chrisnotton's activity

Sorry about that, meant to post the BBC one, now corrected.The first link still works for me, I have re-pasted it anyway! Thanks

Here is a very interesting website:http://www.naturalswimmingpools.comBasically if you can make then big enough & some way of accessing the deep part easily then it can be just a natural pond with plants & a few fish to keep the mozzies awaySomething like this:http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/content/articles/2009/02/06/east_pools_s1...There is a bit if d.i.y. info on the web too.By the way if you are a registered farmer then you can apply for a "cisterna" for agricultural purposes. Many of them look a lot like swimming pools...........it is considered bad form to paint them blue though!Salve  

If you put a branch or stick, anything with a bit of purchase, down there it should climb out. If you leave it there it will be also useful for other small mammals, lizards etc. It is a good idea to do something similar with a pool to help creatures clamber out after a swim.If you want something faster then you can lower a container down on a bit of string, the snake will probably try & hide in there & you can reel him up. Put some wellies on as bite protectors, but it is unlikely that he will want to do anything other than crawl away & hide once you get  on the surfaceIn bocca al lupo Chris 

 Ah! that's o.k. then, not at all confusing.Just another Italian tax to try & be furbo about! 

SalveCouple of ideas.You could run a low voltage, say 12 or 24v central heating pump from a transformer/battery system that would still circulate water during power cuts. This would work unattended too.You could make sure the pump was on a plug or easily accessible spur and buy one of those silent (or almost) mains generators. If you were clever you could run a few lights etc. too. You would need somewhere with some ventilation to run it, but I have seen some remarkable little generators for sale.  Ciao

Well you have to be a bit carefull but they are the most amazing boon in the cities. I wouldn't be without mine:You can park where you like in the centre of town, stop & chat, ignore one-way & no-entry streets etc. Leave them (free) in special covered areas in stations & terminals. They do about 100+ MPG & the bodywork keeps you dry in all but a downpour.The under-seat storage of my scooter will take two helmets & a brolly or all my shopping with another bag between my knees.If you are worried about falling off try a scooter with ABS or one of the new Piaggio MP3s with two front wheels!If not a ten year old Honda Pantheon (like mine) twist & go with 15k km. can be got for about €500, probably less in the autumnSalve  

Hi Marcella,If you are not a resident then get a "friend" to "own" one for you.You will have to pay for title transfer (more than you might expect), and arrange insurance for "any rider" and you are away.Get an insurance quote or two beforehand, so you know what to expect.I would always choose something Japanese, for the obvious reasons, other than that check out what your local bike shop services as you will probably need them sooner or later.If you buy a used scooter then it will need a "revisione" after 4 (I think) years & then every 2 thereafter. There will be a little stamp on the registration papers.It is always cheaper to buy a scooter during the colder weather. A good place to look is this site. You can enter in your location, price, enginesize etc.http://www.moto.it/usato/usato02.asp?EN=&EMACROMODELLO=Altre&ET=tutti&ED...in bocca al lupo

Try: reifendirekt/Mytyres:www.gommadiretto.itThey have a much greater choice & prices are usually better than any U.K. supplier. I recommended them to my friends who live in France & they saved about a third over their usual suppliers. At the very least it is a good starting point to open negotiations  If you want you can use their U.K. site for comparison  www.mytyres.co.ukMy only warning is: If you use the "drop-down" tyre selector for your car then check that it gives you the correct sizes. Once it didn't for me but they sent out the correct ones as soon as I contacted them. Pip pip 

Hi Matt, Well you have a couple of choices.  The first is find a friend who you trust (& who trusts you) who can be the "nominal" owner of your vehicle. You then pay for tax, revisioni, etc. Secondly there are plenty of expat. insurance companies who will insure your Brit. (or other) reg. car in Italy. They don't care where it spends it's life. Also worth trying these companies in order to avoid expensive Italian insurance costs on your Italian registered car.You might try Italsure www.italsure.eu/index.php?pg=prod-car  and  Clements to start off with www.clements.com/expatriate/international_auto/overview.asp.I have no interest in either of these companies. They were just recommended on the old site. Pip pip

The return of Luton to Ciampino would be nice too!I suppose if he is trying to teach Stansted a lesson.........................................fingers crossed