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[jonnycool]

You have to take the family's feelings into account though, if it was up to me I'd drive to Australia and back, because the journey is part of the holiday for me, but my wife would go stir crazy after a couple of hours and the kids would be moaning after a couple of minutes 

It ain't much fun if you don't like travelling far in a car

Jon

[Lazydocker]

Tunnie, already done the Milau Bridge... It's amazing! But it's also in the wrong direction for the route I'll be taking

Guy, I wouldn't say I'm coining it in, but pay around here is higher than up north because of the higher living costs. Plus Mrs LD works too, which makes a big difference! The mini is an ongoing project (which I haven't even started) but, thankfully, most Mini parts are quite cheap!

I, like you Guy, am used to driving 9 hours a day and think nothing of jumping behind the wheel for a long journey. Stupidly, it will probably take us almost as long to get back from Plymouth on Sunday as it will take to drive to the Italian border due to the difference in road quality and driving style... On the continent the lane discipline on motorway is superb and people don't just hog a lane, they move in and out correctly to pass slower traffic. Much less stressful and, generally, better flowing. Plus, lots of people refuse to use the Toll roads which means they are quieter than our free motorways.

I also have to agree with Tunnie, the Omega is a great place to be sat for a long journey... I frequently do 6 or 7 hour journeys without feeling stiff! Add to that the fact that flying is cramped (for a person of my height and build), even if it's a scheduled flight, and we'd end up with a hire car which is unlikely to be bigger than an Astra and will probably spend most of the week we've got the Villa parked up on the drive... That makes it expensive IMO.

Interesting to hear other opinions though... Think this poll is going to show some interesting opinions

[Lazydocker]

You have to take the family's feelings into account though, if it was up to me I'd drive to Australia and back, because the journey is part of the holiday for me, but my wife would go stir crazy after a couple of hours and the kids would be moaning after a couple of minutes 

It ain't much fun if you don't like travelling far in a car

Jon

Luckily there's only myself and SWMBO to consider and she's well up for driving down... Electric coolbox, trip to a hypermarket as soon as we hit France for fresh food and refreshments, tunes on (handily, I won an IPod thingy in a charity raffle last weekend ) and cruise away. A couple of years ago we did a similar road trip and it was great!

[Martin_1962]

Drive of course - 200 miles in a rental bucket YUK!

[tidla]

how long are you in the villa? does the drive time eat into the holiday itself or part of the hol?

the drive can be a nightmare/ holiday. depends on your time.

drove to gibraltar= great. travelled back from barcelona on coach= nightmare.

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/corporate/pressoffice/2010/volcano.html

http://www.france24.com/en/20100225-french-air-traffic-controller-strike-continues-disruptions-mount-aviation-flights

[Kevin Wood]

Had the same decision to make earlier in the year, flew, and was glad we did. Apart from sleazyjet ripping us off at every opportunity (will NEVER use them again) we had limited time and flying meant more time at our destination and a more relaxed arrival. Yes, the mountain roads are fantastic but the rest will be tedious albeit better than UK roads. If taking a few extra days to drive is not an issue then maybe I'd decide differently. I'm not sure I could drive for anywhere near as cheap as flight costs but then if you have to hire a car out there I suppose that's an additional expense you save.

We do love holidaying in Italy though.

Kevin

[jereboam]

I wouldn't drive all the way there as I get very tired on long journeys these days, and, anyway, my wife hates travelling by car.  Given that the she moans and complains about my driving all the time and has hysterics if go over 70mph, the tiredness may well be explained by the circumstances.

But that apart, I'm not sure you'd want to be driving an Omega round Naples - I know how manoeuvrable they are for a big car, but Naples is BUSY.  On-street parking is impossible, off-street is in weirdly-shaped basements and you won't fit an Omega into the titchy little spaces.

On the other hand, Naples airport carhire is a total shambles, and getting out of there is difficult - the airport seems to be in the city.  The Italians seem to favour small underpowered cars, the sort where you have to turn the airco off to overtake.  And once you get outside the city, autostradas excepted, the roads are narrow and very crowded - not ideal Omega territory, especially if you are concerned about your paintwork.  But trying to coax a 1.2 litre Fiat Punto hire car up a mountain road in 35^o heat with 100% humidity is not much fun either.  You really need to get a more powerful motor, but the hire costs rise dramatically if you do. 

The car we hired had something wrong with the steering - never worked out what - but it just didn't go where I pointed it, with the result that I managed to scrape three cars just getting out of the city, before I worked out it wasn't my driving that was the problem.  Fortunately, no-one cared, and I'd paid for the no-excess option - highly advisable there.

Italy is wonderful - I love it.  But the driving is a nightmare. 

[Varche]

I wouldn't drive all the way there as I get very tired on long journeys these days, and, anyway, my wife hates travelling by car.  Given that the she moans and complains about my driving all the time and has hysterics if go over 70mph, the tiredness may well be explained by the circumstances.

