Schengen and Other Facts
Winter and Spring Journey 2023
England to the Balkans and Return
Schengen
We set off from our Fylde Coast home on Sunday, 19th February, sailing from Harwich to the Hook of Holland the following Thursday. We had a maximum of 90 days of travel in any of the 27 countries in the Schengen Zone, with more days possible in non-Schengen Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and a few more Balkan countries.
We set off from our Fylde Coast home on Sunday, 19th February, sailing from Harwich to the Hook of Holland the following Thursday. We had a maximum of 90 days of travel in any of the 27 countries in the Schengen Zone, with more days possible in non-Schengen Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and a few more Balkan countries.
Resources
We are finally back on the mainland with enough electricity in the 120W sunlit rooftop pv panel and plenty of gas in the two 11 kg bottles to see us through for 90 days; water, diesel and food will need topping up as we go.
Distances
Miles to go before I sleep; and miles to go before I sleep (Robert Frost)
So far our journey has been 330 miles from Thornton Cleveleys to Harwich for the night ferry across the North Sea to the Hook of Holland. We have since travelled 580 miles across the Netherlands, then east and south through Germany to reach Altdorf a small Swiss town at the southern tip of Lake Luzern. This was the site of Wilhelm Tell’s legendary crossbow apple-shooting, with a fine statue of the national hero in the town square. The narrow valley in which we are placed leads south, climbing to 4,000 ft before entering the St Gotthard road tunnel, at 10½ miles the longest in the Alps and fifth longest in the world. On the other side lies Italian Switzerland and then Italy itself, past Lakes Lugarno and Como, eventually turning south-east, second exit off the Milan ring road.
The total distance so far is 910 miles from what we call ‘home’ with about another 420 miles to cross northern Italy to Ancona for the Adriatic night ferry to Patras in the Greek Peloponnese. With some 1,330 miles behind us we can then say we have reached our initial destination, with every mile that separates us from England a pure delight!
Languages
Margaret’s German continues to pay dividends on the time she once spent developing it to perfection. Barry’s less perfect contribution to the journey is largely focussed on avoiding contact with German speakers in their German cars on 590 km of the racetracks they call Autobahns. There are very few motorhomes or caravans out and about (we were the only one of either kind on the huge Stena ferry out of Harwich), so we do stand out a bit and have even had our number plate understood and admired (FR55DUM)!
Shopping
By the way, the nearby Aldi here in the heart of Alpine Switzerland is overflowing with every kind of fruit, vegetable and whatever else you want! We bought tomatoes (origin Spain) with no limits. The only issue is that the Pound Sterling has dropped by nearly a third of its value against the Swiss Franc since the 23rd of June 2016, that fateful day of national attempted suicide. It will take a long time, perhaps never, to recover fully from the self-inflicted injuries suffered on that day.
Weather and Climate
Yesterday it was snowing here in the mountains, while in Greece the waiting temperature is pushing 20°C. Ideal cycling weather!
We are finally back on the mainland with enough electricity in the 120W sunlit rooftop pv panel and plenty of gas in the two 11 kg bottles to see us through for 90 days; water, diesel and food will need topping up as we go.
Distances
Miles to go before I sleep; and miles to go before I sleep (Robert Frost)
So far our journey has been 330 miles from Thornton Cleveleys to Harwich for the night ferry across the North Sea to the Hook of Holland. We have since travelled 580 miles across the Netherlands, then east and south through Germany to reach Altdorf a small Swiss town at the southern tip of Lake Luzern. This was the site of Wilhelm Tell’s legendary crossbow apple-shooting, with a fine statue of the national hero in the town square. The narrow valley in which we are placed leads south, climbing to 4,000 ft before entering the St Gotthard road tunnel, at 10½ miles the longest in the Alps and fifth longest in the world. On the other side lies Italian Switzerland and then Italy itself, past Lakes Lugarno and Como, eventually turning south-east, second exit off the Milan ring road.
The total distance so far is 910 miles from what we call ‘home’ with about another 420 miles to cross northern Italy to Ancona for the Adriatic night ferry to Patras in the Greek Peloponnese. With some 1,330 miles behind us we can then say we have reached our initial destination, with every mile that separates us from England a pure delight!
Languages
Margaret’s German continues to pay dividends on the time she once spent developing it to perfection. Barry’s less perfect contribution to the journey is largely focussed on avoiding contact with German speakers in their German cars on 590 km of the racetracks they call Autobahns. There are very few motorhomes or caravans out and about (we were the only one of either kind on the huge Stena ferry out of Harwich), so we do stand out a bit and have even had our number plate understood and admired (FR55DUM)!
Shopping
By the way, the nearby Aldi here in the heart of Alpine Switzerland is overflowing with every kind of fruit, vegetable and whatever else you want! We bought tomatoes (origin Spain) with no limits. The only issue is that the Pound Sterling has dropped by nearly a third of its value against the Swiss Franc since the 23rd of June 2016, that fateful day of national attempted suicide. It will take a long time, perhaps never, to recover fully from the self-inflicted injuries suffered on that day.
Weather and Climate
Yesterday it was snowing here in the mountains, while in Greece the waiting temperature is pushing 20°C. Ideal cycling weather!