[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by sylonien

Is it difficult to stick the headlight stickers on?

Have you ever put a stamp on an envelope?

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Originally Posted by sylonien

Oh and I"m going to Dusseldorf

Great idea. I'm from Düsseldorf and it's a very nice city - excellent for shopping if you want to spend a fortune (go to the Königsallee then) or not (go to the Schadowstrasse then), and the "Altstadt" is a fun place to have a beer. Don't miss the "Rheinuferpromenade" if the weather is nice as you have a beautiful view on the river from there, and have a look at the "Medienhafen" that is just besides the giant radio tower (where I would suggest you visit the restaurant that gives you a splendid, permanently rotating view over the city).

As you're close anyway, hop over to Cologne and have a look at the cathedral (called "Dom") that is very impressive.

If you're coming from the UK, having a stop at Bruges in Belgium might be a good option - beautiful town, very romantic, great food and chocolate everywhere.

You don't need a fire extinguisher anywhere. The "Umweltplakette" in Germany is indeed necessary for most of the cities, but no one really controls this and even if they do, just play dumb tourist. The fine would be negligible anyway.

Same goes for the breathalyzer in France. If you don't have one, they may fine you 10 EUR (scary amount, isn't it), but IMO they won't do that to a foreign tourist. But you can buy one at any petrol station in France, and they're cheap.

Originally Posted by sylonien

and then deciding where else to go. Nurburgring??

The Nürburgring is about 80 minutes from Düsseldorf, so if you're interested in doing a lap or two on this legendary circuit, give it a go. But verify that it's open when you want to drive there - during the week it's usually only open between 5 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. as the industry pool has booked it before that. You can find the opening times here: opening times Nürburgring Nordschleife

Otherwise, there are lots of beautiful places to see and visit in Germany. In general, the landscape is more beautiful in the south than in the north, but the eastern part also has lots of fascinating things to offer (such as Dresden or Berlin). It all depends how much time you have and how far you're willing to drive. Get a guidebook on Germany to give you an idea of what there is, then you can make your choice better.

Alpina_B3_Lux

[A_P]

Are you going with the mrs?

[sylonien]

Hi people, thanks for the helpful replies. Sorry been very busy with life and planning.
One thing for sure, booked for Ferry from Dover to Dunkirk via DFDS Seaways for £67. Guess I'm definitely going now - wooo!

Awfully_Polite - any difference whether I say YES or NO to your question?

[A_P]

Originally Posted by sylonien

Hi people, thanks for the helpful replies. Sorry been very busy with life and planning.
One thing for sure, booked for Ferry from Dover to Dunkirk via DFDS Seaways for £67. Guess I'm definitely going now - wooo!

Awfully_Polite - any difference whether I say YES or NO to your question?

Sounds exciting buddy, Make sure you take some pics, and post them. its always nice to see.

Yeah the difference would be sexy time or no sexy time

enjoy !

\obviously pics of destinations not of sexy time.

[zltm089]

AP is increasingly horny these days!...

[A_P]

Must be the hayfever.

[sylonien]

I'm going with my mum... ±_±

Joking, am going with my girlfriend. Very excited... the road trip that is.

[ss134]

Originally Posted by EXSKIN

Can't see the point( unless you have to say I've done it) myself as most uk insurers won't insure for it and your on the
A61(i think) just floor your car on that, little traffic and no limit on most of it.
You'll have plenty of opportunity to vmax your car where ever you go in Germany, a couple of others I've had the pleasure of driving on.
A7 Ulm to Fuessen no silly 120kph sections and A20 Luebeck to the polish border I suppose, only went a couple of miles past Rostock.
Another couple of words for you.
Baustelle= road works your going to come down from vmax to 120kph then 90kph and lower.
and be aware that you go from no limit to 120kph with little warning.
Umleitung= diversion.
---kph bei Nass= speed when wet
ss134 will correct me if i'm wrong as I only get there twice a year.

Good advice regarding the speed limit changes - i recently got a 1 month driving ban after going from an unrestricted limit to a 100 zone on the autobahn - i didn't see the sign and got flashed doing 140kph - depending on how much over the limit you are depends on whether you get a fine or ban.

[sylonien]

Surely a fine if you're a foreigner? Or banned from driving in Germany?

[ss134]

Originally Posted by sylonien

Surely a fine if you're a foreigner? Or banned from driving in Germany?

Probably a fine if foreign but as i live in Germany they were kind enough to ban me for a month!

[Teutonicdriver]

My Grandad went to Germany(lots of places in Germany) and he didnt need any of those things. Just a leather helmet, goggles and a flask of tea. His vehicle had four big merlin engines.

[sylonien]

Originally Posted by Teutonicdriver

My Grandad went to Germany(lots of places in Germany) and he didnt need any of those things. Just a leather helmet, goggles and a flask of tea. His vehicle had four big merlin engines.

I see what you did there. Almost thought you were serious then.

Rang up my insurance today (Churchill) just to confirm that it's covered. Third party only apparently unless I pay extra £45 for the two weeks abroad, then comprehensive cover. Worth it? I said no. Still time to change my mind.

I haven't got breakdown cover. Worry?

Also applied for European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for free online today.

[ss134]

Originally Posted by sylonien

I see what you did there. Almost thought you were serious then.

Rang up my insurance today (Churchill) just to confirm that it's covered. Third party only apparently unless I pay extra £45 for the two weeks abroad, then comprehensive cover. Worth it? I said no. Still time to change my mind.

I haven't got breakdown cover. Worry?

Also applied for European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for free online today.

YES - get the cover, driving in a strange country and at high speed on the Autobahn etc there is always a small chance of an accident - how would you feel if your car was written off and there was no insurance payout - get the cover and enjoy your trip with no worries, its only 45 quid - worth it for peace of mind alone.

[ss134]

Originally Posted by Awfully_Polite

Sounds exciting buddy, Make sure you take some pics, and post them. its always nice to see.

Yeah the difference would be sexy time or no sexy time

enjoy !

\obviously pics of destinations not of sexy time.

Plenty of places to get 'sexy time' in Germany....just saying!!

[sylonien]

Still in the process of planning. See how much it all costs together But in a way I want breakdown cover instead...

I probably won't be driving that fast. Can't afford to feed my car.

How much is nurburgring. I looked on the website and it says a lap is €25 or something?

[EXSKIN]

Thought due to EU rules, fully comp had to be honoured through out EU member states.
I've always rung my company to tell them where I'm going but never been charged extra.

[EXSKIN]

Anyways, my first trip this year is five weeks away I always set the nav to enter
Germany at Aachen you say you won't put your foot down,would be rude not too.
bet you do.
I can't wait to get over there,looking forward to the Hanover- Luebeck- Stralsund for a week on die Insel Ruegen.

[sylonien]

Well I checked with Churchill Insurance and read through most of the AA guides and it only says that you need third party. I only checked for France, Belgium and Germany since I'm going there and passing those places along the way?

Aachen the better place to enter? Any particular reason? I'm ultimately heading to Düsseldorf as my first place to stay.

It's 126 miles from Brussel, through Holland then dusseldorf.
142 miles form brussel to aachen then dusseldorf.

Not much difference, but is that route better or something by avoid holland?

[EXSKIN]

Originally Posted by sylonien

Not much difference, but is that route better or something by avoid holland?

No other reason than you get on the bahn quicker

[Alpina_B3_Lux]

Originally Posted by sylonien

How much is nurburgring. I looked on the website and it says a lap is €25 or something?

One lap is 26€, four laps are 95€ (23.75€ per lap).

Alpina_B3_Lux

[sylonien]

Originally Posted by EXSKIN

No other reason than you get on the bahn quicker

Is that section delimited though?

Thought it use to cost like €5-6 a lap? Or was like that in the stone age?