/d26hOBMxNaY/s1600/IMG_0007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T3-d8og03fE/UrHUVJ-ZNYI/AAAAAAAAfw0/d26hOBMxNaY/s200/IMG_0007.jpg" width="150" /></a>I got a deal on a 2x 5m length of pre-crimped MC4 PV cables. MC4 is the type of connector common to solar installs and PV cable is a semi rigid cable which doesn't deteriorate in extreme weather. Its not necessary to run this all the way to your regulator, some installers favor terminating this just inside the van or not using it at all, but given the connectors and crimp tool, junction box etc were a good deal more than this pre-crimped cable; that is what I went with. If using the PV cable, be sure to mark the positive cable internally before you cut the end off! You can actually get two installs from this - I will be using the shorter length for my fathers Autotrail most likely.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7BHmU2TujM/UrHUU6Dq9gI/AAAAAAAAfww/JxrRj18BsXc/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7BHmU2TujM/UrHUU6Dq9gI/AAAAAAAAfww/JxrRj18BsXc/s320/IMG_0006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fitting of the panels & brackets</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I also wanted a junction box on the roof that gave me flexibility to install other roof mounted hardware in the future, so opted for an IP66 unit with 4 screws on the top to access the internals. It has 10 20mm gland holes, so plenty of opportunity to install other equipment. I needed to remove a couple of lugs on the base so that it could be seated flush with the roof - and drilled a 30mm hole on the base to match the one through the roof.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AnXeibrFKnM/UrHUlTGT0FI/AAAAAAAAfxM/WkkOgHm_eM0/s1600/IMG_0036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AnXeibrFKnM/UrHUlTGT0FI/AAAAAAAAfxM/WkkOgHm_eM0/s320/IMG_0036.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cupboard nearly tidy and iBoost in place</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I ran a fair amount of cables at the same time as the solar cables. I ran cab power and RF cables up to the roof for a roof mounted FM radio antenna to overcome the poor cab radio reception (see other post), as well as RF cable for a roof mounted 3G antenna. In addition I ran 12v habitation power up to the same locker, RJ11 cable for the remote solar display (supplied with it) and a separate fused 12v for a 2x cigarette, 2x USB charger unit installed in the same location to run my <a href="http://www.motorhomewifi.com/catalog/iboost-wifi-system/" target="_blank">Motorhome WiFi iBoost</a>, <a href="http://www.motorhomewifi.com/catalog/3g/" target="_blank">Huawei MiFi</a> device and charge our phones.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejvdiyMlxNw/UrRCOOtdc6I/AAAAAAAAf1s/CxjyZ8gx2e4/s1600/IMG_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ejvdiyMlxNw/UrRCOOtdc6I/AAAAAAAAf1s/CxjyZ8gx2e4/s320/IMG_0009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FM Radio Antenna and some cable trunking</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The regulator was installed next to the battery and the positive 12v connection was fused with a 30A spade fuse. This is the last thing to be connected once you have checked all of your wiring.<br />
<br />
It’s too early to tell what the gains are, but I know that in three weeks of pretty gloomy December I've generated 60Ah, so here’s hoping that summer allows me to generate much more.<br />
<br />
At the same time I installed an FM radio antenna - some more information <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2013/12/roof-mounted-fm-radio-antenna.html">on this blog post (here).</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b><br />
<b>Tips for Next Time</b><br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>A bench drill (or a template) will make drilling the aluminium angle much easier.</li>
<li>Purchase a 'spare' piece of aluminium angle just in case (it's cheap enough).</li>
<li>I purchased a cheap threaded rivet tool for £10, which was about knackered by the time I had finished with just 8 inserts. It was replaced but might be worth looking for a mid range one.</li>
<li>Don't try and fit them under a pine tree shedding needles!</li>
<li>Take more photos during the install, or have someone take them for you!</li>
</ul>
</div>
Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-61101867185113213582013-12-19T20:22:00.001+00:002013-12-19T20:22:15.891+00:00Roof Mounted FM Radio Antenna<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of the things we have always struggled with is cab radio reception. It was something I thought was fairly unique to our Fiat Ducato based motorhomes, but is something our Renault Master suffered from also - with its wing mounted FM antenna. I've tried various windscreen antennas in the past with varying degrees of success but ultimately, nothing beats a proper roof mounted antenna - which is what the base vehicle would have most likely had been a commercial van.<br />
<br />
While running cables for our solar install I decided that I was going to have a go at installing an inexpensive active FM antenna on the roof. This bypassed the need to drill the bodywork and got the antenna to the highest point.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vqkaNRHeFvc/UrNVIpvp71I/AAAAAAAAf04/6rBpj4N3FUU/s1600/IMG_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vqkaNRHeFvc/UrNVIpvp71I/AAAAAAAAf04/6rBpj4N3FUU/s320/IMG_0009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Parts Required - all purchased on eBay</b><br />
1x IP65 box - £4<br />
1x Car Audio Active (powered) FM Antenna - £10<br />
1x 5m RF Extension Cable - £3<br />
1x 5m length of 16AWG cable - £2<br />
1x 50cm length of twin core cable ~ 50p<br />
1x In-Line fuse connector and 5A fuse ~ £1<br />
2x Spade Connectors ~ 20p<br />
2x 20mm Twin Cable Glands ~ £1<br />
<br />
~ Sikafix 512 left over from Solar Install<br />
<br />
Total Cost £21.70<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
The antenna is an active antenna, which means it requires power. It would usually only require a positive feed as it is grounded by the chassis on a car - but in this situation you will need to run an earth feed also. The cables were run to the back of the radio and the positive feed taken from the ignition feed (red) from the back of the radio. This means you wouldn't benefit from the enhanced signal when the ignition wasn't on, but usually for us reception is fine when stationary.<br />
<br />
The IP65 box isn't the most aerodynamic - but I needed one with a flat top for the antenna and wanted one with a screw down top that was removable. In reality I can't see that it matters a great deal as the Sikaflex is incredibly strong.<br />
<br />
Once installed the results were better than expected. I was a bit skeptical about the benefit of the powered element, but removing and replacing the 5A fuse made a noticeable difference in the sound quality.<br />
<br />
Looking forward to testing it out on the road and seeing how it performs longer term.</div>
Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-79055049107814703762013-08-15T21:40:00.000+01:002013-12-18T15:43:23.909+00:00Friends New & Old and Leaving Behind Lake Bled<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Europe By Camper accompanied by Emily & Steve from Bert The Merc!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">We've probably surprised everyone, not least ourselves, by still being at Lake Bled 9 days after we arrived. The truth is the weather is just so beautiful we can't bring ourselves to up sticks and leave until today, when we need to head back to Hook of Holland for the ferry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">We've had a good pitch and while we'd have loved to visit the Triglav National Park again, it's simply too hot to do any serious hiking - which we'd like to do. We've driven 1,200 miles to this point, so we're going to make the most of it before we return to the height of the Motorhome Show season and the NEC in October. At the shows we attend we chat to lots of people who followed or read about our year long trip and there is a great community feel. Still, we're never quite sure how to react when people walk over to introduce themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">"Hey, we're here because we followed your blog!" came a voice and across strode a tall guy a similar age to Sophie and I with an outreached palm. Steve and girlfriend Emily have been traveling Europe for two months with two months left to go before they hit Australia. They had seen some of our pics we've been posting on Instagram and thought that we were heading in this general direction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; text-align: -webkit-auto;">It's been great to have some unexpected company out here and even more so when you're all of a similar mindset. They had picked up a great Mercedes Sprinter panel van christened 'Bert the Merc' and loaded it with all the outdoor gear we've been promising ourselves we'll one day get into. You can check out their blog by clicking here: <a href="http://bertthemerc.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bert The Merc.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Safe to say that the BBQ got some hammer over the forthcoming days, when Steve and Emily were introduced to our staple of Indian themed BBQ food; home made Seekh Kebab and Tandoori Chicken are almost always present on our grill!</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PA75YLqdSgw/Ug05hHD3G7I/AAAAAAAAfi0/UeZrsvDYS-0/s1600/2013-08-03+20.36.34+HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PA75YLqdSgw/Ug05hHD3G7I/AAAAAAAAfi0/UeZrsvDYS-0/s200/2013-08-03+20.36.34+HDR.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">It's not just new friends we've made here at Bled, Steve, Mandy and Melissa from <a href="http://www.britstops.com/" target="_blank">Brit Stops</a> called in for one night on their way back from Hungary. They're on a whistle stop tour of Europe in their new Frankia. The campsite was so full that they had someone turning people away from the roadside, but fortunately a van had left next to us in the unmarked area and so we were able to get them through the roadblock.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">So, an apology to those who had expected an epic adventure or a repeat of our 10 countries in 21 days tour in 2009. We've failed to blog about an adventure, but instead brought you along on our two week holiday to one of our favourite places in Europe. We've had 9 days of wall to wall sunshine and tomorrow is set to rain, so we must have done something right to deserve this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">With two more Vignettes purchased for the return journey, we'll be lucky to see out of the windscreen on the way back! I've lost track of the amount of time we've spent in a <a href="http://www.awcycles.co.uk/" target="_blank">road and racing cycle shop</a> while we've been away and so perhaps we'll just buy a cheap or second hand road bike and see how we get on with them to begin with.</span></div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-55365074644694160022013-08-10T10:11:00.001+01:002013-12-18T15:43:34.506+00:00Camping Lake Bled - Slovenia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panoramic View of Lake Bled, Slovenia</td></tr>
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We've been meaning to come back to Lake Bled since we left, <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2009/09/lake-bled.html" target="_blank">almost 4 years ago</a>. Having visited <a href="http://www.sava-hotels-resorts.com/en/experiences/camping" target="_blank">Camping Bled</a> out of season in 2009 we found it almost deserted. Fast forward to the last week in July 2013 and the shoreline is a hive of activity, but somehow still manages to hold the same appeal.<br />
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Prior to arriving at the site we'd e-mailed ahead, the reply to our e-mail told us that they were in fact fully booked until September but to try our luck at around 2pm in their unmarked pitch area. When we rolled up there were already 4 vans queued up in front of us and so it was with trepidation that Adam walked into the reception area.<br />
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"Do you have any room for a motorhome?", "Sorry, no we're full" came the reply. Not as an attempt to challenge him but in passing I told him not to worry and that we had e-mailed yesterday and were told to arrive about 2pm. Then, he looked at something scribbled on his pad and picked up a site map. "You can try here, if you like" he said, circling a large green area outside the toilet block "But there is no electric". Somehow, to our amazement, we were directed to the front of the queue and into the campsite.<br />
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As it transpires, we'd scored ourselves one of the best 'non-pitches' on the site and our 50m hookup cable came in handy once again to plug us up to the grid. I don't know why, but we were very grateful. Looking at how much the prices have increased during the 2012-2013 season its obvious that Bled is becoming increasingly popular. A pitch with electric runs at €30.50 at peak season with a 10% discount for staying 7 nights or more and a further 5% for a Camping Carnet, I'm not sure if we'll stay that long.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o3DBFuw4QaM/UgX8nPz6FqI/AAAAAAAAfgE/uDg1N_3JQyI/s1600/Bled+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o3DBFuw4QaM/UgX8nPz6FqI/AAAAAAAAfgE/uDg1N_3JQyI/s200/Bled+1.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49XuiaYrhqQ/UgX8v4wNkrI/AAAAAAAAfg0/4hqTGF6yjkE/s1600/Bled+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-49XuiaYrhqQ/UgX8v4wNkrI/AAAAAAAAfg0/4hqTGF6yjkE/s200/Bled+5.jpg" width="200" /></a>Despite being 'full' the campsite does a good job of absorbing its residents and as always European children are impeccably well behaved. The campsite entrance is quite literally on the shore of Lake Bled which extends back a long way and is surrounded by trees and rocky outcrops. There is a well stocked shop, restaurant and ice cream bar along with a bar on the lake.<br />
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It's hot here. Really hot. Upon chatting to a number of campers we've found that people are here having come back from Croatia where it is "too hot". That was our ultimate destination and now we're having second thoughts. Time to enjoy what Bled has to offer around its 6km shoreline.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q-cCPbIkl08/UgX8zkzpY1I/AAAAAAAAfhE/9jkY79Dfaz8/s1600/IMG_1027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q-cCPbIkl08/UgX8zkzpY1I/AAAAAAAAfhE/9jkY79Dfaz8/s200/IMG_1027.JPG" width="200" /></a>The town itself is focused around the hotels that hold the summer and winter tourists, a visit would not be complete without some 'Kremna rezina' or quite simply 'Bled Cake'! There is something about Bled Island and its 99 steps that sets this place apart from elsewhere in Europe. Boats can be hired for 10 euro (euro sign) per hour which if you don't mind rowing yourself you can spend 4 hours out on the lake for the price of someone doing it for you.<br />
