Barbarian Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Hi all, for my 100th posting I would like to announce that we have finally sorted out the last of our loose ends keeping us here and we can prepare for a trip in Lucy2, pictured left. In the next week or two we will be off in search of some sun and R&R in Portugal. Taking a leisurely drive, assisted by Mary (the SatNav) through France and Spain on route. B-) barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Momma Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Barbarian - 2011-03-08 10:35 PM Hi all, for my 100th posting I would like to announce that we have finally sorted out the last of our loose ends keeping us here and we can prepare for a trip in Lucy2, pictured left. In the next week or two we will be off in search of some sun and R&R in Portugal. Taking a leisurely drive, assisted by Mary (the SatNav) through France and Spain on route. B-) barbarian If you are interested, take a look at http://paulandlynne2011.blogspot.com they left UK in January, travelled through France, Spain and are currently in Portugal. They provide names & GPS co-ordinates for Aires they have used and campsites along the route so far. They also include useful GPS co-ordinates for fuel & LPG filling stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Thank you Momma, we will have a look. We have had 2x6kg Gaslow tanks put in this van but not been out of the UK since, so any LPG stations will be very useful. Unfortunately our satnav is so old it's steam driven and does not use GPS coordinates just addresses, but we have the new ACSI book & card + all the Aires France, Spain and Portugal, and the CC europe books. We are grateful to you, regards barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Barbarian - 2011-03-08 11:43 PM Unfortunately our satnav is so old it's steam driven and does not use GPS coordinates just addresses, but we have the new ACSI book & card + all the Aires France, Spain and Portugal, and the CC europe books. A tip!! 1) Buy the ACSI DVD......you won't bother opening your book ever again! 2) A decent TomTom can be bought for as little as £60-70 off eBay (I sold my 700 recently with Western + East European mapping). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna miller Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Is nobody going to make the........"you've spent £thousands on a motorhome, and wont pay £100 for a sat-nav" comment. Joking aside, have a good trip, and a safe one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueeyes Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 hope you have a great time. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Momma Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Barbarian - 2011-03-08 11:43 PM Thank you Momma, we will have a look. We have had 2x6kg Gaslow tanks put in this van but not been out of the UK since, so any LPG stations will be very useful. Unfortunately our satnav is so old it's steam driven and does not use GPS coordinates just addresses, but we have the new ACSI book & card + all the Aires France, Spain and Portugal, and the CC europe books. We are grateful to you, regards barbarian Don't forget to ensure that you have the filler adaptors with you for the LPG, you will need them in Europe. I think that you will also find that the All the Aires Spain/Portugal book also provides locations of LPG stations, not sure how accurate they are though. If you go on to Paul & Lynnes Blog you can contact them, I am sure they will be only to pleased to provide you with any information you may require for your own trip. We motorhomers are a very helpful bunch in that respect ;-) Another very useful blog site of someone else who has spent a great deal of time in portugal is http://stevegreenphotography.wordpress.com Steve also provides lots of very good practical information about local amenities, aires, campsites, barragems (Reservoirs) for wildcamping, water points in towns/villages etc and the all important GPS Co-ordinates. I would suggest you invest in a new Sat Nav that does input GPS co-ordinates, much better than addresses or postcodes for Europe as postcodes in Europe can apply to a district rather than a particular small defined area. However, remember that sometimes half the adventure is taking a wrong road or getting lost and somtimes such mistakes can produce some realy wonderful gems. On the other hand you may end up at the end of a road that goes nowhere and you just have to turn around and re-trace your tracks. Just enjoy ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 Thank you all for the hints, tips, advice and wishes. I have started packing the van already. My other half, bless her, says "I don't do excited" but I detected a sign, when I told someone that we should be on our way in 7/10 days she said, why that long! (lol) I know what you mean about the satnav but we have become attached to 'Mary' she has got us out of some places, mind you she put us in there first. We have had her 6 years so she's part of the family and she dosen't answer back when I shout at her. :D Thanks