But that apart, I'm not sure you'd want to be driving an Omega round Naples - I know how manoeuvrable they are for a big car, but Naples is BUSY.  On-street parking is impossible, off-street is in weirdly-shaped basements and you won't fit an Omega into the titchy little spaces.

On the other hand, Naples airport carhire is a total shambles, and getting out of there is difficult - the airport seems to be in the city.  The Italians seem to favour small underpowered cars, the sort where you have to turn the airco off to overtake.  And once you get outside the city, autostradas excepted, the roads are narrow and very crowded - not ideal Omega territory, especially if you are concerned about your paintwork.  But trying to coax a 1.2 litre Fiat Punto hire car up a mountain road in 35^o heat with 100% humidity is not much fun either.  You really need to get a more powerful motor, but the hire costs rise dramatically if you do. 

The car we hired had something wrong with the steering - never worked out what - but it just didn't go where I pointed it, with the result that I managed to scrape three cars just getting out of the city, before I worked out it wasn't my driving that was the problem.  Fortunately, no-one cared, and I'd paid for the no-excess option - highly advisable there.

Italy is wonderful - I love it.  But the driving is a nightmare. 

 

Too much vino lubrication?

[jereboam]

I wouldn't drive all the way there as I get very tired on long journeys these days, and, anyway, my wife hates travelling by car.  Given that the she moans and complains about my driving all the time and has hysterics if go over 70mph, the tiredness may well be explained by the circumstances.

But that apart, I'm not sure you'd want to be driving an Omega round Naples - I know how manoeuvrable they are for a big car, but Naples is BUSY.  On-street parking is impossible, off-street is in weirdly-shaped basements and you won't fit an Omega into the titchy little spaces.

On the other hand, Naples airport carhire is a total shambles, and getting out of there is difficult - the airport seems to be in the city.  The Italians seem to favour small underpowered cars, the sort where you have to turn the airco off to overtake.  And once you get outside the city, autostradas excepted, the roads are narrow and very crowded - not ideal Omega territory, especially if you are concerned about your paintwork.  But trying to coax a 1.2 litre Fiat Punto hire car up a mountain road in 35^o heat with 100% humidity is not much fun either.  You really need to get a more powerful motor, but the hire costs rise dramatically if you do. 

The car we hired had something wrong with the steering - never worked out what - but it just didn't go where I pointed it, with the result that I managed to scrape three cars just getting out of the city, before I worked out it wasn't my driving that was the problem.  Fortunately, no-one cared, and I'd paid for the no-excess option - highly advisable there.

Italy is wonderful - I love it.  But the driving is a nightmare. 

 

Too much vino lubrication?

That's the other thing wrong with a driving holiday.  No vino.   

[Lazydocker]

To answer a few points... The journey there and back will replace the 2 days before and 2 days after the villa is booked for. We were going to spend these in Naples and then drive the 200 miles or so to the villa but if we decide to drive down it will be straight to the villa. So the time isn't a major issue.

The reason the costings work out about the same is because of the hire car at the other end which will spend most of its time parked up. The thought of doing the journey in a small car doesn't appeal so it would have to be Focus/Astra size as a minimum. Then you need to add on the excess protection etc...

As for Vino... Once we get to the villa there are very few plans to go anywhere. Unusually for both us and the friends we're going with the intention is for a lazy week doing very little. No sightseeing planned, perhaps a day or 2 at the beach but other than that, few plans. The villa has a private pool, a fair bit of land, outdoor BBQ and Pizza oven... What more can we need?

[Kevin Wood]

Regarding the hire car being parked up - is the train workable? We have found the trains in Northern Italy to be pretty good for getting about.

Kevin

[TheBoy]

Furthest I've driven is South coast of France, but would have no hesitation driving to Naples.  I like driving in Italy, as the locals are Radio Rental on the roads

But then I'm not a fan of cramped, smelly aircraft, and hanging around crappy airports for hours.

[TheBoy]

Regarding the hire car being parked up - is the train workable? We have found the trains in Northern Italy to be pretty good for getting about.

Kevin

Trains are good, but the routes not so great imho, meaning getting from A to B takes a while if you have to go via C and D to get to B...

[Lazydocker]

Regarding the hire car being parked up - is the train workable? We have found the trains in Northern Italy to be pretty good for getting about.

Kevin

We did look seriously into getting the train all the way but IIRCC it just wasn't practical time wise... I could drive it quicker

[TheBoy]

As most people know, I was at La Manga (Club Resort, not the strip) all last week.

Satnav reckoned, door to door was 1397m, 20hrs. Experience shows I could easily knock 2-3hrs off that time, so easily possible in a 'long day'.

Now, I had to leave home at 6am ish to go and sit in a shitty departure lounge, to get on a cramped Airbus, then spend ages arguing with the hire car company at Alicante who had chosen to cancel the hire car for a reason they couldn't explain, then sit in a shitty Corsa for over an hour to get to the villa.  Did manage to catch the back end of the England/Germany game (due to 'making up time' on the spainish roads ), wished I hadn't bothered, useless bunch of girls.

So that was probably around 9hrs door to door, and I bet I was more tired/stressed than if I had driven myself all the way.