I'm planning to do a long, slow trip from Geneva, Switzerland through France, Italy,
Sicily, Corsica and maybe Greece. It might take 1 year after all... I'll be
travelling very cheaply in a VW bus. The main purpose of the trip is... the obvious,
but photography (large format) will be heavily used. Did anybody ever did a trip like
this? Any tips? Cost indications for the road? Petrol prices in the different
countries? You don't have to reply in English if you can comment on anything. French,
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and German also accepted!

Thanks for any info!

Cheers,

--

JMF

WEB: http://www.jmf-photo.ch EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE: ++41 79 433 04 03

HI

I lived on the road for 6 months.

Email me at [email protected] for details

Peter

"J. M. Ferreira" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I'm planning to do a long, slow trip from Geneva, Switzerland through France,
    > Italy, Sicily, Corsica and maybe Greece. It might take 1 year after all... I'll be
    > travelling very cheaply in a VW bus. The main purpose of the trip is... the
    > obvious, but photography (large format) will be heavily used. Did anybody ever did
    > a trip like this? Any tips? Cost indications for the road? Petrol prices in the
    > different countries? You don't have to reply in English if you can comment on
    > anything. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and German also accepted!
    >
    > Thanks for any info!
    >
    > Cheers,
    >
    > --
    >
    > JMF

Gas prices seem very high to me. Highest in Italy and perhaps England, slightly
less in Germany (where prices can vary) and Switzerland. We currently in Italy pay
the equivalent of a US $, +- per liter. I have a tiny car and and oil change costs
$50 and up.

"J. M. Ferreira" wrote:
    > I'm planning to do a long, slow trip from Geneva, Switzerland through France,
    > Italy, Sicily, Corsica and maybe Greece.

    > Did anybody ever did a trip like this?

Sure. I was on The Road for 50 weeks 8½ months of which was in Europe. I worked for
about a month in Hamburg and a few weeks in Manhattan.

    > Any tips?

Eat well. By that I mean maintain a healthful diet. Pay careful attention to
maintaining a balanced diet. Also ensure that you get adequate sleep. These things,
if not done, can have devastating short- and long-term effects.

I've been on The Road many times for lesser durations, usually six and nine week
vacations.

    > Cost indications for the road?

Your best guide to spending is learning the price of a prostitute. Whither you be,
the cost is usually equal to a working man's daily wage. You will be spending that
amount seven days a week while the worker earns it only five days a week. Your
overall expenses, however, are usually greater than those of the worker. Your
spending will be in line with the local citizens thus preventing you from being
noticeable as a profligate tourist.

Enjoy. And may each of your photographs be a good one.

«¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤ ¦ ¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤-¤»
ICONO CLAST A San Franciscan in San Francisco - IClast at SFBay Net
http://geocities.com/dancefest/

Hi

sorry, that should read -

[email protected]

Peter

On Tue, 30 Apr 2002, J. M. Ferreira wrote:

    > I'm planning to do a long, slow trip from Geneva, Switzerland through France,
    > Italy, Sicily, Corsica and maybe Greece. It might take 1 year after all...
wow, that _is_ long.
    > I'll be travelling very cheaply in a VW bus. The main purpose of the trip is... the
    > obvious, but photography (large format) will be heavily used.
What is the obvious? <g>

    > Did anybody ever did a trip like this? Any tips? Cost indications for the road?
    > Petrol prices in the different countries? You don't have to reply in English if you
    > can comment on anything. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and German also
    > accepted!

Have been to corsica. Wonderfull place. Do make sure your van is in good working
order. Hills are steep and it gets warm in summer. Lots of things are closed between
october-april. Hachette's Guide de Routard for corsica is excellent.

Mainland France and to a lesser extent Corsica, doesn't like it when people "camp"
with a van outside camping areas.

You could take the ferry to the mainland and follow the coast west, cross a bit of
the pyrinees and follow the coast up north.

--
Met vriendelijke groeten/Best regards Jeroen Wijnands http://www.xs4all.nl/~wijnands
--
Don't steal; thou'lt never thus compete successfully in business. Cheat. --
Ambrose Bierce

Icono Clast wrote:

    > "J. M. Ferreira" wrote:
    > > I'm planning to do a long, slow trip from Geneva, Switzerland through France,
    > > Italy, Sicily, Corsica and maybe Greece.
    >
    > > Did anybody ever did a trip like this?
    >
    > Sure. I was on The Road for 50 weeks 8* months of which was in Europe. I worked for
    > about a month in Hamburg and a few weeks in Manhattan.
    >
    > > Any tips?
    >
    > Eat well. By that I mean maintain a healthful diet. Pay careful attention to
    > maintaining a balanced diet. Also ensure that you get adequate sleep. These things,
    > if not done, can have devastating short- and long-term effects.
    >
    > I've been on The Road many times for lesser durations, usually six and nine week
    > vacations.
    >
    > > Cost indications for the road?
    >
    > Your best guide to spending is learning the price of a prostitute. Whither you be,
    > the cost is usually equal to a working man's daily wage. You will be spending that
    > amount seven days a week while the worker earns it only five days a week. Your
    > overall expenses, however, are usually greater than those of the worker. Your
    > spending will be in line with the local citizens thus preventing you from being
    > noticeable as a profligate tourist.
    >
    > Enjoy. And may each of your photographs be a good one.

