Andrewjspencer

Just finished TMA 5 -wasn't too hard or really interesting either. Wondered how my fellow students are getting on?

Deimos is right. For example ntl give you 55MB of webspace free which provided you keep the photos to a reasonable size will be fine. You can also use the free space but buy a www address from a firm like www.lcn.com (no connection to me other than I bought our domain name from them. Another easier option that doesn't involve any webpage writing skills is Yahoo - again free of charge. I am not sure how much space they give you but I have uploaded a few hundred or so pics to Yahoo. Web page writing is fairly straightforward and fun too - you may already have microsoft Front Page on your PC (?) and there are plently of HTML Editors to choose from. Our website - www.spencerjouet.co.uk - has been set up using the free ntl space, domain purchased from www.lcn.com - and written in Front Page.

[quote]I'm not that surprised. It seems to me that BF deliberately make their site difficult to move back and forth,so as to wear you down and stop you trying to find the cheapest crossing. I used to travel ...[/quote] "I'm sure there must be plenty of people who just want to get to France cheaply, and aren't looking for lavish accommodation or facilities. Aren't there?" Exactly where Speedferries come in. The owner, Curt Stavis, was profiled in the Grauniad last week and mention was made of a 2nd ferry and possibily running on a western channel route. Such a new venture would be welcome and I am sure it would not be short of passengers. Obviously we won't get £19 each way fares with the extra fuel costs etc but there is quite a margin to operate in between £19 and the £398 return BF quotes for an August crossing.

David be a devil and take a UK VHS cassette into the store and ask if you can play it through the VCR you are considering. I did this a few years back when we bought a VCR for the MIL in Normandie and happily it worked fine in full Technicolor. The store should be OK with this as the alst thing they would want is you returning with the VCR asking for a refund. HTH Andy

this certainly is a good topic. My wife, Anne being french is called "Anne" - less emphasis on the "A" in french but otherwise much the same. Our daughter is called Beth - the "th" causes untold problems for the french tongue. "Bet" is usually the closest that Normands can manage altho' a few Parisiens have nearly got the "th". When I am refered to as Andy then it usally comes out as "Ondee". Andrew usually comes out as "On Drew" - I quite like them both - at least I don't get called "And" in france!

Just returned from a drop off at BF Portsmouth - plenty of old soldiers with blazer badges milling about so I guess there must be some events in Normandie on Monday. Just checked on the Ouistreham (Sword Beach) website and found the following: 61E ANNIVERSAIRE DU 6 JUIN 1944 Programme des commémorations à Ouistreham 10h30 : Dépôt de gerbes, avenue Churchill 10h45 : Dépôt de gerbes, "La Rafale", rue Pasteur 11h : Dépôt de gerbes et remise de décorations, Mémorial Commando - stèle Kieffer 11h45 : Dépôt de gerbes en présence des Britanniques, Gare Maritime 15h45 : Hommage et dépôt de gerbes, Monument aux Morts et cimetière civil - Hommage aux victimes civiles et aux Commandos britanniques

tesco.net - I may be wrong but I recall reading that tesco.net runs on the ntl backbone so any probs emailing ntl email addys are likely to be replicated when emialing tesco.net email addys. [email protected]...... what a naff email address anyway

Teamedup I agree some speeds can make you rather too relaxed but maybe thats the problem with the modern day car? They are often more comfortable places to be than your own lounge - lumbar support seats, climate control, CD autochanger, cool box in reach...... I can remember being much more wide awake doing 60mph in my 1971 Ford Escort than in my ohh so comfy Scenic!!

are our lives so hectic that we just must get to our destination 10 minutes earlier by driving above the limits? Persoanlly although I like speed I find long journeys far less stressful if I keep to 110/130kph. Non-UK drivers DO get prosecuted in the UK for traffic offences - one of the wonders of the EU and modern IT !!

There are numerous Formule 1, Ibis etc near both Calais and Boulogne - in fact the Ibis at Bolougne is alongside the dockside. Very basic but clean and very affordable.

unless you want the channels offered only on digital satellite then analogue satellite will be a far cheaper option for you. The DIY stores sell kits for less than 100 euros (others will let you know the current prices in France) and once set up at 5 degrees West these will pick up TF1, France 2 & 3 (altho' only the national non-local news version), Canal Plus when in the clear, France 5 and M6. You do not need a subscription for these services. We watch French TV in the UK this way. HTH.    

Just tried a dummy booking using the code and the usual £173 fare came down to £63 - no wonder you guys are a bit pi**ed off. Did you have to register or qualify somehow so you could use the code?

