Another lot of Alps nonsense
Discussion
PHZero said:
Some clear nail varnish will stop that wheel rotting! Loving this thread.
Ha..Ha...Now, Brad has got to buy some clear nail varnish in a foreign country, whilst speaking a foreign language, explaining it's for him, but not his nails, it's for his car's wheels. I feel a story coming on.
Unless the shop assistant speaks English of course.
You're not alone in leaving documents behind Brad!
We stayed in Switzerland a few years ago before a days drive to the next hotel in Austria. The hotel asked for our passports on arrival, and it suddenly dawned on us that they were still in the previous hotels room safe!
They sent over copies to the new hotel but a courier wouldn't be able to get them to us in time before we moved, which meant we had to retrace our route back to the Swiss hotel to pick them up on our way back from Austira a few days later. No stops at border luckily.
Looking forward to our first trip in 3 years in Sept. Back to Austria.
Paul.
We stayed in Switzerland a few years ago before a days drive to the next hotel in Austria. The hotel asked for our passports on arrival, and it suddenly dawned on us that they were still in the previous hotels room safe!
They sent over copies to the new hotel but a courier wouldn't be able to get them to us in time before we moved, which meant we had to retrace our route back to the Swiss hotel to pick them up on our way back from Austira a few days later. No stops at border luckily.
Looking forward to our first trip in 3 years in Sept. Back to Austria.
Paul.
I enjoyed reading about your travels last year when I came across your thread and particularly so this year as I’m currently on a road trip through France and Italy and your destinations are broadly the same as mine. There’s just something special about a road trip, you see places you’d never see otherwise. I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip. Safe travels!
Go Brad!
I once left my rucksack containing my passport in a cafe about 50 miles outside Jo'burg. Only realised when we went to check in for our flight home, after a scary drive, lost, through patchier parts of the city at evening thunderstorm time.
Called the cafe - not there unsurprisingly.
Cue an extra 2 days holiday and a somewhat annoyed girlfriend.
I once left my rucksack containing my passport in a cafe about 50 miles outside Jo'burg. Only realised when we went to check in for our flight home, after a scary drive, lost, through patchier parts of the city at evening thunderstorm time.
Called the cafe - not there unsurprisingly.
Cue an extra 2 days holiday and a somewhat annoyed girlfriend.
It's 2 o'clock in the morning, I'm pissed. Francesco and Tanya just left.
They brought me an expensive bottle of wine, which I'm debating whether to open right now!
Will meet them for brekky and get some pics. Then go into Lugano and try to convince a good looking woman to take a pic with the car, I'll probably get told to f
k right off, or whatever the Swiss equivalent is.
Gutted you couldn't be here tonight Gaia. X
They brought me an expensive bottle of wine, which I'm debating whether to open right now!
Will meet them for brekky and get some pics. Then go into Lugano and try to convince a good looking woman to take a pic with the car, I'll probably get told to f
k right off, or whatever the Swiss equivalent is.Gutted you couldn't be here tonight Gaia. X
Didn't open the bottle! Got up early, had breakfast and then said goodbye to my friends.
Had a cracking night, fun, food,booze and heated discussions (never talk politics on red wine!)
Absolutely lovely people, Tanya is Russian and speaks perfect Italian and English, has a bachelors degree and is 25. I'm always amazed at how intelligent and erudite the people I meet are.
Thanks for coming up guys!
Had a cracking night, fun, food,booze and heated discussions (never talk politics on red wine!)
Absolutely lovely people, Tanya is Russian and speaks perfect Italian and English, has a bachelors degree and is 25. I'm always amazed at how intelligent and erudite the people I meet are.
Thanks for coming up guys!
br d said:
Sorry guys! The usual litany of cock ups the last couple of days!
I've only got a short time I'll try to catch up.
It kept raining and thundering on Thursday so I just stayed out in the garden the whole night and got pissed, was quite wonderful, although I was drenched.
Left chamonix on Friday morning, loads of stress driving down. Massive queue at the Mont Blanc tunnel - when I get more time I want to ask the motorcyclists here a question - went into a garage near Milan and decided a chunk of the curb round the pump needed to come out.
dhead!
Then the most massive storm in history hit and I drove the whole last 2 hours in lightning and flooding. Was pretty good just a bit worrying when people sit 1 foot behind you in those conditions.
