EUROPE

24.11.07 - Ferry from Dover to Calais, drove at a cold snails pace through France. Weather was wet and cold, I had a sleeping bag over my legs most of the way.  Stopped at a service station for tea I had bolognaise and dried up pasta, Troy had a sausage with green beans and fossilised potatoes, you can tell the quality of the food by the microwave in the corner that did nothing to soften or make the meal more hearty.  Three sachets of tomato sauce and one of mustard did little to make the meal more palatable, by the look of Troy’s face and the crunch of the boiled potatoes.  That night we stayed at a lovely hotel called Le Val Moret in Magnant just outside of Troyes (we would highly recommend it).  When checking in we were asked whether we would like the restaurant, with gutted looks at each other and Troy still rattling his potatoes we had to decline.

25.11.07 - After stuffing oneself at the breakfast buffet and living in the power shower we had a later than planned start.  Drove up into the snowy Alpes to an elevation of just over 4000ft where we stopped to use our cooker for the first time making cupasoup!  So far thermals and coat have not come off in the Land Rover! Got down into Geneva and had our first mechanical tantrum, wheel bearing coming loose, fun doing that in the dark! (Cheers Sean!)  Stopped just before Mont Blanc tunnel so we can enjoy the views tomorrow.  Found scummy hotel with an automatic reception and no staff here, even though flashing sign promises restaurant, bar, tennis etc.  Got room key from automated machine but it didn’t give us the code for the front door, we heard it print but it had obviously run out of paper.  Stuck outside for half an hour with room paid for until a French couple returned with Pizza and let us in (from that we realised there was no restaurant).  But all was not lost! (or was it)  When we got to our room we found it had full cooking facilities, so I had to wait just inside the front door as it would only open from inside (why we didn’t ask the French couple for the code we have no idea), while Troy unloaded all the food and cooking utensils.  When we got this all up to our room we found none of the cooking facilities worked including the microwave which gave the impression it was working until you finished cooking and found it all still raw.  So it was Troy back out in the car park frying sausages in the dark while a waited just inside the front door to let him back in.  So far France 1 Switzerland 0!

26.11.07 - Woke late again, then back to the car park with all our unused goodies.  Five trips later all was packed.  As we have not had much luck finding decent food the last couple of days, we thought we would try our slow cooker for first time.  We drove through the Mont Blanc tunnel, the views in the Alps are amazing.  After driving through tunnel after tunnel, we could see the end of the thermals in sight.  We finally got to Genoa ferry port at about 14.30.  Went to buy a ticket only to find the first ferry does not go until 28.11.07.  So we bought our ticket and left to find a hotel for next couple of days.   2 hours of driving round in circles later we ended up sat in the car park of a pizza restaurant eating our really tasty cupasoup casserole (so much for better eating)!!! .  Finally found a room in a hotel, Land rover wheel bearing noisy again so will try to sort out properly before ferry on Wednesday.

27.11.07 - Lazy day in the mountains, went out for lunch bit too much wine, language definitely a problem in non tourist areas, all the Italians most helpful though.

28.11.07 - Boring old day really, drove in the usual round about fashion to Genoa ferry terminal.  Met a French man who was overlanding in what looked to be a very nice Unimog camper conversion, chatted in the usual language of ‘I’m a stupid Englishman’ and sign and discussed where we were both going and how long it would take and maybe see each other on route.  Realised we had bacon in the fridge, thinking this was banned in Tunisia we got out our stove and cooked it in the car park, had bacon sandwiches for tea.   Waved goodbye to Italy.  Trip uneventful, but for anyone going on take food and drink on with you as very expensive.  (Twix 1 euro 50!) So starved to death and died of dehydration, Lee would be glad to hear!!