Right, that’s it...before things get worse again I’ve made a last minute (Wednesday) decision to drive to Italy and continue the summer. Means transiting France, but the Italians don’t mind and I’ll quarantine on my return if necessary.
I’ll be going in the Merc, which was delivered last September but, partly as I was working overseas for a chunk of time and partly lockdown earlier in the year, has only done 7,700 miles. Annoyingly it needs annual servicing regardless, so at least I’ll get better value for the money I spend when I’m back! To date the longest journey I’ve been on in it has been to Norfolk, which is around 200 miles each way. Surprisingly (to me anyway) it averaged 40.4 mpg on that trip. Yes, it’s a 2 litre cylinder petrol engine mated to a nine speed auto ‘box so should be economical. Against it is the fact it’s heavy, and it has 300bhp. But, there’s a lot of lightly trafficked ‘A’ roads on that journey which help reduce fuel consumption. The long term average shows a more realistic 30.1 mpg. I reckon that the long stretches of autoroute will be kind to the fuel consumption, but the mountains will give it a beating. I expect to average 32/33, and will be pleasantly surprised if it’s higher.
Google maps says that door to door it’s 1,104 miles there. Breaking it into the component parts above means:
Day 1: W Sussex to Folkestone 109 miles and and Calais to Dijon 359 miles. Total 668 miles
Day 2: Dijon to east of Bourg St Maurice 259 miles
Day 5: Bourg to Cortona 419 miles
A total of 1,146 miles.
So reasonably direct, but I can’t see a way of sending a journey with multiple waypoints to the car. I have sent each destination separately, which will have to do.
Return booked for September 7th...but is flexible..so I’ll worry about the return route nearer the time... Anyway, I haven’t booked any accommodation after the 5th, when I leave the villa
Car packed, not cleaned though..it was clean until yesterday’s rain and some post harvest mud but it’s not been car cleaning weather. GB stickers attached (the car came without EU country identifiers on the number plates). Warning triangle and first aid kit in the car, along with a couple of high viz vests. I’ve also got a spare bulb kit to remain compliant..but it’s useless as all the lights on the car are LED.
The lights can be switched to LHD. I’m interested to see how all the other gizmos adjust to being on the wrong side of the road. Especially the adaptive cruise which reads speed signs and adjusts the speed accordingly. I hope it understands they’ll be in Km/h...don’t think driving at 130 mph would entirely sensible!
Other than that, I’ve got a full tank of fuel and a french motorway tag. Insurance certificate, green card (no longer green) just in case and the registration document packed. Driving licence and credit cards always in my wallet. I’ve reset the long term trip computer. Screen-wash full and tyre pressures correct. Runflats, no spare... Crossing is at 12:50 tomorrow afternoon, so will leave here around 10 and see what happens. Slightly apprehensive...it’s the first holiday alone since Andy died. I’ve been away to the rugby last year with a friend and taken numerous business trips, but that’s not the same. Once I’m on the road I’m sure it’ll be fine!
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