When you tossers were much younger…

[Berin]

Ohh, the places where we used to end up staying overnight on the “Steptoe Moroccan Dash tours”.
One small hotel tried to convince us that a very large walk-in wardrobe was a room

We were more flexible then!

My comment was more to what seems to be less accommodation availability, since Covid. A lot of hotels, restaurants, chambre d’hotes etc closed and never reopened, especially off the tourist trail.

Also maybe people travel less now. In 2019 90% of business meetings were face to face, now I doubt it’s 10%

 

[wessie]

We were more flexible then!

My comment was more to what seems to be less accommodation availability, since Covid. A lot of hotels, restaurants, chambre d’hotes etc closed and never reopened, especially off the tourist trail.

Also maybe people travel less now. In 2019 90% of business meetings were face to face, now I doubt it’s 10%

traffic on the autoroutes and the rise of the US style motels & fast food in retail and industrial parks saw off many Relais Routiers restaurants, truck stops and independent accommodation.

 

[Steptoe]

Don’t turn up mob handed. ask @Skippy about having to sleep outside in front of the hotel
.

Or think a caravan is a good idea.. and if you do, don’t get pissed, fall asleep, or there’s a good chance you’ll wake with your eyebrows shaved off and your boot laces knotted together

 

[Berin]

traffic on the autoroutes and the rise of the US style motels & fast food in retail and industrial parks saw off many Relais Routiers restaurants, truck stops and independent accommodation.

True. The routiers, the few that are left, are great

 

[Wapping]

Don’t turn up mob handed. ask @Skippy about having to sleep outside in front of the hotel

“It’s windy and cold, let me in. Please let me in”

Happy days.

PS Didn’t he do it by choice?

 

[Ectopic]

My first trip was in 1985 (19 yrs old). Visitor's Passport from the Post Office, some francs, some pesetas, some travellers cheques, AA breakdown cover (not needed), Kodak Instamatic camera. Tent strapped to bike in various inappropriate bags. A rough idea of where we were heading, and a map of France and Spain.

Promised parents we'd call them when we could. Called them once from Spain, from a post office where you had to tell them the number you wanted and wait in a booth to be connected. I panic if my son doesn't call or text for more than a couple of days now.

Found campsites as we went. Map in a clear tank bag.

We'd read some bike magazine articles and had a book called Motorcycle Touring in Europe. That's about it! Memories for a lifetime from that trip and the following year.

I went on a week's jaunt round the Jura with Richard this year and we were reminiscing. 41 years later.