Trip to europe

[stpn666]

Hi All

Is there anyone planning a trip to Europe next year I would like to try a trip abroad in my Bongo but bit nervous going on my own never done anything like it before so not sure how to go about it

Cheers
Steve
Wales

[mikeonb4c]

Hi All

Is there anyone planning a trip to Europe next year I would like to try a trip abroad in my Bongo but bit nervous going on my own never done anything like it before so not sure how to go about it

Cheers
Steve
Wales

Interesting (and understandable) question. Does the other person have to be a Bongo owner? If not it might open up other forums you could ask the question on. Also, it might be interesting to see if an enquiry on Liftshare or other sites where people look to share costs bears fruit.

One thing that will make it a less nervous experience is if the Bongo has shown itself to be reliable during early months of ownership, plus read up and follow advice on prepping and spares for a European tour. But a guy I talked through buying a Bongo bought a rear conversion Bongo for £4.5k in the summer, had it checked over and serviced by Ian Taylor, and has just returned from 2500 happy and trouble free miles spent touring around France and Spain, where he linked up with others from Caravan and Camping Club (I think) who had arranged a meeting in (I think) Spain.

[Bob]

Good tips, Mike.

I think I read the C&CC were doing 'Guided' tours in Europe next season, that might be worth a look.

[janie]

We're going to France for a couple of weeks - mainly staying on aires. Down through the Loire and across to the west coast, then up to Brittany and back to Plymouth.

Hope your trip goes well. We've been a few times now and never had a problem at all (touch wood). Main thing is the security of breakdown insurance - we've never used it, but it's always nice to know it's there.

Jane

[dnitu001]

Having got euro LV breakdown cover for my 19 year old van. i am reassured that the worst the worst will be finishing the holiday on the back of a truck and using one of the bongo friendly Southampton garages.

As has been said a service by a bongo garage will be great reassurance.

Ian in Bongo Towers can fast track parcels out to euro land. And nearly all bongo stuff is quick and easy.

to answer your question = my van and I are booked to go to Luxembourg and the black forest in Early May 2016.

Not going further as don't like to drive too far each day.

Few years back did France from Calais to Nice to santandair in Spain in 14 days. Which was an adventure.

have a read of the posts about peoples travels abroad and come back with more questions.

As with most camping sites and camping - start small and build up. - camping in the closest campsite from home is where most people start and then spread their wings as they build up confidence.

This might be a good read
http://www.bongoagogo.co.uk/Blog.aspx

Oh isle of white is a really good place to start. as breakdown cover is uk! it's on a boat and their are some really cracking deals with red funnel.

No bongo garages on Isle of white I know but plenty in Southampton/Portsmouth. should you have problems

[Bluespanner]

I've done 6 european trips in my bongo, the shortest being around 2000 miles.

If you what extra peace of mind get a low coolant alarm and engine temperature alarm fitted.

A very basic rule of thumb is the further south you go the more liberal the driving standards become!!

Keep the curb on your right hand side, be careful at T junctions, the natural tendancy is to shoot over to the other side of the road. Rounabouts you go the opposit way round. Flashing yellow traffic light normally means you can proceed with caution.

Avoid the cities if at all possible. Camp on outskirts and bus or metro in when required.
Take a good updated satnav and download the POI's for supermarkets (Carrefour, Auchan Lidl etc), camp sites (there are many more camp sites around than listed on the pre loaded satnav poi) French Aires. You can save a lot of money by filling up at the large super/hypermarkets in France/Spain.

I went to just north of Palamos last year, about the only unspolt stretch of the costa brava left. What a beautiful spot. Portsmouth - Le Havre (getting out of le havre is the only tricky bit of the whole journey), stayed well west of the outer ring road of paris and just trundled along the B roads. Very little traffic, compaired to the UK. Camped in the grounds of a Chateau run by a dutch couple, just south of Clermont Ferrand (2nd Day).. Beautiful spot, then continued on the A75 (a no toll motorway) and over the Millau Viaduct... What a marvel of engineering (Sir Norman Foster) scary when you see it, but not scary going over it. Camped by the beach in the south of France (Vias Plage) and then a shortish run over the border and on to Camping Kings at Palamos. The unspoilt areas begin just North of Palamos.

Going through the French countryside you'll soon wonder what all the fuss was about, relaxing and alot of the small towns and villages you pass through have markets or fetes in the summer.