Thanks! Actually, I am planning in "living" in my van (no hotel expenses) and I'll be
doing the cooking as well. I won't be driving everyday either. More than half my
monthly expenses are rent (which I won't be paying). I can survive with the
equivalent of 450 US. ...And I guess I'll save some money by staying away from
prostitutes...

Cheers!

--

JMF

WEB: http://www.jmf-photo.ch EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE: ++41 79 433 04 03

"J. Wijnands" wrote:

    > On Tue, 30 Apr 2002, J. M. Ferreira wrote:
    >
    > > I'm planning to do a long, slow trip from Geneva, Switzerland through France,
    > > Italy, Sicily, Corsica and maybe Greece. It might take 1 year after all...
    > wow, that _is_ long.
    > > I'll be travelling very cheaply in a VW bus. The main purpose of the trip is...
    > > the obvious, but photography (large format) will be heavily used.
    > What is the obvious? <g>
    >
    > > Did anybody ever did a trip like this? Any tips? Cost indications for the road?
    > > Petrol prices in the different countries? You don't have to reply in English if
    > > you can comment on anything. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and German also
    > > accepted!
    >
    > Have been to corsica. Wonderfull place. Do make sure your van is in good working
    > order. Hills are steep and it gets warm in summer. Lots of things are closed
    > between october-april. Hachette's Guide de Routard for corsica is excellent.
    >
    > Mainland France and to a lesser extent Corsica, doesn't like it when people "camp"
    > with a van outside camping areas.

Really? Even if it's in an isolated area, with no houses around? Will the police ask
you to leave?

--

JMF

WEB: http://www.jmf-photo.ch EMAIL: [email protected] PHONE: ++41 79 433 04 03

"J. M. Ferreira" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
    > "J. Wijnands" wrote:
    >
    > > On Tue, 30 Apr 2002, J. M. Ferreira wrote:
    > >
    > > > I'm planning to do a long, slow trip from Geneva, Switzerland through France,
    > > > Italy, Sicily, Corsica and maybe Greece. It might take 1 year after all...
    > wow, that _is_ long.
    > > > I'll be travelling very cheaply in a VW bus. The main purpose of the trip is...
    > > > the obvious, but photography (large format) will be heavily used.
    > > What is the obvious? <g>
    > >
    > > > Did anybody ever did a trip like this? Any tips? Cost indications for the road?
    > > > Petrol prices in the different countries? You don't have to reply in English if
    > > > you can comment on anything. French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and German
    > > > also accepted!
    > >
    > > Have been to corsica. Wonderfull place. Do make sure your van is in good working
    > > order. Hills are steep and it gets warm in summer. Lots of things are closed
    > > between october-april. Hachette's Guide de Routard for corsica is excellent.
    > >
    > > Mainland France and to a lesser extent Corsica, doesn't like it when people
    > > "camp" with a van outside camping areas.
    >
    > Really? Even if it's in an isolated area, with no houses around? Will the police
    > ask you to leave?

I suspect they would. Up north along the cost i've seen signs in a lot of the
villages saying yes, you can park your camper here but not for the night. Wether or
not they make a point out of it if you camp in the middle of nowhere I wouldn't know.

Since you seem to be swiss I suspect your french is better than mine, so ask around.

"[email protected]" <[email protected]> schrieb:

    > > > Mainland France and to a lesser extent Corsica, doesn't like it when people
    > > > "camp" with a van outside camping areas.
    > >
    > > Really? Even if it's in an isolated area, with no houses around? Will the police
    > > ask you to leave?

    > I suspect they would. Up north along the cost i've seen signs in a lot of the
    > villages saying yes, you can park your camper here but
not
    > for the night. Wether or not they make a point out of it if you camp in the middle
    > of nowhere I wouldn't know.

There are designated areas in which you can officially stay overnight in a camper.
There is even a booklet that listens all those areas, you can order it here:

http://www.campingfrance.com/fr/html.../intro_gas.htm

In Italy such areas exist, too (aree di sosta). You can find them here:

http://www.turismoitinerante.com http://www.camper.netsurf.it

    > Since you seem to be swiss I suspect your french is better than
mine,
    > so ask around.

Look at the Homepage of news:de.rec.reisen.camping where you can find further
informations: http://www.drrc-group.de/drrc-faq

HTH Uli