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

Sun, 01/05/2014 - 07:39

Wireless ones are dead simple to set up - no wires to run around the house. A typical system fitting is http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/DIY/how-to-fit-a-wireless-burglar-alarm I'd always buy a second 'dummy' alarm box for fitting at the back of the house

Sat, 01/04/2014 - 07:38

Get a wireless one from the UK and take it over to Italy

Fri, 01/03/2014 - 10:13

We use Michel Thomas - look on ebay for cheap sets of the discs However - look at your Local Authority Evening Classes - many do Conversational Italian

Mon, 12/16/2013 - 11:24

You could ask your Comune's advice - check their website for who to contact [the 'tributi' I think - at least it is for me] Good Luck

Answer to: IMU
Thu, 12/12/2013 - 13:41

The whole lot goes to the comune - at least mine doesPaid today [I hope] by my bank - I emailed them the F24, and they said it would be

Answer to: IMU
Tue, 11/26/2013 - 08:11

Yes - its 16th December, but Comunes may leave it very late before deciding how much the charge will be.  [it won't necessarily be the same as the June payment]

Answer to: italian wills
Wed, 11/13/2013 - 17:43

My UK Solicitor wouldn't put anything in my UK Will about my Italian Property. 

Tue, 10/29/2013 - 14:20

If you do have to cross a RoadI'd suggest you lay  the pipe [or cable] in a 100mm plastic duct under the road section, and lay a couple of spare ducts as well. That way, if you need to, you can 'thread' another service pipe/cable through at a later date, without digging the road up again,

Thu, 10/24/2013 - 06:39

Vignette Avoiding Routes1.  Dunkirk - Lille - Namur - Luxembourg [cheap petrol] - Metz - Nancy- Remiremont - Lure - Villersexel - Baume-les-Dames - Pontarlier - swiss border - Vallorbe - then road 9 [Not A9] to Lausanne - stay on 9 around Lac le Man and  also stay on 9 parallel to A9 up to Brig and on through Simplon Pass to Italy and on to the Italian Autostrada that passes Stresa and on to Milan.  No toll charges until Italy 2.  Calais - Rheims - Chalons [all toll motorway] - then off motorway to Vitry-le-Francois - St-Dizier - Chaumont - D619 to Rolampont - N19 to Langres - D974 to Longeau-Percy - D67 to Besancon [at present town centre being dug up fot Trams] - N57 to Pontalier - then follow above route.  Toll charge of approx £20 Route 1 is my favourite, but when we take the dog [via Channel Tunnel], Route 2 will probably 'win', although its not much of a detour to go Calais - Dunkirk, and on via Luxembourg. Time wise - as we don't belt down to/from Italy, it shouldn't be excessively longer.  We've done the Lausanne to Brig [Road 9] route once already, as it is more scenic than the A9 around the lake. Comments?

Tue, 10/22/2013 - 04:22

I think we can taken as official.Here is an article - http://driveeuropenews.com/2013/03/10/new-swiss-tourist-vignette-still-bad-value-for-visiting-drivers-maybe/I didn't begrudge the SF40 cost at present, as we drive down 2 or 3 times a year, but SF100 is a bit too steep. Therefore, I've worked out my 'how to cross Switzerland without using motorways' route, [via Simplon Pass] - looks like it will add about an hour [max] to the journey, but will be a bit scenic]