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, 10/30/2011 - 08:05

If you drive down from Calais/Dunkirk, you could drop in at the Le Crueset Factory Shop near St Quentin.  It is at a place called Fresnoy le Grand - about two and a half hours from the Ports Called in there this Summer.  Instead of the usual Factory prices [20% - 30%  lower than UK prices] they had a Sale on - average saving on UK prices was over 50%

Sun, 10/30/2011 - 07:50

"Apparently our water has at long last been connected" Really pleased that your water is now up and running, but is it just connected to the meter - or has it been turned on so the pipes in the house are full?  If thats the case, someone will need to drain all the pipes before Winter sets in and they freeze. You Agent should be able to advise what has been 'filled'   Good Luck

Thu, 10/27/2011 - 13:22

Only one way to eat them [like most veg] Raw with gravy - fantastic  [better after a frost - it sweetens them up] My Mum would be putting the sprouts on the stove just about now - just to make sure they were cooked for Christmas - if they weren't of a consistency that would pass through a fine sieve, they weren't done!

Tue, 10/25/2011 - 04:40

You could post the photos on this forum - then anyone could have a look and comment   Just go to 'Create Content' [at top of page] and follow the instructions for Photo Gallery   Alan

Thu, 10/20/2011 - 18:09

If nobody responds - you could try this;- Click on "Map Of User Locations" [bottom right hand corner of page], then you can zoom in on your area and see who has shown their location as near you. Then, click on a 'person' to see their profile, then you can send them a message

Thu, 10/20/2011 - 09:23

When I set up a couple of Groups some time ago  [for buying and selling things] it took a few days for the 'approval' to come through and the Groups to go live - so I should wait a bit before complaining too loudly   Alan

Thu, 10/20/2011 - 05:30

"If you buy as a second home ...........you will pay ICI, but you will get a reduction on your rubbish collection taxes." How does one get the reduction on the rubbish tax?

Thu, 10/20/2011 - 05:25

"Perhaps, learning to live with the rat is not such a bad idea. Make it an official pet"   Most Italians have done this for many years - he's called Silvio

Tue, 10/04/2011 - 11:42

When friends visit our place I email them directions.  These consist of the usual road maps - increasing 'scale/detail' as they get nearer the house, plus photos of road junctions they will come  to as they near our place.  The photos have arrows showing which way they go.  This seems to work Indeed, I keep a print out of the email at the house so that if I need anything delivered/serviced, I can give the company the print out  [our place is in a tiny hamlet in the middle of nowhere].  The washing machine service man drove onto our drive waving the instructions and beaming like mad - so they really do work.  It is the pictures that make the difference, so I'd recommend this method to anyone

Answer to: Buying a scooter
Mon, 10/03/2011 - 04:38

I believe that a way around the residency is to pay a resident to buy, tax and insure the scooter, and leave it at your place. Then, as its the scooter that's insured and not a named driver, you and your family/friends could use all the time. [as long as they have an appropriate and valid driving licence from their home country] [I'm sure someone on this forum can confirm/deny this!]   Good Luck