By Car Abroad
By GORDON WILKINS
ASSIMIL (England), Dept. A187 10 Pembridge Square, London, W.2. Phone: BAYswater 5131. Please send,without obligation, full deta ils of
ASSIMIL LANGUAGE COURSES
In French. Italian, Spanish, German, Russian, English. (Delete as necessary). I am interested in n Records and Books Ej Records 0 Books will attract the more adventurous to Finland or Yugoslavia, and they will not grumble if the amenities are-not always up to four-star standard. Nor will there be a shortage of can- didates ready to try a car trip to Moscow at the earliest possible moment.
In West Germany, the autobahn system has stood up magnificently to the ravages of time and conflict, and the demolished bridges have largely been replaced. The rebuilding of the shattered cities is proceeding at a pace which has to be seen to be believed, and Berlin, which offers many attractions from the annual festival of music and the arts to international motor races on the Avus track, can be reached by car provided arrangements are made before leaving England. Finding I had a day to spare after a visit to the Volkswagen works last year, I tried to make the trip, but the necessary papers could not be issued locally. Austria has also made an astonishing recovery while under four-power occupation and Vienna, unlike Berlin, has no barricaded borders or sectors. There is only one currency in use, and since the zonal demarcations were abolished last year, the visitor can travel freely over the whole country. Italy's autostrade have been repaired recently, but they are so disfigured by advertisements that it is a relief to escape on to the normal highways which are good, though often crowded. Switzerland's magnificent mountain road network is, as always, under intensive development, and Belgium- is slowly_ working towards the day when the notorious " Belgium blocks ' will exist only as test stretches on the car manufacturers' proving grounds, but progress is retarded by the widespread use of trams for urban transport.
Greece has been hard at work on improvement of tourist routes, including a new road linking Olympia with Tripolis and work on reconstruction of hotels is being concentrated in sixteen localities most important to the visitor. Many of Spain's roads are in rather poor shape, but the roughness of the ride is amply compensated for by the historical treasures of the country, and the chance of relaxing under the southern sun, sipping sherry at 3s. 6d. a bottle.
Norway's mountain roads are wonderfully spectacular, although like the roads of Sweden, they can be dusty in dry weather, and surfated with white mud when it is wet.
On the question of costs, the British have little to learn, for years of restricted currency allowances have taught them how to cover large distances on very little money. All over Europe, British cars are to be seen parked at the roadside while their occupants take picnic lunches. It is a habit which may not endear them to the restaurateurs, but in good weather it is very agreeable, and it provides an excuse for some amusing expeditions into the local markets.
In many places it is quite unnecessary to put the car in a garage at night, although experience of colleagues in Italian cities suggests that these are among the exceptions. And of course the general absence of parking charges on the Continent contrasts pleasantly with the constant harrying of the motoring tourist at home.
Not all modern cars are really in need of super grade fuel. I have just done over a thousand miles on the Continent using° one of the latest Hillman Minxes, and on the manufacturers' suggestion, I used only second grade fuel, saving a shilling in the pound on the fuel bill. It ran with exemplary smooth- ness and only pinked a little under the gravest provocation. Very full and accurate information on hotel and restaurant prices is now available from the various national tourist offices, and most travellers working on limited budgets have learned to select the type of establishment which best suits their needs. It is now said to be the Americans who cause the most amaze- ment, usually by strolling blithely into a four-star restaurant,
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