HETTY’S DRIVE THROUGH THE SOUTH TYROL

Wednesday 10th April

Day 5

Weather

Miles done so far 1194

Tolls are the only way to go said The Driver wiping the tears from his face ..weeping at the prospect of spending on TOLLS .. The start of the day from The Brenner Pass Sosta (carpark for camper vans €15 with Leccy ) was a toll free road .. The Cook wasn’t to sure as this road was one of the up and up and up type ..6000ft plus .. narrow and windy with lots of drops into the valleys below .. A work van came before we had got too far up the mountain and said in Italian that the road ahead was closed ..The Cook sighs with relief ..jumping out of Hetty to help The Driver reverse .. she not staying in the van and ending up off the edge .. so her job is the backing manoeuvre..works perfectly and side lines the panic of height …

Toll road now for 145 klm OMG how much will this cost ? The Cook got her cash box out saying we may need more.. There was €50 in the pot.. WOWSER only € 8-50

Lake Garda comes into view

A quick Lidl shop and off down the west side of Lake Garda .. through tunnel after tunnel all dug out of the mountain on the edge of the lake .. even a round about under the mountain..

Arrived at our destination to find Hetty hadn’t been booked in to the Motorhome parking area 😫 All was well a parking area with leccy was found at a price .. As our followers know Hettys Crew don’t like spending on parking .. only using camp sites to do the washing .. We have been relieved of € 190 … last years 60 day adventures only came to € 63 in total The Drive bit the bullet and payed up .. and it’s pouring down ..

Today view from Hetty’s front window.. raining ☔️

One of the other sailing team arrived after a non stop drive of 17 hours 🤪

TOLLS .. TANTRUMS …AND THE TYROL

Day 4

9th April

Last nights sleepy spot

On the Rhine (60.4714620 8.305374)

Weather Horrid

Hours and hours of mind numbing Auto routes in France.. Belgium (The Cook hates Belgium ) and Germany although it has to be said the German Juggernauts did behave impeccable and kept to the right hand lane ..The Cook amuses herself with her childish lavatorial humour being satisfied at most Motor way exits with a cheery Ausfahrt.. German for exit ..sniggers ..

We roll into Austria ..Grab a vignette €9.40 (tax for use of Austrian roads) at the services and there is the Tyrol ..Mountains ..Snow.. and Heidi houses .. The rain stopped and a hint of sun warmed us up .. It’s was a beautiful sight

Tolls came next .. €9-40 followed by a tantrum from The Cook as she tried to pay ..find cash .. open door ..too close to machine to climb out forwards ..reverse and squeeze out backwards .. Put the arm up said He ..Will give you more room .. Cant .. says She .. Have to hang on TT the arm as it’s as high as a lorry and no step to speak of ..The Cook has made up a new swear word for the indignity of being squashed between a toll machine and Hetty Hymer .. Never to be repeated ..Pride and bottom bruised on a non alcohol day ..Naw.. That’s tomorrow 😂😎♥️

“GROSSGLOCKNER PASS”

A peaceful night in our free sleepy spot GPS 46.66756 13.035925 with another cuckoo giving it death ..Now we know where all the UK’s cuckcoo’s are..in Italy …There seemed to be lot of immigrants working in this small backwood village ..getting on with life
Very early start and up and up over the Plockenpas ..Hairpin bends and Hetty did em well …Over the top and rock climbers to watch as we had our breakfast …On to Dollach where is we could see the fun beginning with a group of classic Morgans waiting to go for the climb up the Grossglocken pass.. The Romans started this road but it lay hidden until 1930 when a bunch of engineers discovered it and decided to create an alpine pass ..Its a 30 miles drive …There was the Munich Chapter of the Hells Angels preparing ..and lots of cyclists ..I wondered at the mentality ..its a 7000 ft climb and more ..
We could see the pass I said shall we do it now or wait …He said lets do it …so off to the Toll booth and parted with €35 and got a brochure and a window sticker to say we had done it ..cant put it on as yet …
There are not enough superlative to describe this adventure …up and up ..more hairpins …more up and and when you thought you were up there was more up and up ..Porsch ..Lotus ..Spider with the driver togged out like the Stig from Top Gear and Hetty ..all these beefy cars doing the drive as it was a bank holiday for Germany and Austria ..

As we came down the other side it was a tad hair raising as Hetty had to assume 1st and 2nd gear ..braking with the engine to save her brakes ..or so John said ..but a safe landing and only seeing one motorbike in the wall ..The area at the bottom was a magical valley of spring flowers so we said “Ok lets stay here “and we did …
..

TO GOZO VIA FRANCE AND ITALY ..THE OFF

The map shows the loose interpretation of the intended route by road and sea  

AN EXCITING 24 HOURS

The adventure started well until the first traffic jam ..

 Then the fatal crash on the opposite carriageway .. (Bodies)…

Then the alternator belt started its whine.. This has been fixed .. Oh No it hasn’t .. New alternator New belt Grrrrr HE says its bedding in and needs adjusting.. I say it should be good to go as its a reputable garage that fitted it .. Make my hair stand on end when it screeches

Then the radio wouldn’t work .. No leccy to it .. I blamed the burglar alarm fitter..

THEN the water heater didn’t work

SIGHS

We put a message asking for advice from a Facebook group called Classic Hymers … Hetty is a Classic Hymer

Lots of help came back very quickly.. It’s the fuse someone said ..

Rang Ashley at Pendle Caravan and Motorhome repairs and he talked John though the intricacies of potential problems as he had to open up the boiler area .. Removing drawers and finding the offending circuit board

Yes the fuse had blown .. Now to go off to Canterbury to find a Maplins .. Of cause the store was two bus rides away at the other side of town

Fuse bought ALSO came out with a Dash Cam .. So now we can film the Arse who may run into us ..

Back to Hetty via Canterbury Cathedral .. Magically Spendid

  
Lots of useful info had come in from CH group re: fixing the boiler

A bite of lunch before J started … One hour later it’s fixed .. What a star of a husband I have ..Next the radio.. Wires out … Now fixed so apart from the screeching belt we are fit to travel and having a beer at The Plough and Harrow 51.211853,1.299569. A Motorhome stop over pub 8 miles from Dover ..

Ferry tomorrow 10am Force 8 forecast ..fortunately only a two hour to Dunkirk and we will be in France