When I was probably 20 minutes from the hotel the Mont Blanc called to say they had found - wait for it - my passport, driving license, insurance docs, V5, tunnel ticket and Covid Pass in the room. I have a clip shut folder that I keep everything in so I won't forget it!
Moron!
They said they'd courier it on but didn't want to risk sending it to this one over the weekend, where was I staying after this?
I had a brain fart and gave them the details of the hotel near the Stelvio where I am going on Thursday. Completely forgetting that I'm staying 3 days in St Moritz before that!
So I've got no docs whatsoever till Thursday.
Tit!
Got here - Lugano - knackered obviously but had a nice meal and just crashed.
So, Gaia was due to come to this hotel this morning and we were going to get the train into Milan to Meet Francesco and his partner, spend some time in his studio, go out for the evening and then probably stay in a hotel in Milan.
(If none of this means anything to you my apologies, these are people I met last year.)
Friday night someone in Gaia's office goes down with Covid, they all test, she's positive.
So now I'm going down to Milan. This morning I have a thought, I'm in Switzerland, Milan is in Italy. I ask the reception guys "Do they check your passport on the train?"
"Yes, they do. Not always but often".
st.
So I text Francesco and say its a bit risky, I've got no ID at all, and no idea what they would do in that case.
He says, the legend, "Don't worry, we will drive up to you!"
Cool. So I'm sitting now waiting for them but have no signal and the WiFi won't let me upload pics.
I love the way I've only got a short time I'll try to catch up.
It kept raining and thundering on Thursday so I just stayed out in the garden the whole night and got pissed, was quite wonderful, although I was drenched.
Left chamonix on Friday morning, loads of stress driving down. Massive queue at the Mont Blanc tunnel - when I get more time I want to ask the motorcyclists here a question - went into a garage near Milan and decided a chunk of the curb round the pump needed to come out.
d
head! Then the most massive storm in history hit and I drove the whole last 2 hours in lightning and flooding. Was pretty good just a bit worrying when people sit 1 foot behind you in those conditions.
When I was probably 20 minutes from the hotel the Mont Blanc called to say they had found - wait for it - my passport, driving license, insurance docs, V5, tunnel ticket and Covid Pass in the room. I have a clip shut folder that I keep everything in so I won't forget it!
Moron!
They said they'd courier it on but didn't want to risk sending it to this one over the weekend, where was I staying after this?
I had a brain fart and gave them the details of the hotel near the Stelvio where I am going on Thursday. Completely forgetting that I'm staying 3 days in St Moritz before that!
So I've got no docs whatsoever till Thursday.
Tit!
Got here - Lugano - knackered obviously but had a nice meal and just crashed.
So, Gaia was due to come to this hotel this morning and we were going to get the train into Milan to Meet Francesco and his partner, spend some time in his studio, go out for the evening and then probably stay in a hotel in Milan.
(If none of this means anything to you my apologies, these are people I met last year.)
Friday night someone in Gaia's office goes down with Covid, they all test, she's positive.
So now I'm going down to Milan. This morning I have a thought, I'm in Switzerland, Milan is in Italy. I ask the reception guys "Do they check your passport on the train?"
"Yes, they do. Not always but often".
s
t. So I text Francesco and say its a bit risky, I've got no ID at all, and no idea what they would do in that case.
He says, the legend, "Don't worry, we will drive up to you!"
Cool. So I'm sitting now waiting for them but have no signal and the WiFi won't let me upload pics.
d
headMoron
Tit and
s
t stand out so well if you scroll past the post at anything more than reading speed
There's a song, an old song, by Sade called 'Maureen'.
It's about her friend who died when she was young.
I always found it very poignant, even back then when I knew nothing.
There's a line, "You'll never meet my new friends".
Pretty unbearable now.
I've just driven up into the mountains, cried like a baby the whole way here.
It's better now, it's a lot better, but it'll still kick the wind out of me if I drop my guard.
Going to see if I can do something with the drone.
It's about her friend who died when she was young.
I always found it very poignant, even back then when I knew nothing.
There's a line, "You'll never meet my new friends".
Pretty unbearable now.
I've just driven up into the mountains, cried like a baby the whole way here.
It's better now, it's a lot better, but it'll still kick the wind out of me if I drop my guard.
Going to see if I can do something with the drone.