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Bled Castle (Blejski grad) offers panoramic views of Bled and you don't have to pay its €8 entrance fee to see them. There is a lesser known snicket around the back from which you can afford virtually the same views, without the price tag, see below.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aljMmeqUOQ0/UgX8yVOOO0I/AAAAAAAAfg8/R0nM8P9XB_k/s1600/Bled+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aljMmeqUOQ0/UgX8yVOOO0I/AAAAAAAAfg8/R0nM8P9XB_k/s200/Bled+8.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
There is however a better viewing point. Osojnica is an easy 650m climb from outside the campsite, from which you have spectacular views over the lake - seating provided! We loved this little known viewing area, the panoramic views are just amazing. If you dare to climb the rocks you can even get your own campsite panorama - can you spot our van?<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">We're starting to settle in here. Its been 35 degrees in the shade for three days on the trot. </span><br />
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-30537337240598302782013-08-06T21:36:00.000+01:002013-08-06T21:36:38.737+01:00Grossglockner Pass Austria in a Motorhome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sDlyAb5PI9U/UgFZNj_-3hI/AAAAAAAAfeg/YzweF5jhEKk/s1600/IMG_0222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sDlyAb5PI9U/UgFZNj_-3hI/AAAAAAAAfeg/YzweF5jhEKk/s1600/IMG_0222.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a>Having already conquered the Transfăgărășan pass in Romania and Trollstigen in Norway, we couldn't wait to get our tyres into Grossglockner. After buying some fresh bread in the campsite shop, we left our pitch at sportcamp Woferlgut. It worked out at £32 per night, which wasn't too bad considering we had unmetered electric on our pitch. Filled with Austrian Diesel at £1.12 we hit the road at 9am heading south along the pass. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-udjeSSZ0-4g/UgFZ6xRBtFI/AAAAAAAAffA/72UDJln1CmA/s1600/IMG_0340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-udjeSSZ0-4g/UgFZ6xRBtFI/AAAAAAAAffA/72UDJln1CmA/s1600/IMG_0340.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a>The cost of the pass in a motorhome under 3.5T (or car) is €33, which seems reasonable when you consider the cost of some of the tunnels in Austria. Despite having a wild camping pushpin right on the pass, motorhomes are not allowed to overnight on the tolled section officially. It did appear that some had overnighted in the carpark before the toll booths, which doesn't appear to be subject to the same restrictions.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q83NNB3fYh8/UgFZ4XrxnII/AAAAAAAAfes/8RpZy_1oPSQ/s1600/IMG_0334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q83NNB3fYh8/UgFZ4XrxnII/AAAAAAAAfes/8RpZy_1oPSQ/s1600/IMG_0334.jpg" height="200" width="185" /></a>Passing through the toll, we began our ascent. We chose to set off early as the cloud coverage was set to increase by lunchtime and we wanted to see as much as possible. Checking the live webcams before we left ensured that we wouldn't be driving into a wall of cloud.<br />
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The new van handled it incredibly well and thanks to the new rear discs and pads fitted before we left the handbrake held up so that we were able to get out and take pictures! The temperature at the 'top' was a brisk 3 degrees c, with snow still visable at the side of the road.<br />
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The pass certainly focused on tourists, with lots of parking areas suitable for large vehicles and busses along the way, with some routes marked for motorcycles only that you wouldn't want to attempt in a car nevermind a motorhome!<br />
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We approached the pass from the north and headed out of it South, where the landscape gets even more impressive, this post is certainly lending itself more towards photos than it does words!<br />
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After purchasing another Vignette for €15 and paying €6 for the Karawanks tunnel, we crossed over into Slovenia. Lets just see how long we stay in one of our favourite countries in Europe... </div>
Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-40226069216330275692013-08-06T11:03:00.000+01:002013-08-06T18:43:20.045+01:00500 Miles through Germany and Sportcamp Austria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sportcamp Woferlgut, Austria</td></tr>
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No sooner had we departed the ferry and fueled up, we hit the road, determined to get a days driving under our belt. We love Germany for its motorways and before we knew it we had notched up 400 miles along the E41. Somehow driving in Germany is just easier, you seem to get places much quicker and the driving itself is largely effortless as Germans and Europeans alike exercise excellent lane discipline, with few exceptions. The van was running well and the new tyres have really improved the noise (or lack of it) in the cab.<br />
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It wasn't until about 3pm did we open the window and realise that the temperatures had risen to over 30 degrees. Having driven through a couple of rain showers, this was a welcome realisation and we began thinking about where to stay the night.<br />
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While on the road we use our <a href="http://www.motorhomewifi.com/product/europasim-unlocked-m5350-mifi/" target="_blank">EuropaSIM and MiFi</a> device to give us an internet connection while driving. This means we can cross reference our POI file for Microsoft Autoroute with Camping Car Infos which provide photos and prices. The first aire we tried had been turned into a festival, which looked pretty interesting; we just weren't in the party mood. Second time lucky, we stumbled upon <a href="http://gasthof-lindenwirt.de/wohnmobil/" target="_blank">Gastof Hotel</a> in Denkendorf. They have parking for upto 8 motorhomes at the rear for €4 a night including electric, beer €3 for 500ml and what looked like a pretty good food menu. The garden was beautiful and while the town was small we could have stayed for a couple of days.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FY9Ne4eiNBQ/UgDE4tmuhcI/AAAAAAAAfdE/AKrjIBCYAAM/s1600/IMG_0120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FY9Ne4eiNBQ/UgDE4tmuhcI/AAAAAAAAfdE/AKrjIBCYAAM/s200/IMG_0120.jpg" width="200" /></a>In the morning, we hit the road again. Destination - Austria. A slight de-tour in Munich to a Real supermarket in order to stock up with Erdinger Weissbier @ 50p/bottle. The roads were incredibly busy being a Saturday and we were glad we picked up our Austrian Vignette (€8.30 for 10 days) early doors because the queues for the fuel stations were halfway down the sliproads.<br />
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We decided to try and avoid the traffic and take a less than direct route into Austria along the B178, somewhere we had driven down previously in our 2008 tour. You start to realise just how small a place Europe is when you start visiting places twice!<br />
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Our destination was originally Zel Am See, a large lake in the Salzburg region of Austria. However, the campsite here was full and the area around the lake was chocablock with tourists. Instead, we decided to spend a few days at <a href="http://www.sportcamp.at/en" target="_blank">Sport Camp Woferlgut</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EKErQXEn0ws/UgDEu-JYz0I/AAAAAAAAfcc/AnHS9RBXwXk/s1600/2013-07-28+18.06.09+HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EKErQXEn0ws/UgDEu-JYz0I/AAAAAAAAfcc/AnHS9RBXwXk/s200/2013-07-28+18.06.09+HDR.jpg" width="150" /></a>The initial reaction at reception was that we weren't going to like it. It looked rammed, with loads of screaming kids and rent-a-tents. However, once escorted to our pitch it seemed we were in fact at the other side of the campsite in a sort of overflow area which suited us fine!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_eBDnsnc0Cc/UgDEtyFgczI/AAAAAAAAfcU/KsRdZl6zTo4/s1600/2013-07-28+19.58.16+HDR-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_eBDnsnc0Cc/UgDEtyFgczI/AAAAAAAAfcU/KsRdZl6zTo4/s200/2013-07-28+19.58.16+HDR-1.jpg" width="200" /></a>We've never really been campsite people, but our new van, time of year and our location lends itself more to this method of travel. It means you can setup camp, something we've never really done before. We have an awning side which came from the previous owner of our Adria Twin (<a href="http://www.fabricworks.co.uk/">www.fabricworks.co.uk</a>) which works great as a sunblocker with a window that can be rolled down which provided much needed shade in the 40 degree heat.<br />
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With WiFi at an eye watering €7 per day, we enjoyed a great 3G connection with our EuropaSIM and MiFi device which enabled us to spend Monday processing orders and responding to e-mails while we were out of the office. This is our first attempt at running our business from the road and even though we're only offering one delivery slot per week our customers have been great.<br />
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Before we left on this trip we were<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"> </span><a href="http://www.eurekacyclesports.co.uk/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">looking at road bikes</a> but just couldn't decide which one to buy. As it turns out the weather is going to be so hot its probably for the best that we didn't!<br />
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With temperatures rising, we're starting to wonder if Croatia is such a good idea. This is supposed to be a relaxing holiday after all, not an attempt to roast ourselves! Perhaps we can find some cool air at 2,504m above sea level - if you can guess where we're going tomorrow!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Private Lake on Woferlgut Campsite</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stormy Skies at Sunset </td></tr>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-22652182157423225832013-07-30T07:37:00.000+01:002013-12-18T15:33:09.633+00:00Harwich to Hook of Holland on Stena Line<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting to get through passport control</td></tr>
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Our method of getting into Europe barely features on this blog, but on this trip we've traveled into Europe via an alternate ferry crossing which is new to us - Harwich to Hook of Holland. We often wish we lived further South, since the 280 mile drive to Calais seems to drag on for eternity. Our usual routine would be to drive down after work for a late evening crossing and then sleep overnight at the ticket office in Calais on the docks or on occasion, the Calais aire. We're not a big fan of this method, nor of the drive out of industrial Calais, but its a means to an end - a gateway to mainland Europe.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VVfGIHC1bNM/UfdaF0F0VsI/AAAAAAAAfaE/O5jnyoUUve0/s1600/harwichport.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VVfGIHC1bNM/UfdaF0F0VsI/AAAAAAAAfaE/O5jnyoUUve0/s200/harwichport.jpg" width="200" /></a>The drive to Harwich was over an hour and 60 miles less than our usual trip to Dover, we decided to ignore advice to take the M11; we instead took the A14 which was a wonderfully scenic route and dual carriageway all the way. Arriving at the port in good time no sooner had we seen Hollandica arrive we were waved through passport control at roughly 7:30. I say waved through, a couple in their 20's in a motorhome can't look right and so it was no suprise when we were pulled in for the obligatory search. This is so routine for us now we must pass the attitude test because the customs officer only looked in the wardrobe and we were waved on our way.<br />
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Harwich port is much smaller than Dover, with a passenger train line running straight through the middle of it. It's a little strange having your ascent onto the ferry halted by a train but I suspect this is the norm for those who travel this route often. Hollandica was launched in 2010 along with her sister ship Britannica and is one of the worlds largest super ferries, carrying upto 230 cars, 300 freight vehicles and 1200 passengers. It has 1,376 beds on board in 538 cabins and is comparable in size to P&O's Spirit of Britain / France but I have to say far more luxurious.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMNphCwPM94/UfdZ_b2CpHI/AAAAAAAAfYA/1pm9TF6y2nM/s1600/IMG_0040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMNphCwPM94/UfdZ_b2CpHI/AAAAAAAAfYA/1pm9TF6y2nM/s200/IMG_0040.jpg" width="200" /></a>Climbing the stairs to deck 10 where our room was located, there wasn't any of the usual stampede, lots of helpful crew were present assisting people to find their destinations. Our room, number 111, was a Comfort Class Cabin air-conditioned room with a window. This is an upgrade over the standard £39.00 cabin coming in at £90.00 each way. The room consists of a double and single bed, large walk in shower room and the pièce de résistance... a free (ok, included in the price) Mini Bar! Two Heineken, two small Blossom Hill red and two of white, plus orange and water. I'm pleased to say the wine didn't exit the room in our hand luggage, but the beer did exit the room in me! There was also a TV which linked to cameras on the ship so you could see outside as well as a channel dedicated to the pet quarters so you could keep an eye on your pampered pooch.<br />
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By the time we had boarded, checked in and visited our room it was nearly 10pm so we made a bee-line for the restaurant where we had reservations in The Metropolitan Restaurant which can be booked online at the time of your crossing. There is plenty on offer in terms of eating, including the Taste buffet restaurant, Barista Bar and Riva Bar. The atmosphere throughout seemed very relaxed and orderly.<br />
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There were a number of menu's to choose from and we could mix and <br />
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match between them. Some dishes were at a premium (charged in Euros) to the pre-booked price of £29.00 per persion which also includes breakfast. We opted for Salmon and Crab with rye bread and Antipasti followed by an amazing Rib Eye steak each. For pudding I went for Creme Brule, Sophie was getting a little full by this point so opted for the simple Strawberry's and Ice Cream. The meal and the service was excellent and all of this was taking place while the ship was still docked in Harwich, so even if the sea had been rough (it wasn't, it was like a mill pond) this wouldn't have spoilt the enjoyment. We opted for a bottle of wine and as we didn't manage to finish it we were encouraged to take it back to our room.<br />
