Preview from my Euro road trip

[Topgeartom]

Currently halfway through a pretty epic road trip in the clio through europe.

Drove all the way down to the italian lakes, starting at garda, on to como and up to maggiore where me and my driving partner/uni mate) are at the moment.

On the way down the St gotthard tunnel (one of the longest in europe) was backed up so we went over the old pass which was insane - switchbacks everywhere and general death on every corner. Great fun though. Stopped for a photo on the way up anyway:

Heading up to Switzerland for a couple of days in the alps in a few days and then stopping off at the ring for my first ever lap on the way back, cant wait!

Cheers
Tom

 

[T. 12 E E D.]

That's amazing that is matey i've alway's wanted to do something like that

 

[scott1205]

i think am going to do this when i get a sport

 

[scott1205]

That's amazing that is matey i've alway's wanted to do something like that

u proberly wouldnt be alowed into Switzerland with the exhaust lol

 

[jamescolli]

ah mate thats awesome!
i'm truly jealous

have a good trip round the ring!

 

[leeds_182]

Respect.

 

[jesus]

Amazing! Any problems with the car on your travels?

 

[Slammed172]

Epic, i'd want to do it, just for the views. An SLR is a must for a trip like this.

 

[Paul.M]

I think i speak for a lot of people on here when I say im jelous
i'd love to do this in a year or 2

 

[-KarL-]

looks great, would love to do something like that

 

[Justin]

Superb!

 

[k1ano]

Great to hear about your trip - keep us posted ;-)

Martin

 

[sean_d]

Would love to something like this

 

[Jun]

That view is just amazing. I'm jealous

 

[maynard]

fair play! looking forward to the full read up and pics when your back! love stuff like this

 

[seb]

good stuff!

 

[Curley]

wow. Looking forward to the full trip thread

 

[Fletcher]

Nice pic, it looks look a great road trip.

 

[YorkshireDaz]

Lovely picture!!

Cant wait to see and read more

 

[pip.]

If it's not too far off your route when going to the 'ring, can I recommend the Sinsheim Techik Museum. They've got a fcukin' awesome collection of stuff.

http://www.museum-sinsheim.de/museum_sinsheim_english.html

 

[pip.]

Also down there is Hockenheim, which we bumped into.
If it's not a race day a couple of Euros gets you into the start/finish grandstand and there's always something practicing. We had some 911s.
There's a racing museum too, but it aint that great tbh.

 

[Topgeartom]

thanks so much for the kind words.

Absolutely AMAZING days driving today. Completely unbelieveable. Took the back roads all the way from Canobbio on lake Maggiore over the Simplon pass and the Grimsel pass to lauterbrunnen whichis near interlarken. At one point there was a mini stelvio pass section which was insane, you drove up into the clouds it went so high!

I'll pop some more pictures up possibly tomorrow or if not they will be in the full report when i get back.

Cheers for the kinds words once again, its proving to be holiday i wont forget for a long while!

 

[Justin]

Can't wait for the full report!

I'm trying to talk the misses into letting us do something like this for our next holiday but she is having none of it! :lolup:

 

[JR]

Tom i would appreciate knowing the costs and full details for something like this as i am thinking about it in a few weeks. Pm me if you wish fella.

 

[Justin]

Tom i would appreciate knowing the costs and full details for something like this as i am thinking about it in a few weeks. Pm me if you wish fella.

Same!

 

[Topgeartom]

I'll send out all the details to those who have requested them when i get back and work out how much it has all cost me!

Big thank you to marby for suggesting the museum though, we have reorganised plans and are going to try slot it in before the ring. The tupolev concordski looks amazing!

Anyway, here are a couple more preview pics from the holiday so far:

And one of me at the top of the grimselpass - over 2 kilometers above sea level, the mental road you can seee pictured behind me is only about half of the climb itself, completely crazy road with an even more beautiful descent on the other side.

Cheers
Tom

 

[pip.]

I'll send out all the details to those who have requested them when i get back and work out how much it has all cost me!

Big thank you to marby for suggesting the museum though, we have reorganised plans and are going to try slot it in before the ring. The tupolev concordski looks amazing!

Anyway, here are a couple more preview pics from the holiday so far:

And one of me at the top of the grimselpass - over 2 kilometers above sea level, the mental road you can seee pictured behind me is only about half of the climb itself, completely crazy road with an even more beautiful descent on the other side.

Cheers
Tom

No problem mate.
Honestly, the place will do your head in, there's sooo much to see.

You'll take 100s of photos, so make sure you've got plenty of memory free. I don't know if the site mentions it, but you can go inside all of the planes including Concorde and the 'ski.

 

[Englebert]

Sweet!

 

[jon_r]

Awesome! Rich and I are off on a roadtrip of similar nature next weekend. One long week at work coming up!

 

[richard1]

Awesome! Rich and I are off on a roadtrip of similar nature next weekend. One long week at work coming up!

Can't wait!

Just just planning some suitable sign writing.....

 

[richy22]

I need to do one of these trips... maybe get a couple of the EA guys to come with

Out of interest is Switzerland really un-car friendly?? My Yozza is very very loud and I wouldnt want to get shot or bummed.

 

[Cunney]

Would love to do something like this, doubht it would be comfortable in the clio like but the roads must be breath taking, did you plan a route/make bookings or are you just going as it comes?

 

[Aluco]

As if you're there ! I wondered why your car wasn't at halfords!

Cups look sweet, but the roads look sweeter.

 

[Cunney]

Just noticed how small the cars are behind him, makes you realise just how vast that place is

 

[Ash87]

euro roadtrips are quality, i need to do another soon, cant wait to see more pics!

 

[mace¬]

Looks awesome!

 

[Gaz85]

Amazing! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the pictures roads and views to die for there i bet!

 

[richy22]

Any advice on what I posted a few replies back?? About Switzerland being un-loud car friendly??

 

[Topgeartom]

my car is silly loud with the simota and my exhaust, but ive not yet (touch wood) had any bother from anyone about it. Its pretty clear they are as car friendly as the Italians, the speed limits are a wee bit lower across the board but its nowhere near as bad as some people make out.

The roads off the motorways are insanely good, even if the upper limit on them is 80kph - somewhere around 50 as opposed to our 60mph.

One thing that strikes me though is just how well looked after much of the roads are. I've been back and forward to a place called Grindelwald a few times over the past few days, its a big tourist spot with a lot of road traffic, i realised today on my way up there, they had ripped up and relaid damn near the entire road with glass smooth tarmac seemingly overnight. The efficiancy is stunning.

In short, get down here and get driving, provided you dont go through the border at 60mph in 2nd with 7grand of revs dialled in you should be fine.

Oh and dont forget to buy a vignette before you go - its there tax disc and if you want to drive on the motorways at any point you will need one.

Tom

 

[Ralphizzle]

Hi Tom,

Don't you just love the Alps and the various passes?
The mountains and views always humble you...

Your pics brings back memories when i was younger and had a wee Mini Cooper 1.3Mpi with a loud JanSpeed exhaust.
Drove to Lake Garda - Modena - Kaprun (Aus).
(MTB holiday with a visit to Ferrari town)

How's the Clio doing after all that spirited driving?

Enjoy!