The car was loaded with a box of tools screwdrivers pliers/sockets etc plus Hi Viz , spare bulb kit oil/water and a brand new coil pack. The boot was full of clothes for 12 days , the area behind the seats drinks and food (pasta rice etc) plus changes of clothes for the overnight stops.
We left Chester on Friday morning , 300 miles later arrived at Dover to catch the 14:00 DFDS ferry to Dunkerque .
Waiting for the ferry doors to open at Dunkerque ,
We stayed overnight in a hotel in the Dunkerque area ready for the longest daily drive of 380 miles to Strasbourg where we stopped again at an IBIS budget just off the motorway .
Parked up in the underground car park IBIS Strasbourg .
Sunday morning left the IBIS at 9 for the third days drive to Lake Como via the Gotthard Tunnel approx 280 miles and we were in the apartment about 1km from the lake shore .
As we turned off the main road for the climb up to the apartment the rear of the car hit the road surface and made enough racket as if the rear boxes had become loose! In fact it was my low mounted rear fog light had broken off and was hanging by the cable and being dragged along! panic over .
After a day to recover we drove down to Tuscany and stayed over night another 550 miles .
On the way back from Tuscany on the Autostrada we were overtaken by an Italian gentleman in a Fiat Dino Spider , well used and the car was certainly not a trailer queen , after he overtook he slowed down so we passed him and the next time he came passed we were being recorded on his phone , this happened a few more times before he came past waving and roared off to Milan , a beautiful car being well used .
On the Saturday before leaving next day we were at the local supermarket getting a few supplies , came out to the car and the central locking was not working , the red indicator light on the key fob was not flashing , with some forethought I had taken a second set of keys which was back at the apartment , so 3km later on a blazing hot day I was back at the car second key fob in hand central locking operated car started and away (happy days).
Parked up in front of local marina .
On the way down to Italy all cars were being stopped at the Swiss border to check for a current vignette , 40€ please .
We had decided to use the Gotthard tunnel but were stuck in a traffic jam for about 40mins although it was a busy time (early Sunday afternoon) 17k is a long tunnel to be in and my claustrophobia was starting to kick in . On the return journey we used the Gotthard pass which is brilliant and a hell of a lot better than being stuck under a mountain range .
Waiting in the queue to board the ferry back to Dover .
We stayed at the same two hotels on the return journey and covered just over 2450 miles in 12 days , it would certainly have been quicker and more comfortable to use my other car an Alfa Giulietta QV but I would not have heard “Bella” repeated so many times .
Parked up back safe and sound , Geoff .
Chester to Lake Como and back in the SWB
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