Fabulous. Mental.
A brilliant couple of hours on the mountain roads, wonderful driving.
If you can't enjoy a car on these roads its oyster card time.
Miles and miles of this stuff. Its just floor it, stamp the brake, wrench right, wrench left, floor it for ever and ever. So many times I thought I was going to stack into the side wall or go over the edge but the car just does what you hope it will. You can get so much speed between the turns your hearts in your mouth all the time!
Lots of these "straight over the edge" type sections too so you have to be wide awake.
This car has massive ceramics but it was blistering hot and I was mashing the brakes, I had to pull up here because they were getting a little gooey.
The smell of cooking ceramic made me laugh out loud! At least it's getting used!
A brilliant couple of hours on the mountain roads, wonderful driving.
If you can't enjoy a car on these roads its oyster card time.
Miles and miles of this stuff. Its just floor it, stamp the brake, wrench right, wrench left, floor it for ever and ever. So many times I thought I was going to stack into the side wall or go over the edge but the car just does what you hope it will. You can get so much speed between the turns your hearts in your mouth all the time!
Lots of these "straight over the edge" type sections too so you have to be wide awake.
This car has massive ceramics but it was blistering hot and I was mashing the brakes, I had to pull up here because they were getting a little gooey.
The smell of cooking ceramic made me laugh out loud! At least it's getting used!
Edited by br d on Sunday 26th June 14:34
br d said:
Left chamonix on Friday morning, loads of stress driving down. Massive queue at the Mont Blanc tunnel - when I get more time I want to ask the motorcyclists here a question - went into a garage near Milan and decided a chunk of the curb round the pump needed to come out.
dhead!
Then the most massive storm in history hit and I drove the whole last 2 hours in lightning and flooding. Was pretty good just a bit worrying when people sit 1 foot behind you in those conditions.
When I was probably 20 minutes from the hotel the Mont Blanc called to say they had found - wait for it - my passport, driving license, insurance docs, V5, tunnel ticket and Covid Pass in the room. I have a clip shut folder that I keep everything in so I won't forget it!
Moron!
They said they'd courier it on but didn't want to risk sending it to this one over the weekend, where was I staying after this?
I had a brain fart and gave them the details of the hotel near the Stelvio where I am going on Thursday. Completely forgetting that I'm staying 3 days in St Moritz before that!
So I've got no docs whatsoever till Thursday.
Tit!
The road trip is just getting into its stride I see.d
head! Then the most massive storm in history hit and I drove the whole last 2 hours in lightning and flooding. Was pretty good just a bit worrying when people sit 1 foot behind you in those conditions.
When I was probably 20 minutes from the hotel the Mont Blanc called to say they had found - wait for it - my passport, driving license, insurance docs, V5, tunnel ticket and Covid Pass in the room. I have a clip shut folder that I keep everything in so I won't forget it!
Moron!
They said they'd courier it on but didn't want to risk sending it to this one over the weekend, where was I staying after this?
I had a brain fart and gave them the details of the hotel near the Stelvio where I am going on Thursday. Completely forgetting that I'm staying 3 days in St Moritz before that!
So I've got no docs whatsoever till Thursday.
Tit!
I had intended to put the drone on follow mode and chase the car up some switchbacks but there are just too many trees here. It will lose the lock.
I did come up one ridiculously tight section coming into a little town so I stopped and flew the drone over it and had a little nose around some of the scenery. It's not the greatest footage but I'll put it up later anyway.
I did come up one ridiculously tight section coming into a little town so I stopped and flew the drone over it and had a little nose around some of the scenery. It's not the greatest footage but I'll put it up later anyway.
Turn7 said:
This thread, is for me, living the dream vicariously...
Im so happy to see someone just living the life to full, not conforming to any set precedents and just taking each day for the most of pleasure available.
Very jealous, but vey happy to enjoy the shared ride....
That's good of you Turn. Im so happy to see someone just living the life to full, not conforming to any set precedents and just taking each day for the most of pleasure available.
Very jealous, but vey happy to enjoy the shared ride....
It's always just about turning up and seeing what happens. It can often be boring and lately sad too but then one of those moments will just happen and its worth it.
I know my whole style is just all over the place and I'm sure it can be maddening but it's all I can do. I think the failings probably make the best reading. Just lurching from f
k up to fk up, it's fun! Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff