Driving around Europe for 2 months, need some advice

Skyline On Fire

Skyline On Fire

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Luke
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I'm driving around Europe with my girlfriend for a couple months, no specific itinerary or anything, just seeing where we end up. Going to be camping most nights and my main concern is keeping my electronics charged.

I need a way of keeping my netbook (taking netbook rather than our laptops, longer battery, less of a big deal if it breaks or gets lost) my camera (7D with 3 spare batteries) and our phones, although that one isn't such an issue.

Can I possibly charge my netbook and camera batteries from the car lighter whilst we are driving around? Would this affect our fuel consumption? Would it affect the battery at all?

Thanks in advance.
 
:agree:

Our last holiday was a two week slow drive to Vienna and back and I used something similar to that to keep a laptop charged up and to power a mifi.

Although we used hotels (sod camping for a lark) we could have gone without hotel mains power if necessary.

You'll have no problem charging devices on the go.

Good luck with the trip.
 
I did this last year too, just used a power invertor, works fine, avoid using it whilst the car is switched off, can drain the battery pretty quick,

Remember to get european cover and carry all the neccessary car safety requirments , a kit can be bought from halfords,
European sat nav is a must
 
Already sorted for European sat nav.

AA do euro wide cover for around 200 quid for the year, including all the goodies, so thats sorted.

You need a triangle and hi vis jacket and a load of other things in France, Spain etc... Halfords can get all those aye.
 
JustJoe said:
Just a thought does your (if you have it) camera/kit insurance cover Europe?
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No it doesnt, I've got worldwide breakage insurance but not theft/loss. I should definitely look into that, thanks for reminding me
 
Skyline On Fire said:
You need a triangle and hi vis jacket and a load of other things in France, Spain etc... Halfords can get all those aye.
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A couple of things about Sapin - Sorry if you already know - You need 2 x triangles, the high vis jacket (for you and passengers) must be kept in the car and not in the boot as you have to put it on as you get out of the car, if you wear glasses, you should by law have a spare pair in the car - Not sure how they'd ever check!!

Enjoy your trip :thumbs:
 
dentedshed said:
How much?? My full euro cover is about £70pa bundled with my car insurance.
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Such Euro cover normally restricts you to so many days travel in a year. Often 15 or 21 days. Luke is planning a 2 month long trip.
 
2blue4u said:
Such Euro cover normally restricts you to so many days travel in a year. Often 15 or 21 days. Luke is planning a 2 month long trip.
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I'd have to check but I'm pretty sure that it is unrestricted in the days dept.

Just checked, no restriction on days. Only allowed to break down five times per year though :)
 
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swag72 said:
A couple of things about Sapin - Sorry if you already know - You need 2 x triangles, the high vis jacket (for you and passengers) must be kept in the car and not in the boot as you have to put it on as you get out of the car, if you wear glasses, you should by law have a spare pair in the car - Not sure how they'd ever check!!

Enjoy your trip :thumbs:
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And bulbs in some countries.
 
Also first aid kits unopened.

And try and have a few 20 or 50 cent coins for the loos...
 
Skyline On Fire said:
Already sorted for European sat nav.

AA do euro wide cover for around 200 quid for the year, including all the goodies, so thats sorted.

You need a triangle and hi vis jacket and a load of other things in France, Spain etc... Halfords can get all those aye.
Click to expand...

Try your local partco instead of halfords, much, much cheaper!
 
Thanks everyone,

I'll give the insurance a ring and see if I can somehow get euro breakdown cover under them for a cheaper price.

As for the kit i.e triangles, hi vis etc... I'll try partco, thanks for that
 
When are you going? If it's in the next couple of months and you want to get into the mountains (which I assume you will do) it's a legal requirement to have snow chains. Also if you are going through Switzerland you need to buy a Vignette so you can drive on Motorways. It's an annual pass in the form of a sticker that goes in the windscreen and can be bought from the Swiss Centre in London or most border crossings.
 
Beardy said:
When are you going? If it's in the next couple of months and you want to get into the mountains (which I assume you will do) it's a legal requirement to have snow chains. Also if you are going through Switzerland you need to buy a Vignette so you can drive on Motorways. It's an annual pass in the form of a sticker that goes in the windscreen and can be bought from the Swiss Centre in London or most border crossings.
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You also need some thing simlar for austria too
 
we go for 6 weeks every year drive to spain i have a power inverter laptop plugs in normal 3 pin, and it has 2 usb's as well in fact i had

laptop
dvd player
DSi
Iphone


all going or charging at once


very good investment


also get a elect hookup for the sites your staying on, camping online or shops sell them


merc
 
gumbo-67 said:
You also need some thing simlar for austria too
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Beardy said:
When are you going? If it's in the next couple of months and you want to get into the mountains (which I assume you will do) it's a legal requirement to have snow chains. Also if you are going through Switzerland you need to buy a Vignette so you can drive on Motorways. It's an annual pass in the form of a sticker that goes in the windscreen and can be bought from the Swiss Centre in London or most border crossings.
Click to expand...


these are cheaper if you buy over here than at a crossing


go for european recovery as well rac do one £100.00 for year dependant on car age etc

Merc
 
Skyline On Fire said:
Thanks everyone,

I'll give the insurance a ring and see if I can somehow get euro breakdown cover under them for a cheaper price.

As for the kit i.e triangles, hi vis etc... I'll try partco, thanks for that
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better to have it, load of tosh really, i have bi-xenon swiveling headlights dealer fit only, so no bulbs


and don't forget to adjust your headlights with sticky tape things

on our volvo you can position the headlights to the left or right :thumbs:


never been pulled yet


in fact in 3,500 mile round trip only seen 9 patrol cars whilst traveling, and between manchester and Nerja there a 10 sets of traffic lights :lol:
 
Beardy said:
When are you going? If it's in the next couple of months and you want to get into the mountains (which I assume you will do) it's a legal requirement to have snow chains. Also if you are going through Switzerland you need to buy a Vignette so you can drive on Motorways. It's an annual pass in the form of a sticker that goes in the windscreen and can be bought from the Swiss Centre in London or most border crossings.
Click to expand...

Going early May so snow wont be an issue unless there's some freak weather. It's not a legal requirement to have them in summer though right? You mean just winter yes?

Thanks for the tip on the vignette.
 
mercmanuk said:
we go for 6 weeks every year drive to spain i have a power inverter laptop plugs in normal 3 pin, and it has 2 usb's as well in fact i had

laptop
dvd player
DSi
Iphone

all going or charging at once
Click to expand...

And all this had no adverse affect on the battery/MPG?
 
Skyline On Fire said:
Going early May so snow wont be an issue unless there's some freak weather. It's not a legal requirement to have them in summer though right? You mean just winter yes?

Thanks for the tip on the vignette.
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Yes, just winter.

Going over the high passes you could definitely get snow in May......the very top of the Grand St Bernard which is between Switzerland and Italy doesn't open til June (though there is a tunnel at about 2000m altitude which is open all year).

I am sure you will be fine as most roads and even mountain passes are at lower altitudes but remember that the ski season runs til the end of April so you are only just getting the change of the season at high altitude.
 
NikoNNokiN said:
Never mind all that stuff, I hope you have military grade sleeping bags!
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More than kitted out in that regard :) I've done a lot of alpine hiking and camping. The main concern is the bureaucracy involved with bringing a car!
 
Skyline On Fire said:
And all this had no adverse affect on the battery/MPG?
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No Volvo 2.4D 6 speed geartronic computer says 55 mpg fully loaded very good on fuel even when it reached 107deg just after madrid outside temp-gauge doing about 70 mph and that was 107deg after traveling for 1/2 hour and still rising the gauge said 117deg when we got in then cooled off in the breeze :eek:


Merc
 
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Skyline On Fire said:
And all this had no adverse affect on the battery/MPG?
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Your driving style, whether you have A/C on or windows open/closed will have much more impact on your MPG. Windows shut, no A/C, pump your tyres up, no radio, don't chrage any devices and drive at a steady 50mph in top gear and your MPG will rocket. You might get very hot, frustrated and bored though.

Just enjoy it.....
 
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