ColinE

Hi beccvi. I have organised a few rallies in France over the last 20 odd years, not so much as treasure hunts, that maybe a differant thing, the most I have had on a rally was 38 cars, we stayed at a hotel in the Sarthe, I made some visits possible, topped off with a drive around the Le Mans circuit, it was quite somthing. That was the best one I organised. What we do is sort out a route, give the punters a copy of it and send them off, nothing to taxing, meet up for lunch some where that has been pre arranged, then work back to the hotel or where ever for dinner in the evening, but what I learnt was all the people MUST be in the one hotel for dinner other wise it does not work. We have spent a lot of time in the Bergerac area, also in Biscarrosse area. couple of years ago in Vannes. but nothing in Calais area, thats southern England is it not. and most of the rallies I have done has been over two days, a road run each day. It is differant in France to England, they are not so fussy as over here, I have a french friend who I consulted about this, he spoke to a friend in the local cop shop, and was told unless you have many cars 50 plus there was not a problem, over here you have to write to RAC and permission and supply a route map,  which of course costs money, I had in England one year a guy had moved into the area where we were going through, objected, he had only lived there a couple of months, in England people do not like classic cars, which we drive, in France they cannot get enough of them. Hope this maybe of interest to you, if I can help further please drop me a mail. ColinE

Hi Just given out on the Television that they have gone into liquidation, 8oo jobs gone.   ColinE

Hi Am not suprised, they are pricing their selves out of the market, I got a quote online 10 days ago for a car and two Adults and to kids. Portsmouth to Caen, next April, was quoted £475.forget it. Colin

Hi Isnt he GOLD FINGERS BROTHER. Colin E

[quote user="f1steveuk"]Having worked in sports coverage, I'm still in contact with a lot of people who still do. Those that should know are saying Putin didn't go to Zurich, because he already knew Russia would get the vote............................. I actually worked in F1, and over the last ten years, four agreements have been signed to hold a Grand Prix in Russia. Each time it has never happened, but all the money that went in, dissapeared........................... [/quote] All the time Blatter and Platini are in charge we stand no chance, another stitch up by the europeons. I think we should pull out and leave it to them. Colin

Hi Leo Dont forget the time differants, and watches had not been reset. All I can say it was a long tiring day. Colin E

Hi, The other day I was saying how good LD were in booking us on the Dieppe - Newhaven crossing yesterday. because of the Boulogne saga. The boat docked at Newhaven at 10.20pm it took another hour to get off and get to emigration, this after a 500 mile drive with another 1 1/2 hour drive home, and it was hissing down most of the way home, we got in at 11.15pm last night, Knackered. Colin E

Hi. Had a letter from them this morning offering FREE travel insurance vie the flexaccount, another con, I am a type 2 Diabetic have been since 2001, never had a problem in that time cleared by the doctor and the DVLA, but had that thrown at me this morning when I made in inquiry, they wanted £80 just for me, we have travel insurance with NO restrictions with the HSBC Patinum card. Also in the letter this morning says we now have to pay to draw money out in France, The reason for changing to them was because of no fees for using the cards in France, I am now thinking of moving back to HSBC, I have also written Nationwide a stinking letter, which most likely will end up in someone bin. ColinE

Hi Futher to my last email, LD telephoned me, this afternoon to ask if I had had the message that our ferry had been cancelled on the 6th Sept, yes I said I have answered it on an email, the lady asked if I could wait a minute or two, yes thats ok I said, I told her I asked them to book me back from Dieppe, this was done there and then no fuss mess or charge. and have already recieved the new booking confirmation. I believe she done well, thanks LD. ColinE

Hi What a bummer we are due back fom France on the 6th Sept, had a garbbled text message from LD this morning with a phone number, the woman speaking the message was talking so fast it was impossible to understand her/ recording, after several times, got the misses to listern neither could she. Came on the email and found one from LD, I have told them to rebook us on the 6th from Dieppe, so will now have to wait and see what happens, I had rung the number on the ticket, where I was told they were stopping the service, are you going under I asked the guy, he said no,we are just giving up the Dover/Boulogne service. Colin E