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What surprised us most about the ship was the amount of outside space available to use, which includes an enclosed basketball pitch and a Sundeck Bar area. There was also a dedicated quiet zone at the other end of the ship which seemed very chilled out, great if you just want to relax for the evening. If you are looking for entertainment however, there is a cinema on board with all the latest movies on offer.<br />
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Before we realised it, it was midnight - which means it was in fact 1am local time! With a wake up call due at 6:30am that didn't leave much time for any shut eye and so we got our heads down in a comfortable bed soon after that.<br />
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I challenge anyone to sleep through the wake up call tannoy at 6:30am, but it certainly did its job in stiring (and perhaps shaking us) awake and into the buffet breakfast queue. There was plenty of food on offer including full cooked English or Continental breakfast, fresh coffee and juices and what appeared to be unlimited refills. Perhaps the highlight of the trip for us was sitting bow of the boat, eating our breakfast as we arrived at the Hook of Holland.<br />
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Departure is at 7:45 local time and after grabbing our luggage from the room and resisting temptation to raid the mini bar we were off the ramp and through passport control.<br />
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Departing into a leafy suburb, it couldn't be more detached from Calais. We worked out that this route shaved off 125 miles off our journey and probably 2.5-3 hours given that we avoided the M25 at rush hour. Topping up with Diesel at 1.39 (about 1.29 a litre) and getting our Euros from a cash point we hit the motorway and headed for our first stop, Munich.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise from our cabin</td></tr>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-18427361509428996352013-07-23T11:03:00.000+01:002013-07-24T15:00:06.201+01:00Our two week mini tour, we're so not ready! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For two weeks only, EuropeByCamper will be back on the road. Destination still to be confirmed, but our method of getting to Europe on this trip won’t be the conventional one for motorhomers.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dover? Tunnel? Nope. We’re going Harwich to the Hook of Holland!<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the perks of having a travel blog is that on occasions you get approached by third parties who offer their products or services in exchange for a (hopefully favourable) write up. We were approached by Stenna Line earlier in the year who asked us if we’d like to travel on the Harwich to Hook of Holland crossing. This is something we hadn't considered previously, but given our northern location it has clear benefits. Usually, by the time we’ve driven almost 300 miles to Dover, the thought of then driving through France for a further 1-200 miles doesn't really appeal and so we end up sleeping near the terminal in Calais. </div>
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What we think we’ll like about <a href="http://www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry/routes/harwich-holland/" target="_blank">Stenna Line</a> is that we rock up in Harwich at 9pm, hopefully board fairly quickly and then make our way straight to the restaurant. Relax on-board for a few hours, before retiring to our cabin where I am told there is a good chance of there being a Mini Bar, which may or may not add bias to our review! Departing fresh into The Netherlands means we should be ready to tackle 4-500 miles of Germanys finest Autobahns and hopefully arrive at our destination in early evening. It’s all sounding good so far. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8xfFtM0wuaw/Ue2bGB9rF8I/AAAAAAAAfXY/ED3qMM0kpJk/s1600/cab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8xfFtM0wuaw/Ue2bGB9rF8I/AAAAAAAAfXY/ED3qMM0kpJk/s200/cab.jpg" width="200" /></a>We’ll be taking with us lots of new things to try, one of those is a collapsible table Argos have sent us to review from their new camping section and also our Cadac Safari Chef. Phil at <a href="http://www.rhinoinstalls.co.uk/" target="_blank">Rhino Installs</a> was too busy to fit us a Gas BBQ point before we left (although, I did only ask him on Saturday!) and so we’ll be using little gas bottles until we get back. Somehow we've managed to find time to fit our laptop based dashboard dock into the new van and we'll be using a combination of Autoroute 2013 and Garmin nRoute using OpenMaps offline downloads to navigate, plus a GPS tracker for those who worry too much back home. I must do a video about this soon!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We'll also be posting lots of updates via Instagram, which coupled with its new 15 second video recording could make for some interesting sneek previews between blog posts but you can also catch up with us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EuropeByCamper" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.<br />
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The remainder of equipment on test will be some of our own products from <a href="http://www.motorhomewifi.com/" target="_blank">Motorhome WiFi</a> which are in their final testing stages and will be ready to launch upon our return. If we can’t stay connected, nobody can!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Going on holiday when you run your own non-digital business is certainly daunting. We’ve set two dispatch dates on our website and promised ourselves we won’t be glued to our e-mails, but instead ‘check-in’ to them every day or so. Only time will tell how customers react to this but hopefully they’ll understand that we all need a break sometimes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We get back and then head straight off to the <a href="http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Shows/The-Western-Motorhome-Show/_sh6" target="_blank">Malvern Motorhome Show</a> which is promising to be a good one if last year is anything to go by. If you've not been to such an event before, I’d recommend going as this one is by far the most fun and there is bound to be <a href="http://www.jacksonscamping.com/caravan-and-motorhome-spare-parts/c618" target="_blank">lots of motorhome accessories and parts</a> on offer. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Its all a bit of a blur at the moment and I don't mind saying that we're not really looking forward to it at the moment, but I'm sure once we hit the road everything will fall into place. Watch this space!</div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com2York, UK53.962300799999987 -1.081884400000035453.88756029999999 -1.2432459000000353 54.037041299999984 -0.92052290000003545tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-16409759124960780922013-04-04T22:31:00.002+01:002013-12-18T15:44:12.965+00:00Europe By Camper - One Year On<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CS at Fylingthorpe overlooking Robin Hoods Bay</td></tr>
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Oops. Despite our best intentions, we have struggled to
keep Europe By Camper updated as often as we intended. So we might have dropped
a few places on Google, but we still seem to attract a huge volume of unique visitors
and e-mails each month and we have just ticked over to 500 likes on Facebook! It
seems now is the time of year people are researching their big trips and we
have some new and exciting blogs to recommend over the coming months as other
couples set off on their own adventures. This has spurred us on to putting some effort
into some of the areas of the site that we've promised to update – but never
managed to get back around to. We’re now hoping to change that!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitby in Spring</td></tr>
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So what’s new with us? Well we’re not settling down into
bricks and mortar which happens to many people after they get back from
travelling – planned or otherwise. We’re trying to get ourselves into a
position where we can facilitate extended periods of travel and so in the short
term that means<o:p></o:p></div>
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working long hours!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u6ZUJkxCKXY/UV3qyQ1aDSI/AAAAAAAAe-o/_4SLAAd5wkM/s1600/IMG_0270+%2528Large%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u6ZUJkxCKXY/UV3qyQ1aDSI/AAAAAAAAe-o/_4SLAAd5wkM/s200/IMG_0270+%2528Large%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
Working for yourself is both a
blessing and a curse, but as an ex ad agency Account Manager answering e-mails
within minutes at all hours of the day is what I’ve been pre-programmed to do. Sophie
is now working alongside me full time, although in reality she’s pretty much
running <a href="http://www.motorhomewifi.com/" target="_blank">Motorhome WiFi</a> now! This is allowing me to concentrate on some other
projects to allow us some more freedom to travel. Our van has become a mobile office and we're grateful for the extra space.<br />
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The Delfin still doesn’t have a name, although we seem to
refer to him (or her!) as ‘The Truck’. The Renault Master chassis with the 3.0
Litre engine is a great combination and we can’t fault the build quality in any
way and we’re really loving the insulation!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b3YjHb4TXug/UV3q3RcH6MI/AAAAAAAAe_g/jC40Dt3wWVU/s1600/IMG_0492+%2528Large%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="110" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b3YjHb4TXug/UV3q3RcH6MI/AAAAAAAAe_g/jC40Dt3wWVU/s400/IMG_0492+%2528Large%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy Sunset on a CS in Bentley at Easter!</td></tr>
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Despite the appalling weather we’ve had in the UK so far
in 2013, we’ve managed to get away a couple of times in the van in the UK and
see friends. We’ve been exploring the CL/CS network where we have stayed at a lovely little site in between Bath and Exeter and a CS a stones throw away from Robin Hoods Bay.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful little CL near Bath</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">One minute its freezing cold, the next it is t-shirt weather!</span></div>
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If you’ve not been to a Motorhome Show so far this year, you've not missed much – they've all been pretty cold although we had an
excellent show at Harrogate despite the snow! April sees us attending both
<a href="http://themotorhomeshow.com/" target="_blank">Shepton Mallet Motorhome Show in Bath</a> and <a href="http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Shows/The-National-Motorhome-Show/_sh3" target="_blank">Peterborough</a> where we launched our
business a year ago so if you’re going to be there, come along and say hello!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot our van: The very snowy Harrogate Motorhome Show in March<br />
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-51864911373258631142013-04-04T19:28:00.000+01:002013-04-04T19:28:26.540+01:00Motorhome & Campervan Magazine - Morocco Coverage<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
While the blog may have been quiet for a while, our magazine feature in Motorhome and Campervan magazine has continued, with both January and February's issues covering Morocco over 20 pages in total. Our feature with them has lasted a full 12 months, which means it is now nearly a year since we got back from our 12 month tour!<br />
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It's been so fantastic to see our photos and information in circulation and receive so many messages from people who had read the article and are now considering Morocco for the first time - go and do it!<br />
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In the most recent March issue there is coverage rounding off our tour with some facts and tips.</div>
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You can read all of the latest editions by visiting <a href="http://motorhomeandcampervan.com/motorhomeandcampervanmagazine-archive/">Motorhome and Campervan Magazine here.</a></div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-73454079948399710882012-11-15T20:16:00.000+00:002013-12-18T15:44:39.025+00:00Our new van revealed!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Debate on Twitter and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EuropeByCamper/posts/491127044242176" target="_blank">Facebook</a> as to our latest van has
been fierce, with most people recommending their own van as being the ideal new
van for us. It seems we all put our heart and soul into finding our
“perfect” van that really nothing else compares. We’ve got to admit that, for a
time, we wondered why everyone wasn't running around Europe in an Adria Twin!<br />
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We feel we’re incredibly fortunate to have bought a van
which ticked ALL of our initial boxes – lowline, non-fiat, fixed bed, big fridge, big 3.0
engine, 6 speed, German build quality, air-con and very close to our budget. Oh
and a tow-bar and bike rack fitted to boot!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We had originally decided that we would go for a Chausson
Allegro 67 or a Welcome 95 but really didn't want the old X244 Fiat base and
the bathroom was a bit “ plasticy” on these. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, what did we go for?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">A 2006 (56) Burstner Delfin T680</b></td></tr>
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We had previously discounted the Burstner Delfin because
they were circa £30k or more and not a great deal less if bought direct from
Germany even if we did have the time.</div>
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The story goes a little something like this. The van came
up for sale when we were at the Lincoln show with just 24,000 miles, 12 months
everything and full service history. There was a Delfin T695 on display there so
we went and had a look. It had been a while since we had been in Catherine and
Chris’s Burstner (and we didn’t rummage in their cupboards!) so it was good to
try and pull the thing apart. We couldn’t and we were seriously impressed with
the build. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So we phoned the seller, the guy sounded genuine and we haggled
hard, got a great price and after a quick HPi check we transferred a deposit
over that evening. Totally unheard of for us, never the impulsive type but we
were so sure that this van was the one that instinct took over!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Just one snag – the van was 300 miles away in Portsmouth!
