The start of a new life,,,,,,ferry !!! (1 Viewer)

[ianthebuilder]

Right just looked brittany ferry from portsmouth to bilbao on sunday 13th at 10,30 pm single (one way) with cabin just over £440.............. is that a decent price ? do i need a cabin? would driving ,stopping thru france be cheaper or easier this side of xmas? Dont really want to catch snow and do a sherpa thing over the mountains,,,it will be my first time driving abroad,,rhd auto... As usuall,,,lots of help reqd..

 

[f6c]

Enjoy

 

[32143]

We use tunnel and drive through France, it only takes a couple of days to get to Spain.
Not keen on ferries, but the dogs rule them out anyway. Might to choppy at sea

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[Augusta08]

The ferry is a pleasant way to get to Spain, this side of Xmas France can be expensive on the tolls, or quite a haul if you're not used to driving long distances. Yes you do need a cabin, it makes the difference between a very uncomfortable night and a pleasure. Enjoy!!

 

[Judge Mental]

Drive! far cheaper ...can get to Med coast in a few days if you want to. look at @tonka west coast route, I can get to Benidorm in 3 days

 

[Speve]

Drive and enjoy the scenery you won't come across much snow and the roads are good and quiet it will get you used to driving on the wrong side. Have a great trip whatever you do

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[Flamenca]

@ianthebuilder Portsmouth/Caen day crossing Dec 14th 7m MH is £139 one way and I can let you have a 'code' to give you a 10%discount.

 

[ianthebuilder]

wheres caen?? excuse my ignorance !!

 

[scousebird]

wheres caen

Normandy

Enjoy your adventure - keep us up to date with your travels

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[ianthebuilder]

Ok but i am leaning towards direct to spain for the first time,,,might be a bit more relaxing for me,,,till i land !!! Im sure if i can get some internet access i will be telling all about my adventure,,,

 

[big map]

@ianthebuilder you need to buy the van before booking the ferry. I would go tunnel but if you go on a night crossing to Spain definately book a cabin.

 

[Anthea M]

Glad it's all coming together! House sold , motorhome to buy and the adventure begins! Good luck! ( can the Bay of Biscay be very choppy at this time of year.?)

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[Munchie]

Best wishes for your new life Ian! You will not regret it!

 

[ianthebuilder]

I hope to see you sooner rather than later munchie,ken.... anybody reccommend a good satnav for me to get? for europe and here,,,from a shop or store,not online please !

 

[Judge Mental]

@ianthebuilder you need to buy the van before booking the ferry. I would go tunnel but if you go on a night crossing to Spain definately book a cabin.

and buy the right van

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[ianthebuilder]

well eddie,,i must admit,im leaning towards the hymer,,i just like it,,,,

 

[wingman]

@ianthebuilder

As far as driving goes, if you haven't driven over there before, the worst bit is a touch of the naggers when you get off the ferry. After that, you will settle and it will be a breeze. Just keep the kerb or roadside on your right! Some folk put a post-it note prominently in the cab as a reminder.

Strangely, where you can come unstuck is in supermarkets or campsites or when not concentrating. I've been known to drive around supermarket roads on the left!! And that's after driving over there for years! Also, be very careful when making a left turn from a main road.

If you've got a sat nag with a speed readout, change the settings to kilometres, it's easier to stay within the speed limits that way, without converting or scrutinising the inner dial of your speedo'.

Have a look at You Tube. There are hundreds of foreign driving video clips on there to give you a general idea.

There are hundreds of tips to give you, so won't bore you with more. Just enjoy the trip.

James

 

[funflair]

I hope to see you sooner rather than later munchie,ken.... anybody reccommend a good satnav for me to get? for europe and here,,,from a shop or store,not online please !

Co-pilot or TomTom app I have both on my i-phone and i-pad and they work well, I used the TomTom app for a lot of years and it has been great but recently we have been to the Czech republic and I bought Co-pilot as TomTom app didn't cover Czech republic, took some getting used to but now I have used it a while I like the Co-pilot and it certainly routes you a better way than TomTom for a larger vehicle, you have to select the motorhome option on Co-pilot.

Martin

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[makems]

We always get the ferry to Spain. I am sure you can save a few quid driving through France, but in Winter that's no fun if it's pissing down or like two years ago snowing.
regards
Mike

 

[bellabee]

Ferry's more expensive, but a nice enjoyable start to your holiday. Yes, you do need the cabin.

I think whichever way you go, you're going to have a fantastic time. You seem to have got the right mindset, and that's what it takes.

Hope you have a great adventure. We'll look out for you in your Hymer, if you're still in Spain in Feb.
Good luck!
Chris

 

[makems]

Thanks john. That was supposed to be a private message I'll have to get Jim to delete it.

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[bryandh]

@ianthebuilder Forgive my pessimistic view point, but you have yet to buy the vehicle in which you hope to begin your new life........... And you are looking at booking details for 13th of December!!

