Van full of stuff, Holland - England

Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

Cheers,

Jim.

On Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:17:51 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:58:04 GMT, (Jim Ley) wrote:

Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

It used to be possible to take bikes by air free. Things have almost certainly
changed.

I still take bikes for free on BA, do it often - the problem is the
number, and not actually wanting to visit holland right now...

It depends if you want to return to Holland afterwards.

Nope

Jim.

Jim Ley wrote:
Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

Cheers,

Jim.
I did the reverse operation 2 years ago - drove a van full of stuff from
N. England to Germany. After looking at all the alternatives, I rented a
Mercedes van in Germany, drove it over empty via Calais ferry,loaded up
and drove back, all over a long weekend.
I rented in Germany because that is where I was starting from. You'd
have to research the price differences to see if renting out of NL is
more economical in your case.
The rental was from Sixt, and the van was a Vito, IIRC, with the low
roofline. Very pleasant to drive, with all mod cons. The van was exactly
the right size for the job.
The one drag on the trip was the tollbooths at Dartford, and here I
get my soapbox out- you would think that the Brits would make some
concession to European drivers and have at least just one tollbooth for
LH drive vehicles?? No way, Jose. Handbrake on, engine off, clamber over
the central console, window down, ignore the car horns behind you..

I found out shortly afterwards that somebody in this NG wanted to do
the reverse trip, ie load up in Germany and unload in London- had we but
known, maybe we could have split the costs.

T.

Martin wrote:
On Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:02:58 +0200, Tom P wrote:

Jim Ley wrote:
Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

Cheers,

Jim.
I did the reverse operation 2 years ago - drove a van full of stuff from
N. England to Germany. After looking at all the alternatives, I rented a
Mercedes van in Germany, drove it over empty via Calais ferry,loaded up
and drove back, all over a long weekend.
I rented in Germany because that is where I was starting from. You'd
have to research the price differences to see if renting out of NL is
more economical in your case.
The rental was from Sixt, and the van was a Vito, IIRC, with the low
roofline. Very pleasant to drive, with all mod cons. The van was exactly
the right size for the job.
The one drag on the trip was the tollbooths at Dartford, and here I
get my soapbox out- you would think that the Brits would make some
concession to European drivers and have at least just one tollbooth for
LH drive vehicles?? No way, Jose. Handbrake on, engine off, clamber over
the central console, window down, ignore the car horns behind you..

At least the boom didn't come down and knock you out like it did to a colleague.
I can't remember the details other than that an ambulance took him away leaving
a blonde bimbo he had given a lift sitting in the car.

How come the boom came down? Did he drive through and stop?

Oh how interesting

"Martin" a écrit dans le message de
...
On Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:02:58 +0200, Tom P wrote:

Jim Ley wrote:
Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

Cheers,

Jim.
I did the reverse operation 2 years ago - drove a van full of stuff from
N. England to Germany. After looking at all the alternatives, I rented a
Mercedes van in Germany, drove it over empty via Calais ferry,loaded up
and drove back, all over a long weekend.
I rented in Germany because that is where I was starting from. You'd
have to research the price differences to see if renting out of NL is
more economical in your case.
The rental was from Sixt, and the van was a Vito, IIRC, with the low
roofline. Very pleasant to drive, with all mod cons. The van was exactly
the right size for the job.
The one drag on the trip was the tollbooths at Dartford, and here I
get my soapbox out- you would think that the Brits would make some
concession to European drivers and have at least just one tollbooth for
LH drive vehicles?? No way, Jose. Handbrake on, engine off, clamber over
the central console, window down, ignore the car horns behind you..

At least the boom didn't come down and knock you out like it did to a
colleague.
I can't remember the details other than that an ambulance took him away
leaving
a blonde bimbo he had given a lift sitting in the car.
--

Martin

"Jim Ley" wrote in message
...
Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

There is a guy who lives in Amsterdam who advertises in various English
language NL newspapers who goes by the name "White Man Van" and travels
to and from the UK often. He has taken stuff back to the UK for various
people and comes highly recommended from what I've seen.
See he- http://forum.expatica.com/UK-Den-Haa...n-t103140.html
Cheers
Jeff

"Jeff Lawrence" wrote in message
...
"Jim Ley" wrote in message
...
Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

There is a guy who lives in Amsterdam who advertises in various English
language NL newspapers who goes by the name "White Man Van" and travels
to and from the UK often. He has taken stuff back to the UK for various
people and comes highly recommended from what I've seen.
See he- http://forum.expatica.com/UK-Den-Haa...n-t103140.html

You could also try here, which also offers a few possible solutions -
http://www.elynx.nl/munotices.php?neljands&jpso
Cheers
Jeff

Runge12 wrote:
Oh how interesting
Thanks Runge we always appreciate your valuable and erudite judgement
and commentary, not to mention invaluable material contribution to the
topic at hand.

"Martin" a écrit dans le message de
...
On Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:02:58 +0200, Tom P wrote:

Jim Ley wrote:
Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

Cheers,

Jim.
I did the reverse operation 2 years ago - drove a van full of stuff from
N. England to Germany. After looking at all the alternatives, I rented a
Mercedes van in Germany, drove it over empty via Calais ferry,loaded up
and drove back, all over a long weekend.
I rented in Germany because that is where I was starting from. You'd
have to research the price differences to see if renting out of NL is
more economical in your case.
The rental was from Sixt, and the van was a Vito, IIRC, with the low
roofline. Very pleasant to drive, with all mod cons. The van was exactly
the right size for the job.
The one drag on the trip was the tollbooths at Dartford, and here I
get my soapbox out- you would think that the Brits would make some
concession to European drivers and have at least just one tollbooth for
LH drive vehicles?? No way, Jose. Handbrake on, engine off, clamber over
the central console, window down, ignore the car horns behind you..

At least the boom didn't come down and knock you out like it did to a
colleague.
I can't remember the details other than that an ambulance took him
away leaving
a blonde bimbo he had given a lift sitting in the car.
--

Martin

Martin wrote:
On Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:32:26 +0200, Tom P wrote:

Martin wrote:
On Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:02:58 +0200, Tom P wrote:

Jim Ley wrote:
Hello,

Anyone have any experience of getting a van full of stuff from Holland
(Utrecht) to England (Kingston-upon-Thames) There's not a huge amount
of stuff, easily fit in a small transit - but there are 3 good
bicycles, so it's reasonably bulky (if packed properly)

Currently it seems the best bet would be to hire a van in the UK, take
it to holland empty and drive it back full - which would be almost 600
quid (with guesswork on prices on petrol) this still seems a lot,
anyone any experience of other options?

Cheers,

Jim.
I did the reverse operation 2 years ago - drove a van full of stuff from
N. England to Germany. After looking at all the alternatives, I rented a
Mercedes van in Germany, drove it over empty via Calais ferry,loaded up
and drove back, all over a long weekend.
I rented in Germany because that is where I was starting from. You'd
have to research the price differences to see if renting out of NL is
more economical in your case.
The rental was from Sixt, and the van was a Vito, IIRC, with the low
roofline. Very pleasant to drive, with all mod cons. The van was exactly
the right size for the job.
The one drag on the trip was the tollbooths at Dartford, and here I
get my soapbox out- you would think that the Brits would make some
concession to European drivers and have at least just one tollbooth for
LH drive vehicles?? No way, Jose. Handbrake on, engine off, clamber over
the central console, window down, ignore the car horns behind you..
At least the boom didn't come down and knock you out like it did to a colleague.
I can't remember the details other than that an ambulance took him away leaving
a blonde bimbo he had given a lift sitting in the car.
How come the boom came down? Did he drive through and stop?

I think he stopped and got out because he was in a LHD car.

Like I said. Crawl over the console and wind the window down, even more
exciting when there's a nubile hitchhiker in the passenger seat - but
then, why not just pass the money to her?

T.

Martin wrote:
On Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:14:32 +0200, Tom P wrote:

Runge12 wrote:
Oh how interesting
Thanks Runge we always appreciate your valuable and erudite judgement
and commentary, not to mention invaluable material contribution to the
topic at hand.

gRunge Connerie is probably described by the French police as "the local nutter"
How do you say that in French?