That meant a 600 mile round trip for Sophie in a Smart Car and a 300 mile drive
back home in an unfamiliar van for me. I’d never driven a Renault Master before
but so far we’re very impressed with the 3.0 DCI 140 engine. 30’s MPG, 6 speed,
bags of power and cruises / handles very well for a van of its size. It definitely feels more like a “truck” then a “car” but that’s not necessarily a bad thing!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Any pre-2006 Burstner is subject to a habitation window
delamination recall. There was two options – a nasty plastic nut screwed into
all four corners of the windows (with many now suffering from crack fatigue or
water ingress) or full replacement which Burstner would cover 60% of the cost. Fortunately
the previous owner of ours had them replaced, so no worries there. Also the
eBox is fully working – you can time the interior (or exterior) lights to go on
and off!? Is this really a 2006 van?<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H1_MvaS_gQM/UKVK27BiiJI/AAAAAAAAexA/XWTZIImDWag/s1600/Burstner+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H1_MvaS_gQM/UKVK27BiiJI/AAAAAAAAexA/XWTZIImDWag/s200/Burstner+3.JPG" width="133" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6cAnVNxs5I/UKVK10Jc7_I/AAAAAAAAew0/Dx1O71IhMjk/s1600/Burstner+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6cAnVNxs5I/UKVK10Jc7_I/AAAAAAAAew0/Dx1O71IhMjk/s200/Burstner+2.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>
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The bathroom really is something to behold. A full size walk in shower (no more wiping the floor down) and literally tons of slide away storage which I think even we will have trouble filling!<br />
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It would have been nice to have had a performance T615 –
same layout but with the AL-KO chassis, under slung storage (and a bin!) but
quite frankly we’re lucky to have got a non-Fiat Burstner at all within our
budget so we’re incredibly happy.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kUn0k0-OxzE/UKVK4utoEqI/AAAAAAAAexE/Oto_NAEYcbo/s1600/Burstner+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kUn0k0-OxzE/UKVK4utoEqI/AAAAAAAAexE/Oto_NAEYcbo/s200/Burstner+4.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dvxuiWtp-Fc/UKVK_D6slCI/AAAAAAAAexs/BB2oT1Zf4CQ/s1600/Burstner1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dvxuiWtp-Fc/UKVK_D6slCI/AAAAAAAAexs/BB2oT1Zf4CQ/s200/Burstner1.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOcsmDDbFyk/UKVK8Ur5DrI/AAAAAAAAexc/SN7wkC9BD2k/s1600/Burstner+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOcsmDDbFyk/UKVK8Ur5DrI/AAAAAAAAexc/SN7wkC9BD2k/s200/Burstner+7.JPG" width="133" /></a>Of course, with any new van comes a mass of DIY tasks
which we will attempt to write some information on as we undertake.<br />
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Those include: 2x 125AH leisure batteries, 2100W inverter, remote-controlled LED lighting upgrade (semi-done, write
up to follow), refit one of the blown air heating ducts, get the auxiliary belts changed (engine has a camchain,
but belts are new due) and fit our 'laptop dashboard dock'. Etc etc. Oh, and the chintzy net curtains are first to go! We are looking forward to having our first <a href="http://www.jet2holidays.com/" target="_blank">family holiday</a> in her. </div>
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<b>The only task left is to think up a name!</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-2924496968825760942012-11-07T21:59:00.000+00:002013-11-27T13:44:04.874+00:00On the road with: Gone With the Wynns<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Jason and Nikki Wynn have arguably the coolest named blog in the motorhome / RV community, '<a href="http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/" target="_blank">Gone With The Wynns</a>'. We got chatting to them a couple of months ago and were instantly in awe of their amazing Monaco Vesta affectionately named Windy. They recently interviewed us on their '<a href="http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/europe-by-camper" target="_blank">Confessions of a Traveller</a>' section and we fired them off some questions ....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9OIvoaw7hzs/UJrBkRuf-hI/AAAAAAAAevM/afE2DMraZYI/s1600/jason-and-nikki-highway-50-1024x575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9OIvoaw7hzs/UJrBkRuf-hI/AAAAAAAAevM/afE2DMraZYI/s400/jason-and-nikki-highway-50-1024x575.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"> Nikki and Jason Wynn with their RV, Windy</span></td></tr>
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<b>1.) We really love your blog! It looks like you guys take blogging really seriously and there seems to be a much bigger travel blog community in the US. What are your main incentives for doing so?</b><br />
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Our blog started as a simple question from friends: Are you planning to document your adventures? ….and so our blog was born! In the first year we shot as many videos and created as much content as we could manage. Year 2 we were able to get companies to help fund our travels by shooting a video for them. On our website you won’t find many paid articles, corporate videos, or advertisements; it’s a delicate balance as we want our viewers to visit our website for adventure, inspiration, and advice.<br />
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The US based blogging community is huge but the European market is growing momentum. I know some people make money from their blogs, but the main incentive is reaching out and finding other cool people with similar interests.<br />
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<b>2.) America is such a vast country - how do you decide which of the 50 states to visit and in what order? Do you have any plans to take Windy out of the US?</b><br />
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Our original plan: Take 1 year and travel across the USA by RV. Well, a few months in we realized that wouldn’t work. Our next plan: Take 2 years to travel across the USA. Well….here we are about to start year 3! Oops. America is HUGE and to truly explore each state one would need a lifetime.<br />
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As far as taking Windy out of the US that won’t likely happen. Based on your information (<a href="http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/europe-by-camper" target="_blank">check out Confessions of a Traveler: Europe by Camper</a>) it would cost a small fortune to fuel the RV.<br />
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<b>3.) We get a lot of comments about the cost of travelling in Europe, how does it compare to travelling in the USA? What's your average daily expenditure?</b><br />
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We keep a running tab on our expenses called The Cost of Living Full-Time on the Road It seems our results are wildly different than yours as we spend $62 USD per person per day. That’s right nearly 3 times more than you guys! I think what it boils down to is the lifestyle you’re used to living and your expectations during your travels.<br />
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We film a lot of videos on the road so our wardrobe is pretty extensive, also we like to feature cool adventures which are typically more costly than a typical holiday. Of course each traveller will have their own unique experience with costs, and that is why readers are so interested in a <a href="http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/the-cost-of-living-full-time-on-the-road" target="_blank">cost of travelling post</a>.<br />
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<b>3.) We recently had a look in a Monaco Vesta like Windy in Europe, what a fantastic RV! Do you think you'll always have her or will you change up or settle down in the future?</b><br />
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Well….our Windy is actually<a href="http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/tag/monaco-vesta" target="_blank"> for sale</a>! We wrote a nice note about her if you’re interested: Windy’s for Sale We’re challenging ourselves to downsize, maybe go a little more European like you guys. Also we have dreams of sailing over to Europe one day, so a smaller RV will simply be one step closer to even smaller living.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3VJ3UjxyBiQ/UJrBjTSqXwI/AAAAAAAAevE/I01iemOlMuQ/s1600/RVs-owned.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3VJ3UjxyBiQ/UJrBjTSqXwI/AAAAAAAAevE/I01iemOlMuQ/s400/RVs-owned.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Nikki & Jason's past RV's .....</span></td></tr>
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<b>4.) Have you come across many young people (say under 40) on the road in the US? If not, do you get on well with your older RVing neighbors? </b><br />
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The #1 goal while RVing is: have a good time. 99% of the people we meet on the road are young at heart, even if their 80 years old. As for meeting youthful people it’s definitely few and far between. There is an emerging RV market in the states with a new type of RV called a “toy hauler”. This is proving to a style perfect for the young family, or adventurer traveler because you can store motorcycles, 4 wheelers, dune buggies, etc in the back part of the RV! Pretty cool, but don’t think it’ll make it well in Europe because these RVs are HUGE!<br />
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<b>5.) In Europe, Especially France and Germany, it is common to find "Aires" or "Stellplatz" in many towns. These are special parking areas for RV's to stay a couple of days and usually have basic facilities available. Does a similar thing exist in the US or is it mainly campgrounds and "boondocking" (Free / Wild Camping).</b><br />
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Believe it or not the US isn’t really setup for this style of city RVing, I think it has to do with the size of a typical US RVs. In fact simply trying to find free parking in most larger cities can be difficult, and free overnight parking with facilities is nearly impossible.<br />
The best option is to call the town visitor center before you arrive and to ask for safe RV parking.<br />
If you stay outside of the cities you can camp our favorite style “Off the Cord”. In the United States there is BLM and National Forest areas that provide free camping up to 14 days, only downside is there are no facilities other than a space to park your RV. The good news is you’re surrounded by nature and more than likely you’ll be all alone. Many are located near larger cities or attractions.<br />
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<b>6.) One day we'd love to come to the US and travel in an American RV. How easy do you think it would be for two British citizens to buy (and insure etc) an RV in the US? We've heard of some Europeans shipping their own RV's over instead!</b><br />
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Ohh, that’s a tough one. We’ve ran across many Europeans who are travelling the USA by rental RV, and only a few who paid to ship their personal RV across the Atlantic Ocean. I don’t think buying an insuring a new RV would be difficult, but acquiring a VISA with enough time to explore all the USA has to offer is another story all together! You might also try and contact British Columbia, Canada; since you’re basically all family they may have less strict rules for British travellers One thing’s for sure if you make it across the drink you MUST give us a call! See you soon.<br />
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Check them out at the <a href="http://www.gonewiththewynns.com/" target="_blank">blog </a>or on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gone-With-the-Wynns/158456407525617" target="_blank">Facebook </a>and <a href="http://twitter.com/the_wynns" target="_blank">Twitter</a> pages. Oh and don't forget to turn green with envy at their videography skills over on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/gonewiththewynns" target="_blank">YouTube</a>!</div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-73880243972382286392012-11-07T21:43:00.000+00:002012-11-07T21:48:59.493+00:00Motorhome & Campervan - November Issue Out Now!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--FptKHMzLXg/UJrUyUyTUMI/AAAAAAAAev4/4MMo5xZdjmg/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--FptKHMzLXg/UJrUyUyTUMI/AAAAAAAAev4/4MMo5xZdjmg/s320/Untitled.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eKgOw0clCEU/UJrUzZgmciI/AAAAAAAAewA/E6CPgzK7lmE/s1600/Untitled2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eKgOw0clCEU/UJrUzZgmciI/AAAAAAAAewA/E6CPgzK7lmE/s200/Untitled2.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>
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The new issue for November of the Motorhome & Campervan magazine is out now!</div>
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In this issue we head through France and Spain to try and make it to Puerto De Mazarron in time for Christmas to have a well deserved rest from the road and to spend some time with both our parents. Enjoy!</div>
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Click <a href="http://www.calameo.com/read/00000430681405ed9bc72" target="_blank">HERE</a> to read it online</div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-42544874254156744862012-10-07T22:22:00.001+01:002013-12-18T15:45:02.910+00:00Our Journey to find Van Number 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OMfdvxxRt_Y/UHHyA6hHMaI/AAAAAAAAes8/k1WOTWgQ6Qs/s1600/IMG_3005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OMfdvxxRt_Y/UHHyA6hHMaI/AAAAAAAAes8/k1WOTWgQ6Qs/s200/IMG_3005.JPG" width="133" /></a>We thought we would share with you our experiences so far in
searching for our next motorhome. Having had several in the past you would have
thought that by now we'd know exactly what we wanted. Not the case! A van, to
us, very much depends how we intend to travel over the next period. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For the trip we did in 2011-2012 the ’07 Adria Twin was, without
question, the best van for the job. Sure we could pick fault with the tambour doors but for a trip which was mainly about exploring new places,
being outside interjected with bouts of driving, cooking and of course sleeping
it was the perfect combination. 6m in length, relatively inconspicuous, great
MPG with comfortable driving and sleeping arrangements. It stood up to the test and cleaned up like new.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b3mmF40F5Ac/UHHyE1DFR2I/AAAAAAAAetI/0mjd-sbtjrY/s1600/karmann_mobil_fiat_ducato_2006_pictures_1_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b3mmF40F5Ac/UHHyE1DFR2I/AAAAAAAAetI/0mjd-sbtjrY/s200/karmann_mobil_fiat_ducato_2006_pictures_1_b.jpg" width="200" /></a>On the subject of fixed bed van conversions, they seem to be somewhat of a rarity in