Take full size spare if poss and a couple of cans of puncture repair ( had 2 puctures in 6 trips). You'll need spares bulbs, Hi-Viz, first aid kit and at least one warning triangle. Check AA website for other items.

Have fun

[briwy]

Remember speed camera warnings systems are illegal in France. They will confiscate your equipment and fine you.
Whilst speeding on the motorways isn't generally an issue in a Bongo, the gendarmes are getting sneaky and hiding cameras behind bushes, bridges etc on normal roads and especially in built up areas. The first you are likely to know about speeding is a plod on motorbike pulling you over. Lots of villages now have 20kph limits. The French government have vowed to get their high death rate down.

[Bluespanner]

A little update on briwy's post.

Speed camera warning systems are indeed illegal in France but danger area warning is not. My TomTom Via has danger area alerts which correspond to the location of the speed cameras. This has been cleared with the french authorites. On TomTom website you can download and print off the certificate that shows its legal to use in France. I printed it off and laminated it and kept it in the cab at all times. Its in French and if you get stopped you can show it to the police. If you download third party poi camera warnings for france you may be breaking their laws. I don't know about other satnav makers

[neilv6]

Hi Steve

I'm getting excited about my second bongo which is currently being converted and should be ready next week and will certainly be hitting road for a couple of Eurotrips.

I had an earlier Bongo 2 years ago and drove to Le Mans in france and Spa in Belgium, both times on my own and had no problems. I just thought to myself in distance these locations were the same distance as for me to go to Cornwall or North Wales from my base in Surrey. So if the Bongo could do those distances in the UK then abroad is no difference.
I remember the Tolls required some long arm leaning but manageable.....
The Channel tunnell was fun and had to show my gas was turned off.

I'll start off with a couple of longish UK weekends and hope to do the same again this year....

Always happy to discuss a joint convey if anyone else keen for a mini adventure, I'd love to see those Scottish Islands for instance.

Neil

[gillianwarriner13]

Hi
Yes just like you I am thinking about taking my Bongo to Europe in the Spring.
Although I am used to driving abroad I have never taken the Bongo before.

Would like to plan an adventure but would prefer not to travel alone.

Any other Bongonaughts interested in a convoy through France / Spain

[neilv6]

Hi there, I have been looking into trip to Portugal/Spain borders...

I know it's cheating abit but I like the idea of ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao then drive 2 days through Portugal (there's a lovely river valley to follow) to Algarve and then to the Spanish border...Obviously not the cheapest way to do it, but perhaps more relaxing and less chance of mechanical issues. You can't beat arriving fresh sometimes, rather than thrashing though massive motorway miles.

Reading up on Portugal it seems a manageable size and they like the English, not like the French and Spainsh maybe..

Open to any ideas to discuss.... Neil

[Bongoplod]

Hi All

Is there anyone planning a trip to Europe next year I would like to try a trip abroad in my Bongo but bit nervous going on my own never done anything like it before so not sure how to go about it

Cheers
Steve
Wales

Interesting (and understandable) question. Does the other person have to be a Bongo owner? If not it might open up other forums you could ask the question on. Also, it might be interesting to see if an enquiry on Liftshare or other sites where people look to share costs bears fruit.

One thing that will make it a less nervous experience is if the Bongo has shown itself to be reliable during early months of ownership, plus read up and follow advice on prepping and spares for a European tour. But a guy I talked through buying a Bongo bought a rear conversion Bongo for £4.5k in the summer, had it checked over and serviced by Ian Taylor, and has just returned from 2500 happy and trouble free miles spent touring around France and Spain, where he linked up with others from Caravan and Camping Club (I think) who had arranged a meeting in (I think) Spain.

Good points Mike,always knew you were a thinker

Brian

[helen&tony]

Hi
Problems with the French and Spanish????
I can't say we've ever had problems in Europe from anyone...in fact we've found the French have bent over backwards to help, and that includes the police....VERY helpful and polite.
I'm not sure about how the "tunnel" is at the moment, as I hear / see there are problems with migrants trying to stop traffic before Calais, and the authorities are asking folk not to stop within 100 Km of the tunnel...worth noting if towing a caravan....I'm not sure if it affects cars in any way???
Cheers
Helen

[stpn666]

Hi
thanks to you all for the advice and tips
Cheers
Steve