Post by Humph on Sept 19, 2019 8:55:50 GMT
It occurred to me that I must have gone a bit soft. Thinking about how many of us here regularly and casually take our cars across the English Channel for leisure or business trips and how relatively easy that usually is.
I first started to make make those sorts of journeys when I was in my late teens, shonky old cars laden to the hilt on trips to the Alps for skiing in the winter, and only a little later, in company Cortinas back and forth to Italy for work.
No such luxuries as ABS, winter tyres, aircon, sat nav, electric windows, central locking or PAS etc.
Glove box stuffed with envelopes containing bundles of various currencies which had to last the duration of the trips as credit cards were not widely accepted.
The thrill of a hovercraft crossing if it could be funded, and the opportunity to see how fast your car could really go in an age way before cameras and much lighter traffic.
Provisions were no more than a few cans of Coca Cola and a packet of biscuits to get a sugar rush when needed, and a couple of packs of Marlboro to puff on to alleviate the boredom of the long hours at the wheel.
Big AA European atlas on the passenger seat, and numerous local equivalents of an A-Z for the cities to be visited. Trying to read them while driving, and no mobile phone to call for help or simply check in on things while away.
Getting petrol on a Sunday was mainly limited to motorways and mostly involved having enough cash.
Being way way too hot on velour seats in Italian summers and constantly clearing misted up windows in alpine winters. More bugs on the front of the car to clean off then too. Poorer aerodynamics to blame I suppose, that and the effect of a current decline in insects I believe.
Wouldn't have missed it for the world though. It felt quite the adventure sometimes.
I first started to make make those sorts of journeys when I was in my late teens, shonky old cars laden to the hilt on trips to the Alps for skiing in the winter, and only a little later, in company Cortinas back and forth to Italy for work.
No such luxuries as ABS, winter tyres, aircon, sat nav, electric windows, central locking or PAS etc.
Glove box stuffed with envelopes containing bundles of various currencies which had to last the duration of the trips as credit cards were not widely accepted.
The thrill of a hovercraft crossing if it could be funded, and the opportunity to see how fast your car could really go in an age way before cameras and much lighter traffic.
Provisions were no more than a few cans of Coca Cola and a packet of biscuits to get a sugar rush when needed, and a couple of packs of Marlboro to puff on to alleviate the boredom of the long hours at the wheel.
Big AA European atlas on the passenger seat, and numerous local equivalents of an A-Z for the cities to be visited. Trying to read them while driving, and no mobile phone to call for help or simply check in on things while away.
Getting petrol on a Sunday was mainly limited to motorways and mostly involved having enough cash.
Being way way too hot on velour seats in Italian summers and constantly clearing misted up windows in alpine winters. More bugs on the front of the car to clean off then too. Poorer aerodynamics to blame I suppose, that and the effect of a current decline in insects I believe.
Wouldn't have missed it for the world though. It felt quite the adventure sometimes.
