 Poster: A snowHead
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| MHskier wrote: |
| So the wind on Friday in the UK looks pretty grim - up to 75 mph gusts on multiple forecasts. That's a hell of a wind particularly with a roofbox on so I've just changed the plan with the family and we drive from the midlands to a hotel in Kent Thursday night, leaving a hopefully stress free journey across the tunnel Friday. |
+1
Rooms going fast tomorrow night!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| jonathancarty wrote: |
| we are splashing out on a relaxing overnight Brittany Ferries crossing: |
You sealed your fate when you said that. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
You sealed your fate when you said that
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Yup.
Still I'm sure it'll be fine, there's a bar, hopefully with seat belts
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Those ferries are not rendered uninhabitable by a mere gale. But personally, I'd aim to be lying down rather than sitting up. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| caughtanedge wrote: |
| MHskier wrote: |
| So the wind on Friday in the UK looks pretty grim - up to 75 mph gusts on multiple forecasts. That's a hell of a wind particularly with a roofbox on so I've just changed the plan with the family and we drive from the midlands to a hotel in Kent Thursday night, leaving a hopefully stress free journey across the tunnel Friday. |
+1
Rooms going fast tomorrow night! |
+ Another 1
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We have done Brittany ferries to Caen and then the Tours and clermont ferrand route to the alps and much preferred it to going round Paris. There are some good en route hotels in the Bourges and Vierzon area. It works well for the Tarentaise or Maurienne valley. If one is going further north to destinations off the A40 it is harder to find a good cross country route as you really need to cut across to Macon which means some of the journey on an A road from memory.
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All docs uploaded to Eurotunnel.
Tesco order of Marathons (still can't call them Snickers), Gin, and other essentials has arrived.
Now all I need to do is clear the inevitable deluge of work issues that appear on the day before you go away on holiday...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| wibble44 wrote: |
All docs uploaded to Eurotunnel.
Tesco order of Marathons (still can't call them Snickers), Gin, and other essentials has arrived.
Now all I need to do is clear the inevitable deluge of work issues that appear on the day before you go away on holiday... |
And don't forget your Jif!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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For those of you using the Autoroute des Anglais, in both directions, just another reminder that there's a section of around 80-90kms in the Sommesous area where all the petrol stations are closed. You get told ahead of it how far to the next station is, but it's worth being aware.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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We have a 4 berth cabin and 2 reclining seats for 6 of us. Any ideas on how we allocate?
My feeling was first two to vomit get the recliners.....
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You know it makes sense.
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We are going on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry on Friday night - what are the chances of it being cancelled do you think? I know the wind drops by the time we are due to depart, but worried the ferry won't make it back to UK from Thursday night's crossing if the winds are so high.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@jonathancarty, you could give anyone who has already had covid the reclining seats. Although I’d be trying to book a last minute second cabin.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Good luck everyone - more by luck than judgement we'd booked tunnel rather than portsmouth Caen this time. Off to Kent this evening, a nice breakfast tomorrow, battle the elements for 30 miles instead of the full 200 and then kick our heels for a couple of hours at the tunnel unless they put us on an earlier train (not flex).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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you might get the option for an earlier train, @MHskier, perhaps at an extra cost. It's unpredictable. Good luck.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Stillhopeful, I have been on ferries at storm force 10. I very much doubt they will cancel. They are pretty safe and will go through any seas, its just a bit scary.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The ferries get delayed in storms as they take much longer than normal to go through the docking procedure, or in some cases they just hang around outside the port. Tends to be one ship in at a time.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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In bad weather, Dover harbour may close. Not too bad if you are in the harbour but if you are mid channel then look forward to a couple of hours going around in circles.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Got stuck on a ferry from Cherbourg to Dublin in a storm. Usually an 18 hour journey but took 30. It wasn't pleasant and the worst bit was around the south of UK, puke city for 2 of our family and most of the people on board too judging by the amount of the soakage powder on the ground all over the ship. It blew out and was pretty much flat calm coming up the Irish sea, at a snails pace. I guess they missed their berth time in Dublin so there was no point in rushing or something like that. We are an hour's drive south of the port; we passed our house and pulled into the port about 4 hours later. I should have jumped off and swam home!
