I'm planning my route down for a months visit in July. I travel through Switzerland as its a convenient route to the Lake Maggiore/Lake Orta area.
alan h's activity
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I logged on this morning to my local webcam, to look at the snow on the ski slopes. [When I'm in UK I like to see something of what its like at my place in the hills]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14995588
Loved the note about changing the locks!
I have just got back from my latest trip to Italy, and thought some of you might be interested to hear about a Swiss hotel that we stayed in on the way down.
For many years now I have used the likes of 'mappy', 'via michelin' etc for calculating different routes down to Italy - for us its a part of our holiday, so we don't always want to take the quickest/shortest route down. We prefer to vary t
Today I received an email from the Swiss Travel Centre. The relevant portion is;-
I've just driven down and back for a [much too] short holiday, and feel that an update on how fuel prices look on the way down would be useful to fellow travellers
P&O have introduced a new ferry on the Dover - Calais route - its called the Spirit of Britain.
They seem to have a special offer on at the moment [on this ship only]
Does Tomato soup exist in Italy?
We were feeling a bit under the weather when we went out to Italy 2 weeks ago.
The route/timings for next years Giro d'Italia have been posted
http://www.steephill.tv/giro-d-italia/
Comments posted
Google gives details of firms that do this.
But what happens if you have an overnight stay in France on the way back?
Think that might not be "travelling through "
Clueless in Italy.
The problem I foresee is the test requirements before you get back into the UK. Current understanding of the rules for Green countries, (and Italy and France will probably be the stricter Amber rating), is:-
"People arriving in the UK from "green list" countries will need to take a pre-departure test in that country"
That obviously means getting a re-entry test in France because you will be entering UK from there. A recipe for disaster and bankruptcy if its anything like the charges Calais vets levied for giving required treatment to dogs returning to UK.
I just worry that driving back will be so fraught with unknowns.
I think your problem on deciding what the going rate is, is that you are not there to haggle the price down.
Is there anyone local that could do some "asking around" for you?
Good luck
Are you paying cash or doing it by receipts and cheques?
(The black economy is alive and kicking in Italy. Saving of about 20%-40%)
If all else fails, you could email the Comune (email address on its website) .
I'd do a very simple email in English/American can with no flowery prose - just very basic. I'd then add the translation into Italian (Google translate) and send it to the Comune.
You'll probably get a response - usually in Italian, but Google translate will translate back OK.
If you're lucky, you'll get a response from an English speaker.
I use the above process when talking to my Italian bank. The only thing I do is split the email into single sentences, with it's translation below it.
Good luck
Can your Caretaker recommend replacement? I'd expect him to have someone in mind.
Not sure what you are asking.
Setting up the Direct Debits is a simple form filling exercise. So that sorts out gas, water and electricity Bill's.
Don't have internet connection in Italy- just needed an email address for the bank, to send scanned,, signed documents to, from UK.
You can, of course, go the whole hog and get an on-line Italian bank account. It may be a bit cheaper.
We set up an italian bank account when we were over getting the keys to our house, a few years ago - the estate agent helped us set it up.
All our Utility Bill's are paid by direct debit, and the bank pays the IMU etc Bill's from the Comune - the Comune sends us the Bill's by email, and we send a scanned/signed copy to the bank for them to pay.
We top the account up when we are in Italy by cash, but can also top up by bank transfer from my UK bank. Just get your bank to send regular statements to you in the UK, either by post or email. You can also set the account to be 'On Line", but we haven't bothered with that.
We use Groupama for house insurance . They bill us by email, and we pay by bank transfer.
Have you looked at:-
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/export-horses-and-ponies-special-rules#exporting-or-moving-equines-from-great-britain-gb-to-the-eu-or-ni