Spain and Portugal - mid June - Essentials / wish I'd brought...?

Nosmo King

Nosmo King

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Hey folks, ferry is booked (Cap Finistere) so it looks like we're good to go so...

Hints / tips / essentials for the ferry? 32h on the way out, 24h on the way back.

Anything we need to be aware of for driving / camping in Spain / Portugal?
Gas adapters I have for the refillable gas tank - 25L tank.
2 pin euro EHU adapter
Insurers - I'll contact them and confirm cover.
GPS covers Europe
We have an outline of where we'd like to go but we're flexible.
Plan a mix of campsites and aires

Any equipment we need to take - warning triangles / hiviz / bulbs etc?
Documents we need to take?
We'll take a spare set of keys jic
Hopefully wearing shorts for the whole 3 weeks... (not continuously, and I do have a couple of pairs) but you get the idea.

Anything else?
(6m PVC btw - so a bit limited space-wise)

Thanks!
 
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Unlike France, many of the motorways that have tolls are pretty good value and well worth using. Also, the Spanish Government is - as I understand - in the process of taking some of them back in to public ownership and either reducing or cancelling the tolls. There are plenty of free motorway-standard roads as well.

If you are planning to use campsites, you may find some of the ACSI discount rates are still available in mid-June. https://www.campingcard.co.uk/spain/

If you are going to the Med or the far south of the country, it may be getting seriously hot - be prepared for it.

And this is the Spanish equivalent of the UK Met Office ie the official State meteorological service: http://www.aemet.es/en/portada

Hi-viz jackets / vests must be to hand and ALWAYS worn if you need to stop or breakdown on the highway.

If driving glasses are required, a spare pair must be taken.

Have a great trip! (y)
 
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For Portugal it’s well worth buying the Roteiro Campista campsite guide - only about €7, but has a discount card that works on about half of the sites. (They claim to list all sites - only around 120.). It soon pays for itself. You can buy it at loads of sites, or last year Vicarious Books stocked in the UK - not sure if they have it this year.
 
A lot of Portuguese toll roads are electronic, you can’t pay at toll booths.
If you think you will be using these roads, you will need to register and open an account. It’s easier to do it online, but you can register at certain points on the roads. Toll charges are quite cheap so worth using.

https://gotoportugal.eu/en/toll-roads-in-portugal/

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V5, mot ,insurance originals. High viz vests for all occupants.
warning triangles, spare keys, bulbs handy but no longer legally required.
 

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Nosmo King said:
Hey folks, ferry is booked (Cap Finistere) so it looks like we're good to go so...

Hints / tips / essentials for the ferry? 32h on the way out, 24h on the way back.

Anything we need to be aware of for driving / camping in Spain / Portugal?
Gas adapters I have for the refillable gas tank - 25L tank.
2 pin euro EHU adapter
Insurers - I'll contact them and confirm cover.
GPS covers Europe
We have an outline of where we'd like to go but we're flexible.
Plan a mix of campsites and aires

Any equipment we need to take - warning triangles / hiviz / bulbs etc?
Documents we need to take?
We'll take a spare set of keys jic
Hopefully wearing shorts for the whole 3 weeks... (not continuously, and I do have a couple of pairs) but you get the idea.

Anything else?
(6m PVC btw - so a bit limited space-wise)

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Not sure where you plan to go but you might get some ideas from this account of our trip last year. :)
https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/two-go-back-to-spain.173803/
Nosmo King said:
Thanks folks - some great info.
Any hints / tips for the ferry crossing?
Click to expand...
Make sure everything in the fridge is well chilled and add a bottle of frozen milk at the last minute. Turn the fridge off when you arrive at the port and everything will be fine in there, even on the 32 hour trip. Adding say a frozen stew in a Tupperware for supper on the first evening will help even more.
In theory you are probably supposed to turn the gas off using the valve on the underslung tank but I just turn it off using the valves on the pipes under the sink.
If you have calm weather there are great opportunities for whale and dolphin watching, especially when you reach the Bay of Biscay. Binoculars will be helpful. The Pont Aven has reps from ORCA on board who give a talk about whales. Not sure about your boat but worth asking at the Information desk.
Take a two pin adapter for the cabin if you want to charge phones and tablets. No tea and kettle in the cabins unless you have one of the very posh ones so if you want a cup of tea on waking take a travel kettle. :)
 
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mikebeaches said:
Unlike France, many of the motorways that have tolls are pretty good value and well worth using. Also, the Spanish Government is - as I understand - in the process of taking some of them back in to public ownership and either reducing or cancelling the tolls. There are plenty of free motorway-standard roads as well.

If you are planning to use campsites, you may find some of the ACSI discount rates are still available in mid-June. https://www.campingcard.co.uk/spain/

If you are going to the Med or the far south of the country, it may be getting seriously hot - be prepared for it.

And this is the Spanish equivalent of the UK Met Office ie the official State meteorological service: http://www.aemet.es/en/portada

Hi-viz jackets / vests must be to hand and ALWAYS worn if you need to stop or breakdown on the highway.

If driving glasses are required, a spare pair must be taken.

Have a great trip! (y)
Click to expand...


Re the Hi Viz in France IF you do need to wear them following an accident or breakdown you MUST put them on BEFORE getting out of the vehicle

Add on some HI Factor Sun Screen when we were there last year it was in the 40's °C until late evenings and ESPECIALLY do your feet before putting tongs (Flip Flops to you lot) on

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Hopefully not needed but if they are, I suspect that the ferry company will provide them.

Anyone know if this is the case?
 
Nosmo King said:
Hopefully not needed but if they are, I suspect that the ferry company will provide them.

