Faith in the banger. (1 Viewer)

Snowbird

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We start the 2500 mile run down to the Black Sea tomorrow in the 15 year old Skoda I gave the princely sum of £1000 for 4 years ago. I have no doubt it will get us there and back even though herself is not as confident. We set off fully loaded with 2 mobility scooters, a 50" TV and various other bits and bobs including 2 suitcases at around lunchtime from Liverpool tomorrow. First stop will be an overnight with my daughter in Crewe, then with an early start on Friday down to Dover for the lunchtime ferry to Dunkirk. Then press on to Luxemburg for the night before departing Saturday morning for a few days RnR in Munich with my semi tame professor. Will try to keep you posted as we go along. Wish the old girl luck.....No not Pat, the Skoda.
 

Theonlysue

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Not long enough!
You'll be fine. My friends have a skoda, a great workhorse and were very underrated. Seen a great estate for £900!

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Carol

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I'm sure the Skoda will make it, enjoy :smiley: Keep us updated and find the sun :sun:
 
May 8, 2016
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Wow. That's not a trip, that's an archipelago (I always wanted to use that word)

With your experience, you wouldn't be taking this on without confidence in the bus, so I wish you a safe and enjoyable trip. Truth be known, I am jealous

Safe travels
 
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Snowbird

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Well the trip does not really end in Sveti Vlas Bulgaria. My semi tame professor has been courting a Turkish girl for the last 7 years who is a doctor of architecture in Istanbul, so once we are settled in at the apartment and I get bored of sitting around the pool we will be driving down to Istanbul for a few days with the future daughter in law. Am expecting to put around 8 or 9 thousand miles on the old Skoda by the time we get home in November. Am looking forward to Istanbul as its quite some years since I was in the "Pudding shop" ;).

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May 8, 2016
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That's some trek you have in mind, Istanbul is on the list to explore, and I'm looking forward to it.

Don't forget to upload some pictures
 

Brisey

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Safe journey Dave & & Pat,
Looking forward to hear all about your trip
over a beer or three in Beni.
Brisey.
 
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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So we left Liverpool on Thursday evening and drove down to Crewe to spend the night with my daughter. Left Crewe early Friday morning and caught the 12 o'clock ferry to Dunkirk, then a blast down to Namour where we stayed in what can best be described as one of Formula 1s dog kennels. I will never use Formula 1 again, horrible place. Instead of meandering down to Munich, as were not booked in at the Olympia Park until Sunday we decided to drive directly to Munich and as its as hot as the hobs of hell, get some beer. Thats where we are now. The old banger has behaved impeccably since leaving Liverpool and has now covered over 800 miles in a day and a half. Averaging 53.3 MPG. at between 70 and 90 MPH all the way. Eat your heart out Buttons :). We are staying here till Wednesday, sampling the local liquid delicacies.
 
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Skoda's love 'em (y) so much by the end of the year we will have 3!!
We bought a 2000 petrol 1.4 Fabia with every panel dented in Portugal which Andrea calls her shopping trolley.
Liked it so much I got a 2011 Fabia Monte Carlo diesel which is a little cracker,low miles for the year and drives like new.
Now we have ordered a Yeti 2.0 dsg automatic diesel and pick that up middle of October all being well.
Every confidence the old bus will continue to give good service for years.
Pity they don't make campers :giggler:
 
May 8, 2016
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Agreed on Skoda. Hired a Fabia to drive around Poland and Belarus - flawless trip in dreadful conditions

We are addicted to Seats (same thing, different badges again), got 2 in the family, one a UK shopping trolley (Toledo 1.2 petrol) and one in Portugal (Toledo 1.6 petrol DSG), bloody marvellous - 4" smaller than the Audi A5 2l TDI that I drive, similar power and performance, half the cost

53 MPG is not to be sneezed at. Presumably your personal consumption will be greater than that? Half pint to the mile sounds reasonable :)
 
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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This is an Octavia with all the options. Its the VW engine similar to my now retired Golf. It had 140000 miles on the clock when I bought it, but has had little use in my ownership as am rarely at home to use it. I have faith in those older diesels, especially those from VW.
 
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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We are off to the Englischer Garten today as its just to hot for my favourite beerkeller, the Hofbrauhaos. Apparently the English garden is the largest public park in Europe and possibly the world, bigger than Central park. It has the largest beergarden, complete with umpah band, so that should keep me entertained for the afternoon. Must admit, the heat is a little unbearable at 25 at 9 oclock in the morning. I must find a shady spot in the beergarden to enjoy the odd litre or two.

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We are planning on a first short visit to Munich the week before the Oktoberfest which starts on the 17th Sept .

Any tips for places to visit,eat,drink etc would be gratefully received, I already have the downloaded menu from the Hofbrauhaus from one of your previous posts.

We will be in our PVC so any tips on where to stay and buses/trams would also be welcome, I have looked at a few options already, not sure about the emissions regs in Munich either ours is Class 4, would we require an Umwelt?

Edit, just checked the Umwelt zone & we won't be going that close to the centre in the van.
 
