Another lot of Alps nonsense

Another lot of Alps nonsense

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br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
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jontymo said:
Thank you to B Child for listing all of your travels over the years, I have bookmarked all of them and will endeavour to work my way through them.

Brad - I recently came across your thread for last years travel and did not want to comment on a year old thread but you had me hooked with the brutal honesty and realism of what grief feels like, it also showed what a great place PH and the web can be though we don't see it often enough.

I am already hooked on this years adventure and will be keeping up to date on your travel in an awesome machine, though I have to say even as a petrolhead I enjoy your explanations and stories of the days nights and events that happen even more than seeing the car - don't hang me for that !!!!!!!!!

Keep on keeping on and bringing a story of adventure to life.

Jon
Thank you Jon.

Last year was very difficult. I knew it would be mostly awful but it seemed to be accepted in the spirit it was meant. I just wanted to be honest and didn't care if it showed weakness or despair.
I had many wonderful private message's that I will never forget and now I'm glad I went ahead with it.

The beauty of this medium is that nobody has to read it, if I was just shouting into an empty room it probably wouldn't bother me but getting positive responses is really appreciated.

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
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texaxile said:
started following this thread, it's just bloody great! Going to now grab a cuppa, pack of digestives and go back to your previous one which I somehow missed!.

It's utterly bonkers and you've got a great writing style mate!!..
Thank you man! Preesh!

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
wong said:
Hilarious and entertaining. Look forward to the next exciting update.
Thank you wong!

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
Now I didn't know that about the clear nail polish. I'll get some and whack it on.

I already have false nails put on for my playing style so I'm well past being embarrassed in nail bars!



Shal used to call them my "Pervy nails", can't really argue with that!

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
mr pg said:
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.
There's a lot of us idiots about mate!

I'm getting slightly concerned. They put the docs in the post on Friday with Chronopost, then sent me the tracking code. When I put that in their website it just says "There is no information for this code" or words to that effect.
Might be a weekend thing, I'll check tomorrow.
But I'm a total cock, I didn't even think to ask the hotel to scan all the docs before they posted them, if they disappear now I've got nothing.

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
adf83 said:
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!
Post it up mate if you feel like it! I'm happy to share the thread. Where are your stops?

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
VSKeith said:
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.
It's easy done.

Did she dump you?

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
Mikeeb said:
Love the trip, the views, the food , the beer. Love all of it, knowing she would love that you’re loving it.
Thank you mate.

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
The motorcyclist question.

I'm not precious about bikers filtering, or riding up to the front of the lights or anything like that, it's the perks of travelling on something your more likely to be killed on! I'm happy to hang back a bit to let a bike come in.

But. This tunnel thing pissed me off. Massive queue, 45 minutes to get to the pay kiosk. And bikes are just riding the whole way passed the queue and then cutting in one car from the front.
This isn't on is it? Am I being petty?
It's not a set of lights, it's a queue for a service.

The problem at the Mont Blanc tunnel is that you are sent through one at a time and have to keep your distance from the vehicle in front. So every time a biker did this it just bumps you down the queue.

Bikers, would you do this?

(Colours nailed, I think it's taking the piss)

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
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fk!
I think those 10 squillion posts make up for my 2 days of down time!

spikeyhead

17,316 posts

197 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
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I'm glad you're having fun, something I need to make more time to do.

TR4man

5,226 posts

174 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
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I’d share your frustration about the bikers. I don’t think I’d confront them though for fear of several hairy arsed bikers following me through the tunnel…

Did no one who worked there send them back to their rightful place in the queue?

Spleen

5,453 posts

121 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
br d said:
The motorcyclist question.

I'm not precious about bikers filtering, or riding up to the front of the lights or anything like that, it's the perks of travelling on something your more likely to be killed on! I'm happy to hang back a bit to let a bike come in.

But. This tunnel thing pissed me off. Massive queue, 45 minutes to get to the pay kiosk. And bikes are just riding the whole way passed the queue and then cutting in one car from the front.
This isn't on is it? Am I being petty?
It's not a set of lights, it's a queue for a service.

The problem at the Mont Blanc tunnel is that you are sent through one at a time and have to keep your distance from the vehicle in front. So every time a biker did this it just bumps you down the queue.

Bikers, would you do this?

(Colours nailed, I think it's taking the piss)
This would grind my gears and I speak as an ex-biker.

mikey k

13,011 posts

216 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
Nice smile
Enjoy the great car for it.
I'm in the middle of planning similar in my 675LTS.

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
fk sake, I always get found out.

Was down at the Pool bar, lovely, had a nice pasta and a few beers.

This is a very posh gaff but they have no bar in the main building, you have to ring reception. And this being Switzerland where they tattoo the rules on your arse when you arrive you really have to get in line.

(If there were any cameras in the mountains today they'll be turning up tomorrow to crush my car. Except the jokes on them cos I have no ID, I literally don't fking exist according to their regulations!)

So I get a take out from the pool bar, easy right?
Nah, they don't have a bag.
"Nothing?"
"Nope"

So, I now have to walk all through the grounds, past the fountains, through reception and past the restaurant carrying two bottles in each hand like an alky on his way home from the bookies.

Pass a very well to do elderly Italian couple eating in the restaurant "Good evening" (clank clank).
They look at me like I'm Charles Manson out on bail.

You just can't hide your birthright man.




Edited by br d on Sunday 26th June 19:10

Sway

26,275 posts

194 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
Ah, but have you got a bottle opener? hehe

Wills2

22,807 posts

175 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
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Excellent, pleased your back over their flying the flag and causing chaos. biggrin

mr pg

1,954 posts

205 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
Spleen said:
br d said:
The motorcyclist question.

I'm not precious about bikers filtering, or riding up to the front of the lights or anything like that, it's the perks of travelling on something your more likely to be killed on! I'm happy to hang back a bit to let a bike come in.

But. This tunnel thing pissed me off. Massive queue, 45 minutes to get to the pay kiosk. And bikes are just riding the whole way passed the queue and then cutting in one car from the front.
This isn't on is it? Am I being petty?
It's not a set of lights, it's a queue for a service.

The problem at the Mont Blanc tunnel is that you are sent through one at a time and have to keep your distance from the vehicle in front. So every time a biker did this it just bumps you down the queue.

Bikers, would you do this?

(Colours nailed, I think it's taking the piss)
This would grind my gears and I speak as an ex-biker.
Never used the tunnel, only the petite and gran st bernard passes. Longer, but much more fun/scenic/cheaper.

dhutch

14,388 posts

197 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
br d said:
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.
I can only imagine.

This is the first of your trips I've seen, but fair play for not only getting out their and doing it, but 'blogging' it as you go.

Absolutely nothing wrong with letting your emotions get the better of you either, I've welled up over far less.

Enjoy the trip.

br d

Original Poster:

8,400 posts

226 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
Sway said:
Ah, but have you got a bottle opener? hehe
Mate, I've got like 5 rooms here! Kitchen, study, lounge, bedroom, bathroom.

I've been here 3 days and there are still doors I haven't opened!



If I didn't have that I'd be cracking the bottles with my glasses case, there's always a path. No direction is forever blocked, or something.

/sorry, that came across really arsey.
Drunk.
Again.

Edited by br d on Sunday 26th June 20:41