Anyone know if this is the case?
Click to expand...
Yes of course they do plus life boats if required as well. You will see signs pointing to where the life jackets are stored and in the cabin will be a plan showing your route to the nearest muster point. They wouldn't get a license to carry passengers without this kit, and it has to be inspected too.

Your ship shouldn't sink :) but having been on two ships which subsequently did sink a few years after I was on them it pays to be prepared. I always pack a torch in my rucsack for overnight voyages. :)
 
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Not keen on your ship personally, but anything beats trudging through boring gloomy France.
 
Don't forget to activate roaming on your phones/mifi.

Do you have to notify your bank or whoever's card you are you are using that you are going abroad?

EHIC card?

Download the apps for search for sites, park4nite, camper contact plus lpg availability apps.

Have a look at Google maps and street view for the port you are arriving at so you are not totally like a rabbit in headlights when you arrive:whistle::whistle:

Have a good trip(y)

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Thanks folks, and thanks for the info DBK... it was an attempt at humour / sarcasm on my part in response to gus's comment!

Chris - agreed re France but what's the issue with CF?

Lots of useful info - 2 triangles is a new one on me though - thanks.
 
Nosmo King said:
Thanks folks, and thanks for the info DBK... it was an attempt at humour / sarcasm on my part in response to gus's comment!

Chris - agreed re France but what's the issue with CF?

Lots of useful info - 2 triangles is a new one on me though - thanks.
Click to expand...

I just don’t like the ship Nosmo. We always plan our trips around the Pont Aven which we prefer.

The self service restaurant on the CF is rubbish and the service restaurant is small, overcrowded and the French staff are stroppy.

Apart from that it’s fine:)
 
Thanks.
Dates were fixed so little choice, wanting to maximise time away.
32h outbound so we'll take snacks and supplies on board I think...
 
namwaldog said:
Don't forget to activate roaming on your phones/mifi.
Have a good trip(y)
Click to expand...
Great advice, but make sure you turn your mobile data OFF on the ferry, and only use the free wi-fi, which is available in parts of the ship.

If you leave your data on it will likely access the internet through the on-board satellite system, which will present you with a big bill. I know loads of people that have been caught out going across the Bay of Biscay. The same goes for making telephone calls whilst on board the ferry.

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Nosmo King said:
Thanks folks, and thanks for the info DBK... it was an attempt at humour / sarcasm on my part in response to gus's comment!

Chris - agreed re France but what's the issue with CF?

Lots of useful info - 2 triangles is a new one on me though - thanks.
Click to expand...
Humour! It's not allowed here! :)
But on a practical note you are supposed to carry a spare pair of spectacles if you wear them - which from your avatar picture you don't. :)
 
Pillows are a bit thin. We asked for extra ones. It’s easiest when you first embark as the housekeeping staff are still around.

I had a cool bag ready packed with travel kettle plus 2 pin adapter, mugs, milk, tea and coffee and bottled water plus snacks such as cheese and biscuits. A book to read handy too.

Download some radio programmes onto your phone or tablet to listen to offline.

Take a warm jumper and/or jacket to cabin so that you can “take the air” on deck.

Have your first destination ready programmed into your satnav whilst waiting on quayside ready to board.
 
Nosmo King said:
Thanks.
Dates were fixed so little choice, wanting to maximise time away.
32h outbound so we'll take snacks and supplies on board I think...
Click to expand...

It’s not a bad ship really.

On the top deck there is a little bar and takeaway that served better food.

It’s a bit cold and blowy up there though so a lot of people take their food back downstairs to the lounge to eat it.

I remember having a pretty decent beef bourginion and chips.

There is a big bar at the stern but we didn’t really go in there much. There was a whale watching talk and video presentation in there one afternoon when we were on it which was quite good. We didn’t see any whales though only dolphins as we approached Bilbao.

Have a great trip.
 
There is no proper self service cafe/restaurant on the CF, just the a la carte restaurant and the take away on deck 10 which apart from pizzas, chips and the beef bourgignon is mainly snacks.
The petite marche sells food for breakfast and ready meals to warm up in microwaves located on the nearby bar, we sometimes take a prepared frozen chilli or similar on board with us and make use of the microwaves
 
Also in Portugal you should have a spare set of glasses if you need them to drive. Also for the tolls you can get a Spanish/Portuguese tag from this company in the UK, not the cheapest option but it makes life a lot easier. Also as it is a UK contract UK law applies

https://www.emovis-tag.co.uk/faq/

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Chris said:
It’s not a bad ship really.

On the top deck there is a little bar and takeaway that served better food.

I remember having a pretty decent beef bourginion and chips.

There is a big bar at the stern but we didn’t really go in there much. There was a whale watching talk and video presentation in there one afternoon when we were on it which was quite good. We didn’t see any whales though only dolphins as we approached Bilbao.

Have a great trip.
Click to expand...


We did see dolphins and a fin whale on Bilbao approach

Don't forget
Spare spectacles if you wear them to drive

And the nice people at N332 have confirmed that you do need 2 triangles for Spain and they should be aced 50m behind on dual carriageways and 50m in front as well on normal roads
 
matamoros said:
There is no proper self service cafe/restaurant on the CF, just the a la carte restaurant and the take away on deck 10 which apart from pizzas, chips and the beef bourgignon is mainly snacks.
The petite marche sells food for breakfast and ready meals to warm up in microwaves located on the nearby bar, we sometimes take a prepared frozen chilli or similar on board with us and make use of the microwaves
Click to expand...
Breakfast in the restaurant is great,,BUSBY.:D2:D2
 
Nosmo King said:
Club Voyager?
Pray tell me more!
Click to expand...
Its Brittany Ferries owners abroad club..It gives a decent discount off ferry bookings.BUSBY.

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