Advice for a friend going to the Czech Republic
I have a young friend going to compete with her Husky in the Czech Republic she has just bought herself a lovely caravan - I have suggested ACSI for her trip in two weeks but not sure if they would get her the books and card in time? She is probably going
through the tunnel and travelling on from there. She seems to be tempted to hole up in a layby but hopefully some sense has prevailed (her mother and brother were robbed in a motor home on their way back from Spain!) Any tips would be welcome - I haven't
ventured further than France. Dog Passport etc is catered for so its just the camping en route she knows nothing about.
Comments
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No doubt many of us have but it's not really different from all the other countries that are passed through to get there!
Safety is always to be taken seriously and laybys and motorway parking places are to be avoided.
However if a friend of a friend has had a bad experience your friend obviously knows!!
Can't advise how long ACSI papaerwork takes....perhaps someone will pass on their card and book??????
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Thanks EJB I will probably pass on my card if she can't get one in time - but I am not sure I have done with it yet! It's her mother and brother who were robbed but bless her she is inclined to think she is much more clever! Her Husky is pretty good protection
but they had the yappiest guarding Jack Russell I have ever met - so it is bizarre anyone got past him. No I don't believe in the gassing theory - but possibly a bit of doctored meat dealt with the dog.0 -
I have been many times since the early 90's and there are plenty of camp sites available depends where they are intending going, whether it is the tourist areas(prague etc) or further afield like hluboka this should help though.
http://czechcamping.com/0 -
Just for info, it is a long treck with the van on the back or with a motorhome, for example calais to prague is 700 miles so at least one stop if not two. And of course there are completely different routes depending whether they are going to the north
or the south.0 -
Pippah we were in the CR both this year and last year. Don't forget to get a vignette, if she travels via Dresden their is a layby with booths to purchase them. It's quite straightforward.
i found the Czech people charming and very helpful and we really enjoyed the country.
One of the campsites we stayed at was Matyas, just south of Praque. It's run by a lovely family. It is about 35 minutes by train to the centre of Praque
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Thank you jeff and oneputt - just what I was after - vignette sounds important although she may have been told that. This isn't a holiday trip - she is competing with the husky - big stuff! I have no idea where though - middle of mountains and forests at a guess. I think she may be in for a bit of a shock with towing - she went to Sweden last year with just her van - which is so different to towing. She is rushing back to work too so no sight seeing at all. I can get to my daughter in Devon in the car in a day but I don't even think of it towing the caravan. I would in an emergency of course I just prefer taking life a bit steadier these days! I spent 8 nights coming home last week!
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Anygood? Camping Praha is very good site just outside Prague.
We stopped for a few hours sleep in a rest area in Holland with no problem tucked in between a couple of HGV's.
https://chriscaravanadventures.wordpress.com/plans-for-september-2012-the-czech-republic/
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If you need sat nav just download sygic europe onto your smartphone just dont use it until you travel then you will get 14 days free with full function
It is a beautiful country with very friendly people, roads are generally good and you can make good time even towing.
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Well I see it is 4 weeks on - at 7 pm I received a distress call from my friend the mother of her travelling to the Czech republic to represent her country with the Husky racing ...... So I go over to find she is leaving at 6 am tomorrow and can't remember
zilch the dealer told her about setting the caravan up! The Coachman is a tad more modern than my 2008 Abbey but hopefully now she knows how everything operates on gas (she is unlikely to be anywhere near EHU). The dealer didn't even advise her that her
van needs TWO sockets - so there will be no battery run fridge and I couldn't find the lead to my fridgebox that operates on 12v! I would call it unbelievable if I didn't know the family! So any good thoughts for a safe journey there and back would be appreciated!
- the first race is on Saturday morning - so it doesn't give her a lot of time to get there leaving Lincolnshire at 6 am Friday? And I think sometimes I am a bit disorganised!0 -
I think its a European Championships! But talk about "failing to plan"! such a lovely van too - if she doesn't ruin it I would be interested! I hope I didn't give false advice - as I tried to keep it simple and removed the gas cover (they can be so fiddly
to remove) and suggested she keep it off for the duration or she won't get hot water! She thought she had an onboard water tank - as told by the salesman - but I THINK it is just the normal hot water tank! So have lent her the Aquaroll and filler pipe!
The connector was similar to mine but hers seems to have more of a filter on the end than mine. She also thought the salesman had said she had an aerial that would reach all over Europe and I am pretty sure there is only an aerial like mine that works on
UK digital! Of course she needs a 12v TV too but not sure if I got that point over (she won't be on EHU for the trip) Have also lent my Calorlite as I am not sure how long a small calor would last if running heating and fridge - guess it depends on how much
heat she needs.0 -
Pippah
It sounds as if she is more interested in racing her husky dogs than caravanning? Is it fair to put so much blame on the dealer? Lets hope she manages her trip and returns unscathed. One thing for sure she will learn about caravanning pretty dam quick as she makes her way across Europe!!! Keep your mobile near to hand
David
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One final thought Pippah, when we left our campsite the satnav took us through the centre of Prague, cobbled streets, all the main sites and the central rail station. Fortunately it was fairly early on a Sunday morning but had it been any other day could
have been a problem. Check the route unlike me!0 -
Well I got that spectacularly wrong - today she was headed for Scotland - although I know the Czech Republic is on the cards! I may have maligned the salesman - but I think someone should have pointed out that her van needs two sockets - it only has the
old black one and the caravan two old ones - so no fridge till she gets there and no recharging the battery while travelling. Salesman missed a trick in not selling the aquaroll and wastemaster though. As you so rightly say she is more interested in the
racing than the caravan and it will all go more smoothly if she knows how to work everything - very steep learning curve. If I had known in advance I would have volunteered to go along - I am sure it will be an exciting trip!0
