110 touring mainland Europe

[Grumbleweed]

This is our shakedown trip for prepping for Africa in the future

Itinerary: ferry to Calais 0645 31st May

First night at Macon in motel
2nd day to St Aygulf, nr Frejus - camping
5th day through Italy to Lake Garda
7th day through Italy into Austria, into Werfen. camping
8th day, Berchtesgarden - Eagles nest + Konigsee
10th day into Germany's Black forest.
13th day Nurburgring- might take the 110 round for fun!
14th day through Germany, Holland, Belgium, France and home

2500 miles all in.

Kit list:
2 gas bottles + stove
tent/sleeping bags/inflatable beds
tools - large amount, grease gun
spare alternator, belts, wire, bulbs, lenses
oil- good quantity of each required. Using 20W50 for trip as expected high temperature
massive hammer
more CD's than HMV
4 cameras

Breakdown cover sorted, insurance likewise.



can anyone suggest anything that they have found useful to take along? Handy spares etc?

Will add pics to the page as we go- as long as net access is available.

A couple of the chariot to start it off.

[wyvern]

Hi Grumbleweed,
I wouldn’t worry too much for this trip as you’ll be in Europe most of the time and will be near fuel stations for things like oil and the likes.
But - have you looked at first aid stuff? … you don’t need a lot but the simple basics are things like:
Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, - for pain relief and muscle strain
Imodium tablets (for runny tummy) and Maxalon (for nausea)
Tubes of cream for scratches and insect bites, some plasters & sterri-strips for cuts, a couple of Big Ambulance Dressings (Don’t bother with the little ones!)
A couple of crêpe bandages for various uses (twisted ankles, sprains and the likes) some sharp scissors, a pin for splinters, a thermometer and a pair of tweezers.
This lot should fit in a medium tupperwear box or a proper green box - and I believe is a requirement for travel in most of Europe… you may need a bigger kit for Africa


As I’m a nursey type I’d also recommend taking an old Mims or BNF which are very useful books for identifying medications and doses in foreign parts (chat to the local pharmacy or your Dr and explain what you are doing – they may donate one to your cause..)


One other thing is a set of jump leads… you may leave the lights on one day …:o

Enjoy the trip!

[Grumbleweed]

Have got quite a good first aid kit. Got the one that is the minimum requirement, and our one with mostly everything that you have mentioned.

Even managed to find my old field trauma dressings, as they have a couple of good slings in them.

[adrianandkate]

Nice looking vehicle and hope you have a good trip.

Hi Grumbleweed,
I wouldn’t worry too much for this trip as you’ll be in Europe most of the time and will be near fuel stations for things like oil and the likes.
But - have you looked at first aid stuff? … you don’t need a lot but the simple basics are things like:
Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, - for pain relief and muscle strain
Imodium tablets (for runny tummy) and Maxalon (for nausea)
Tubes of cream for scratches and insect bites, some plasters & sterri-strips for cuts, a couple of Big Ambulance Dressings (Don’t bother with the little ones!)
A couple of crêpe bandages for various uses (twisted ankles, sprains and the likes) some sharp scissors, a pin for splinters, a thermometer and a pair of tweezers.
This lot should fit in a medium tupperwear box or a proper green box - and I believe is a requirement for travel in most of Europe… you may need a bigger kit for Africa


As I’m a nursey type I’d also recommend taking an old Mims or BNF which are very useful books for identifying medications and doses in foreign parts (chat to the local pharmacy or your Dr and explain what you are doing – they may donate one to your cause..)


One other thing is a set of jump leads… you may leave the lights on one day …:o

Enjoy the trip!


Haha :D that was so funny. Although I usually do carry steri-strips and a crepe bandage.

But hope, Grumbleweed, that your E111 card is up to date. :) That may be a good idea.

[wyvern]

Ho Hum,
Ops ...
Dont you just love spell check! :o
tee hee!

[Kitform]

can anyone suggest anything that they have found useful to take along? Handy spares etc?.

