Been retired from driving lorries for a living since 2001 after 35 years, did all sorts, domestic, European, middle east, rigids, tippers, artics, A frame. Worked for a variety of firms and had a spell as owner operator.
Missed the job for quite a long time after my decision to quit, now, of course, it’s far too late in life to even think about going back to it, not that I’d want to, the way the job is nowadays.
But just imagine for a second if you could do just one last trip and visit the old places, of course, they’d have to be exactly the same as they were back in the day, like the original Fred’s at Coslada, or the Londra in Istanbul, or even Carisio!
Just imagine that time, route and destination was entirely your decision, where would your final imaginary trip take you?
Pete
A Winter trip to Kabul,must be early 70s with all the crap roads and borders, and with a Volvo F89.
Hello Mike. Hope all is well with you. Long long time since Ankara '76 when we met. My trip would be - cross to France - any port, down to Macon, cross to Mt Blanc, clear Aosta, cross to USAF Aviano, back to Vicenza, then Livorno, down to Brindisi and back to USN Nice. All done at a leisurely pace in an AEC Mkv Mammoth Major - no drawbar - staying in hotels and this time taking in all the sights - the Leaning Tower, Monte Cassino - Mt Vesuvius etc. Every thing we never had time for all those years ago. Stay safe and well. Jim.
Hi Jim,hope you are well[or as well as can be at our age].I must say as an aside that other than a ME trip i would choose Italy,just for the food.Take care.Mike
Tempting though a final Middle-East trip would be, I think I’d settle for a leisurely and pleasant trundle down to Gibraltar using all the old Nationals as they were, and taking in all my favourite watering holes - via Calais, Rouen, Tours, Bordeaux, Irun, Vittoria (I’d go via Miguel’s mountain rather than Pamplona because before they built the tunnel and re-landscaped that route, it was unpleasantly narrow and winding in the gorge!), Burgos, Madrid, Granada, Loja, Malaga and Gib. I’d do it in the fair weather of Spring or Autumn and naturally I’d be driving an ERF NGC ‘European’ with a sturdy Van Hool 40’ tilt that only need loading out of the back 
. On the way home, I’d spent ten times as long as usual going up the RN10 in France because I’d want to stop in ALL my favourite Routiers 
! When can go, now? Robert
I’d settle for 30+ drops round south London and Kent in my Series 3 Scania.
I’d take all week over it rather than three days and park up at all my favourite town centre lorry parks
socialising and sight seeing with the lads and visiting all my usual cafes en route.
axletramp:
I’d settle for 30+ drops round south London and Kent in my Series 3 Scania.
I’d take all week over it rather than three days and park up at all my favourite town centre lorry parks
socialising and sight seeing with the lads and visiting all my usual cafes en route.
" All week " no change there then, . Les.
Sorry all. post No.3 should have read “Return to USN Naples” at the end. Old age, too many miles,too many beers, too many birthdays, too little secks.
etc. Jim.
Anywhere: where everybody was nice to me, the lorry never broke down, nobody nicked my diesel, didn’t have to queue for anything, had enough running money, didn’t get lost, didn’t get fined for anything and didn’t get bit by mozzies.
I’m tired of muddling through.
Hi guys
I am the same as you lot,retired a few years ago,but still have diesel coursing through my veins,my trip would have to be down France ( old roads ) into Northern Spain,down to the Med,up through France,old roads where possible,
Although i enjoyed going further out East,at my age now i think the peace and stability of Europe would be enough to satisfy me,my choice of Lorry would be FH16,nice truck with good room,and not to mention the horses under the bonnet
Chris
Hi Jim, I always wondered what was in those little stone huts with the corrugated tin roofs on whenever I passed those laybys, I always thought that was were they kept the goats in the winter.
Oh to be young and inquisitive again.
Regards Steve.
Having done all the Middle East Trips and most countries in Europe and
having retired from transport age 51 which I never regretted as i keep busy.
My favourite summer trip to do again would be Venice Italy.
We did 2 to 3 loads a week to Venice as they liked there seafood.
Picked up a refrigerated trailer at our Edinburgh depot loaded with various seafood for Venice
early Sunday morning down to Dover ferry over to Calais then down to Macon then
cross over to Mt Blanc clear customs at Aosta down the road to Papas for a nice meal
and some vino then down to Venice to the cold store for first thing in the morning and tip.
Then down to Bologna area to load peaches for Edinburgh filled in the week nicely.
On one trip my wife was with me, I parked up in the cold store and we got the boat over to
Venice and spent the day there had a great day out. Great memories.
Well since i havnt done the M/E or other longhaul i think either Muscat or why not Almaty. Just to have don it.
And why not in a DAF95 always liked that unit.
But on the other hand i loved my time doing trips up to northern Norway so maby a trip up to kirkenäs would do to 
Danne
Dirty Dan:
Well since i havnt done the M/E or other longhaul i think either Muscat or why not Almaty. Just to have don it.
And why not in a DAF95 always liked that unit.
But on the other hand i loved my time doing trips up to northern Norway so maby a trip up to kirkenäs would do to
Danne
That pic brings back some fond memories.
The Gordon House Hotel, before I entered the trucking world I drove coaches doing predominately european work & that’s where the drivers used to stay in the early 90’s before a european jaunt or upon returning then a second driver had all the fun off dropping passengers throughout the uk while we got ■■■■■■ & eagerly awaited the next coach load in a day or 2.
Good times…