Ho Sprogster. Not so I got my doffer in May this year with an English Credit card, its worked fine for the two trips in June, going again early September, have not heard anything from them. ColinE

Hi, We normally go by this route, just need to know how to get through La Have, if you need details let me know, we have done it many times. Have not yet used the fast cat, we normally do the overnight trip, but this year seemed very expensive, I think last year we paid £149 return, this year they wanted £215, I would say that is a big jump, so we went vie Dover, wrong move in a 1964 MG Roadster. For the return trip we were going to cancel Calais -Dover, so contacted LD, they wanted £185 single. So we returned from Calais. I think they must be burning jet fuel. ColinE

Hi Yes I also used it 10 days ago, drove towards Bergerac, and found the new road, it took us completly round Bergerac, had a good run up to the N21 apart from the rain, in an open car. Colin

[quote user="ColinE"][quote user="RogerJ"][quote user="WendyG"] Hi All As I use mine in more than one vehicle I just hold it up at the barriers and hey presto! Do keep it in the silver pouch when you receive it until you actually use it. Filled in form on the web site and used my UK bank account - no problems, received 3 days later. Jekyll [/quote] Hi All, Am wanting to acquire a 'doofah' but don't have French Bank account. Can you really use a Uk Bank account, all the info I've seen suggests not. Anybody else like WendyG applied using a UK account? Any and all advice re getting a 'doofah' appreciated. Thanks RogerJ[/quote] Hi Roger As I have just posted you cannot get one from Alis, but I have one through sanef, with an English Credit Card, I think you can do it with an English Bank account, do not speak French, but their website is ok, I translated it, and understood most of it, give it a try. Colin [/quote] HI My doffer arrived on Tuesday, all very easy, no fuss, will be in France on the 13th May will give it a go, fingers crossed. Colin

[quote user="RogerJ"][quote user="WendyG"] Hi All   As I use mine in more than one vehicle I just hold it up at the barriers and hey presto! Do keep it in the silver pouch when you receive it until you actually use it. Filled in form on the web site and used my UK bank account - no problems, received 3 days later. Jekyll [/quote] Hi All, Am wanting to acquire a 'doofah' but don't have French Bank account. Can you really use a Uk Bank account, all the info I've seen suggests not. Anybody else like WendyG applied using a UK account? Any and all advice re getting a 'doofah' appreciated. Thanks RogerJ[/quote]   Hi Roger As I have just posted you cannot get one from Alis, but I have one through sanef, with an English Credit Card, I think you can do it with an English Bank account,  do not speak French, but their website is ok, I translated it, and understood most of it, give it a try.   Colin

[quote user="DerekJ"]Or you could get the Alis deal which doesn't cost you anything other than the tolls.   Hi DerekJ Just tried for one, they will only accept a French Bank account.   Colin [/quote]

Hi All Sent an application over to the company in France Alis, to get a doffer, they came back today asking for a RIB, told them I do n ot have a French Bank account, they will not do one to be paid for on an English bank account or card.   Colin

[quote user="Fred"]I see that Brittany Ferries have got one of their Spring special offers on at the moment with £66 for a car + 2 people for 48 hours in France. It isn't much good to me now that I live here, but I used to find the 24 and 48 hour crossing deals quite useful when I needed to pop over to check on the property or just bring a car load of stuff over. I might tell a few friends so that they can come and visit for not-too-long and have the benefit of their own car so we don't have to do the guided tour yet again! Fred[/quote] Hi I have just booked with Sea France one week for a car and 9 people for £40, so do not think Brittany Ferries is a very good offer Colin