Take some latex gloves, dead handy for keeping the hands clean when fixing the roadside breakdown and you have nowhere to wash your hands afterwards.

This space for latex glove jokes...






.......

[stanstorey]

I'm really looking forward to seeing this thread progress and see how your trip goes :)

I'm currently prepping an almost identical 110 CSW for a trip to Morroco later this year (funds allowing!)

Window grills are the next items on my list to purchase - are they the ones off ebay that someone has started selling? I'm trying to find a reasonably priced set of rear grills (back door and two little sides) that fit internally, any ideas?

Also, how have you divided the rear off from the front inside to make it secure - i.e. reinforced dog guard?

Am off the Nurburgring with my VW mates on thursday for a few days - shame i won't be there to see the landie go round ;)http://s85.photobucket.com/albums/k72/stanstorey/?action=view&current=IMG_5082.jpg

Oh and my essential item is wetwipes :D

[Grumbleweed]

For this trip, i haven't got a dog guard, but one may be handy in the future. There are a couple around that look like they would be up to the job.

Gloves i have- two boxes of them as you never know!!

Just updated the sat-nav too as it was 5 years out of date! Have lots of maps too.

Have converted the under drivers seat into a watertight emergency box- first aid kit, triangle, belts, duplicate vehicle documents. I thought we might be a magnet for the Gendarmes as they like a good snoop so i got everything in one place.

Sent off for those E111 replacement cards the other day. Have got travel medical insurance if they don't come in time.

I got the grilles from Sibbo - we put a soft top on his so he didn't need them any more and we thought they would improve security. Not least we can leave the rear windows open to stop the car boiling up when it's parked!!

Even got my Help for Heroes sticker in the rear windows as we will be in France for D-day- though nowhere near Normandy

4 days to go!

[toppa]

COuple of camp chairs and folding table, male life a little more comfortable when ever your camping :)

20 ltr water can, in case you get caught out away from shops etc.....

also head torches make life SOOOOO much easier doing things after dark :)

CHeers

[Grumbleweed]

COuple of camp chairs and folding table, male life a little more comfortable when ever your camping :)

20 ltr water can, in case you get caught out away from shops etc.....

also head torches make life SOOOOO much easier doing things after dark :)

CHeers


got some camp chairs and a table! got two head torches, a tilley lamp and a couple of LED rechargeable lanterns.

I was planning to buy some water bottles whilst abroad- as they do the big bottles

[Grumbleweed]

Right- all packed up, documents checked, and travel sweets on standby.

leaving 0400 tomorrow !

got all the tools, spares stowed away well. Spare alternator snuggling up to the battery (well insulated though) so all there is to do is to pack the camera in the car and get to the ferry.

Updates to follow



Viel SpaB

[Widget]

Have a great trip matey - hope the tyres do their job;)

Really look forward to the report, safe journey.

[toppa]

Have a good trip :)


Cheers

[Widget]

Don't forget to cancel the milk and turn off the gas.:eek:

Oh, might be a bit late now.:rolleyes:

[Grumbleweed]

After 2519 miles, 450 euros in diesel, several gallons of beer later, we are back.

Our route went slightly different to the plan, as we ditched the Nurburgring, as we couldn't be arsed to take everything out of the car in order to take it round.

The car did superbly, didn't use a drop of oil, even though i was checking everything in a paranoid fashion. The only concern was the transfer box, as it dripped when it was parked, but even so it only lost half a cups worth and i kept checking it to make sure.

Before we left, i had adjusted the fuelling back to factory position. MISTAKE!!!

When i filled it up in Dijon, it had averaged 17.2 MPG at 60mph, and was struggling up the hills on the motorway. Not good!!! I turned the diaphragm 90 degrees to where i had put it previously, and tried it then. Lots more grunt, and managed to cruise at 65. Seemed much happier too. Average after adjustment was 25.3MPG. A much better figure!!

The new(er) radiator coped well with the heat, 35'c on the motorways, and also did fine up the mountain passes into Austria.

