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Paulhogan

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Everything posted by Paulhogan

  1. Have you tried Mappy.com I have used it many times and the distance and toll costs havealways been accurate.
  2. I think you will find that all TV pictures for all the actual competitive events were provided by Olympic Broadcast Services, BBC were just another company taking the feeds and adding their comentary and studio sessions between events.
  3. Hi As far as I know Prednisilone is not an equivalent to Piriton they are a corticosteroid and is usually used for control of asthma or inflamatory conditions and you generally take a short course, I doubt taking one or two would have any effect. They also have quite a few side effects. See http://www.patient.co.uk/medicine/Prednisolone.htm Hope the itching stops
  4. I think you are all missing the real racing that took place last weekend, the Le Mans 24 hours. After 24 hours of flat out racing the winning margin was around 15 seconds. It is no longer the sedate 24 hour endurance run but a 24 hour sprint race with speeds of well over 230mph down Mulsanne, with the complication of mobile chicanes running in the much slower classes. Looking forward to next year already.
  5. Hi Sevendaver We bought an E Leclerc SIM about 2 years ago and from what I can remember the store had to send a fax or make a call to activate the SIM and we also had to make a call to activate the SIM. From memory the SIM as activated by the time we got home about 2 hours later. My french is pretty basic, no-one in the local E Leclerc spoke english, but I don't remember the process being that difficult. Just make the call to the number given and you may be pleasantly surprised. If not successful take the BB and SIM back to Tony and ask him to check if the store had done what they needed to activate SIM, if they have, then ask Tony to make the call for you to activate the SIM. We have been very pleased with the phone service from E Leclecrc and have not experienced any problems over the last 2 years.
  6. Hi Burgundy Boy We swapped our old liber-t, which was about 5 years old, for a new slimline one on the way back to UK in late August. We stopped at the Sanef offices signposted off the autoroute just before the start peage north of Paris on the A1. We had used a UK credit card to pay the monthly invoices but when I changed the liber-t I had to change to a french bank account, not even a french debit card was acceptable, it had to be via a french bank account. I think this is to be fully implemented to all accounts held by non french residents by December this year if I understood correctly. Paul 
  7. Hi We have not been to central Paris since June 09 but we ate at Cafe Constant at 139,rue Saint Dominique, the food and atmosphere was excellent on a a very busy Saturday night. They do not take bookings so it is a bit of a gamble to get a table but worth the short wait at the bar. We thought the prices reasonable for the menu but everyone has there own version of reasonable. Why not check out Tripadvisor.com for Paris restaurants. Paul  
  8. The reason you may not see so many cars without headlamp converters is possible down to an increasing number of cars are fitted with Zenon headlights and you cannot fit headlamp deflectors on these lights due to the increased heat. I believe there is a new EU law which states that all new cars must have a means of converting headlights from inside the car, I believe new Audis and others have an option within the onboard menu system to lower the beam to prevent glare.
  9. Hi We took a UK washing machine over to our house and the hose connection fitted the french pipework washing machine connector with no problem. I think all machines are now cold fill only, most houses have only one connection so you may need a Y connector if your machine is hot and cold fill.
  10. [quote user="mattjazz"]Thats absolutely fascinating. Is there a similar one for commercial aircraft do you think?[/quote] Have a look at this site, I found it earlier this year when my son flew to Oz. The range is limited by US and European radar so coverage over Russia, etc is zero, but could be useful. http://www.flightstats.com/go/FlightTracker/flightTracker.do Not sure whats happened to quote!!!
  11. Hi Sorry to hear of problems with Sat Nav. I have used both a Navman and a Sony in France and have never had any problems either around Paris or in pretty rural areas. As for Paris I regularly travel around Paris by any of the three usual routes, (Francilienne , A3/A86 or the Periferique) depending on the traffic reports via the overhead signs and only generally experience problems and long delays due to accidents or during rush hour. I would also endorse the use of Mappy.com for route planning prior to departure. Good luck with trip Paul 
  12. Hi, Watched the stage today, hats off to the stage winner and his team mate, Ricco said yesterday that Piepoli would win the stage. Any one heard any news on the Moto rider who crashed into the rock face next to the road on the way down the Tourmalet, looked bad on the TV?   Paul    
  13. Hi We have used the N104 many times to get from A1 to the A6 and in the reverse, generally it's been pretty clear but is sometimes very busy for no apparent reason. It has been congested around the Evry area in last few years due to road works but last time we used it, on a busy Sunday evening last October, it was clear. We have also use the A3 / A86 route and the Periferique at various times, usually on Saturday and Sunday mornings and evenings, some trips busy, some trips very little traffic. it just seems to be pot luck. Best advice is look at the overhead signs as you approach the various junctions and take an informed guess as to best route. Good luck Paul
  14. Hello We have just acquired a free to Air satellite receiver and wonder which would be the best satellite to aim the dish at to get the most French channels. We are really just looking for news and weather forecasts at the moment when we are visiting our little place in Nievre (58). Any suggestions, polite of course, gratefully received. Paul 
  15. I think the issue of speed cameras clouds the road safety issue. I drive over 30,000 miles a year and have done for as many years as I can remember and in my opinion the introduction of speed cameras in the UK has not improved overall road safety to a significant degree and I guess the same will be said in France if the number of cameras increases dramatically. I use the M25 on a daily basis and there are now many sections with cameras on the overhead gantries, at least two sections with roadworks and average speed cameras but the accidents still happen more often than not in the average speed camera areas. Should these not be the safest areas if we are to believe that speed cameras reduce accidents. What has happened is that as more cameras are introduced the number of police patrols has decreased with the result that driving standards and behaviour have dropped. A camera cannot see the idiot who is tailgating, or the person in so much of a hurry that he weaves from lane to lane undetaking often at speeds in excess of 90mph. What we need is more police patrols, in plain cars if necessary as it is the only way to catch the dangerous drivers. I am all in favour of speed cameras and even reduced speed limits in appropriate areas, e.g. 20mph outside schoools. And yes driving 30,000 miles a year inevitably I have exceeded the speed limit on occasions but what is more dangerous, the guy who spends more time looking at his speedometer than the road or the driver who observes the road conditions constantly and glances at the speedomemter occasionally. I know who I would rather be in the car with. Paul    
