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 slightly extra and the additional planning concerned. Plus, if I’m sincere I like planning, organising and discount searching!
Why did we determine to go on a Highway 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 pliability they’ve and the place they go. It looks like such a extra distinctive vacation than flying to 1 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 informed 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 are avid Mansfield City followers and this summer time the group are coaching in Portugal and enjoying a pleasant towards the Chelsea underneath 21’s group 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 concerning the highway journey and when you comply with me on Instagram I will likely be updating you with footage and reels alongside the way in which so maintain a watch out. Should you don’t comply with me then what’s unsuitable with you? Solely joking, however pop over and comply with 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 the moment writing about for you so I’ll share that subsequent week when I’ve a couple of extra of the objects 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 (perhaps 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 will likely be doing about an hour’s value of driving earlier than we’re into day 2! The whole 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 automotive from beginning the journey round 11pm and on our strategy to Dover. We intend on arriving at Dover round 3.30am, having an hour’s sleep within the automotive 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 now have allowed sufficient time for a brief sleep but when we hit plenty of roadworks that may not be an possibility!
We arrive in Calais at 9.30am French time and will likely be driving all the way down to Poitiers right away, with a couple of bathroom stops in fact! In some unspecified time in the future alongside the drive we are going to 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 whole 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 now have a resort booked for the night time (together with breakfast!) and will likely be discovering someplace native for tea once we arrive. Any solutions 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 will likely be an extended one! We’re having breakfast on the resort 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 night time in our resort there and once more will in all probability see little or no of the world 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 are going to in all probability be consuming someplace native once more too however once more, we now have not deliberate this but so any suggestion let me know!
Day 4 – Valladolid, Spain to Albufeira, Portugal
By day 4 we expect 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 consists of crossing the Spain-Portugal border at Badajoz and will likely be round 480 miles (770km) and take 7 hours half-hour excluding breaks so in all probability nearer to 9 hours with breaks!
Once we arrive in Albufeira we will likely be prepared for a drink and night time’s sleep that’s for positive!
Day 5-10 – All inclusive in Albufeira
We now have a 6 day break in Albufeira and we now have booked all inclusive so I’m positive I’ll make good use of the drinks in spite of everything that driving! Whereas there we are going to benefit from the seaside, the soccer (them not me!) and customarily having a loosen up for six nights!
Day 10 – Albufeira to Fuenlabrada, Spain
We will certainly get pleasure from our final all inclusive breakfast on the resort this morning as one other lengthy drive is on the playing cards. At present we will likely be driving from Albufeira to Fuenlabrada, a metropolis round half-hour drive from Madrid. The drive at this time will likely 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 possibility is occurring among the roads we now have pushed on the way in which to Albufeira, the opposite is through Seville so we are going to probably determine that once we are in Albufeira!
By the point we arrive in Fuenlabrada will probably be night however then we now have 2 nights there which is good and means we will discover slightly.
Day 11 – Fuenlabrada and Madrid
Day 11 will likely be a full day with no driving (or perhaps slightly!) within the Madrid space in order that will likely be good and little question contain trying on the areas soccer stadiums as Ben is Soccer mad! Any solutions 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 resort in Fuenlabrada throughout Spain to the border with France and as much as Bordeaux. This will likely 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 will probably be value it.
Day 13 – In Bordeaux
We haven’t but determined what to do in Bordeaux so we’re open to solutions that don’t contain an excessive amount of driving! When you have solutions 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! At present we will likely 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 will see and it sounds pretty. Additionally by then we’re getting nearer to dwelling once more! The driving from Bordeaux to Le Havre will likely be round 6 hours half-hour with out breaks so in all probability nearer to eight hours in whole and the gap is about 426 miles (685km). We now have a 2 day break in Le Havre although in order that will likely be good.
Day 15 – Le Havre
A day of trying across the space and many stress-free to complete of the vacation I feel! Something you advocate within the space?
Day 16 – Le Havre to Calais and perhaps dwelling!
So the final day of the vacation will likely be spent driving from Le Havre to Calais prepared for our teatime ferry again to the UK. This drive will likely be a brief one compared to the others at round 180 miles (290km) and simply in need of 3 hours! I feel by the point we get to Calais we will likely 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 night time 230 miles (370km) however we’re open to the thought if we’re uninterested in getting a Travelodge or Premier Inn someplace on the way in which and having an evening sleep and getting dwelling on what will likely be day 17 as an alternative! If we do drive straight dwelling we are going to get dwelling round 11.15pm so it’s probably we are going to determine to cease someplace in a single day if the site visitors is unhealthy however time will inform!
What do you assume?
What do you consider our highway journey plans? Have you ever performed something like this? Would you prefer to? Let me know within the feedback under! Do you have got any guide suggestions I can get pleasure from in Albufeira, one thing that’s gentle studying could be my desire as I will likely be ingesting and shattered!
Comply with our highway journey on Instagram and Fb and maintain a watch out for my different preparation posts and naturally all of the images and tales afterwards!