the UK and despite my attempts to get a UK converter to consider one, Europe
steams ahead with new and exciting takes on the hugely popular layout. A quick
walk around the Dusseldorf Motorhome Show at the huge number of fixed bed vans
confirms this. Our current favorite is the <a href="http://www.karmann-mobil.de/Davis-590.php" target="_blank">Karmann Davis 590</a> (was previously the <a href="http://www.globecar.de/de/modelle/d-line/globescout.html" target="_blank">Globecar Globescout</a>, or 599DB in the UK) which seems to have the best bathroom layout so far.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6__k_Lo6iW4/UHHyCaKG2UI/AAAAAAAAetE/ATEh07Yyrcc/s1600/IMG_3212_3_4_fused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6__k_Lo6iW4/UHHyCaKG2UI/AAAAAAAAetE/ATEh07Yyrcc/s200/IMG_3212_3_4_fused.jpg" width="200" /></a>British made vans however are different. “Lounge” is key,
even more so “U Shaped Lounge” or “End Lounge”. I can only assume that the poor
weather is largely to blame. Having spent a fair bit of time in Adam’s parents’
Autotrail Tracker EKS of late we can safely say that making up a bed on a night
is not for us. However, it’s worth mentioning if you want two singles and a
good lounge the EKS makes use of this space very well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Motorhoming is largely about compromise. You can have the
layout you want, but it might take you over your desired length. You can get a
premium van but it might be a bit older then you would like and so forth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So what are we looking for:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<li>Lowline Coachbuilt</li>
<li>French Bed - with as small a cut off as possible</li>
<li>Under 7m</li>
<li>Ideally not X244 Fiat or early X250 2.3 Fiat (narrows down the search a LOT!)</li>
<li>Good build quality - a German Brand</li>
<li>Large Fridge/Freezer</li>
<li>8 years old max</li>
<li>Engine suitable for towing a box trailer for shows</li>
<li>LHD / RHD not an issue</li>
<li>AirCon a bonus but not essential. </li>
<li>Budget: Circa £20k</li>
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We're looking French bed under 7m and we're looking European
but not necessarily left hand drive. We're indifferent about the location of
the steering wheel since we always use the van together and the elevation means
you have a great view of the road regardless.</div>
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To that end the CI 694 ticks a lot of boxes and indeed we've actually considered one of these, but we want something with a bit more of a
quality feel and in the two years since the CI has sold they haven't depreciated at all so it would have been a great buy for someone!<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is also then the issue of Chassis. If we go premium
and this a bit older we likely slip into generation X244 Fiat. Our first van
was a X244 Peugeot 2.0HDi (essentially a car engine) and for the miles we do a
6<sup>th</sup> gear is a really nice thing to have. We both really love driving the latest X250 Fiat, the driving position is excellent, but unfortunately the 2007-2010 models just had too many issues. Reversing judder, clutch, our head gasket went, spare wheel dropped off - all sorted under warranty, but painful nonetheless. We can't afford a 2010 model, so we're thinking outside the box - Renault or Mercedes!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wish us luck, suggestions appreciated! </div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-18037762562737076472012-10-07T22:08:00.000+01:002012-10-31T14:32:51.310+00:00Press Update - September & October Magazine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I know, I know. We've been neglecting the blog again. Best intentions, but we've been so busy but have some exciting news (well, for us!) coming up which we will be blogging about shortly.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zkir5pHPAEQ/UHHuLo7-5CI/AAAAAAAAesM/aay7y8biZfQ/s1600/September-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zkir5pHPAEQ/UHHuLo7-5CI/AAAAAAAAesM/aay7y8biZfQ/s200/September-Cover.jpg" width="140" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c6tLNwP31mc/UHHuNUCvs0I/AAAAAAAAesU/ps35zLYQLfQ/s1600/September-Inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c6tLNwP31mc/UHHuNUCvs0I/AAAAAAAAesU/ps35zLYQLfQ/s200/September-Inside.jpg" width="200" /></a>Meanwhile, we've been re-living our trips through Greece in the September edition of Motorhome Monthly Magazine. I know we've said this before, but its great to see our pictures in print as we've not even gotten around to printing our favorites off since we got back from travelling in April. It was also highly amusing that this magazine served to be the Stratford Upon Avon Show Guide and as we were exhibiting there with our business people kept reminding us that Sophie was in a bikini printed in the magazine (a small shot, so you'll have to look hard for it!).<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cQmymtcd_Ls/UHHuIVuIeQI/AAAAAAAAer8/f0wi-CvKNys/s1600/October-Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cQmymtcd_Ls/UHHuIVuIeQI/AAAAAAAAer8/f0wi-CvKNys/s200/October-Cover.jpg" width="139" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--CL53XDx3e0/UHHuKNum5VI/AAAAAAAAesE/mYl0i-HCR3I/s1600/October-Inside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--CL53XDx3e0/UHHuKNum5VI/AAAAAAAAesE/mYl0i-HCR3I/s200/October-Inside.jpg" width="200" /></a>So long did we spend in Greece (10 weeks in total) that our blog and subsequently the Magazine ran the feature over two months. October saw 'Motorhome Monthly Magazine' change its name to 'Motorhome and Campervan' which shows the emphasis the magazine has always seem to place on Panel Van conversions. We were opposite the quirky DFSK conversions which were TINY - they made our Adria Twin seem like an RV in comparison! <br />
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Check out the Magazine Online here: <a href="http://www.motorhomeandcampervan.com/">http://www.motorhomeandcampervan.com/</a></div>
Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-68798766002043984962012-08-27T21:59:00.000+01:002013-12-18T15:45:26.040+00:00Smart Times 2012 - Antwerp<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sophie's Smart Car On The Ferry</td></tr>
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3 countries, 900 miles, 3 days. This time the method of transport was not a campervan, but a Smart Car!<br />
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To many motorhomers, a Smart Car is simply a conveniently small vehicle to tow behind your motorhome, but if you look a bit closer there is a lot more to them then that.<br />
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Sophie, who works for Smart of York, won a competition (as she sold a Smart eBike) to attend the Smart Times festival held this year in Antwerp so we duly attended. Being bank holiday weekend the Hull to Zeebrugge ferry was astronomical and thus the only option available to us was to drive down to Dover and back again a total distance of nearly 900 miles. Even then the ferry was still nearly £200 return, although thankfully this was reimbursed as part of the prize. We set off late on Thursday ready to take on the challenge and stayed at a hotel near Dover before catching the early crossing.<br />
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It was so good to be back driving in Europe where they understand lane discipline and have a good road network, it seems everything just "works" on the continent and we really do miss it. One thing we don't miss at all is staying in hotel rooms. You never know what you're going to find behind that key carded door and living out of a suitcase just doesn't appeal to us in the slightest!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smart Crossblades</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smart Times 2012</td></tr>
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Smart Times itself was a real eye opener into the weird and wonderful world of Smart cars and their enthusiastic owners. With hundreds of Smart Cars in attendance from all over Europe, including a good number of the impressive limited edition Smart Crossblades as well as impressive customised and individual cars. The brand has really captivated people's imagination and individuality and the Smart Times is Smarts way of saying thank you by putting on a free event, with free entertainment and food available to all participants.<br />
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We were even able to test drive the latest Smart Electric Drive on the streets of Antwerp, the acceleration on this latest generation of the car is simply startling and is sure to be a winner when it is released next year.<br />
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Adam has never driven a Smart car any real distance but was impressed with their power and handling especially on the motorway. We even managed 55mpg over 270 miles at a cruising speed of 80mph with a boot full of wine - we had more wine in the boot then the fuel tank held (it's 33 litre tank before you ask!).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smart Towing a Pod!</td></tr>
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The Smart Parade and lining up all the cars to say SMART was pretty spectacular too!</div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-48861567980161917412012-07-24T14:45:00.001+01:002012-07-25T19:23:32.145+01:00Update & August Motorhome Monthly - Bulgaria & Greece<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8jbmEIiBgPA/UA6jG2IPKyI/AAAAAAAAejw/Mo_YHsMlkh4/s1600/motorhomemonthly.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8jbmEIiBgPA/UA6jG2IPKyI/AAAAAAAAejw/Mo_YHsMlkh4/s200/motorhomemonthly.png" width="141" /></a>As we sit here and write this, we're all too aware that we've let the blog slip a little. Ok maybe a lot! We're embarrassed about it, since it was one of the things we promised ourselves (and our readers!) we wouldn't do. EuropeByCamper continues to draw in well over 11,000 unique visitors a month and we've nearly clocked up half a million page views but with the ratio between new and returning visitors falling I feel especially bad for those people who've come back to check for updates and not found one. The digital marketer in me says I should really put some adsense adverts on here but once you press the button you have no control over what is displayed so we're going to hold back and stay true to our morals, although I might put a little link to our business Motorhome WiFi in the sidebar over the next few days. That's fair, right? :-)<br />
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Since visiting the Motorhome Shows as an exhibitor with Motorhome WiFi we have literally met hundreds of people who have read our blog. In writing that it feels very self righteous and egotistical but hopefully if you've met us you'll realise that isn't us at all, we're genuinely humbled that anyone has found our ramblings interesting at all. We don't profess to be the authority on anything - we love motorhoming and the community we've found ourselves involved in and knowing that our whistle stop tour of Europe has inspired just one person to do the same or at least consider countries that they might not have done otherwise is a real buzz. We're sorry if we can't always remember you by name (especially if you've e-mailed us!) and we love receiving your tips and information on your trips too.<br />
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A lady came to see us at Cheshire who said she had followed some of our Wild Camping POI's for <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/06/norway-in-motorhome-on-budget.html" target="_blank">Norway </a>and gave us a tip that on-board the ferries you can buy a 3000NOK card which entitles you to 5900NOK of ferry crossings - a fantastic saving especially if you're over 6m in length! Catherine & Chris from <a href="http://www.theworldisourlobster.com/" target="_blank">The World Is Our Lobster</a> is checking it out and if you're interested in Norway I suggest you check them out too!<br />
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Another blog we participially enjoyed recently was Andy's <a href="http://balkanbeetle.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Beetling around the Balkans </a>- something we full intend to do in the near future. Caravan Guard are the only UK motorhome insurer (as far as we're aware) that gives Fully Comp cover for Bosnia, Albania, Montenegro and Serbia. He visited our favourite campsite at <a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/09/camping-veliko-tarnovo-best-campsite-in.html" target="_blank">Camping Veliko Tarnovo</a> in Bulgaria which was also republished in this months magazine feature. <br />
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So what else has been happening? Sophie is busy working for Smart as a brand manager and works most weekends. She can actually supply a car anywhere in the country, so if you're in the market for a new or used Smart car get in touch for a motorhomers discount (or maybe some free mats ;-)! She'll might also exhibiting with Smart at the Motorhome Show in Harrogate in March (a new fixture from Warners at the Harrogate Show Ground). The weekends she's not working I've been dragging her to the Motorhome Shows with Motorhome WiFi (oops).<br />
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We've also been enjoying some excellent free English Stopovers courtesy of Steve at <a href="http://www.britstops.com/" target="_blank">Britstop's English Stopover Scheme</a> which is worth a look if you like good food and free overnight parking!<br />
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If you would like to read the latest copy of <a href="http://www.calameo.com/read/000004306867374a1ce77" target="_blank">Motorhome Monthly please click here</a> to be taken to the magazines digital edition, it's great to see our pictures in print as we've still not gotten around to printing any off ourselves yet! We're still motorhome shopping too.. hope to find something by Christmas.<br />
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Have you got any questions? Anything you would like to see covered in our blog? Please get in touch! We promise it won't be so long between blog posts next time, our country guides are calling... (famous last words!).<br />
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Adam & Sophie<br />
