A bientôt EU

[kave]

Huh, so you have to have assistance fueling up? I know some countries (Italy) needs 4 people to run a gas station, one fuels up vehicles, one taking payment, one handwriting amount etc into a book and one overseeing the whole process. In Sweden one person does it all, except fuelling up for you, and baking buns and bread, managing the sausages etc etc. In fact I can't think of a more stressful job

 

[The Merle]

I'm not disappointed with our choice of an external topper. If it's wet or cold it goes on otherwise it stays in the chair cavity.

I've never before refuelled at a completely unmanned filling station. There has always been a choice to pay someone. I have refuelled at a "pay at pump" a few times, only two or three times, but then the instructions have been in English.

I set up a Bikeability cycling scheme at a local school about 10 years ago. Transport for London paid for a fleet of 18 Islabikes. I was very impressed with their design.

Hi
Isotop stays on the inside all the time, a lot of money and loads of debates which is better. The one major thing is it doesn't take any space up when on the move!

You prob know of the little extra space saving spots on the van, but there's room under drives seat (I put zebs extra dog food in a rubble sack under there), plus the chair storage bag will probably fit all your shoes wedged in between the chairs. I put my chock blocks and a camping stove in mine. I think there's space behind the table in the door too.
Maybe now the weather is getting better you can just leave awning out and get a beach wind break thing, quick and easy.

Ps must be a collie thing as zeb loves it in the foot well too (prob after the dog food!).

 

[hirsty]

Huh, so you have to have assistance fueling up? I know some countries (Italy) needs 4 people to run a gas station, one fuels up vehicles, one taking payment, one handwriting amount etc into a book and one overseeing the whole process. In Sweden one person does it all, except fuelling up for you, and baking buns and bread, managing the sausages etc etc. In fact I can't think of a more stressful job

I know what you mean about Italy, and with a very strict staff hierarchy! Standard in UK is exactly like Swedish setup described & very few garages now have pump attendants - do your own fuelling & go inside shop to pay guy on till (who also runs the coffee shop).

Brits find it odd to arrive in France or Italy at a standard-looking petrol station with a full shop etc but that looks completely closed / 'abandoned', but is still working - usually in the late afternoon ...

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Reminds me of the shop owners, in Donegal

 

[Amarillo]

Day 15 - Stromstad

Another stunning day. Took dogs to the agility field while out youngest boy slept in the car. The off to the beach for a paddle.

There have been a few Californias here, including one chap who has had his 24 years. It looks better than our 4 month old van.

15 days, and now 13 days without hookup. Our solar panels from Roger seem to work perfectly.

Norway tomorrow.

 

[kave]

Exiting times for you. Thanks for the reports.

 

[calicasas]

What a peculiar response.

This is intended as a blog on our family's trip around Europe and whether or not it includes our feelings about our impending departure from the EU, this is the correct place for such a blog.

It is up to you to decide if you read or not, and not for you to dictate where I post.

Agree, daft comments best ignored. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Amarillo]

Day 16 - Seljord

We've made it to Norway after a pleasant but long drive to Seljord, a delightful campsite nestled between forested hills and at the head of a lake/fjord. I'm not yet sure if a fjord has to be open to the sea- this lake is freshwater with a river running out of it.

We had one ferry crossing where we celebrated Jess's first birthday with scotch pancakes, and one other stop for ice cream and to exercise Meg and Jess, (and the boys who were beginning to get a bit tiresome.

We really are getting excellent value from our ACSI club card, just 17 or 19 Euros per night at the campsites, sometimes a little extra for one of the boys and/or one of the dogs. The saving here is £10 per night.

 

[Digger]

At last a camper being used and a blog to match. I would much rather hear about the Amarillo clan exploits than van comparisons or some other negativity. Stay safe and stay sane.

 

[bvddobb]

Hi
Isotop stays on the inside all the time [...] The one major thing is it doesn't take any space up when on the move!

That is not necessarily true: it does take up space under the roof and e.g. won't combine with certain comfort top mattresses (like ours...) or top mattress toppers, or with leaving your duvet on top while closing the roof.

 

[Amarillo]

That is not necessarily true: it does take up space under the roof and e.g. won't combine with certain comfort top mattresses (like ours...) or top mattress toppers, or with leaving your duvet on top while closing the roof.

I'm sure that both the internal and external toppers have their pros and cons. The faff factor of the external topper is a big 'con'. However, the lack of protection from the elements is an equally big 'con' for the internal topper.

I don't think that there is right or wrong, but I'm not unhappy with my choice of an external topper.

 

[Amarillo]

Day 17 - Seljord

The summer solstice has been and gone, but for us days will be getting longer as we track north, culminating with 287 hours or so between sunrise and sunset.