We have used Lloyds TSB and Nationwide Visa Delta debit cards in peages without any problem. Nationwide don't have a transaction charge either, unlike Lloyds et al, and the exchange rate they apply is usually closer to the banks rate than the normal tourist rate.

Dear All, has there been any news on the effectiveness or otherwise of the headlights always on experiment in France? Also, is it being trialled in all regions or just those prone to dark clouds and lack of sunshine?    

Interesting to hear how you are all getting on. So far I've got 95, 94, 85 so I am quite pleased with myself. I have seen some criticism on the OU site about the nature of the course and how some are finding it hard. Looking at TMA4 I think I will now have to knuckle down and follow the course books and CDs quite closely. So far, I haven't been able to get to any tutorials as theu have clashed with work etc so I can't say how useful they may be.

the michelin site www.viamichelin.com also has weather info for your chosen route

Finally finished TMA 3 today and will get it in the post tomorrow - relief! So far I am not finding the course particulary hard in its content - it is proving harder to find a routine and keep to it!! In case you hadn't noticed the TMA Answer Sheets are now available in Word format from the OU site - look under course resources. Anyway, I promise promise promise to start TMA 4 next weekend (regardless of hangovers  etc et al!)    

[quote]Eurostar looks a bargain, if you you go on your own , but for flights this is actually flights to France for £1.80 PLUS the usual taxes. AS for he flight offer, Ryanair are doing the same for 99p plu...[/quote] bit confused as to how they can limit the offer to one person per party. Surely if you send in 2 applications and are lucky enough to get the same train then two can go together?? May be wise to use different addresses I suppose and stand 3 feet apart

Hoverspeed aren't sailing until 17th March - Speed ferries are out of action in 11th to 26th April. Either way great bargains

Dear fellow L192 etudiants, how are we finding the course now? I'm going to make a start on tma3 this week - looks a bit daunting ...

A good way of knowing what programmes are on if you can't be bothered to buy one of those listings magazines is to go to www.tvmag.com . You can also subscribe to an email service and receive a listing of programmes on the channels of your choice at the time of your choice by email every day - "Votre grille des programmes par TVMag". The email has hyperlinks to take you to their website for cast and plot details. You need never miss "sous le Soleil" or "Inspecteur Derrick" ever again! France 5/Arte is usually much better quality than the average fare and France 3 is good for micro issues and local based programmes. I agree that watching french TV really helps with learning the language. We have had it via an old analogue satellite box for the past 5 or 6 years here in Essex and it has made a great difference to my skills and in particular picking up useful expressionss and idioms.

I have set up AVGs scheduler to download at 2am automatically and as I have broadband I leave the PC on at night to do this. I have tried during normal waking hours too but the server does seem to fail to respond and start a download quite often.

I can account for one french woman living in Hornchurch. My wife has a number of French friends in this area and into Essex all of whom seem to have married Englishmen, stayed put in the SE and made a go of things. When out and about we often hear French being spoken and when the travelling french market comes to town then they seem to appear from everywhere (admitedly they complain the prices for cheese and saucisson are too high). I would agree with the comment that many desire to go home to France eventually  - only natural I suppose and hopefully one day we will follow that chemin too!

Hi All, got my TMA1 mark today and I am very pleased with it. Need to knuckle down now for TMA2 I know how English I sound when recording my spoken french ! Still, I am told it is better than trying to adopt an Inspector Clouseau or Maurice Chevallier type accent!    

Hi, hope this helps.....   1. How can I find out for definite if our existing TV works with Secam as well as PAL? A - try typing the model number into Google and you are quite likely to find a page listing the technical specification of that model. The Toshiba web site may be more direct route though. 2. If I want to buy a multi-standard TV to replace our current PAL one, should I buy one in the UK before moving to France, or in France once we've moved over? A - you will need to do your homework and check out the tech specs before buying. Some brands such as Thomson & Philips tend to be multi standard (maybe as the sets are often made in France ?!) 3. Will our existing DVD and VCR work in France, for recording and playing back both PAL and SECAM programmes? A - Your DVD will play back pre-recorded discs without a problem. Your VCR is also likely to be single standard, i.e. PAL, so recordings of French TV will be in B&W. With VCRs being so cheap now I would recommend buying either a multi standard box in the UK (again do your homework first) or waiting and buy one in France. I know from personal experience that French purchased VCRs play back UK pre-recorded videos in colour on both UK PAL and French SECAMS sets. Hope this helps.