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<br /></div>Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-36820980841534952372012-06-16T23:02:00.000+01:002012-06-17T17:44:13.975+01:00July Motorhome Monthly<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Our feature with Motorhome Monthly continues this month with 10 pages (Page 56-65) dedicated to our travels through Poland, Slovakia and Romania. To read the magazine free and online <a href="http://www.calameo.com/read/000004306291bc334fd62" target="_blank">click here to be taken to the digital edition.</a><br />
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Next month will cover our trip into Bulgaria and on to Greece!<br />
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They also interviewed us for MotorhomeWiFi (<a href="http://www.motorhomewifi.com/blog/interview-with-motorhome-wifi-in-mhm-magazine/" target="_blank">click here to see the interview)</a> where we'll be exhibiting at the Stratford Upon Avon show next weekend. Fingers crossed the weather holds out for us and perhaps see some of you there (we'll be on stand Q4). Don't forget to pick up a free copy of the magazine!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h7qfRKkwihY/T9z6M7AHB6I/AAAAAAAAehw/BAPszKDnwNY/s1600/JulyMHM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h7qfRKkwihY/T9z6M7AHB6I/AAAAAAAAehw/BAPszKDnwNY/s200/JulyMHM.png" width="200" /></a>We finally got our <a href="http://www.directline.com/motor/welcome.htm" target="_blank">motor insurance</a> sorted with Direct Line after getting our proof of no-claims from Safeguard. While it was the best quote it turns out insuring a motorhome is cheaper than an Audi Estate, even in your 20's! If that's not trying to tell us something, I don't know what is.<br />
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We're still weighing up lots of options for a replacement van. We will probably wait until the end of the season when the bargains start to appear and the new registrations come out to see if anything takes our fancy.<br />
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Check out the magazine and let us know what you think! :-) Adam & Sophie.</div>Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-18663627254657514242012-06-14T22:11:00.000+01:002013-11-27T17:09:27.555+00:00Getting into Morocco with a Motorhome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A Guide for Entry into Morocco with a Motorhome</span></b><br />
We spent just over 6 weeks in Morocco with our good friends Catherine and Chris from <a href="http://www.theworldisourlobster.com/The_World_Is_Our_Lobster/HOME.html" target="_blank">The World Is Our Lobster</a>. We’d highly recommend that you go and attempt it yourselves! We’ve had a couple of e-mails asking us for more information on the crossing, so here is our long awaited guide to getting in (and out!) of Morocco.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Choose where to sail from</span></b><br />
We sailed from Algeciras to Ceuta. The crossing is shorter than the route to Tangier and once you disembark the ferry you are still in Spanish sovereignty so you then have an opportunity to park in the rest area before the border crossing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rest Area before the Border Crossing</td></tr>
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However, en route home we passed the brand new Tangier Med port and were impressed by what looks like an incredibly modern port set outside of the city. The port appeared to have none of the hustle and bustle that can be seen at the Ceuta-Morocco border. This would be our preference for our future visit and we’ll report back once we’ve done it for ourselves.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Get your tickets</span></b><br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--jC6IwMAr6I/T9pOtI6tarI/AAAAAAAAefs/_9b9ZqulSfM/s1600/IMG_8197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--jC6IwMAr6I/T9pOtI6tarI/AAAAAAAAefs/_9b9ZqulSfM/s200/IMG_8197.JPG" width="200" /></a>We would recommend that you follow the French example and purchase your tickets from Carlos in Algeciras. These tickets are NOT as some people would lead you to believe cancelled tickets, tickets with other people’s names on or other such scaremongering. Carlos is a licensed ticket seller and his reputation precedes him when dealing with motorhomers. The tickets are printed with your information on and he is able to give you lots of helpful advice and directions to the port although a little Spanish is advantageous!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jgnomABuQdI/T9pQCEUf3FI/AAAAAAAAef0/2_T45qdXZAU/s1600/P1100084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jgnomABuQdI/T9pQCEUf3FI/AAAAAAAAef0/2_T45qdXZAU/s200/P1100084.jpg" width="200" /></a>When you arrive, park next to the Lidl in Algercias (GPS: 36.18136, -5.43977 and if you don't believe us just check all the motorhomes on Google Maps <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/9Zri" target="_blank">HERE</a>!). They are very tolerant of motorhomes parking and overnighting here since the majority of people do a large shop before departing. There is even a butcher selling largely pork products which are unavailable in the Muslim country. Don’t forget to stock up on Wine / Beer – this is expensive in Morocco and better than hard currency when trading with native Moroccans!<br />
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Carlos is located here, just a two minute walk from the car park. Take with you a copy of your vehicles V5 certificate and your passport and tell him when you wish to sail to Morocco and that you would like an open return.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Border Crossing</b></span><br />
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As with most non-EU borders, there are three stages to the process:<br />
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1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Immigration<br />
2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Vehicle import<br />
3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Customs<br />
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Ignore the apparent chaos at the border and focus on achieving these three steps in that order.<br />
As you approach, men will wave bits of paper at you. If you have been to Carlos for your ticket, you don't need any further paperwork, so you can safely ignore the paper-wavers.<br />
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If there are two of you, one can stay in the vehicle. Once you enter the fray, “helpers” will offer to assist. Look for ones with an official badge. You can either be firm and say “No thanks, I'm fine”, or graciously accept and tip them €5, which may be the more pleasant experience for the sake of a few quid, especially if it's your first crossing.<br />
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The first office you need clearly says “Police”. Complete your entry form and hand it over together with your passport. You will get a stamp, plus an official Moroccan immigration number. That's it. Move on to any of the offices saying “Enregistrement des Vehicules”.<br />
<br />
Queues here are often slow, so be patient but firm; stand your ground or people will push in. Here you hand over the first copy (out of three) of the Vehicle Import Form, plus your V5 and Green Card. If you have bought your ticket from Carlos, he will have already completed the Import Form for you; just hand it in. If not, fill in the details from your V5. You will get the form back with the appropriate stamp.<br />
<br />
Now comes the fun part as you attempt to drive past all the other queueing vehicles to the Customs Officer, squeezing past stationary cars, buses and motorhomes! The Customs Officer may well look in the van but customs is quite relaxed. Then take the Vehicle Import Form to the customs office, and you're done.<br />
Finally don't forget to tip your helper if you used one!<br />
<br />
You do not require a Visa to enter Morocco for a maximum of 90 days. Your passport must be valid for 6 months after your entry date. If you wish to stay longer than 90 days the only way you can do this is by becoming a resident.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Vehicle Insurance </span></b><br />
If you are planning on visiting Morocco it is worthwhile considering this when you renew or take out your motorhome policy. Saga, Comfort and Sageguard all cover Morocco at no extra charge and are able to provide you with a 90 day ‘Green Card’ which covers you fully comprehensively while in the country. If you have a vehicle of any value don’t consider buying insurance at the border.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Paperwork</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_r1GmewwnOU/T9pJdAht0rI/AAAAAAAAefM/_1Ap2VieHn8/s1600/IMG_8914+%2528Large%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_r1GmewwnOU/T9pJdAht0rI/AAAAAAAAefM/_1Ap2VieHn8/s200/IMG_8914+%2528Large%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Z9XeoIwYIQ/T9pJWfeDnvI/AAAAAAAAee0/Z6sEYor7jyU/s1600/IMG_8912+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Z9XeoIwYIQ/T9pJWfeDnvI/AAAAAAAAee0/Z6sEYor7jyU/s200/IMG_8912+%2528Large%2529.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Immigration Forms - Entry and Exit Ferry Tickets</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--8mhC-LPR-0/T9pJY9gUZII/AAAAAAAAee8/5hlCddyjOxo/s1600/IMG_8913+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--8mhC-LPR-0/T9pJY9gUZII/AAAAAAAAee8/5hlCddyjOxo/s200/IMG_8913+%2528Large%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2GMxtJ46f5c/T9pJUntvVLI/AAAAAAAAees/STIUEb77SV0/s1600/IMG_8909+%2528Large%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2GMxtJ46f5c/T9pJUntvVLI/AAAAAAAAees/STIUEb77SV0/s200/IMG_8909+%2528Large%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Vehicle Import and Export Form Tickets and Timetable</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kCXFQwqxZXI/T9rlECgJC3I/AAAAAAAAehE/6HViUF_n9Sc/s1600/IMG_8915+(Large).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kCXFQwqxZXI/T9rlECgJC3I/AAAAAAAAehE/6HViUF_n9Sc/s200/IMG_8915+(Large).jpg" width="165" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Moroccan Insurance Green Card </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">our insurers Safe Guard from home. Valid 90 days (with start date) </span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Money in Morocco</b></span><br />
‘Western’ cash points are available throughout the country and have an English language option. We stopped a couple of miles after the border crossing for our first batch of Dirhams. It is worthwhile taking a couple of hundred euros as a backup which can easily be changed for Dirham at many bureau-de-change across the country. Exercise the same amount of caution when using these as you would in any other country.<br />
<br />
Our preference for foreign travel is the Halifax Clarity Credit Card. The card provides you with interest free transactions and a low 1.1% interest fee on cash withdrawls offset by a £5 per month reward if you spend over £300.<br />
<br />
If you use the Caxton Euro Card be aware that you will be paying two lots of interest rates Sterling > Euro > Dirham. Consider the Global card where the balance is held in Sterling and converted to the local currency on use.<br />
<br />
Cards are rarely accepted. Marjane and some large fuel stations are the only exceptions.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Getting Out</b></span><br />
On exiting, the process is simpler. Complete your exit form and hand it in to the Police Office with your passport. Then go to Customs and hand in the second copy of your Vehicle Import Form. The third copy is for you to keep.<br />
<br />
Drive through Customs, stopping if asked. That's it.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Fuel</span></b><br />
Diesel is roughly 55p a litre in Morocco and is available throughout the country. It is worthwhile filling up from the more modern looking fuel stations (Afrqua, Shell etc). Be aware that if you intend to stop overnight in the high atlas temperatures could reach as low as -10 (experienced by us in 2012) and there is unlikely to be any winter additives added to the mix.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>For more information see:</b></span><br />
<br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2012/01/morocco-3g-internet-dongle-maroc.html" target="_blank">Maroc Telecom Dongle</a><br />
•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/search/label/Morocco" target="_blank">View All Our Posts on Morocco</a></div>
Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-46254883773628643462012-06-14T22:09:00.001+01:002013-12-18T15:31:02.996+00:00Big Changes to EU Roaming Data Tariffs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We have championed Vodafone Data Traveller for a long while now as being a fantastic tool for people needing to get online in Europe. However, things are changing with new EU regulations coming into play which is shaking up the whole market and the tariffs are not looking attractive for the long term pan-European traveller.<br />
<br />
<i>** This article was researched and posted on 14th June 2012 at 20:00. Check with your operator for the latest information. E&OE **</i><br />
<br />
As part of the EU's changes to the way mobile telecom companies charge each other (referred to as the wholesale price) we are starting to see some changes in the roaming data and call packages being offered by telecom companies.<br />
<br />
We can thank the EU for this, under the "Regulation (EC) No 717/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2007 on roaming of public mobile telephone networks within the Community and amending Directive 2002/21/EC" <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Commission_roaming_regulations" target="_blank">(more information, see Wikipedia)</a><br />
<br />
The EU is basically dictating to mobile phone networks:<br />
<br />
a.) What operators can charge each other for their customers to use other companies networks.<br />
b.) What operators can charge their own customers for this service.<br />
<br />
That isn't to say that either the wholesale price or the price charged to consumers isn't less than this, it is just the maximum that can be charged to you.<br />
<br />
On the 1st of July these are the maximum call charges that an operator can charge you:<br />
<br />
<b>Calls made - was 35c now max 29c per minute</b> (falling each year until they reach 19c in July 2014)<br />
<b>Calls received - was 11c now max 8c per minut</b>e (falling each year until they reach 5c per in July 2014)<br />
<br />
With regards to DATA used abroad, there were previously no EU limits but these come into force on the 1st July 2012 so companies are now starting to change their price plans to show this.<br />
<br />
