You are here: Home / Archives for Isaac Faulkner

Travelling with a car

February 10, 2012 By Isaac Faulkner

Going off with a backpack doesn’t have                quite the same ring to it if you then sling your pack into the boot of a car and drive off on your gap year travels, but don’t dismiss it straightaway. It could be a great way to see Europe and do it cheaply at that.

With so many of the new eco cars that are available today, cars can do an amazing amount of miles per gallon, and when you compare the cost of a trip behind the wheel of a reliable motor that gets you door to door as you travel around to going on a train, it’s far cheaper and safer to go by car.

There’s also the possibility of taking other people in the car with you. You may decide to go with a friend, and immediately your costs are halved. But you can also pick up fellow travellers along the way, when you’re staying at hostels and get talking to people, it may be that your plans coincide with some other travellers who’d rather give you petrol money than go by train or bus.

Another great thing about taking a car on your travels is that you can sometimes really get off the beaten track and use the car as a place to sleep. There are some really remote sights to see and it can be disappointing to have to leave them almost as soon as you’ve arrived to go back to the nearest town and its accommodation. This might be more suitable if you hire rather than take your own – unless you have a decent size back seat and boot. If you chose to hire an estate car like a Honda Accord Tourer, you can easily fold all the seats flat and bed down in there for the night.

Before you decide on how you’re going to travel, it’s worth doing some costs research on using a car rather than catching trains, planes and buses everywhere.

Filed Under: Backpacking Tagged With: , , , ,

The new Civic – it has to be the diesel

January 28, 2012 By Isaac Faulkner

If you’re weighing up the potential purchase of the new Civic 2012 model and can’t decide between the three variations, let me help you; buy the diesel.

I have now test-driven all three versions of the car. Obviously, there’s no contest when it comes to performance, the larger-engined 2.2 diesel beats its two smaller engine petrol versions hands-down. But what about the money? The petrol versions are obviously cheaper, starting at around £16k, whereas the 2.2 diesel will set you back at least £20,095. The top of the range Civic 2.2 i-DTEC EX GT costs £26,595 on the road.

But you’ll make it up in a number of ways. First off, the fuel consumption on the diesel is a very impressive 67.3mpg. This compares to between 44.1mpg and 52.3mpg for the petrol versions depending on trim and gearbox selection (all models come with a six-speed manual gearbox bar the 1.8 petrol which is also available with a five-speed auto).

Also, the road tax is just £20 a year (and free for the first year) thanks to the diesel’s incredibly low emission levels of just 110g/km CO2.

Then there’s the re-sale value. The amount you’re likely to be able to claw-back in trade-in or re-sale a few years from now will be far higher with the diesel – and you’ll have enjoyed a few years’ worth of superb performance, superb fuel economy, a nothingy road tax and your clear environmental conscience (after all, there are no hybrid versions available – nor are there likely to be according to Honda).

For me, the diesel version of the Honda civic 2012 is, then, something of a no-brainer compared to its petrol siblings.

They all look the business – far better than any of their main rivals with the trademark wrap around rear lights and the overall sleek design. And the Honda badge means you know you’re in for unrivalled and independently verified reliability and overall quality that beats its rivals. They all have the amazing interiors and class-leading boot space that strike the perfect balance between sportiness and practicality. But if you really want the performance to match then for me it has to be the diesel.

Filed Under: Travelling around the World Tagged With: , , ,

Go camping off season

January 23, 2012 By Isaac Faulkner

Most people think that the best time to go camping is mid-summer. And, of course, you do tend to get better weather overall during the summer, but you also get crowds of other people going to the same places and irritants such as flies and mosquitoes, too.

Winter camping can be great fun – as long as you have the right equipment.  It’s a good idea to check the long range weather forecast before you head off – and have a back-up alternative plan in case the weather changes at the last minute.

It’s also probably best to go without the kids during winter – they probably won’t get as much out of brisk winter walking and hiking as you will. So drop them off at the grandparents on the way to your destination.

Before you go, you need to make sure you have all the right gear. First, you need a decent tent – suitable for winter camping. And a high-quality sleeping bag is essential. You can get different bags for different seasons, so make sure you have a three or four season bag if you’re camping during the winter months.

Thermal socks and gloves are essential – you might end up wearing these all night as well as during the day, so bring enough changes of socks!

On your body and legs you’ll need base layer garments to keep hold of your core body warmth, these are close-fitting garments which still allow you to move easily, and also let moisture move away from your skin. Add a couple of insulating layers on top of the base layer, and finish with a waterproof or shell layer. For this last layer, you’re best sticking with a well-known outdoors brand. There are always plenty of bargains to be found at the North Face sale, and if you’re happy to go with last year’s colours you can get great jackets and trousers at really reduced prices.

Once you’ve got the kit, all you need to do is pick your destination and head off for some wild winter camping and walking in perfect solitude.

Filed Under: Backpacking, Travelling around the World Tagged With: , , ,
« Older Posts