Friday, October 13, 2006
Day 5
Day 5
Day 5 of the trip saw us sadly leave Fawlty Towers in search of the South of France, via Monaco and the Italian city of Turin - so only another 4 countries today!
It started off with a trip through the valleys of the alps - where I filled up with some more Diesel - it was absolutely freezing outside, with an incredibly cold wind - well, we were in the alps!!
The roads up through the alps into Italy were incredible - very twisty and tight - it didn't stop a brand new Ferrari managing to overtake me on a blind bend. Then some woman in a 4x4 Mercedes thought she could do the same, but she didn't bank on diesel power!! For some reason, we kept catching up with the Ferrari, it would cruise along for a while before speeding off. Then, just before the St Bernard tunnel, which is the border between Switzerland and Italy, he pulled over, then re-joined the road straight after me. It then was obvious that he was with the woman in the Mercedes - I'd scuppered their plans!!
After a slow trip through the tunnel (speed limits are strictly enforced in tunnels), we emerged into the light again, and my first time in Italy. I wasn't too impressed with what I saw, but once the Ferrari again blasted past me, the race was on. The woman in the Merc could only just keep up with me (it later turned out to be a 5 litre top of the range model), and obviously hadn't banked on not being able to get past me. We'd go round a few corners and would keep catching up with the Ferrari - no doubt he'd have been a bit pissed off with keep seeing my black BMW in his rear view mirror, rather than his girlfriend!
The race continued all the way down the Alps and onto the Autopista - I even managed to beat her through the toll booths - but she finally overtook me on a two lane carriage way, where the second lane was narrower due to road works. I can tell you from experience in Austria, that the narrow lane is difficult to navigate in a right hand drive car, as you can't tell how far you are to the concrete barriers on your left, and you worry about the 40 tonne trucks on your right!!
So, race over, it was onto Turin. It only took about an hour from the border, then another hour driving round the city trying to find a parking space. The signs to Car Parks are lies - I don't think they exist! So we had to try to find some on street parking. Round and round in circles we went, until at some traffic lights, a guy in a van pulled out in front of me. Just as I was reminstrating with him, my dad pointed out that it was a space he'd pulled out of!! I wasn't so mad with him then!
Turin was surprisingly quite a nice city. Full of beautiful old architecture, and chic fashionable shops, and people! But the traffic is horrendous! Even in the pedestrianised squares, all you can hear is the beeping of horns in the distance.
After a spot of lunch, it was back on the road. Next stop: Monaco.
Once we arrived, we made our way through and down the tight, winding roads from the alps, down to the shoreline. We found our way onto the Grand Prix circuit, which I was amazed that you can go round completely - though not anywhere near as quickly due to the incredibly heavy traffic, and stop signs everywhere - I've never noticed Michael Schumacher having to give way to a bus and a couple of mopeds on his way past the start/finish line!!
So, having completed a full circuit (in about 15 minutes!), we forced our way out of Monaco, and back into France and our lodgings for the evening.
And so ends day 5 - the last time we'd be doing 4 countries in a day!
The Country count currently stands at (including England) 10.
Day 5 of the trip saw us sadly leave Fawlty Towers in search of the South of France, via Monaco and the Italian city of Turin - so only another 4 countries today!
It started off with a trip through the valleys of the alps - where I filled up with some more Diesel - it was absolutely freezing outside, with an incredibly cold wind - well, we were in the alps!!
The roads up through the alps into Italy were incredible - very twisty and tight - it didn't stop a brand new Ferrari managing to overtake me on a blind bend. Then some woman in a 4x4 Mercedes thought she could do the same, but she didn't bank on diesel power!! For some reason, we kept catching up with the Ferrari, it would cruise along for a while before speeding off. Then, just before the St Bernard tunnel, which is the border between Switzerland and Italy, he pulled over, then re-joined the road straight after me. It then was obvious that he was with the woman in the Mercedes - I'd scuppered their plans!!
After a slow trip through the tunnel (speed limits are strictly enforced in tunnels), we emerged into the light again, and my first time in Italy. I wasn't too impressed with what I saw, but once the Ferrari again blasted past me, the race was on. The woman in the Merc could only just keep up with me (it later turned out to be a 5 litre top of the range model), and obviously hadn't banked on not being able to get past me. We'd go round a few corners and would keep catching up with the Ferrari - no doubt he'd have been a bit pissed off with keep seeing my black BMW in his rear view mirror, rather than his girlfriend!
The race continued all the way down the Alps and onto the Autopista - I even managed to beat her through the toll booths - but she finally overtook me on a two lane carriage way, where the second lane was narrower due to road works. I can tell you from experience in Austria, that the narrow lane is difficult to navigate in a right hand drive car, as you can't tell how far you are to the concrete barriers on your left, and you worry about the 40 tonne trucks on your right!!
So, race over, it was onto Turin. It only took about an hour from the border, then another hour driving round the city trying to find a parking space. The signs to Car Parks are lies - I don't think they exist! So we had to try to find some on street parking. Round and round in circles we went, until at some traffic lights, a guy in a van pulled out in front of me. Just as I was reminstrating with him, my dad pointed out that it was a space he'd pulled out of!! I wasn't so mad with him then!
Turin was surprisingly quite a nice city. Full of beautiful old architecture, and chic fashionable shops, and people! But the traffic is horrendous! Even in the pedestrianised squares, all you can hear is the beeping of horns in the distance.
After a spot of lunch, it was back on the road. Next stop: Monaco.
Once we arrived, we made our way through and down the tight, winding roads from the alps, down to the shoreline. We found our way onto the Grand Prix circuit, which I was amazed that you can go round completely - though not anywhere near as quickly due to the incredibly heavy traffic, and stop signs everywhere - I've never noticed Michael Schumacher having to give way to a bus and a couple of mopeds on his way past the start/finish line!!
So, having completed a full circuit (in about 15 minutes!), we forced our way out of Monaco, and back into France and our lodgings for the evening.
And so ends day 5 - the last time we'd be doing 4 countries in a day!
The Country count currently stands at (including England) 10.
# posted by Nige @ 10/13/2006 09:29:00 am 
