South of France here I come

[Austin]

Excellent write up thanks Austin. Agree totally about both the distances that it is easy to misjudge and also about the horrid cost of travelling in France at the moment.

Fuel in Spain at €1/l will start to sway a few riders for next years travels.... How did you find the cost of living in Spain anyway, cheaper than France or about the same?

We ended up only passing through Spain to get to the ferry, but had I known how much cheaper it was we would have spent a lot more time there. In Spain a 1.5litre bottle of water was 80cents, in france it was 1.20 in a supermarket and 2euros+ in the touristy places from a Bar/Tabac. Coffee in france (the small black ones) were about 1.50 to 2.50 euros, while a cafe au lait was always 50cents to 1 euro more. I bought one coffee in Spain - "Cafe Cos" directly opposite the ferry terminal where it was 1 euro. Our lunch time meal there - 2 x coffee, 1 x water and 1 x orangina (both pricey though), and 1 x garlic potatoes and 1 x squid rings was 18 euros. In France this would have been nearer 30. So, yes SPain definitley cheaper than France. However we decided next year's trip has to be non-euro zone - so that'll be Turkey or Morocco.

Trouble is that while I don't speak a lot of French I get by and can understand more or less everything I read and about half what I listen to. In Spain I understand virtually nothing and have about 10 words I can speak with confidence (including "ciento, no hablo Espangnol" and "dos cuvesas pour favor"). This makes spain a foreign land to me, while France seems very familiar.

[bandit]

Hi Austin sounds like you and Mrs Austin had a good time looking forward to the pictures

[kritichris]

Glad you had a good trip Austin, it was good to meet you and the missus, nice to put faces to names. We had the same good weather you had riding thru france, switzerland and Italy but as we were limited on time we had 18 hours in the saddle the first 2 days. Definitely too much, should aim for 6 max to allow more time for other pursuits (cold beers spring to mind). Crossed some excellent passes tho, returning over the Simplon. Going down hairpins is hard work on the wrists so a descent of the Simplon was a relief after all the others, almost like a motorway with some nice twisties. The VStrom handled well too, more flickable than the AT but with less presence, I felt a bit inconspicuous riding it. Anyway, glad you enjoyed Motobreaks, after recommending them I was worried it may not be to your taste.

[wobblemonster]

Hi there big boy, sorry about the delay in replying, French Telecom are a rule to them selves and so aint had any tinternet for a month, another bad thing about France you havn't mentioned.
It was good to meet you and Mrs Austin, it was quite funny that the English that turned up where all bikers, it wasn't planned that way, honest.
Glad you enjoyed Rocamadour well worth a visit as you was so close, sounds like you had a good trip, but where's the photo's

[Charlie]

bump!

When you getting the photos up Dad? I want to see them!

[Austin]

bump!

When you getting the photos up Dad? I want to see them!

Oi, you've left home

Try the ride reports forum

[kritichris]

While waiting for Austin's pics here are 3 from Motobreaks. I've never seen a bike as loaded up as Austin's Varadero. Austin and Ann are at the back of the pic as we prepare for our italian trip and they get ready to head south.

[Austin]

While waiting for Austin's pics here are 3 from Motobreaks. I've never seen a bike as loaded up as Austin's Varadero. Austin and Ann are at the back of the pic as we prepare for our italian trip and they get ready to head south.

Hi Chris, My pics are in a the ride reports forum.

Loaded up bike I thought I was lightly packed, you clearly haven't been on an XRV meet where people turn up with BBQs, chairs, beds and allsorts packed onto bikes so you wonder how the rider ever gets on it.

[kritichris]

Thanks Austin, didn't realise we jhad that forum