alan h's activity

Questions Asked

I'm planning my route down for a months visit in July.

Mon, 06/04/2012 - 08:13

I logged on this morning to my local webcam, to look at the snow on the ski slopes.

Thu, 01/05/2012 - 04:47

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14995588Loved the note about changing the locks!

Wed, 09/21/2011 - 09:20

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.It is the Hotel Engel in Stans [near to Lake Lucerne, a few minutes from the motorway

Mon, 07/25/2011 - 05:21

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 the rou

Wed, 06/01/2011 - 09:25

Today I received an email from the Swiss Travel Centre.  The relevant portion is;- "The GBP price for a Vignette will increase from 01 June 2011 and we wanted to give you the opportunity to purchase this years’ Vignette before the pric

Mon, 05/23/2011 - 09:45

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 The following is a good site for seeing what prices have been like  

Mon, 04/04/2011 - 05:02

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] I've just booked a return crossing [car + 2] for £60 - significantly less th

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 06:08

Does Tomato soup exist in Italy? We were feeling a bit under the weather when we went out to Italy 2 weeks ago.  As part of the R&R process, I fancied some soup, and looked around the supermarket.  There were lots of different soups, but I rea

Mon, 01/24/2011 - 08:29

The route/timings for next years Giro d'Italia have been posted http://www.steephill.tv/giro-d-italia/   My son rang me up to inform me that the route passes about 100m away from

Sat, 11/06/2010 - 07:04

Comments posted

Mon, 04/05/2021 - 08:57

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%)

Thu, 04/01/2021 - 06:44

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 

Thu, 03/11/2021 - 14:46

Can your Caretaker recommend replacement? I'd expect him to have someone in mind. 

Sun, 03/07/2021 - 07:08

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.

Sat, 03/06/2021 - 05:26

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.

Tue, 02/02/2021 - 15:14

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

Wed, 01/27/2021 - 14:38

Must disagree for once with steve.

The whole point about a wood fire in a holiday home is the visual effect as much as its (in)efficiency. 

In ours - it's great to come into our place in Winter, temperature in house just above freezing, put on the central heating and light the fire.  Efficiency isn't of great importance when you only use the fire about 6 weeks or so in the year  and anyway we support the local farmer by buying wood off of him.  100 euros worth does for a year or so.

 

Wed, 01/27/2021 - 12:57

The other thing to check is the ventilation in the room.  If the problem disappears when you crack open a window, you probably need some type of air vent fitting, to allow the easier access of air into the room.

...........

(Dont think we'll be able to drive down to Italy until September - and we will have our first jab of the vaccine in the next 3 weeks, but I think the problem will be EU countries allowing access without conditions)

Wed, 01/27/2021 - 03:41

"our problem is an open wood fire where the smoke doesn't pull up the chimney. "

Try making the fireplace opening smaller - this can speed up the air flow.  You can test it by holding up a bit of cardboard over the top half of the fireplace to see if things improve.  If it does, a more permanent closure can be fitted.

 

 

Wed, 01/27/2021 - 03:41

deleted - double posting