Bristol to Italy with kids in tow - possible?
Discussion
Folkestone to Lyon probably more sensible. Only so much "are we nearly there yet" I can take.
Settled for a mere 450 miles.
Roads a bit quieter than yesterday but soooooo boring.
Haute cuisine in the Ibis hotel, Lyon - microwaved before our very eyes.
Settled for a mere 450 miles.
Roads a bit quieter than yesterday but soooooo boring.
Haute cuisine in the Ibis hotel, Lyon - microwaved before our very eyes.
Edited by nevbadger on Sunday 30th May 20:23
nevbadger said:
Folkestone to Lyon probably more sensible. Only so much "are we nearly there yet" I can take.
Settled for a mere 450 miles.
Roads a bit quieter than yesterday but soooooo boring.
450 miles across France with kids is a long way.Settled for a mere 450 miles.
Roads a bit quieter than yesterday but soooooo boring.
Yes France is boring to drive - UK to Italy, I'd go via Germany.
That way, you'll be really driving, not machine minding,
and you get to say things like "Please don't distract me
while we are doing over 100 mph, please dear".
I just checked Calais to Rome and it's only 70 miles
further via Aachen and Germany. Pound gets a penny
it's a lot faster timewise too.
I do these sort of trips [father-in-law lives in spain] during the night, get a late euro tunnle so kids are sleeping before france, then belt through to bilbao whihc is about as far as I get before the kids are fully awakr, hotel it for the day, pay up front so you can leave when you want, kids and lisses go out for the day, I grab some sleep then we food at night, PJ the kids and belt on again.
Its nice and easy, only hard it tolls, need to wake misses up, jsut a quick grab that or pay that
return is the same as well
Its nice and easy, only hard it tolls, need to wake misses up, jsut a quick grab that or pay that
return is the same as well
France wet and miserable, took ages to get out of Lyon and decided to go to Turin.
Went through Frejus tunnel, someone pressed a switch half way through and 15 C coldness on the French side turned into 26 C niceness on the Italian side.
Turin to Savona the twistiest motorway I have ever come across; good fun but have to be wary of the vomit-prone small people. No accidents so far, though.
Kids impressed with snow on the top of the Alps but no match for the games on mi iPod touch.
No driving for a day or 2 as we have done 1000 miles from home and we are all still speaking, but we are not staying far from the Col de Torini....
Went through Frejus tunnel, someone pressed a switch half way through and 15 C coldness on the French side turned into 26 C niceness on the Italian side.
Turin to Savona the twistiest motorway I have ever come across; good fun but have to be wary of the vomit-prone small people. No accidents so far, though.
Kids impressed with snow on the top of the Alps but no match for the games on mi iPod touch.
No driving for a day or 2 as we have done 1000 miles from home and we are all still speaking, but we are not staying far from the Col de Torini....
Edited by nevbadger on Monday 31st May 21:31
nevbadger said:
Good idea, although there is a psychological speed limit of 90 which gets imposed when then nippers are on board.
Entirely your choice, but if you are going to drive *that* slowly, it will take you a long time to get anywhere.
nevbadger said:
We did try a similar route in the past and eventually got used to being flashed out of the way when we were doing 115 (top whack for the car at the time).
In Germany, you *will* get flashed by all and sundryif you choose to drive at 115 mph in the fast lane
and you've left the slow lane empty.
Sounds like you're enjoying yourself.
To be honest, I don't really see what the fuss is about. Presumably your kids are well brought up; you haven't made the world seem to revolve around their instantaneous gratisifcation; and they know their place as part of your family. I used to love these long journeys. My dad would let me map read from about the age of 8 (essential because my mother was blooming useless at it). This meant I got to sit in the front around the peripherique.
The problem is rarely the children: it's usually the dumb adults who cannot appreciate the tranquility of a long journey.
To be honest, I don't really see what the fuss is about. Presumably your kids are well brought up; you haven't made the world seem to revolve around their instantaneous gratisifcation; and they know their place as part of your family. I used to love these long journeys. My dad would let me map read from about the age of 8 (essential because my mother was blooming useless at it). This meant I got to sit in the front around the peripherique.
The problem is rarely the children: it's usually the dumb adults who cannot appreciate the tranquility of a long journey.
Edited by r129sl on Tuesday 1st June 22:47
dcb said:
nevbadger said:
In Germany, you *will* get flashed by all and sundry
if you choose to drive at 115 mph in the fast lane
and you've left the slow lane empty.
Whereas round here they just drive 1" from your rear bumper until you take the hint and shift over, space or not in the slow lane.if you choose to drive at 115 mph in the fast lane
and you've left the slow lane empty.
r129sl said:
Sounds like you're enjoying yourself.
To be honest, I don't really see what the fuss is about. Presumably your kids are well brought up; you haven't made the world seem to revolve around their instantaneous gratisifcation; and they know their place as part of your family. I used to love these long journeys. My dad would let me map read from about the age of 8 (essential because my mother was blooming useless at it). This meant I got to sit in the front around the peripherique.
The problem is rarely the children: it's usually the dumb adults who cannot appreciate the tranquility of a long journey.
We are, and I think you are right - my eldest loves seeing what's where on the sat nav and can appreciate the views, youngest (5) more interested in watching the telly so far.To be honest, I don't really see what the fuss is about. Presumably your kids are well brought up; you haven't made the world seem to revolve around their instantaneous gratisifcation; and they know their place as part of your family. I used to love these long journeys. My dad would let me map read from about the age of 8 (essential because my mother was blooming useless at it). This meant I got to sit in the front around the peripherique.
The problem is rarely the children: it's usually the dumb adults who cannot appreciate the tranquility of a long journey.
Edited by r129sl on Tuesday 1st June 22:47
last year we drove to southern Tuscany from Surrey in one go. First afternoon, Surrey to Dover, 4pm ferry to Dunkirk - Belgium - Lux - Germany - Austria (brenner pass) then straight down to Tuscany. We entered Italy at first light and we were there by 10am. The little one slept all night, as did the wife. Great drive, safe as there was no traffic, spent hours on end at 120-140 in Germany and covered lots of ground. So yes, you can do it.
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