TechnomadicsVagabonding Europe

Yearly Archives: 2009

Sicily: San Vito Lo Capo, Zingaro National Park, Erice, Selinunte

Posted on by Michael

We had just left Scopello after a very enjoyable week spent developing software and painting: We wanted more! But it was also time for a change of scene, so we drove on towards San Vito Lo Capo, another town that sounded quite promising. A short and picturesque drive inland through pretty, rocky mountains, through a rather sad-looking town amusingly called … Continue reading

Southern Italy and Sicily: Milazzo, Palermo, Cefalu, Scopello

Posted on by Michael

It’s been a while since the last update: We’ve had many pleasant distractions, and every time there was the opportunity to do some blogging, something else enticed me away. But, as our time here in Italy draws to a close (already!), it’s time to record them before they fall out of my memory! Read on, and apologies for the silent … Continue reading

Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast

Posted on by Michael

Our exodus from Rome was marked by some fearful Roman traffic; we crawled out of the city and finally reached the motorway. A quick detour while I attempted to find the Apple store that so eluded us in the city centre: Further research (that is, Apple’s website instead of Google Maps) had indicated that it was actually located outside the … Continue reading

Mobile Broadband in Italy

Posted on by Michael

In Italy, unlike in France, there appears to be no problem with getting a SIM card as a foreigner. You will need your passport or some other form of ID, which will be photocopied, but other than that, it’s very easy. Wind have the most competitive prepaid mobile broadband, by a long shot. Wind We are with Wind in Italy, … Continue reading

Rome

Posted on by Michael

Rome! How exciting! This was our original point of entry into Europe, before we chickened out and changed our flights to London. And just as well, too — we simply couldn’t imagine landing straight from Australia and getting ourselves set up here in this bustling, bewildering metropolis! The drive from Tuscany was quite long but scenic for the most part; … Continue reading

Tuscany

Posted on by Michael

Leaving Cinque Terre, we drove out along those winding roads, and back onto the freeway, Michael Jackson and Queen belting out from Jen’s laptap. We drove for quite a while, passing the exit to Piza, and for a time with quite impressive mountains in the distance. Following Nigel’s directions, we eventually found ourselves driving amongst grape vine and olive tree-covered … Continue reading

Cinque Terre

Posted on by Michael

Having taken a windy little road down through the mountains, switchbacking through ramshackle villages, we stopped for lunch with a view down through pine trees and vineyard-strewn mountains to the azure-coloured sea. With the plan to find a wild-camp in the village of Monterosso al Mare, the first of the five villages that make up Cinque Terre (“Five lands”), we … Continue reading

Towards Cinque Terre

Posted on by Michael

Motorhoming around Europe always seemed like a very romantic and exotic thing to do, and for the most part it really is. The one caveat is bathroom-related, and there’s little romance to be had there. Seven-or-so days without the opportunity to empty the chemical toilet left a big impression on us when we started driving, and…sloshing. It was time to … Continue reading

Mobile Broadband in France

Posted on by Michael

Bad news in France: The mobile broadband market here is very un-competitive — the French are very behind the times when it comes to 3G. Lame, France. I’m amazed that telcos are allowed to use the word ‘unlimited’ (or rather, illimité), when the quotas behind the scenes are not only present, but so restrictive. Where are the consumer protection organisations … Continue reading

Paris

Posted on by Michael

From the ex-battlefields of the Somme, we drove in the direction of Paris, taking the back roads at a relatively leisurely pace. We encountered some trouble when, after seeing a number of route bloqué signs, we eventually realised they were talking about our route, and had to retrace our steps for a considerable distance, in traffic that went at a … Continue reading

North of France

Posted on by Michael

The ferry from Dover arrived in Calais, and we headed down the stairs back to Nettle on the car deck, and followed the stream of cars off the ferry and onto French soil. Repeating the ‘drive on the right, drive on the right’ mantra, we followed Nigel’s directions towards the centre of Calais and drove around aimlessly for a little … Continue reading