TOM TOM GO 700 :) & Valentine 1 :D here.
They shouldn't have any problems getting along the lake to Arbon Andrea. It's pretty straight forward. Once you get past Stuttggart, follow signs for Singen, then for Konstanz, then follow signs for CH. Once you cross the boarder into Switzerland you want to follow the signs for Romanshorn, then finally Arbon.
Marc, Mark and Kevan arrive in Calais at 10.03. Departure will be around 10.30 Calais - Aachen takes 3 hrs. That means that we will meet the UK group around 13.30 hr near Aachen. Aachen - Heidelberg takes 3 hours. So we will meet Wolfgang around 16.30 - 17.00. Heidelberg - Arbon takes another 3 hours. So arrival in Arbon is expected around 20.00 hr. That is pretty late! Does this interfere with our brewery tour or dinner? We might be a little bit faster if traffic permits us. But I would not count on that. The schedule above is rather optimistic. It has no coffee breaks or lunch included.
Hello Ton & UK dudes, thats indeed (and well said) an "very optimistic" time schedule. The past showed us....it doesnt works this way. Bear in mind: all the more car less get ahead! Rather realistc would be arriving at Arbon around 21:30 - 22:00. WHY don`t you guys try to catch an earlier ferry??? I realy want to meet you and to drive together with you to Arbon!!! ...just my 0,0002 euros thoughts Wolfgang
Ton, Wolfgang is right. That all sounds very optimistic. You'll be in Arbon after 9 I'm sure. That will be too late for dinner and brewery tour.
I can understand that the UK guys don't want to take an earlier train because they are already leaving very early in the morning. Maybe it is a better idea if we leave Belgium on saturdaymorning, pick up Wolfgang around 14.00 and drive in a relaxed way to Arbon. We can have the brewery tour and have a beer with Simon and Andrea. There is no rush for the others. That way everybody is relaxed.
Hi everyone I hope our friends from the UK have sorted out their plans. I would appreciate it if everyone turned up by 19:30 - 20:30 at the latest, so that we could have dinner together. I organised the brewery tour and the dinner for everyone, and I don't like to backtrack at the last minute as it doesn't make a good impression with hotels and restaurants! So please tell me now clearly: how many people will 100% be here by 19:30 on saturday 8 July? I will downsize the dinner table accordingly. I need to know very soon. Ton, Wolfgang, Mark if you get here early no problem, we can chill out with a beer in our garden (or Simon's garden) while we wait to go to the brewery. Thank you Andrea
Ciao Andrea, clearly: Wolfgang & Anja 19:00 arrival 100% sure!!! ....or maybe a bit earlier? Anja has to work on Saturday and we will start as soon as Anja arrives at home from work....around 15:00 - 16:00 Uhr. We would love to chill out together with you for a few first drinks B4 dinner and the serious drinking at the brewery starts I`m sure that our friends from the U.K. can organize it to arrive earlier with the first ferry?!
Mark, Kevan and I are talking on email with the plan to get there earlier, will let you know as soon as we have something firm.
Andrea, We will be there in time. Check your email for the plan with the UK guys. Probably we will all arrive on saturday around 18.00 hrs. Ton
In summary: Mark C. and Katy, Mark P. and Holger will arrive in Belgium on the 7th. Reservations are made for a great dinner together. Marc H. and Mike, Kevan and Linda have decided to take the early ferry to France. Departure from Calais will be at 8.30 am. Arrival at the meetingpoint near Aachen will be at 11.30 am. Wolfgang will join us at the Hockenheimring around 3.00 pm. Arrival at Arbon is expected around 6.30 pm. Sounds like a plan!
So you will be at 4 p.m. near Stuttgart (A8/A81)? I think I'll make a short trip and try to find you on the A81 That's just 10 min from where I live. Martin
Yes Martin, call me over cell on Saturday afternoon and I`ll advice you the excat time when the "thunder-storm" will pass S-town
Ton Marc is the one with the sat nav - for the old fashioned amongst us could you please print out a route list. I believe that you said that part of the journey was 300 km - which means we would have to average 120 km per hour, about 80 mph. Is that likely to break any speed limits ? Assuming that it is motorway most of the way, I do not see that as too much of a problem, what do you think the traffic will be like early on a Saturday morning ?
I think your journey time looks optimistic to say the least. There is no time factored in for stops. You will find in germany that around the big towns you get some heavy traffic. The Road from Kahrlsruhe to Stuttgart via Pforzheim has a lot of road works at the moment.
Ton just to say since Simons reply I have looked more closely at the map and I see that the journey is 308 kms and it is expected to take 2.52 hrs, which gives an average speed of 107 km per hour, which equates to just over 70mph. Simon that seems to be the average speed for both the following journeys as well. Assuming we get to Lanaken around 11am, the next two legs total six hours driving, so allowing an hour or so for lunch and a little lee way in the travel times we should all arrive around 7pm.