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On the train, tucking in to Flexi food. About an hour from arrival to now.
Good luck to all travelling today.
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| Quote: |
I have been on ferries at storm force 10
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Force 11 forecast in the Dover Channel today - at the very least there could be severe delays.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Weathercam, Have you been up on the roof to see if the weather station its still there ? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@BergenBergen, I'm in Serre Chevalier but can see it's still working.
When the wind is more onshore S/SSW I get a vortex type effect as wind accelerates through the side streets, now it's veered SW'ly.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
not that windy yet
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solid 9, gusting 10, at Chi Bar. Big gust, just outside my front door, had me staggering a bit with two bulky bags of fruit and veg. The heaviest winds aren't forecast for some hours.
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Yes, really - are you suggesting I'm lying? I had read that off just before I posted. It does, change. And I had just come in, having been staggering in the road outside my front door, a few metres from the water (and would be IN the water if I stood at the same spot come HW) and hanging on to my shopping.
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You know it makes sense.
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And your weather thingy recorded a force 10 gust early this morning. It's been up and down since I woke at 4am.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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All P&O channel crossings cancelled now
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Left Milton Keynes at 17:15 and satnav says should arrive at the tunnel at 19:40 so not looking too bad. Maybe some I the normal traffic stayed home today.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Beer in hand at overnight near Dijon. Woke up Expecting a lie in at Kent hotel was woken by wife saying the SE is going red warning at 10am. So we rushed the breakfast we thought would be leisurely, checked out arriving at Eurotunnel just after ten, fearing worst. Quite the opposite as waved through and on a train over 2 hours ahead of the scheduled 13:30 one. Off to Italy tomorrow. Feel quite fortunate compared to the ferry / airplane crowd.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Into the tunnel terminal, reporting delays of one hour. We've been bumped up to 22:03 as we're early.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Lettering system has gone to pot - everybody is just queueing through the car park - nobody parking add waiting. We have letter L3 which doesn't show on the board at all. Only food outlet available is Leon. Wife carried on queueing while I got the food and then ate as we crawled through. This is going to take a while.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| andmelffion wrote: |
| personally would avoid going anywhere near Paris as google/route planners never allows for the real level of traffic around the city unless you are very lucky |
I lived in Paris area for years and now from London to Alps I always drive thru Paris area and I can garanty you Google Maps is very very accurate regarding traffic and time spent within the traffic (better than Waze)....
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Our daughter and family were through the tunnel easily this morning. They were out on a train an hour earlier than booked, the terminal was deserted and they were only asked to show passports and nothing else. On their way to Samoens.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Mjit wrote: |
So back from my first ever drive to the Alps and my friends (3x adults/1x9yrs/1x 6yrs in London) and I came up with the following 'lessons learned'.
8. If you're hiring a car from the UK for the trip (it was that or take 2 cars and then not he able to swap drivers) hire it from the Wed or Thurs. Yes at the time it will seem a waste of money and expensive but always translate it into air fares - we booked early and basically paid for 1 person to fly OUT to Geneva. Anyway the extra days would have meant snow socks/chains could have been purchased in the UK and time not wasted hunting French supermarkets/Norautos for the correct size. |
Which car rental company did you use ? I though most of the UK companies did not allow travel outside of the UK. Was it expensive to do ?
Presumably no winter tyres though if it's a UK rental which is a problem for travel to some countries. Well arguably all alpine countries but from a legal standpoint you can get away with summer tyres in France and Switzerland, but not Austria (or Germany/Italy if its snowing).
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We used Hertz from Heathrow airport a few years back. We got hit in our car straight after leaving so needed a hire. They were the only company we found that would allow us to take the car out of country were Hertz. Picked up snowsocks for it in France.
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