Where I am posting pessimistically, your comments seem hugely optimistic. As others have said, buy the van first, get it ready to travel, sort maps, gas, sat nav,ACSI, Aires books, think of 3 "feel at home" for internet access, etc., the list can be endless, and of course book a crossing. But first things first......... Buy a van!!!
Other than that, hope you have a fabulous trip, keep us posted of your progress.

Bryan

 

[DBK]

I hope to see you sooner rather than later munchie,ken.... anybody reccommend a good satnav for me to get? for europe and here,,,from a shop or store,not online please !

Try Halfords for TomTom or Garmin, but make sure it comes with lifetime European map updates. You can get truck satnavs where you feed in the size of your vehicle and routes accordingly in theory but they tend to be expensive and unless you are buying a bus a normal car type will be fine.

As for route you are as likely to hit snow in central Spain as France. We use the long crossing to Spain but that's partly because we live close to Plymouth and we enjoy the crossing to Santander but from Norfolk I would look at a shorter crossing and drive through France. Newhaven/Dieppe is not expensive and avoids the potential hassle of Dover/Calais and book by telephone you can get a discount if over 60. A quieter route like this might be less fraught if you are new to driving on the wrong side of the road. France is a great place for MHs just be cautious in towns where vehicles can shoot out of side streets unexpectedly. Just check for dotted lines on the road across the minor road, if no dots or white line - they have right of way! Even the French think it's bonkers but all part of the charm of the place.

 

[Littlewheels]

Ok but i am leaning towards direct to spain for the first time,,,might be a bit more relaxing for me,,,till i land !!! Im sure if i can get some internet access i will be telling all about my adventure,,,

It's a relaxing cruise and the Bay of Biscay is like a mill pond in December! Enjoy.

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[MikeD]

I would definitely have a cabin and whilst you may save a few quid driving through France the ferry to northern Spain it does make for a more relaxing start.

But beware the Biscay does go up and down quite a lot at this time of year.

We have just returned on the Pont Aven and the boat was definitely lively and not in the "party" sense.

 

[Charlie]

Right just looked brittany ferry from portsmouth to bilbao on sunday 13th at 10,30 pm single (one way) with cabin just over £440.............. is that a decent price ? do i need a cabin? would driving ,stopping thru france be cheaper or easier this side of xmas? Dont really want to catch snow and do a sherpa thing over the mountains,,,it will be my first time driving abroad,,rhd auto... As usuall,,,lots of help reqd..

Look at joining Club Voyage run by Brittany ferries. It give handsome discounts ! If we had joined before our trip to Roscoff from Plymouth and back the membership and annual fee would have been more than paid for ! OR at least ask for a discount code off a member on here. They get a tenner of Brittany for every booking mad when their membership number is used.

Which ferry you choose will depend on where you are travelling from where you are going to and importantly how well you travel on a boat.

We plan on going Plymouth Roscoff in January. We will look ate the weather forecasts from here in the Midlands to Plymouth. From Roscoff down to Spain. If it looks good we bugger off for 8 to 10 weeks .. Cant wait !

It could well work out cheaper to go Dover Calais but getting form here to Dover is an arse. Plus the drive from Calais south will be far longer. Cheaper maybe. More agg definitely..

Dont forget to buy a motor home first !

 

[Bart]

@ianthebuilder or anyone else , where is the thread or posts about you buying Helga ? as i would like to read how you came across her and purchased her.

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[Pilote87]

@ianthebuilder or anyone else , where is the thread or posts about you buying Helga ? as i would like to read how you came across her and purchased her.

I think this link will take you to what you want - http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/find-ian-the-builder-a-van-thread.120732/

J

 

[EX51SSS]

Don't forget to peruse the laws, particularly Road laws in any country you intend to travel through. Spare bulbs, hi viz jkts, triangles etc.
Get a good sat nav, most are extremely user friendly. Most offer free updates but do check.
Aldi recently had the Garmin 660LMT on offer ranging from £139 (possibly cheaper) to £199. I paid £199 after visiting 3 stores. It was on sale on amazon for £300+. Check customers services at Aldi.
Anyway,, it is designed as a motorhome sat nav which I use with great confidence but I also use it everyday in my job. I did it as an afterthought. You can put in height, weight, width and length and easily find local amenities wherever you are. Food, fuel, MHF recommended sites plus you can expand its memo. Think I've got a 32gb memory inserted.
Check local laws as to sat nav speed traps that are included. France is illegal but easily this option is easily disabled.
You could buy the sat nav before the van but definitely buy the van before you book. Don't the ferry company wasn't to know the size of the van?
Unless you've been travelling in France, don't let the traffic situation in this country sway your decision to use the ferry. Train is really good and the travelling through France (not Paris and main cities) is an absolute breeze.
Enjoy your trip and travels.

 

[jumartoo]

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