  16. [quote user="Loiseau"] Oh, is that all? Sounds like man's work to me!  [;-)] Angela [/quote] Are you allowed to say such things in today's world? I'm sure there must be some piece of legislation that you are breaking, if there isn't it wont be long before someone invents another piece just to add to the red tape. I must admit it is a bit fiddly trying to hold a small torch in your mouth, a screwdriver on one hand and the other hand holding the light unit so it doesn't fall on the floor, reminds me of Twister, getting into all sorts of contorted shapes with ones friends. Oh happy days!! If my memory serves me right to change the front bulbs took about 20 mins, rears take about 10 mins. I dare say the minimum charge in a main dealer is 1 hour or about £80 so think of the saving and the satisfaction. Paul
  17. Hi Not always necessary to use dealer to change bulbs on Audi, it rankles with me anyway that basic tasks like changing bulbs is a dealer job at £80 per hour. I had an A4 saloon and now an Avant and whist it is tricky to change headlight bulbs it is possible. Usual scenario driving home on a dark winter evening and a headlight blows, off to France early next morning so need to change bulb. After initial look under bonnet appeared no access to rear of light unit so Googled the problem and found a forum with instructions on how to change front and rear bulbs, amazing what you can find on internet. To change headlight/ front lights it is necessary to partly dismantle air intake to get access to the rear bolts holding headlight unit, it's then a case of unbolting the complete light unit, replace bulb and then refit unit. At the rear the access is via a fixing bolt hidden behind a circular piece of boot trim close to the lighty. Just unscrew one bolt and the whole rear light unit is released, fit new bulb and reverse procedure to refit. You will need a long reach screwdriver that takes interchangeable bits as most bolts these days require a star head screwdriver
  18. Hi We must have been extremely lucky on our trips since the infamous Calais ramp fiasco, or they know when MOH is on board and dare not sail late, she hates to be kept waiting. We rarely have any delay, have been accomodated on earlier and later ferries with no problems, even turned up with 15mins to go before departure and been told to drive straight onto the boat and the ramps closed and lifted right behind us. Went over at Easter on Norfolk Lines as they were offering some really good deals, less than £50 return, makes little difference to travelling times as we are on the Eastern side of France. On the way out left Dover on time, and arrived in Dunkerque on time. On the way back we were delayed, our own fault, too laid back about the time. Rang Norfolk Lines expalined we were running late and asked if possible to reschedule to later sailing, very easy to deal with, no surcharges or amendment fees, they actually seemed to value our custom. We shall use them again, boats were very clean, pretty good food at reasonable prices and joy of joy no coach parties of badly behaved school chlidren. All in all pretty happy with our recent cross channel experiences. Paul  
  19. In the last 4 years we have been over to France many times, our car has only the blue EU type GB area on the number plate and we have not had any trouble with Gendarmes even though we have been stopped a couple of times for document checks, along with what seemed like half the population of our local town and once would you believe it at 9:30 on a Sunday morning for a breathalyser test. But as they say there will always be one!!!!! Paul
  20. Hi We have a telepeage tag which we organised through the Sanef website. It was posted to a UK address and is paid for using a UK credit card, the only maintenace required to the account is when your credit card reaches it's expiry date you need to confirm either the new expiry date and the new card number if it has changed. You can do this either by e-mail or in person at one of their boutiques. I had to call into one of their boutiques on our recent trip to update credit card details, the easiest one we found to use heading south on the A1 was at the peage just north of Paris. It is over to the right hand side just after the peage. Good luck Paul
  21. Hi David We regularly travel around or through Paris on the way to our place in Burgundy so we are reasonably confident on directions without too much referall to a map. I bought a Navman satnav early last year for day to day use in the UK but also got a set of European maps so decided to test it out on one of our trips. We found it to be pretty accurate getting all the way through Paris using the Periferique, not the route we would have chosen on a busy Sunday evening but nonetheless kept us on the right track. We also tried it on the way home but this time I decided to ignore the directions given and took the A86 / A4 route around Paris, the Navman recalculated the route each time we deviated from its suggested route and we had a really easy journey. So my advice would be give it a try, check which road type preferences you have set for journeys and just use common sense. Paul 
  22. Went on Saturday, thanks very much Living France for the tickets. First visit for 3 or 4 years, last time we were on the verge of buying our little piece of France so wa very much an informatioon gathering trip. This time no such pressures so we had a great time looking around the various stands but like Will was surprised at the lack of regional tourist boards, no Gites or Logis de France, and fewer individual artisan stands. Watched a couple of the demonstartions in the Food Theatre and listened to Philip Faiers recounting his 50 day journey along the GR10 in the Pyrenees and sampled the food at Le Gavroche. All in all an enjoyable day. Paul
  23. Hi Sounds expensive to me but not knowing position in building, ease of access, etc it is difficult to compare. We have a devis for formimg two new openings approx 1100 x 900mm in a stone / rubble wall, lintel and surround will be concrete but we will have stone facings to the exterior, fit two wooden windows. When completed window cill will be approx. 2m from the ground. The devis total including scaffolding is 2700 euros. I thought the price was reasonable when you consider how much work is involved in forming the openings but compared to your devis it is remarkably cheap. Try getting another devis to compare, easy to say but not always an easy task. Good luck      Paul
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