In hindsight, i'm glad i replaced the rear shoes as i think the ones on there would have died by the time we got halfway down one of the mountain roads! One was at 29% for 9 miles! engine braking was just not enough with all the gear in the back!

Things i would do differently,
All terrains- The M/T's were a little too noisy for some road surfaces, and made me paranoid about my bearings all the time!

Alternator- upgrade to allow more ancillaries to run off battery

Roof Tent- Definately a must as the campsites in France and Italy are stupidly expensive.

Disco transfer box. - The hills weren't really a problem, but the motorway cruising was a little noisy. Would probably have taken the MPG into the late 20's too which would be good.

AVOID THE AUTOROUTE in France- it cost us £100 to get from calais to St Tropez on the autoroute. Rip off!!!!!! especially as their diesel is 7c more than in the villages. Next time- the national routes would be better.

Austria i cannot reccommend enough. For 7 euros, you get a tax disc thing for the screen, and otherwise is toll free. People are very freindly, and cannot do enough for you. The roads are superb too, and i really want to go back in the winter in the snow as i think that there would be some great white laning there. The only problem we encountered, is that EP90 is very difficult to get hold of. I dont know why but nobody seemed to stock it. I used my last topping up the transfer box in Italy, and didn't want to risk running without any. Germany had it everywhere though.

The kids loved seeing the 110 too! Everywhere we went, there were young kids absolutely amazed by the car.

We had lunch at the Eagles Nest, and that really was the highlight of the trip. The views from the top of the mountain are amazing.

Some pics to follow.

If anyone has any questions on where we stayed, email me as i am not going to bore eveyone with each and every detail on here.

[Widget]

Is that beer close to the camera - or is it big?!:D

Sounds like a great trip.

[Grumbleweed]

i ordered a large one- 750 ml!! now thats service!!

[alex_p]

Looks like you had a good trip, would like to do something like that myself. You say the camp sites were very expensive, how much is expensive?

And you're looking at Africa? Got any ideas yet? I'm hoping to go to Morocco around autumn time, provided I get cracking on the rebuild...

Alex

[Grumbleweed]

three nights in the south of france on a camp site cost us £116 booked in advance. Italy, well that was no better at 64 euros for two nights!!

THey do include shower block useage but still is massively over-priced.

Both Germany and Austria were about a third of the price.


Looking at a Cape Town run in the future. Nothing too soon, as there is still work to be done to the car, and raising money doesn't come that quick!!!

[alex_p]

You could of stayed in a B&B for that!

Cape Town is a dream of mine, hopefully by the time I'm 25...

Alex

[danward79]

Sounds like you had an awesome trip, some fantastic pics.

Interest fuel figures. I might have a play.

When we are in Europe, we always camp. The cheapest we paid in the Alps was 7.5 euro a night for 2.5 people and car. This was a fairly basic camp site.

Last year in auguest we paid between 10 euro and 25 euro a night in France, 25 being in Royan. In Spain which is generally more expensive we paid between 20 euro and 30 euro.

In Spain, the sites generally have pools. In France the cheaper ones were municipal. Some of the municipal ones are great. We have found it is best NOT to plan. Just pitch up.

This year we are driving from Calais to the Northern Spain, across to Portugal down to Capa de roca, thru Spain towards the Pyrenees and home!

Lets hope the exchange rate and campsite prices are not too bad!


Be interested in your future plans.

[stanstorey]

Great to see you had a superb time and made it back safely!

I am currently refitting my roofrack having boarded it out to use a pop-up tent on it as a cheap skate roof tent equivalent.

Will try the tent later and take some pictures if they'd be of use?

[Filski]

great trip mate..you're about a year ahead of me but i'm planning similar type of thing..just got my 110..need to kit it out and get it ready..might do a small euro trip first to get a trail run and then down into Arfica in 2011 or so..i see you're in surrey..anywhere near epsom?? be good to meet up and see what you have done to your 110 and comapre notes etc...

give us a shout one day man..

[Grumbleweed]

you have PM