The meet.

Got to see Richard to day. That's the chap who is coming with me. As it was raining and the bike's are on a SORN I took the car. The night before I looked at a route in Goggle map's. Then got the sat nav out and set that up. so all I had to do was switch it on and the thing would be away. Mid day in Northampton, tesco entrance, then something to eat. Tesco in Northampton don't have a eating place. Just one of the Costa crap coffee house's. The run was not too bad two house's to get there and then nearly that to get a parking space. Well more like quarter of an hour driving round to find a parking space.

First thing you notice with Richard is he is a tall man and thin. Someone who's going to stand out in a crowd, Your not going to lose him. We talked about what we where looking for in the trip. And what we hope to do. All nod's from Richard as it seamed that he was looking at the same thing as me. The two main place's are writing in stone, as we both want to sen them, The bridge in Greece and the death camp's in Poland. The second division stuff is the D day landing site's in France and Le Man race track on the way. We even talking about a fly drive trip to Marrakesh , either latter this year or next year. The idea is we ride dawn. And his partner and mine fly there. Have two week's holiday. The lady's fly back and we ride back. Looking at a month away.Any way that's in the pipe line and let's get this one out the way first.

I like the way we jelled together quite well. he the type of person I can get on with. How he will get on with me I have no idea. An old man with his two front teeth missing. And a hair cut that make me look like a Axe murder of king's Lynn. All he is waiting for now is his new bike to be delivered. And then run it round for a few mile's to iron out the snag's. Then it's away.

One have problem's I have got is that the crossing price last September was £33. trying to get a crossing price now and I see they are asking for £57 for the same crossing. Some price hike. But if that's the price then I'll have to pay it.

Any way I can't think of any thing else to say so I'll close now. Post when there is something new.
John933

New tent

Got my self a new tent. Well a new one to me. One of the, brought unseen job's. There was an auction near by. Tent in a bag who will give me a couple of bob. Any way I ended up with it. As I said brought unseen. Now after putting it up in the garden. This is a web picture, I find it is too big for my need's. Any way it look's like I'll be going with my old one.
John933

New Map.

Rome



Not so much a new map more in the way of a change as mentioned in the last post. But more in the way of a small  change to get over the insurance problem of non EU country's.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209414193245900737848.00049b4c3f3b26bcee37f&ll=43.452919,12.65625&spn=20.367148,30.19043&z=5

Make our way from Dijon to Geneva. Which will get us in to Italy, So we will be doing this ride on a Sunday, So I'm hoping the road's will be a bit clear. Then Monday we should press on to Rome. The next ride is smaller giving us time but not much to ride through Rome and get some picture's and have a look round, Tuesday is press on to Naples. Ride the bay, we should have time to spend here as well. So on Wednesday we make our way to catch the ferry. I'm not sure about this bit. As we could take the main road and get to the ferry early. Or cross country and lose time in Naples. So it's a suck it and see. The ferry is not too bad, as if you book and aircraft seat to kip down in the crossing is 54 euros. As you leave at 22.00 hr. Arriving in Greece at 06.00 on Thursday morning. So that will save us one night to kip down.

John933

Could be a change of plan???

I have been looking at the problem of travelling through the non EU country's on our way down to Greece. And I'm getting mickey mouse kind of price's for just a few day's insurance cover. Some companies want to charge for a year some for a month at a time. In in a few case's the price range is no different. Other information is, get it at the boarder when you cross. I have a feeling that is could be rip of time. And as there are three country's of non EU. Three lot's of rip of and this would put a downer on the whole trip. So how do you over come this? I have now found a ferry crossing from Italy to Greece at 45 euros one way to book in advance. I have a lap top that we can use, to book on the road, if we find an INTERNET link, So I am proposing that the route be changed to take this in to account. Ride down Italy cross over to Greece keep with in the EU no problem with insurance.

The crossing is from Bari in Italy, to Igoumenitsa in Greece. If you goggle Bari, and look for port or ferry crossing you can get all the information you need. That's what I did.

So what do you think. Italy instead of the Balkan's?It's a two day change and it cut's out the hassle of insurance. I think it's the better way to go.

For a start
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=209414193245900737848.0004943f895be4bd5ccb9&ll=44.746733,15.205078&spn=21.805739,39.331055&z=5


John933

Leaveing Brindisi harbour in Italy.