alan h's activity

It happens now and again http://www.italymag.co.uk/community/post/where-everybody  

have you considered buying a 5' bed in the UK - there are great sales at present - and getting someone like coseperlacasa  to ship it down for you. It would be worth finding out what the costs would be Or you could just get an Italian bed, [and throw the 5' metal frame away - or stand it on end out in the garden and grow roses over it]

There has been plenty of speculation in the UK Press - but Italy isn't mentioned.   My money is on a [relatively] low cost honeymoon - perhaps the Scillies or Scotland. - or possibly East Africa

 "..........unless of course you swells out there are multiple home owners." ............. or own a holiday home

The estate agent I bought the house through arranges the house insurance for me - I leave the approx amount with him in January/Feb, and he pays the insurance when it falls due in April - I pick up the certificate when I'm over next, plus the change ICI - I calculate it myself [takes about 5 minutes max - very simple calculation].  Google something like  'Calculate ICI' to find out how

Just about to renew insurance on my [small] place with Groupama   Cost [no contents insurance - only building, liabilities etc ] - Euros 95  

"would you advise getting off at Faido if you can see traffic ahead? So often you're in the traffic & it's too late to turn off?" It a bit like Sod's Law - if you get off, the motorway will run free, and if you stay on, it blocks up. I think I'd leave it until the junction after Faido [Quinto, I think] unless its very heavy traffic on the motorway [even if its still moving]

" .....You also save the E38.60 cost of the tunnel pass.  ...." There isn't a tunnel pass - the swiss motorway pass [vignette] costs about E40 and is required on vehicles using the motorways  [I think its a E100 on the spot fine if you don't have one]   I forgot to say in my earlier post - if using the pass, and worried about jams on the approaches to the tunnels, you can get off at Faido going North [or earlier at Biasco] and Altdorf travelling South and follow the local road that parallels the motorway to the pass

" ........ pass is an option though I haven't ever had to use it. I'm told it's about 30 mins extra but the views are slightly better" Slightly!!! - a bit of an understatement Yes - it can add about 20 - 30 minutes, but if its queueing on the motorway its quicker than staying put.  Its a useful 'break point' for the trip - coffee shop and excellent views at the top.  I often use the pass, even if the Tunnel is free flowing

there are many route planners available on the Internet - and many of these give a time travelled at each 'point' on the route chosen, [as via michelin does] What I particularly like about via michelin is the fact you can amend the rout on the map with a right hand click as  many times as you like - So you just put in [say] Dunkirk to Garda and then change bits [like the Basle Bye Pass bit] and it automatically reconfigures the route and the timings