TheSamba.com :: View topic - Traveling after Building a bus for travel in Europe "euroBus"

Thu Jul 10, 2025 9:38 am

dobryan wrote:
Syncro solstice hat…FULL BONUS POINTS.

:lol: 8) :wink:

Love the trip report, thanks for bringing us along & keep it up!

- Dave

Thu Jul 10, 2025 5:02 pm

hans j wrote:

At least I never got a ticket when it happened to me about 4 years ago. You were lucky! For the last few decades (not just years) all EU countries plus the UK and some others in the customs union will share matching number plates to those responsible for the vehicle.

Matching a privately owned US vehicle? It will have been through some Customs service on its way into the EU, and *they* will have the necessary details. Depending on how its insured - that's another route to the information, as above. There's nothing they'd like more than to ding a foreign vehicle, especially a US one!

Just like a small town in the US loving to catch an out-of-state vehicle speeding!

Thu Jul 10, 2025 10:59 pm

fxr wrote:

Just like a small town in the US loving to catch an out-of-state vehicle speeding!

I am really being AR about speed limits in towns and on all roads in general. When no limit is posted I default to 50kph within the city limits. Often there are 30kph areas and I honor them.

I have passed a hand full of speed cameras and manned radar setups and managed to not get my picture taken.... fingers crossed.

Fri Jul 11, 2025 5:01 pm

I had a speeding ticket from France sent to me six weeks after we got home.

I deserved it. 8)

Fri Jul 11, 2025 5:14 pm

You have to watch your speed on the Autoroute in France - they log your time difference between the toll plazas - and there's no leeway.

The 'unwritten rule' in the UK is that as long as you're within the speed limit+10%+2mph you're OK. So 35 in a 30 won't get you dinged by a speed camera - 36mph will.

Italy seems like California - speed limits are seen as "suggestions".

Sat Jul 12, 2025 12:17 am

You're so photogenic though Dave. I'd think they'd pay you to take your picture.

Great trip Dave.

Stacy

Sat Jul 12, 2025 7:39 am

You are an inspiration Dave. Thank you for sharing all of this with us. I'm starting to do some planning of my own and have learned so much from you already.

Mon Oct 13, 2025 9:16 am

Trip report: Prague, Trencin, Bratislava, Vienna, Ljubljana

Sept 20, 2025 to October 7, 2025

The July trip was the route in black. This one is the red leg on the map. This map is pinned to the bottom of the head banger cabinet so I can see it when I am in bed...

My wife, Donna, and I flew out to Prague where I last left the bus in long term airport parking.

We grabbed a hotel in the historic part of Prague for the first two nights since there were no camps convenient to Prague.

Prague is the most beautiful city in central Europe in my opinion.

After two days in Prague we drove into Slovakia and met my friend Zoran in Trencin for the afternoon.

That evening we stayed at a camp just outside Bratislava for the night. Somehow we failed to get a pick of our actual campsite.

The next morning we drove into Bratislava and met my friend Janka who showed us around the historic area of Bratislava, the Capitol of Slovakia.

Donna especially loved the pastry restaurant. It was fully decorated with paintings on the walls too.

We drove over to our camp outside Vienna that evening just as the rain came in.

And the next day we took an Uber into Vienna and toured the Hapsburg museum (just a tiny bit) and then did a bus tour. Vienna is very modern for the most part and does not have the extensive historic area that Prague has.

Dinner.

And fuel in Austria was about $8 a gallon.

Next stop was a camp outside Ljubljana, Slovenia.

We elected to drive into the city and park at the top at the castle. No issues parking.

And did a guided tour of the castle with actors showing various periods of history of the castle.

After Ljubljana it was time for Donna to fly home. She only had a week to spend with me.

And I adjusted the front passenger wheel bearing in the airport parking lot. I thought it was a little loose.

After dropping off Donna and seeing her get through security at the airport, I headed to a camp at Lake Bled, Slovenia for four days. I was beat and decided to take a good rest in a beautiful area.

View from just outside the camp.

Pastry cart in the mornings at the camp.

And there is a restaurant at the camp entrance on the lake.

I slept about 13 hours the first night there. :lol: 8)
Then went on a hike to a viewpoint looking over the lake. There is a 15th century monastery on the island in the lake.

And a friend on a walk around the lake the next day.

After Lake Bled I moved up into the Alps a bit to lake Borinj and the Vogel ski area for one night. I was fortunate to get a lakeside spot.

The next morning I took the cable car to the top of the mountain and enjoyed the views.

That afternoon I drove into a suburb of Ljubljana and visited with my friend Tone at his house and did a driveway camp for the night.

Then on to a rocket contest outside the town of Brsko. I play at competitive model rocketry and go to several meets a year, both in the US and Europe. I camped at the contest field with several others.
The drive to the meet.

And at the meet.

Some Ukrainian friends needed to use my equipment since they had a mishap with theirs.

And my vain attempt to recover one of my models from a corn field. Never found it... :lol:

The trip ended in a small village about 30 minutes outside Ljubljana at the house of my friend Anze. They graciously offered to let me park next to their garage for the next few months until I return in 2026. They live backing to a stream in an 8 foot deep channel. It is quite the sight. They promised to move the euroBus if it floods but said that is very rare. 8) :shock:

Final photo as we leave for the airport at 6:30am. Sleep tight.

Mon Oct 13, 2025 9:50 am

Beautiful! Thank you! You are quite an amazing human!

Mon Oct 13, 2025 10:01 am

For camping in Prague, there are some small camps clustered near the zoo in an area called Troja.
https://www.camping.info/en/campsite/autocamp-trojska is one I've used a few times.
Good transit stop at the end of the street, Tram 17 goes direct to the Old Town, 10-15 min.

For visiting Vienna, we liked the big camp in Klosterneuberg.
On the Danube, nice little town, easy train to Vienna
https://www.campingklosterneuburg.at/app/de/camping

Mark

Mon Oct 13, 2025 2:27 pm

Awesome trip, thanks for taking us along!

Mon Oct 13, 2025 4:06 pm

Great trip report. About 10 years ago I got a ticket for entering a restricted bus lane in a rental car in Italy. I had no clue that I had violated any regulations until the ticket arrived in the mail. I threw it away. Another ticket arrived with a big number on it (200 Euros?). I tossed that one, too. I've been to Europe since then, but not Italy. Who knows maybe my mug is on the Post Offices there?

Mon Oct 13, 2025 5:11 pm

I have been on the toll roads. Toll by plate. Nothing in the mail yet, but if so I will pay it! :lol:

Mon Oct 13, 2025 6:52 pm

Wow, Dave, what a great trip!!

The food, the old buildings - I am envious.

Mon Oct 13, 2025 10:28 pm

We were just catching up on “The Amazing race” in Praque when i stated your thread through there. As usual great pictures of your adventure.

It’s nice having your own vehicle over there. Look forward to your next trip. Gives me ideas of where to go next year.

Stacy

Tue Oct 14, 2025 6:51 am

Amazing post, per usual…love your life! 8)

- Dave

Tue Oct 14, 2025 7:17 am

Prague is an amazing city. You can go from 1400's buildings to modern in a few blocks.
Good to see a plan with the euroBus working out so well!

Wed Oct 15, 2025 3:32 am

I’ll be there in two weeks on the company dime.

Wed Oct 15, 2025 3:32 am

I’ll be there in two weeks on the company dime.

Thu Oct 16, 2025 7:14 am

That's awesome!