We now have spent the previous few weeks reserving our vacation and I can’t wait to share it with you. We haven’t been overseas for a couple of years so don’t thoughts spending a bit of extra and the additional planning concerned. Plus, if I’m trustworthy I like planning, organising and discount searching!
Why did we resolve to go on a Street Journey?
We now have talked for fairly a while about occurring a highway journey in Europe as we love watching journey vloggers and seeing the flexibleness they’ve and the place they go. It looks like such a extra distinctive vacation than flying to at least one vacation spot and I’m so excited!
After considering this for some time, I got here dwelling a couple of weeks in the past from the outlets to Stuart asking if I fancied a highway journey to Portugal. I used to be eager after which he advised me why, the blooming soccer! I imply don’t get me unsuitable the soccer will solely take up a really small quantity of the vacation however males eh! Each Ben and Stuart and avid Mansfield City followers and this summer time the staff are coaching in Portugal and enjoying a pleasant towards the Chelsea beneath 21’s staff whereas they’re there and these two needed to go and make it a vacation!
While I’m not a soccer fan I’m excited in regards to the highway journey and in the event you observe me on Instagram I shall be updating you with footage and reels alongside the way in which so hold an eye fixed out. Should you don’t observe me then what’s unsuitable with you? Solely joking, however pop over and observe me on @justaveragejen.
Our European highway journey itinerary
Each myself and Stuart drive (although neither of us have pushed in Europe earlier than!) so we plan to share the driving. We now have purchased so many particular issues for the journey which I’m at present writing about for you so I’ll share that subsequent week when I’ve a couple of extra of the gadgets arrive so I can {photograph} them!
Day 1 – Setting off
We’re beginning our vacation late within the night. Ben has his promenade as he’s leaving faculty (possibly you noticed my Instagram image?) which finishes at 10pm so we are actually leaving simply after that! We’re choosing him up at 10, taking him dwelling to vary out of his go well with after which driving all the way down to Dover. So on day 1 we shall be doing about an hour’s price of driving earlier than we’re into day 2! The full drive from our home to dover is round 230 miles (370km) and takes about 4 hours quarter-hour, extra if we cease for a espresso and to swap drivers!
Day 2 – To Dover, Calais and Poitiers
Day 2 will begin with us within the automobile from beginning the journey round 11pm and on our solution to Dover. We intend on arriving at Dover round 3.30am, having an hour’s sleep within the automobile after which going to the port. We should be on the port 90 minutes earlier than the ferry departs. Our departure time is 6.55am UK time. So we’ve allowed sufficient time for a brief sleep but when we hit plenty of roadworks that may not be an choice!
We arrive in Calais at 9.30am French time and shall be driving all the way down to Poitiers right away, with a couple of bathroom stops after all! In some unspecified time in the future alongside the drive we’ll cease and swap drivers and have lunch too. The journey from Calais to Poitiers is round 400 miles (650km) and relying on site visitors will take round 6hours half-hour in complete not together with the stops so in all probability extra like 8 hours with stops, particularly with my bladder if I’ve drunk espresso!
At Poitiers we’ve a lodge booked for the evening (together with breakfast!) and shall be discovering someplace native for tea once we arrive. Any ideas pop them within the feedback under! Sadly we wont get a lot time to do the rest in Poitiers.
Day 3 – Driving to Valladolid, Spain
Day 3 shall be a protracted one! We’re having breakfast on the lodge in Poitiers then setting off and driving all the way down to the France-Spain border and on to Valladolid in Spain. We now have one evening in our lodge there and once more will in all probability see little or no of the realm by the point we arrive! The journey from Poitiers to Valladolid is round 510 miles (820km) and can take round 8 hours 40 minutes excluding stops so in all probability near 10/11 hours with breaks for lunch, the bathroom and swapping drivers!
In Valladolid we’ll in all probability be consuming someplace native once more too however once more, we’ve not deliberate this but so any suggestion let me know!
Day 4 – Valladolid, Spain to Albufeira, Portugal
By day 4 we predict to be a bit sick of driving and shattered however that is the final day of driving for a couple of days fortunately! The present route we’re taking a look at for this journey contains crossing the Spain-Portugal border at Badajoz and shall be round 480 miles (770km) and take 7 hours half-hour excluding breaks so in all probability nearer to 9 hours with breaks!
After we arrive in Albufeira we shall be prepared for a drink and a very good evening’s sleep that’s for positive!
Day 5-10 – All inclusive in Albufeira
We now have a 6 day break in Albufeira and we’ve booked all inclusive so I’m positive I’ll make good use of the drinks in any case that driving! Whereas there we’ll benefit from the seashore, the soccer (them not me!) and customarily having a calm down for six nights!
Day 10 – Albufeira to Fuenlabrada, Spain
We will certainly get pleasure from our final all inclusive breakfast on the lodge this morning as one other lengthy drive is on the playing cards. In the present day we shall be driving from Albufeira to Fuenlabrada, a metropolis round half-hour drive from Madrid. The drive in the present day shall be between 6 hours 45 minutes and seven hours quarter-hour (with out stops) or 465-473 miles (750-761km) relying on the route we take. One choice is occurring a number of the roads we’ve pushed on the way in which to Albufeira, the opposite is through Seville so we’ll probably resolve that once we are in Albufeira!
By the point we arrive in Fuenlabrada it is going to be night however then we’ve 2 nights there which is good and means we are able to discover a bit of.
Day 11 – Fuenlabrada and Madrid
Day 11 shall be a full day with no driving (or possibly a bit of!) within the Madrid space in order that shall be good and little doubt contain trying on the areas soccer stadiums as Ben is Soccer mad! Any ideas of locations to eat or go to not too removed from Fuenlabrada?
Day 12 – Fuenlabrada to Bordeaux
So one other day of driving, day 12 is driving from the lodge in Fuenlabrada throughout Spain to the border with France and as much as Bordeaux. This shall be one other fairly lengthy day of driving with a complete of round 442 miles (710km) and seven hours half-hour of driving earlier than stops so extra like 9 hours on the roads! We will certainly be able to pattern the wine from Bordeaux once we arrive! We now have 2 nights in Bordeaux although so it is going to be price it.
Day 13 – In Bordeaux
We haven’t but determined what to do in Bordeaux so we’re open to ideas that don’t contain an excessive amount of driving! When you have ideas that contain no driving in any respect then that’s even higher! They’ve Ubers in Bordeaux proper?
Day 14 – Bordeaux to Le Havre
That is one other driving day! In the present day we shall be driving from Bordeaux to Le Havre which is within the Normandy space of France. I’m trying ahead to this space as there are such a lot of historic issues we are able to see and it sounds pretty. Additionally by then we’re getting nearer to dwelling once more! The driving from Bordeaux to Le Havre shall be round 6 hours half-hour with out breaks so in all probability nearer to eight hours in complete and the space is about 426 miles (685km). We now have a 2 day break in Le Havre although in order that shall be good.
Day 15 – Le Havre
A day of trying across the space and plenty of enjoyable to complete of the vacation I believe! Something you suggest within the space?
Day 16 – Le Havre to Calais and possibly dwelling!
So the final day of the vacation shall be spent driving from Le Havre to Calais prepared for our teatime ferry again to the UK. This drive shall be a brief one compared to the others at round 180 miles (290km) and simply in need of 3 hours! I believe by the point we get to Calais we shall be able to go dwelling, don’t you?
We arrive again within the UK at 6.05pm UK time and possibly shattered! We’re aiming to drive dwelling that evening 230 miles (370km) however we’re open to the thought if we’re bored with getting a Travelodge or Premier Inn someplace on the way in which and having an evening sleep and getting dwelling on what shall be day 17 as a substitute! If we do drive straight dwelling we’ll get dwelling round 11.15pm so it’s doubtless we’ll resolve to cease someplace in a single day if the site visitors is dangerous however time will inform!
What do you suppose?
What do you consider our highway journey plans? Have you ever completed something like this? Would you prefer to? Let me know within the feedback under! Do you’ve gotten any e-book suggestions I can get pleasure from in Albufeira, one thing that’s mild studying can be my choice as I shall be ingesting and shattered!
Observe our highway journey on Instagram and Fb and hold an eye fixed out for my different preparation posts and naturally all of the images and tales afterwards!
