JB away from his Southampton desk for 10 days.

Just to let folk know that I'll not be contributing over the next 10 days cos I'll be away & off-line.

When I get back I'll be pleased to answer questions about Southampton.

And Switzerland ;)

JB :)

Enjoy your trip

Thanks for all the help you provide

Lyn

Pah! What sort of service do you call that? Why aren't you taking your computer with you? Why aren't you planning to log on from various branches of Starbucks around Switzerland so that you can post?

;)

Part timers and silver surfers will be the death of us! About time you came out of retirement and joined us in the workforce again!:D

Simon

PS Have a nice holiday

JB, have a wonderful time.

Keith

Do I need to obtain their currency of will the Swiss accept US dollars?

Do I need to obtain their currency of will the Swiss accept US dollars?

I would think a very small number of places outside airports in Switzerland would accept USD. If they do, they would give a poor rate of exchange and give change in CHF. Euros are more commonly accepted, of course, but not universally.

Found the best place to get swiss money was at an atm. Best rate of exchange. Spent 10 days there last October and traveled all over the country by trains. Swiss trains clean and always on time.

Just to let folk know that I'll not be contributing over the next 10 days cos I'll be away & off-line.

 

When I get back I'll be pleased to answer questions about Southampton.

And Switzerland ;)

 

JB :)

Have a great trip!

I would think a very small number of places outside airports in Switzerland would accept USD. If they do, they would give a poor rate of exchange and give change in CHF. Euros are more commonly accepted, of course, but not universally.

Found the best place to get swiss money was at an atm. Best rate of exchange. Spent 10 days there last October and traveled all over the country by trains. Swiss trains clean and always on time.

I do hope that John Bull is enjoying his break from all this.

Have a great trip and thank you for all your information and insight on this forum, JohnB!

Back at my desk, normal service now resumed. :)

Just cos I was away, doesn't mean I wasn't watching from the wings. :p

Comments of whipper-snappers have been written down in the big red book, and will be repaid in kind at the earliest opportunity. :D

Had a great time in Switzerland, up & down the old mountain passes, plus cog railways, cable cars, lake ferries & such.

No, USD not widely accepted in Switzerland.

Euros in many places but accepted one-for-one against the Swiss franc & it doesn't take a maths degree to figure that's an exceptionally poor rate. But plastic very widely accepted, so just needs a bit of juggling of francs & plastic over the final couple of days to empty your wallet of francs.

Swiss prices also help to empty your wallet. :eek:

Cruise Critic's ban on the use of profanities prevents me from giving a clear picture of prices in Switzerland ;), let's just say they're "rather high".

JB :)

Back at my desk, normal service now resumed. :)

 

 

 

Just cos I was away, doesn't mean I wasn't watching from the wings. :p

 

Comments of whipper-snappers have been written down in the big red book, and will be repaid in kind at the earliest opportunity. :D

 

 

 

Had a great time in Switzerland, up & down the old mountain passes, plus cog railways, cable cars, lake ferries & such.

 

 

 

No, USD not widely accepted in Switzerland.

 

Euros in many places but accepted one-for-one against the Swiss franc & it doesn't take a maths degree to figure that's an exceptionally poor rate. But plastic very widely accepted, so just needs a bit of juggling of francs & plastic over the final couple of days to empty your wallet of francs.

 

Swiss prices also help to empty your wallet. :eek:

 

 

 

Cruise Critic's ban on the use of profanities prevents me from giving a clear picture of prices in Switzerland ;), let's just say they're "rather high".

 

 

 

JB :)

Conversley (sp?) i find the UK to be very cheap.

I hope you enjoyed your trip, spent time on Lac Leman, visit Montreux (where i live), had your picture taken eith Freddie, and with Charlie in Vevey.

Sent from my iPhone. Please excuse tryping orrers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone. Please excuse tryping orrers.

That's part of why I don't communicate on my I-Pad. :D

Even though (they say :rolleyes:) it's easier to use than an I-Phone.

Sent on my 7ft 12-ton cast-iron steam-powered monochrome desk-top. And immaculately typed.:p

JB :)

ps. Wrong end of Switzerland.

Up into the Alps from hotels in Lucerne & Interlaken. Climbed the north face of the Eiger, drove the Susten Pass, Brunig Pass, Grimsel Pass, Furka Pass, Oberalp Pass, St Gotthard Pass, Nufenen Pass.

pps. OK, I lied about climbing the Eiger.

.

Welcome back! Hope you had a wonderful holiday!

Back at my desk, normal service now resumed.

Glad you had a great trip. One quick question: How long a drive would you estimate it is, at reasonably sane speeds, is it from Warminster to Southampton on a Tuesday morning in Sept?? I was thinking there might be a fair amount of "going to work" traffic, but I thought I'd ask.

Glad you had a great trip. One quick question: How long a drive would you estimate it is, at reasonably sane speeds, is it from Warminster to Southampton on a Tuesday morning in Sept?? I was thinking there might be a fair amount of "going to work" traffic, but I thought I'd ask.

Speeds on that route are bound to be sane, it's mainly quite a slow road.

And includes the Salisbury ring road, also slow at the wrong time.

You don't mention the time, but going-to-work traffic tends to be 8am to 9am heading into Salisbury, and 7.30 to 9am heading into Southampton.

Excluding significant traffic, a total journey time around an hour & a quarter. Catching the timing wrong can add 20 minutes around Salisbury or 30 minutes into Southampton. Leaving after 8.30 should avoid the worst of the traffic.

Southampton Boat Show, 12th to 21st September, will add to the traffic & cause congestion past Mayflower / City terminals, but if you're using a car service they'll know to avoid that by using Dock Gate 20 for those terminals.

Or there's a direct hourly train service from Warminster, takes about an hour, fares anywhere from £7 to £21 pp.

http://ojp.nationalrail.co.uk/service/planjourney/search

JB :)

Thanks, got it. We're at Berth 46 and that's where we'll be dropping off luggage and such and then check in the rental car at Alamo (Unit J on West Quay Rd, I think there's several agencies there). We were planning on leaving Warminster around 0900, on 9 Sept, so sounds like we'll miss all the drive to work traffic. Since we are not supposed to be able to board until 1400 we may stop in Salisbury for an hour or two in route. I'm assuming turning in the hire car and getting back to the ship will be rather easy.

Greg

Thanks, got it. We're at Berth 46 and that's where we'll be dropping off luggage and such and then check in the rental car at Alamo (Unit J on West Quay Rd, I think there's several agencies there). We were planning on leaving Warminster around 0900, on 9 Sept, so sounds like we'll miss all the drive to work traffic. Since we are not supposed to be able to board until 1400 we may stop in Salisbury for an hour or two in route. I'm assuming turning in the hire car and getting back to the ship will be rather easy.

Greg

Yep, all makes sense.

Boat Show setting-up may have some small impact on returning the car, cos that's right by the site.

Although the road name for the rental agencies is West Quay Road, it's actually a cul-de-sac off the main West Quay Road & GPS probably won't recognise it.

If using GPS, use the postcode (zipcode) SO15 1GZ instead of the address.

If you don't have GPS, beyond the IKEA store in West Quay Road turn right at the next traffic lights into the service road. There will probably be a temporary Boat Show footbridge over the road just past where you turn.

https://www.google.com/maps?q=SO15+1GZ&hl=en&ll=50.902546,-1.411099&spn=0.009905,0.025728&sll=38.134557,-95.712891&sspn=49.629024,105.380859&hnear=Southampton+SO15+1GZ,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=16

Berth 48 is Ocean Cruise Terminal, with luggage you'll need a short taxi ride from Alamo.

JB :)