<b>Data per MB consumed - now a maximum of 70c per MB falling to 20c per MB consumer price in July 2014. </b>Interestingly the wholesale cost has been inforced at 25c per MB falling to 5c per MB in July 2014.<br />
<br />
<b>How have the networks reacted?</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Vodafone </span></b></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Pay Monthly Customers - £3/day to use your UK allowance abroad</span>:</b><br />
<b><u><span style="color: red;">DATA TRAVELLER FOR CONTRACT CUSTOMERS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED.</span></u></b><br />
<br />
The previously excellent tariff that we championed has been removed by Vodafone and now Data Traveller for contract customers only refers to an <b>OUTSIDE OF EUROPE</b> tariff for <b>£5/DAY</b> for <b>25MB</b>.<br />
<br />
<b>The Data Traveller and Vodafone Passport have been replaced by the EuroTraveller for £3/day</b><br />
<br />
Vodafone states that this includes:<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Use of your minutes, texts and mobile internet with the same freedom as in the UK (excludes extras)</li>
<li>You'll only be charged on the days you use your phone</li>
<li>No charge for receiving calls and texts</li>
<li>No monthly commitment - opt in and out whenever you like</li>
<li>Check your remaining allowance just like at home - with My account or the My Vodafone app</li>
</ul>
<div>
So, if you want to get online, make phone calls or use your phone in any way you'll be charged of £3 irrespective of how you use your phone, even for just one text message so be careful how you use it.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b><u>IMPORTANT! By opting in to Vodafone EuroTraveller you'll also be opting out of the European 50 euro monthly mobile internet spend cap.</u></b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Links:</b></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.vodafone.co.uk/personal/price-plans/pay-monthly/eurotraveller/index.htm" target="_blank">The new Euro Traveller (£3/day to use your UK allowance abroad)</a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://www.vodafone.co.uk/personal/price-plans/pay-monthly/data-traveller/index.htm" target="_blank">The new Data Traveller (£5/day for 25MB for outside of Europe)</a><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Pay As You Go Customers - £2/day for 25MB of Data / 75p for Calls </span></b></div>
Data Traveller does still exist for PAYG customers in the same format, just to further add to the confusion. You are charged £2/day for upto 25MB in Europe and 75p per connection of a call, subject to your UK inclusive allowance.<br />
<br />
<b>Links:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.vodafone.co.uk/personal/price-plans/pay-as-you-go/data-traveller/index.htm" target="_blank">Pay As You Go - Data Traveller (£2/day for 25MB</a>)<br />
<a href="http://www.vodafone.co.uk/personal/price-plans/pay-as-you-go/passport/index.htm" target="_blank">Pay As You Go - Passport (75p connection charge + inclusive minutes)</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mobile Broadband Customers - £8 per 100MB of data used.</b></span><br />
Roaming charges for customers with data contracts, iPad SIM cards or USB dongles is now £8 per 100MB used.<br />
<br />
<b>Links:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.vodafone.co.uk/personal/price-plans/pay-monthly/mobile-broadband-abroad/index.htm" target="_blank">Vodafone Mobile Broadband Roaming (£8 for 100MB</a>)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">O2</span></b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">O2 Pay Monthly Customers - £1.99/day for 25MB + 50p for calls</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: red;"><u>The old WEB DAILY EUROPE of £1.50 for 15MB or £15 for 15/MB a day Has Been Suspended from 1st July</u></span></b><br />
<br />
You'll be charged <b>£1.99</b> for the days that you use data in Europe - and you can use up to<b> 25MB a day</b>.<br />
There's a <b>connection charge of 50p </b>for all calls made and received in Europe. When you make a call you'll be using your UK minutes and calls received are free up to 60 minutes.<br />
<br />
Out of bundle charges are:<br />
Calls back to the UK and within Europe - 35p per minute.<br />
Receiving calls in Europe - 11p per minute.<br />
Texts sent to the UK and Europe - 10p (free to receive).<br />
Sending a media message - 25p.<br />
Data is £3.07 / MB - This is well over the 70c (56p) per MB, so may well be revised.<br />
<br />
<b>Links:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.o2.co.uk/international/o2-travel/pay-monthly" target="_blank">O2 Travel - £1.99 per day for 25MB</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">O2 Pay As You Go Customers - No bundles</span></b><br />
No bundled deals available, standard charges apply:<br />
<br />
<b>Links:</b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.o2.co.uk/international/standardrateanddata#payandgo" target="_blank">O2 PAYG Standard Roaming Charges</a></b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">O2 Mobile Broadband Customers:</span></b><br />
Your allowance applies for use in the UK only and we do not recommend that you use mobile broadband abroad to avoid high charges. Data used outside of this allowance will be charged at £3.07/MB in the EU or £6/MB outside of the EU.<br />
<br />
O2 actually state on their website: "We do not recommend using mobile broadband outside of the UK and you are therefore currently unable to use the service abroad"<br />
<br />
<b>Links:</b><br />
<a href="http://shop.o2.co.uk/promo/o2mobilebroadband/tab/Pay_Monthly" target="_blank">Mobile Broadband Pay Monthly (Not recommended by O2 for use abroad)</a><br />
<a href="http://shop.o2.co.uk/promo/o2mobilebroadband/tab/Pay_and_Go" target="_blank">Mobile Broadband Pay As You Go (Not recommended by O2 for use abroad)</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Three</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Three Pay Monthly Customers - £5/day for Unlimited Usage</span></b><br />
If you’re roaming in the EU, the Euro Internet Pass gives you the freedom to browse the mobile internet for £5 a day. You can search, tweet, use Facebook and check your emails as much as you like until midnight (UK time). So you’ll never have to worry about nasty surprise bills when you get home.<br />
<br />
The Euro Internet Pass was designed for browsing, so streaming video and audio content may not be as good as it is on our UK network and tethering isn’t included. You also won’t be able to use UK Add-ons (e.g. Add Tethering) while your Euro Internet Pass is activ<b>e.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Links:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Phones/Euro_internet_pass" target="_blank">Euro Internet Pass Press Release</a><br />
<a href="http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBISAPI.DLL?Command=New,Kb=Mobile,Ts=Mobile,T=Article,varset_cat=roaming,varset_subcat=4157,Case=obj(6018)" target="_blank">Euro Internet Pass - £5/day for unlimited data usage</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Three Pay As You Go Customers - £1.28/MB, no roaming package</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Three Mobile Broadband Customers - £1.28/MB, no roaming package</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b style="font-size: xx-large;">Orange</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Safe to say Orange DO NOT want you to use your mobile data abroad. We're recommend you look elsewhere for roaming deals.<br />
<br />
£3/day for 30MB<br />
£15/mth for 30MB Bundle<br />
£50/mth for a 150MB Bundle<br />
£150/mth for a 500MB Bundle<br />
<br />
More information here: <a href="http://www.orange.co.uk/roaming/" style="background-color: white;">http://www.orange.co.uk/roaming/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="font-size: xx-large;">T-Mobile</b><br />
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">T-Mobile have made things fairly straight forward.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">For phone customers (PAYG or Contract) you pay:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">£1 for 3MB</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">£2.50 for 10MB</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">£10 for 50MB</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">For mobile broadband customers:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">£1 for 3MB</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">£5 for 20MB</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">£10 for 50MB</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">£35 for 200MB</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">All "boosters" are valid for 30 days from activation.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">For more information see here:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://support.t-mobile.co.uk/help-and-support/index?page=home&cat=USING_THE_INTERNET_ABROAD">http://support.t-mobile.co.uk/help-and-support/index?page=home&cat=USING_THE_INTERNET_ABROAD</a></span></div>
<br /></div>
Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-29159880287834912512012-06-03T21:04:00.001+01:002013-12-13T20:30:28.179+00:00Halifax Clarity vs Caxton - We Saved Over £200<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We got an annual statement through the post from Halifax the other day which detailed our expenditure, interest charges and reward payments over the course of the year and I thought it would be interesting to see how much we had saved compared to the most popular method of spending abroad, the Caxton Pre-Paid Card.<br />
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<br />
After going through the figures, we reckon that...</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">We saved in the region of £221 by using the Halifax Clarity Card over the Caxton Card!</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
More on exactly how we came to that figure in a moment. Firstly, lets understand the main differences between the two cards. It's worth noted that we have all the cards mentioned in the article (Halifax Clarity, Caxton Euro, Caxton Global) so we understand and have used them. We've not included others which may be on the market, but there are others. Best check over on Martin Lewis's website (link at the end).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">The Caxton Card</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9aXMH2zG9M/T8tOy5yJcbI/AAAAAAAAebM/JGhKNPPFJEg/s1600/Caxton-FX-Europe-Traveller-Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N9aXMH2zG9M/T8tOy5yJcbI/AAAAAAAAebM/JGhKNPPFJEg/s200/Caxton-FX-Europe-Traveller-Card.jpg" height="128" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Caxton is a pre-paid card and as such you need to load money on the card by phone, internet or text message using a bank account linked to the card. Depending on where in Europe you are travelling you are likely to have both a Caxton Europe and a Caxton Global card (or at least you should, since the Europe card is even more expensive outside of the Euro Zone!)</div>
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<b><br />
</b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b><br />
</b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b>Caxton Euro</b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
With the Caxton Euro Card the balance is held on the account in Euros and you load onto the card from sterling at a pre-agreed rate with Caxton, which is usually around 2% lower then the prevailing rate on the day. The card is designed for Euro travel but if you were to travel outside of the Euro zone you would pay a 2% fee to covert £ Sterling into €uro and <b>then a further</b> 2.75% to convert your Euro into Danish Krone, for example, making it very expensive to be used in this way.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b>Caxton Global Traveller </b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
If you were to go outside of the Euro Zone then Caxton recommend the Global Traveller card whereby the balance is held in £ Sterling. This is then translated into Euros at the point of purchase at the prevailing rate plus 2.75% fee. However you end up having to manage two different account balances. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p> </o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b>Pros:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>No credit check required to obtain.</li>
<li>If you're likely to run away with your spending, it prevents you from spending any more than balance you have loaded on the card.</li>
<li>You can load at a pre-agreed rate so you know exactly what conversion rate you are getting. You might be able to load before the rate drops and be able to effectively spend at the old rate.</li>
</ul>
<b>Cons:</b><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>If the conversion rate improves in your favour, you won't benefit until you re-load currency.</li>
<li>If you use your Caxton Card in the UK it will cost you up to £1.50 per transaction. </li>
<li>If you use an Automated fuel pump your account may be pre-authorised for upto €150 which will be held until the actual amount is processed reducing your available funds. Could be 3-5 working days.</li>
<li>Minimum load amount of £100/€150/$200</li>
<li>No protection under the Consumer Credit Act (CCA), since Caxton is not "lending" you money.</li>
<li>Due to the nature of pre-paid cards if Caxton was to go bankrupt you could not reclaim your outstanding credit balance from anywhere. </li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Halifax Clarity Card</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dip4Dhk9QNQ/T8s-5Z6sbII/AAAAAAAAeaw/babAH3JOGpQ/s1600/hali_203x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dip4Dhk9QNQ/T8s-5Z6sbII/AAAAAAAAeaw/babAH3JOGpQ/s200/hali_203x150.jpg" height="147" width="200" /></a></div>
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The Halifax Clarity Card is a traditional credit card geared up to spending abroad. They give you the actual prevailing interest rate on the day (verified by us) and transactions are free. You do pay interest on cash withdrawals but this is likely to be very tiny and is offset by a £5 reward payment if you spend over £300 in a month.</div>
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<b>Pros:</b></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Halifax give you the <b>ACTUAL</b> exchange rate on the day, not a loaded rate to take into account a transaction fee. They make their money hoping you will overspend on holiday and have to repay it over several months when you get home. We tested this by always recording our daily purchases on our log using the days rate, they were always the same OR BETTER than we recorded using XE.com's rates!</li>