again, I will let you know when we have a departure date. barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Momma Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Barbarian - 2011-03-10 5:25 PM Thank you all for the hints, tips, advice and wishes. I have started packing the van already. My other half, bless her, says "I don't do excited" but I detected a sign, when I told someone that we should be on our way in 7/10 days she said, why that long! (lol) I know what you mean about the satnav but we have become attached to 'Mary' she has got us out of some places, mind you she put us in there first. We have had her 6 years so she's part of the family and she dosen't answer back when I shout at her. :D Thanks again, I will let you know when we have a departure date. barbarian Well good luck to you but you still have 7/10 days to purchase that new Satnav, which I would strongly recommend. Once you use the GPS functionality you will see the advantage especially in Europe ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted March 12, 2011 Author Share Posted March 12, 2011 (Slightly off the original thread) Don't know if any of you have a Makro near you but I went to our local one today to look at Tom Tom SatNavs. They had several different models at varying prices on display but limited information. I asked their 'Customer Service Expert' (Joke) which ones had the lat & long facility, he didn't have a clue and made no effort to find out. The model I was interested in would have been £180, but he showed no interest to help or product knowledge and I gave up. My other half asked him about MP3 players (for those days strolling the beaches!) He said she would get a better deal at Tesco. Obviously they are good employers who train their staff to the highest levels! (lol) A good £200+ Makro lost today *-) Back to the original - We are leaving home on Friday 18th March spending the weekend at Son & Daughter in Laws in Essex then off to Dover. Going to look & book a one way crossing tomorrow, no return date planned. B-) barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 Booked the Ferry today, used the Caravan Club website. One way Dover / Dunkerke with Norfolk Line (Now DFDS) sailing at 2pm Sunday 20th March for the princely sum of £27.00 B-) barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted March 15, 2011 Author Share Posted March 15, 2011 You will be pleased to know I bought a new Satnav today! :-D A Tom Tom GO LIVE 1005 Europe, Halfords, ordered on line and collected in store within the hour saving nearly £38 on the buy instore price. Got the one with the larger 5" screen, thinking ahead for when the eyesight deteriorates 8-) :D barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Momma Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 Barbarian - 2011-03-15 12:27 AM You will be pleased to know I bought a new Satnav today! :-D A Tom Tom GO LIVE 1005 Europe, Halfords, ordered on line and collected in store within the hour saving nearly £38 on the buy instore price. Got the one with the larger 5" screen, thinking ahead for when the eyesight deteriorates 8-) :D barbarian Good decision !! BUT, do remember that it is just a piece of electronic technology and also invest in a decent road map of Europe (Michelin maps tend to be pretty good). Are you planning on starting a 'blog' site or just keeping us updated through this forum ? Can i suggest that you also take a look at www.motorhome365.com (forum for Motorhome fulltimers) and also a blog site http://paulandlynne2011.blogspot.com (This is a couple who left UK at the end of January and are currently in Portugal. Some good information on their blog with GPS Co-ordinates for Wildcamping locations, Aires and campsites as well as Fuel/LPG locations they have used. Have a very enjoyable trip :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted March 15, 2011 Author Share Posted March 15, 2011 Hi Big Momma and thank you again. We have the Michelin maps France, Spain & Portugal + A Euro Atlas + All the Aires for the same Countries. I have looked the blog you sent and it has some useful info, I will keep alookout for their M/H too. I will have the laptop with me but I am not a 'blogger' so I will try to get on to this forum from time to time. Regards barbarian B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 We bought a european Tom Tom which was great going through France :D Once we hit Spain it turned into a psycho 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarian Posted March 15, 2011 Author Share Posted March 15, 2011 Just finished completing the info. download / updates for the new piece of kit, it took a while as I had to try twice but that was because my tinternet connection failed during the first attempt. Appears OK now! The real test starts on Friday when we get under way! B-) Would like to add a BIG THANK YOU to you all who have taken the trouble to reply to our posts and give good sound advice and tips. Keep safe and enjoy, best wishes. :-D :-D barbarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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