The trip home and costs.

Now time to settle down and catch up with tha last few weeks. It all startedwhen i went ack to Liverpool for my Mum's 90 birthday but now back to driving back to Portugal.

About the drive and costs involved for a 1,400 mile journey.

I drive a car with a Autogas conversion fitted, this was fitted a little after the car was a year old. I have enjoyed driving over 165,000 miles on fuel that costs less than half price.

I filled my 60 litre tank for £34 and started my drie down to Brighton to fill up before i boarded the ferry to Dieppe and the drive home to Portugal. Before i left Liverpool i downloaded all the stops on my route for filling up with Gas along my route. I choose to drive the whole journey of the motorways and to enjoy the drive through the countryside. Well that was the plan so read on.

Next to me waiting to fill up is this Amazing motorbike n Liverpool and after this the long drive starts.













The drivedown to Brighton went well without any problem until i arrived to fill up using my new bank card. My card has been changed from a Visa card to a Mastercard and i arrived at the only autogas garage in the Brighton/ Newhaven area so i had to use the last of my UK £'s because there was a problem with Mastercard what a start to a long journey.

I arrived in France with my Euro's and my UK Visa Card. I headed towards Le Mans for my first fuel stop but on my way i saw an Autogas gagage so i stopped to fill up. That is where things went wrong . Most of the garages are open 24 hours a day and have no staff all you do is use your card but French gaages don't use Mastercards. Next trip i will be running with plenty of cash to avoid cad problems.

What you see here is a sculpture that is  24 meters high and weighting 20 tonnes which is made by using metal and coloured concrete with seven historical cars wrapped around a forearm, the roundabout is in the city of Châtellerault.








Because of the problem getting gas during the night after getting cash i went onto the motorway because i could then get gas without ant card issues. After getting a full tank i was safe now to get about over 300 miles plus from my tankful. Now it was back to getting of the motorway and to enjouying the drive.

This is what driving through France is all about tree lined avenues going of into the distance. Roads like this where common and where a pleasure to drive on.











While driving in the direction of Bordeaux i saw this small local airport.

Well this is a different way to advertise an airport and just look at the clear blue sky.














Finding autogas in Spain is no problem and one place i know very well is in a place called Salamanca.

On the way into Salamanca is a scrap yard and this one has an old Dakota plane pity the car is in the way. Again clear blue skies just like home.











The cost of the trip home was as follows and for a total 1406 miles.

Liverpool fuel             53.41€
Autogas                    131.00€
Tolls                           32.42€
Overnight and food   50.00€

The cost from Portsmouth to Santander ferry would have been 520€ and still another 450 miles to home at probably another 100€ so as you can see 263€ agains over 600€ and with the ferry you get nothing to see apart from water.