Welcome to
Dream it – Drive it – Europe:
Graham, my husband, retired in June 2016. In February we counted our accessible savings (not vast). Our house was paid for. We would use no utilities whilst away. The only unavoidable expenses would be the telephone line and the community charge. We decided we could afford to spend three months touring abroad – Graham driving our 11-year old VW Golf. We chose 3rd September to 1st December (we would keep in the sun on the long journey down to Sicily, and stay within the 90-day limit imposed by insurances. On the return tour we would linger in Italy and South of France, speeding up after three days in St Emilion.
We have been driving round Europe (mainly France, Italy, a little in Greece, Germany, Switzerland, Spain & Croatia) since 2000. First in hire cars, and then in our trusty 12 year old Golf. Every time we came back from our forays abroad family, friends and acquaintances would listen to the experiences we’d enjoyed with surprise and sometimes envy.
So many would say:
“I couldn’t do that.” OR – “It’s alright driving a hire car; the steering wheel is on the right side. How do you manage with your car?” – OR – “On a package everything is sorted for you.” – AND – “How do you cope with the language?”- “What about the food?” – “What if something happens a long way from home?”- “I’m not as young as I used to be; that kind of travel is for the young.”
These are all fears that tether thousands of older would-be travellers to package holidays, and this is one of the reasons we have started this blog. Over the years, in between my novels, I have been writing up on our journeys with input from Graham, who then littered them with some of the many hundred photos he’s taken. We then sent them out to family and friends. Now we feel experienced enough to encourage more of you to take the plunge if you are tempted to find the freedom to explore on your own, instead of following a little flag through crowded streets.
Plan your DIY Adventure with Confidence.
We will start by describing our Once-in-a-Lifetime tour of France, Italy and Sicily – and back:
Italy has become so far our favourite country.
We decided to stay for seven weeks in one small area in the neglected South,
to experience the local way of life.
How we drove 10,000 miles From Liverpool and back home in our 12 year-old V.W. Golf.
That was in 2016. It was totally wonderful.
This year we tried, so as to give Graham a break from driving, a “Restful 8-day River Cruise of the Rhone”. You couldn’t fault it; great service for the many people who love river cruising.
BUT
It not only cost us over half what we spent on our three-month tour; the eight days were really only six DAYS on the river – and WE WERE BORED, and frustrated: we missed seeing all the wonderful places that we knew lay just beyond the endless tree-lined river banks…
WE DECIDED THAT DRIVING OURSELVES, STAYING MAINLY AT B&B’S, WAS MUCH MORE FUN –
AND CHEAPER!
To anyone hesitating about taking a ferry or the Channel Tunnel, and then driving through Europe on “the wrong side of the road”; and staying with strangers speaking a different language – WE SAY ‘DON’T WORRY. IT’S A DODDLE… We’ll tell you how we prepared, planned and booked our routes, with tips about benefits and pitfalls (and in three months, we had just a few – all part of the adventure.)
Our experiences were influenced by our particular interests. Recommendations are based entirely upon our personal impressions. Other travellers may have formed different opinions of the various venues mentioned in this account.
WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN OUR BLOGS:………..
- Hints and tips on finding out what you need to know before you plan. (In Jackie’s Preparation Page)
- Hints and tips on driving in Europe for those who have not done it before. (In Graham’s Drive it Page)
- How to look for the most affordable Holiday Insurance & car hire, airport parking, etc.
- Working out an attractive route within your time limit.
- Booking ahead, what to pack, etc.
- Recommendations on good, affordable B&B’s where we have stayed overnight.
- Tips on attractive towns and villages in France and Italy; both on and ‘off’ the map…
- Some good restaurants – often tucked away from the Tourist trail.
- Day excursions from our various ‘bases’ of more than a few days.
- Little-known cathedrals, abbeys and castles, etc.
As we’ve already mentioned, this is the start of our blog and it will grow. If there is anything you want to know, or feel we have missed, share it with us in the ‘comments’ box. We can’t promise to get round to it immediately, but eventually, if it’s a good idea we will. Let us have your experiences too; there is a whole community of holiday travellers out there – so be part of it.
We both write books – they can be found and looked at on Amazon.
Jackie writes under the name Debbie Darkin (Click on the images of her books at the end of each blog.) Graham is in the process of changing his pseudonym. We will let you know when his books and site are up and running.
Written by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.