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Landy lover

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Had two Skoda's in the past - both favorites - both superb motors. Unfortunately they cannot legally tow 3.5 tonnes otherwise I may still have a Skoda. Be very surprised if it lets you down.
 
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Snowbird

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We are planning on a first short visit to Munich the week before the Oktoberfest which starts on the 17th Sept .

Any tips for places to visit,eat,drink etc would be gratefully received, I already have the downloaded menu from the Hofbrauhaus from one of your previous posts.

We will be in our PVC so any tips on where to stay and buses/trams would also be welcome, I have looked at a few options already, not sure about the emissions regs in Munich either ours is Class 4, would we require an Umwelt?

I have never been sure of the Umwelt since we were here last. The guy at the camping told me not to bother as we were a tourist and it did not apply to tourists. I have travelled all over Germany in alsorts of vehicles and never had an umwelt or sticker. Have never had an issue, so maybe the guy at the camping was right. Regarding eating out, as you probably know although Munich is one of the worlds best places for beer, its hardly a culinary capital. A great place for pork products like ribs and sausages, but not famed for much else other than the superb cakes in the bakeries. Everyone travels on the Ubahn, which is like the underground, and its relatively cheap. Beer is of course in abundance and is just about as good as beer gets. Will keep you posted over the weekend.

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Snowbird

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We are planning on a first short visit to Munich the week before the Oktoberfest which starts on the 17th Sept .

Any tips for places to visit,eat,drink etc would be gratefully received, I already have the downloaded menu from the Hofbrauhaus from one of your previous posts.

We will be in our PVC so any tips on where to stay and buses/trams would also be welcome, I have looked at a few options already, not sure about the emissions regs in Munich either ours is Class 4, would we require an Umwelt?

Edit, just checked the Umwelt zone & we won't be going that close to the centre in the van.

There best and cheapest way of getting around Munich is a 3 day pass that includes up to 5 people for 28 Emus. It gives unlimited travel on the bus, tram and Uban for 3 days. It can be bought at any of the Uban stops. If you are here at the weekend, do visit the Engliscer Garten and go to the Chinese Tower beergarden. The bus will drop you off outside.
The biggest beergarden in the world with live music all day on Sunday with typical Bavarian food available as well as liquid refreshment. It seems like a family affair with the whole family taking part in the Sunday festivities.
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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Went to the BMW museum and factory today. It seems the internal combustion engine is a dying object. The new electric cars built by BMW are something else, a long way from the bubble car. All cars in the photos are electric except the bubble car.
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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Looks like you are enjoying yourself

I think I'll wait until Apple start making servers before I buy an electric vehicle, which is about as long a they will take to develop a credible battery, i.e. sometime in the distant future
 
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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Well it just goes to show there is still life in the old dog. Pups to the footpath and old dogs to the hard road. Once am in the saddle I just keep going. We left Munich at 8am on Wednesday and arrived in Sveti Vlas at 8am local time this morning. 1200 miles in 23 hours across the old Commy Bloc. The reason for this was I can confirm all the old Commy Bloc borders are now closed with queues for several kliks. Mostly travelling south to north. The Austrian Hungarian border and the Hungarian Serbia borders being the worse hit with maybe 10 kilometre tailbacks. Serbia into Bulgaria was transited in the middle of the night, so not so bad and not many buying vignettes. Have had a cat nap so am now off to the pool to cool down as its damned hot. The old Skoda was thrashed to death and never complained once, oil and water checked this morning after it had cooled down and no fluid loss. Photos to follow.

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Snowbird

Snowbird

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I hope the weather is as good at home in the UK as it is here. Just woke from my afternoon snooze and took a few photos from the balcony. The island in the distance is Nessebar. I love to eat out there, so as a little treat we are off for dinner tonight as I saved on the hotel bill by driving directly here from Munich. That Black Sea is like a hot bath now after the sun has been on it all summer. The tourists all left last weekend and we can get about now.
Sveti Vlas Bulgaria 001.JPG
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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For goodness sake don't jump in that pool... you'll half empty it...


JJ :cool:
Excuse me my man, but did you not know, portly people make the best swimmers. Anyway, has it stopped raining down your way yet :cool:.

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JJ

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Silly boy...

That's not swimming... that's wallowing around like nearly beached whales do...

We have had torrential rain here for weeks on end... see here... everything soaking wet.

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20160901_150949.jpg



JJ :cool:
 
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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Silly boy...

That's not swimming... that's wallowing around like nearly beached whales do...

We have had torrential rain here for weeks on end... see here... everything soaking wet.

View attachment 122352

View attachment 122359


JJ :cool:

Must say its looking a bit barren JJ
Sveti Vlas marina 001.JPG
Sveti Vlas marina 002.JPG
. Very similar to parts of Spain :).
Just had a wander down to the marina to see how the other half live. Only a few middling motor yachts down there now the Dinevi bros are obviously out and the Russians have all wandered off to the Med for the winter.
 
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Excuse me my man, but did you not know, portly people make the best swimmers. Anyway, has it stopped raining down your way yet :cool:.
I know someone who uses the term porkley struck me as apt (was not referring to you of course). Looks nice there have never venturedv further than Croatis but might give it a try.

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