We spent most of our day on the campsite, which is quite extensive, and includes a beach. Twice Ben and I cycled into town to shop - Ben in the trailer, his cycling is good but not that good yet. Food is breathtakingly expensive, for example: 1 loaf of bread, 2 bread rolls topped with cheese, 1 bun with (revolting) icing and cold custard, 1 litre of milk (which later turned out to be natural yoghurt) and 500g of butter came to £15. OK - Norway levies a 15% sales tax on food, whereas in the U.K. most food is untaxed, but these prices are silly.

Photos: view of the lake from the campsite's observation tower and Ben and Jack in the playground.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Norway levies a 15% sales tax on food, whereas in the U.K. most food is untaxed, but these prices are silly.

Ahh.... The memories.... We visited and Gourmet Burger, Graft Ale and Gin Emporium establishment in Bergen. 2x Burgers, and 2x beers.... Came to £60 (for once, we didn't tip.)

A similar establishment, any Brewdog bar in the UK comes to mind, would be £20 for same quality burger, and same beer.

Hope your on-board stash of booze holds out for all those hours in Norway! I was offered a barter trade, for a bottle of Bushmills Whiskey I had wth me, the trade was for a reindeer pelt. I should've accepted the trade, as later seen the pelts for sale at over £140.

 

[Amarillo]

Ahh.... The memories.... We visited and Gourmet Burger, Graft Ale and Gin Emporium establishment in Bergen. 2x Burgers, and 2x beers.... Came to £60 (for once, we didn't tip.)

A similar establishment, any Brewdog bar in the UK comes to mind, would be £20 for same quality burger, and same beer.

Hope your on-board stash of booze holds out for all those hours in Norway! I was offered a barter trade, for a bottle of Bushmills Whiskey I had wth me, the trade was for a reindeer pelt. I should've accepted the trade, as later seen the pelts for sale at over £140.

We've mostly got Champagne - 50th birthday gifts for Clare. I wonder what we could get for them.

 

[bigmac77]

We bought some 'milk' in France last year that turned out to be soured yogurt, only found out when I poured it into my tea. Yuk.

 

[Amarillo]

Day 18 - Seljord

It was not a promising start to the day with light rain and Ben slipping over and grazing his leg, but things soon improved and the sun threatened to come out. After lunch Ben and I took the dogs for a walk in the hills while Clare and Jack napped.

For dinner we had BBQ pork chops with a pasta and cauliflower salad, then we had a family bike ride in the evening sun.

Halfway up the mountain

View of our campsite - for those with sharper eyes than me, our van is in shot.

The boys looking out for the monster of the lake

 

[Amarillo]

Day 19 - Flam

Route finding on the Sat Nav has many options, then gives a choice of three: shortest, quickest and least fuel. For Seljord to Flam I selected "avoid motorways", "avoid tolls" and all three routes popped up showing the same route. And what a route it was...

Quiet roads, narrow high mountain passes and a plethora of tunnels. The final stretch into the valley was a glorious collection hairpin bends some in tunnel then emerging onto precipices.

Earlier the boys and Jess experienced snow for the first time.

The campsite here doesn't have the same family feel of Seljord, but is well organised. Initially we were charged 840 NOK for 3 nights, but when they realised that we didn't need hookup they refunded 150 NOK. We are certainly getting excellent value from our solar panels: 17 of 19 nights without hookup. I'd always considered them a convenience item not a money saving item. I'm not so sure now. The most useless item among our plentiful luggage is the hookup cable.

 

[kave]

Flåm, so beautiful place. Make sure to take the train and bring your bikes with you up to ride down. A nice trip and all downhill.

 

[andyinluton]

Day 19 - Flam

We are certainly getting excellent value from our solar panels: 17 of 19 nights without hookup. I'd always considered them a convenience item not a money saving item. I'm not so sure now. The most useless item among our plentiful luggage is the hookup cable.

With the amount of driving you've been doing, its the alternator doing the charging, not the solar panels.

 

[Sp0_0k]

If you are not driving at least 3 nights than solar panel will be doing the Job.
We are staying 1-2 nights without hookup and solar panel with 2 freezers

 

[Sp0_0k]

Though in theory, a solar panel might be saving you a bit of diesel. Unloading the alternator

 

[Amarillo]

With the amount of driving you've been doing, its the alternator doing the charging, not the solar panels.

We are stopping for 3/4 nights at a time, and running a fridge 24hrs, using interior lights and charging various electronic items. The trickle charge from the alternator will certainly help, but I'm sure much of the charging is solar.

 

[Amarillo]

Flåm, so beautiful place. Make sure to take the train and bring your bikes with you up to ride down. A nice trip and all downhill.

We'd love to cycle down, but not sure how we would manage with a three year old, a two year old and two collies on their mandatory leads.

I'd love to try though.

 

[kave]

You might get some money back by extending the life of your batteries as well. We are going solar next year too.
How large is your panel btw?

 

[Sp0_0k]

How to install it without interfering with the warranty my biggest question.