Hi BJSLIV Took your advice and looked into the £40 ferry crossing, I booked three MGs in for June, the only problem I had was paying for my friends trip, as their names had to be on the email confirmation, when I went to pay for their ticket, their name was on my credit card, so it would not take it, there did not seem any way round it, I telephone them and spoke to a nice lady who said she could do the booking over the phone but it would cost and extra £10 per ticket, which I thought was a bit much, in the end she did the booking and only charged one £10, so not to bad. You would think the web designers would have thought about people buying tickets for friend, they never seem to get things correct, had many problems recently with web sites, one was even telling me my address was wrong for my post code, I have lived here for 9 years. Colin

Hi Bugsy. I think you hit the nail right on the head. I remember the history teacher, throwing a board rubber / cleaner at one of our guys, it was about 4-5 inches long and 2-2 1/2 inches wide, kid ducked, thought no more about it, he may have done if had hit him. ColinE

Hi Had the same problem, went to a cafe one day had no problem, went back there a couple of days later, we tried 7 cards between the 4 of us before one was accepted. Following day went to another place close by, first card went straight through, I am sure its the machines they are using, we went back to the first place later in the week, card went striaght through, when we mentioned the incident early in the week, we were told yes they had change the machine. Another time in a super market, I filled the car with petrol, paid with a card no problem, went in and did some shopping, you guess it would not except our card the same one I had just used for the petrol, the girl did not know what to do, a second girl on the next till saw what was happening, came over, and tried the card on three tills and found one that took it. Regards  Colin  

Hi We are still in the UK, we had a simular problem. all the glasses were coming out milky, hought the machime had had it, read the instruction manual, it said about filling the salt container Which I did, problem solved, when we did have a problem with the machine, a sevice guy from the manufacture told my misses to just use the cheap tablet, that they were good enough.   Regards  Colin

Hi Isobel. Have travelled many time to the Bergerac area, in old MGs, so as not to push them, we alway stop at Hotel Centrel at Chauney, always get a first class meal, owned by  LADY alway very pleasent, if its hot they have a super swimming pool accross the road, must have stayed there 8 times over the years, its a Logis 2 star. Their number is 0549592504  fax 0549534188,  sarl.christina@wanadoo.fr   Regards  Colin

   Whats speaking French anything to do with a japanese camera.   Colin

Hi Guys Just thought I would pass my experiance with Fuji camara repair centre in the UK. 5 years ago I bought from Currys a Fuji Finepix S5000. super camara, on a recent visit to France I had a problem with it, it appeared it had got left on play back or knocked on to playback, when I went to take a photo I was just getting lines on the screen. So first I went to Currys to see if they could get it sorted, did not want to know, as PC World was a couple of doors away asked them did not want to know. So ok I thought I would try Fuji, tried their website, but could not get passed my address every time I put my postcode in it keeped saying wrong postcode for this address, we have only been here for seven years. Next I telephoned them, got someone who did not seem to know the time of day, when I tried to explain the problem, could not get an answer from him, all he said was, send it to us, I asked is this the correct address, reading it out to him, no he said and read the same address back to me. I contacted the repair centre and was quoted £59.99, deep intake of breath. ok, and paid it with a card, I TOLD THE GUY IT WAS A FINEPIX S5000, I asked how long it would take, normally 10-12 days but maybe be quicker, so I took it they were not busy, this was on the 19th of Nov. This morning a box arrives on opening it I find an A610 MINI  camera, I telephoned them at two minutes past 9 oclock, explained it all and was told I had sent them an A610, I said to the guy, until this morning I did not know what an A610 was, how has this got into the conversation, I do not own a A610, but that was the repair price you were quoted for, I told him that was his problem, I asked for an S5000 repair quote, a long pause on the phone, he came back to tell me he had found my camera, has it been repaired I asked him no as you have not paid for this its £89.99, by now my blood was boiling, leave it with me he said and I will get back to you. He has just telephoned to say he is sending a return paid enverlope for the 610 and that my S5000 will be repaired for the £59.99 I have already paid, and it will be with me early next week. Be warned. Colin