Heres a note about drivers. Even though I have been in Italy for only 4 hours, I can tell the difference between the French and the Italians. God invented road rage so that everyone is on equal terms with the Italian drivers. I have to say that if I have ever driven like an Italian with any of you in the car, I apologise. But at least the Italians let you out if you are indicating on the motorway to move into the middle or outside lane. The French will stay where they are until they pass you and you have to make your move after they have gone. That’s all very well and good, but if there is a stream of traffic you are forced to slow down and wait. Ok, if you are a normal car, but with half a ton of caravan behind you, it makes it a helluva job to get back up to 60mph. Even if the outside lane is free, the French don’t move. The Italians have no problem with it at all – gotta love the Italians – for something at least.
The distance from Cagnes-sur-Mer (between St Tropez & Nice) to the ferry port in Ancona, Italy was 490 miles. That works out at a bit over 8 hours if you travel at 60mph. Not accounting for the wrong turns, getting lost, filling up with fuel and having breakfast I did it in 9 and a half hours. I was glad I left as early as I did, as the ticket buying building was a good 10 minute walk from the place where the ferry leaves from. So I paid for me, the 4x4 & the caravan €239 (£175) from Ancona to the Greek mainland. I will then catch another ferry from there. I paid for the open deck, which means I can sleep in the caravan, and don’t have to sleep on the floor like I did when I came back the other way 15 years ago.
The ship, in true Greek style left late, so we departed at 1640 (40 mins late) and it is a 16 hour crossing. So all being equal, we should be on the mainland by 9am tomorrow morning. All showered and ready for another exciting episode.
All in all it has not been a cheap trip, crossing from Plymouth to Roscoff was £280, when I landed in Roscoff, I had about €140 and £4000. I converted the sterling into €uros and that totalled about just under 5800 euros. I now have €4600 ish. That breaks down into about €130 on food, €250 on motorway tolls (Italy is more expensive than France!) €40 on campsites for pitching the caravan, €240 on ferry to Greece, and the rest (€540) on fuel. I still have to purchase the ferry ticket from the mainland to the islands, and that should be about €100 or so. So the whole trip will have cost me about £1000 all-in-all! When I come back, I will ditch the caravan and stay in cheap hotels. It will be autumn/winter and the prospect of staying in a drafty creaking caravan is not one I will relish. Plus the fuel consumption will be lower and I can get all my stuff in the 4x4. It will be easier to park up and a lot more relaxing. But anyway that’s for another 5 months time!!! So in 5 months, I have to save £2000 to recover what I have spent getting here and in preparation for the trip to Germany. Should be relatively easy, as I will have no accommodation costs! But it has been fun so far. All I need now is a job in a bar that serves food and I should be back to square one with no expenses and all major items covered.
denguefever Blog Comments (1)
Travelling, running away & other stories
Heres a note about drivers. Even though I have been in Italy for only 4 hours, I can tell the difference between the French and the Italians. God invented road rage so that everyone is on equal terms with the Italian drivers. I have to say that if I have ever driven like an Italian with any of you in the car, I apologise. But at least the Italians let you out if you are indicating on the motorway to move into the middle or outside lane. The French will stay where they are until they pass you and you have to make your move after they have gone. That’s all very well and good, but if there is a stream of traffic you are forced to slow down and wait. Ok, if you are a normal car, but with half a ton of caravan behind you, it makes it a helluva job to get back up to 60mph. Even if the outside lane is free, the French don’t move. The Italians have no problem with it at all – gotta love the Italians – for something at least.The distance from Cagnes-sur-Mer (between St Tropez & Nice) to the ferry port in Ancona, Italy was 490 miles. That works out at a bit over 8 hours if you travel at 60mph. Not accounting for the wrong turns, getting lost, filling up with fuel and having breakfast I did it in 9 and a half hours. I was glad I left as early as I did, as the ticket buying building was a good 10 minute walk from the place where the ferry leaves from. So I paid for me, the 4x4 & the caravan €239 (£175) from Ancona to the Greek mainland. I will then catch another ferry from there. I paid for the open deck, which means I can sleep in the caravan, and don’t have to sleep on the floor like I did when I came back the other way 15 years ago.
The ship, in true Greek style left late, so we departed at 1640 (40 mins late) and it is a 16 hour crossing. So all being equal, we should be on the mainland by 9am tomorrow morning. All showered and ready for another exciting episode.
All in all it has not been a cheap trip, crossing from Plymouth to Roscoff was £280, when I landed in Roscoff, I had about €140 and £4000. I converted the sterling into €uros and that totalled about just under 5800 euros. I now have €4600 ish. That breaks down into about €130 on food, €250 on motorway tolls (Italy is more expensive than France!) €40 on campsites for pitching the caravan, €240 on ferry to Greece, and the rest (€540) on fuel. I still have to purchase the ferry ticket from the mainland to the islands, and that should be about €100 or so. So the whole trip will have cost me about £1000 all-in-all! When I come back, I will ditch the caravan and stay in cheap hotels. It will be autumn/winter and the prospect of staying in a drafty creaking caravan is not one I will relish. Plus the fuel consumption will be lower and I can get all my stuff in the 4x4. It will be easier to park up and a lot more relaxing. But anyway that’s for another 5 months time!!! So in 5 months, I have to save £2000 to recover what I have spent getting here and in preparation for the trip to Germany. Should be relatively easy, as I will have no accommodation costs! But it has been fun so far. All I need now is a job in a bar that serves food and I should be back to square one with no expenses and all major items covered.
.... But it didnt quite work out that way