<li>You pay <b>NO INTEREST</b> on <u>purchases</u> using the card if you setup a direct debt to clear the balance in full every month. Simply use the card rather than cash wherever it is accepted. </li>
<li>You have 2 weeks from your statement being available to view online to the direct debit coming out, so plenty of time to check and review all your transactions.</li>
<li>You get upto 59 days interest free from the first day of your statement until the due dates (assuming you clear the balance in full). </li>
<li>If you spend over £300/month and are a current account holder you will receive a <b>£5 reward credit</b> payment onto your account each month (tax free).</li>
<li>You are fully protected and insured under the Consumer Credit Agreement </li>
</ul>
<b>Cons:</b><br />
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<li>You pay interest (12.9% - 19.9% depending rate given when you apply) on cash withdrawals, but there is no other fee. We withdrew £3,584.19 in cash and was charged a total of £64.82. However when you take into account the £60 reward payment this is only £4.82 and you could end up in credit depending on the amount of cash withdrawn and your interest rate.</li>
<li>You will need a credit check in order to apply for a card and the actual rate offered will depend on your credit history. </li>
<li>You get the best daily rate, with no opportunity to "load up" while the rate is good.</li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Detailed Comparison</b></span></div>
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The below details our actual expenditure using the Halifax Clarity card and compares what the equivalent costs would had been using the Caxton card for the same amounts and the difference in conversion rate. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQtvknAfHJw/T8vA2EV22nI/AAAAAAAAec0/KiRxtgvujIc/s1600/caxtonvshalifax.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kQtvknAfHJw/T8vA2EV22nI/AAAAAAAAec0/KiRxtgvujIc/s1600/caxtonvshalifax.png" /></a></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Halifax</b> - Our own logs of our expenditure, the days prevailing rate (checked on xe.com) resulted in a near identical if not in our favour exchange rate for currency.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Caxton 2%</b> - Rate checked today (3rd June) vs prevailing rate and found to be 2p in the £ below.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Caxton 2.75%</b> - Taken from <a href="http://www.caxtonfxcard.com/feesncharges.asp">http://www.caxtonfxcard.com/feesncharges.asp</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">This table doesn't consider any benefit that could be had by pre-loading while the rate is good, but this is as much about luck as it is timing and we just wanted to enjoy our trip without rate watching!</span></li>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Summary</span></b><br />
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It's important to note that not everyone spends in the region of £10,000 in Europe every year and therefore for lower amounts you have to decide for yourself if it's worth signing up for the Halifax Clarity if you are already a Caxton customer. However aside from the financial savings the increased insurances you get with a credit card and the interest free period if you was to pay using direct debit are worth considering.</div>
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In addition it's good practice to add an additional card holder for both Caxton and Halifax just in case a card gets misplaced or damage. It's free and simple to do for both. If you are already a Halifax card holder you having nothing to lose by keeping a Caxton Card stashed away for emergencies, as we do.</div>
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<b>Links</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2012/03/touring-europe-for-year-what-does-it.html" target="_blank">12 Months in Europe - What did it cost?</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money" target="_blank">Martin Lewis</a> - Travel Money</div>
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<a href="http://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/low-rate-no-fee/clarity-card/" target="_blank">Halifax Clarity</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.caxtonfx.com/" target="_blank">Caxton</a></div>
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Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4843301963326859142.post-7585923753869229842012-05-27T22:58:00.000+01:002012-05-27T23:02:59.569+01:00Our Guide to Visiting & Driving in Denmark with a Motorhome<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-evxpXgFJdVY/T8Kfl-nhvUI/AAAAAAAAeYk/15lIj1yFGMc/s1600/IMG_3511_2_3_fused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-evxpXgFJdVY/T8Kfl-nhvUI/AAAAAAAAeYk/15lIj1yFGMc/s400/IMG_3511_2_3_fused.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Odense</td></tr>
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This guide is part of the new format of 'Country Guides' we will write to try and provide some of the information we struggled to obtain while researching our trip. It is based on our own experiences and is provided in good faith but your own experience and impressions may differ to ours. We hope that you find it of use and will encourage you to visit.<br />
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<b>Country Facts</b><br />
Country Code (DK), Currency DKK, Capital Copenhagen, Full EU Member. Schengen Country; no visa requirements for EU citizens. There are no import restrictions but there are export limitations for alcohol and tobacco.<br />
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<b>Road Vignette Required?</b><br />
NO.<br />
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<b>Toll Roads</b><br />
<b>No</b>, but there are tolls on bridges. Oresund Bridge joining Denmark to Sweden costs €40 for motorhomes up to 6m and €80 for motorhomes over 6m. Storebaelt Bridge (linking eastern and western Denmark) costs €31 up to 6m and €47 over 6m.<br />
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<b>Road Condition </b><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">★</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<b>Excellent. </b><br />
All main arterial and side roads which we encountered in 2011 were excellent.<br />
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<b>Driving Standard </b><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">★</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<b>Excellent.</b><br />
Be wary of right turns as pedestrians have right of way.<br />
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<b>Winter Tyres Required</b><br />
Not by law but is highly recommended<br />
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<b>Diesel, LPG & Autogas</b><br />
<b>Diesel/Bifyl</b>. Fuel prices vary depending on the time of day, the only pattern we could muster is that it seems cheaper in the evenings. Be wary of Automatic stations which have a surcharge. Practice filling up where you see it cheapest rather than when you are nearly empty as the variation can be as much as 25p!<br />
LPG is rare and expensive but is available if required. Click <b><a href="http://www.visitdenmark.dk/international/en-gb/menu/turist/turistinformation/a-z/autogas.htm" target="_blank">HERE</a></b> for a list of LPG Stations in Denmark.<br />
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<b>Official Aires / Service Points </b><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">★</span></span></span></span></span>★</span></span><br />
<b>Generally Good</b>. There are a handful of aires but the ones publicised in 'All the Aires' as being free, now largely charge so beware. Wild Camping opportunities are frequent and this is perfectly legal to do so, especially around beaches and marina locations. There is a 'grey area' between the 'No Camping' signs and what constitutes as 'Camping' - i.e. getting your chairs out etc. If you don't fancy risking it you'll be sure to find somewhere else to stop just down the road.<br />
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<b>Campsites </b><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">★</span></span></span></span></span>★</span></span><br />
<b>Generally Good. </b><br />
When it comes to campsites, they are geared up to cater for the Danish obsession with Caravans, although stopovers are encouraged through the 'Quick Stop' scheme. That said, Denmark is an expensive place to visit and in our view the best way to offset that cost is to Wild Camp - which is perfectly legal and practised by all the visiting nationalities. There are plenty of signs emerging specifying "No Camping" in some popular locations as to be expected, but finding somewhere to stop close by is not hard.<br />
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<b>Availability of Fresh Water / Waste Disposal </b><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">★</span></span></span></span></span>★</span></span><br />
<b>Generally Good. </b><br />
Fresh water and waste disposal is available at a number of dedicated service points on the main motorway networks (click here for link) We also found both fresh water and chemical toilet disposal at many marina's, check with the harbour master before doing so to avoid ruining it for future visitors.<br />
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<b>Free / Wild Camping</b><b> </b><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">★</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<b>Excellent.</b><br />
City Camp is available for central Copenhagen or there are lots of Wild Camping opportunities, see our blog posts and summary's below for more info.<br />
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<b>Price Index / Food and Supermarkets </b><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">★</span></span></span>★★</span></span><br />
You'd be wise to stock up with food and alcohol prior to entering Denmark; the Lidl's in Germany are excellent for doing so. If you have the capacity to bring enough food and alcohol for your visit then do so, we found bottled water especially hard to come by (due in part to the 35p refundable deposit you pay on bottles, vs 8p in Germany) and a strange absence of fresh fish. If you're making your way to other Scandinavian countries afterwards, you'll be wondering why you didn't stock up with more food! We found fuel prices on par with Germany and other EU countries nearby.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R0r4cwU2ta4/T8KgOPcf0oI/AAAAAAAAeZM/NTngURR-rNI/s1600/IMG_2687+(Large).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R0r4cwU2ta4/T8KgOPcf0oI/AAAAAAAAeZM/NTngURR-rNI/s200/IMG_2687+(Large).JPG" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ribe</td></tr>
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<b>Eating & Drinking Out</b><br />
Generally expensive, we found that a takeaway sandwich and drink could set you back up to £14.<br />
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<b>Availability of Open Wifi </b><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="background-color: #073763; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: yellow; font-family: MingLiU;">★</span></span><span class="apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span lang="ZH-TW" style="color: #a6a6a6; font-family: MingLiU;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: yellow;">★</span></span></span>★★</span></span><br />
Our success rate for finding unsecured Wi-Fi in Denmark was 59%.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T91Fhx49EGw/T8KgccnITJI/AAAAAAAAeZk/wmJbAQYrJDo/s1600/IMG_3505_6_7_fused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T91Fhx49EGw/T8KgccnITJI/AAAAAAAAeZk/wmJbAQYrJDo/s200/IMG_3505_6_7_fused.jpg" width="200" /></a>Denmark is a clean and safe country and from the look of some of the improvements which are on-going, it stands to get even better. Every town has an excellent tourist information office with thick, full colour glossy materials available in every language. The reality when you scratch the surface is a lot of the attractions are manmade and some of the towns offer little by way of history with any real narrative. The flat terrain is perfect for cycling and if beaches are your thing Denmark holds countless prestigious "Blue Beach" awards and the beaches are worthy of any Mediterranean destination (fingers crossed for the weather, 27c Easter Weekend 2011). Anyone under 40 will without doubt speak fluent English and many older people too, we heard very little other than English music on the radio during our time there.<br />
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Denmark is made up of three main Islands: Jutland, Funen and Zealand. The trip to the most northern point of the first island, Skagen, is a worthwhile visit to see the mysterious sight of the two seas lapping over each other but the journey there and back is largely unrewarding save for a handful of nice bits and pieces. Ribe, Arhus (if you're under 40) and the mysterious dune covered Ringkobing Fjord were our personal highlights, not forgetting Lego Land - worth a whip round and free to get in 30 minutes before the rides close where the park stays open for a further 2 hours.<br />
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Much of Denmark’s parking is free but limited by time; you will need a Parking Disc displaying your arrival time so best get one before you set off.<br />
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<b>Our Summary and Posts on Denmark:</b><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/05/denmark-in-motorhome-summary-of-our.html" target="_blank">Summary of our tour of Denmark</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/first-taste-of-denmark.html" target="_blank">First Taste of Denmark</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/windy-denmark.html" target="_blank">Windy Denmark</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/hirtshals-skagen.html" target="_blank">Hirtshals, Skagen and Grena</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/denmark-aarhus.html" target="_blank">Aarhus</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/denmark-vejle-legoland.html" target="_blank">Vejle & Legoland</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/faaborg-svendborg-island-of-langland.html" target="_blank">Faaborg, Svendborg & Island of Langland</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/svendborg-odense.html" target="_blank">Svendborg & Odense</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/kalundborg-roskilde.html" target="_blank">Kalundborg & Roskilde</a><br />
<a href="http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/copenhagen-in-motorhome.html" target="_blank">Copenhagen in a Motorhome</a><br />
<br /></div>Europe By Camperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08287296201941160937noreply@blogger.com3