10/02/04 Antigua Cruise

[Twinave]

papa...Welcome home!

Eric, Your beach sounds very nice, but looking forward to showing off our beaches to you and Anja. By the way, gas prices have passed the $2.00 mark, so you may need to re-figure your gas budget. Of course no telling what the price will be in Oct. We may be hitching to the port.

padisneyfan, are you home yet? How was your trip?

Got to run.
Later,
Avé

 

[Hygiene99]

Viking / Eric I sent u a pm. peter

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by Twinave
papa...Welcome home!

Eric, Your beach sounds very nice, but looking forward to showing off our beaches to you and Anja. By the way, gas prices have passed the $2.00 mark, so you may need to re-figure your gas budget. Of course no telling what the price will be in Oct. We may be hitching to the port.

padisneyfan, are you home yet? How was your trip?

Got to run.
Later,
Avé

I filled up our convertible yesterday: 11 gallons = €53 = $64 Ok, those 11 gallons carried me 311 miles, which comes to 28 mpg, but nevertheless with those gas prices I could run a monster-RV in the US with 9mpg
Thanks for the Info. I did my budget under the assumption of a Euro/Dollar-parity, but with the dollar still being 20% under the Euro it still looks very bright for us. Nevertheless I will adjust my gas-budget accordingly.

 

[two-foxes]

Originally posted by Viking
I filled up our convertible yesterday: 11 gallons = €53 = $64 Ok, those 11 gallons carried me 311 miles, which comes to 28 mpg, but nevertheless with those gas prices I could run a monster-RV in the US with 9mpg
Thanks for the Info. I did my budget under the assumption of a Euro/Dollar-parity, but with the dollar still being 20% under the Euro it still looks very bright for us. Nevertheless I will adjust my gas-budget accordingly.

Ouch! We test drove a Toyota Prius on Saturday...I don't know if they have it overseas or not (I know it has been in Japan for several years now, though.) But it had a hybrid engine, gets an average of 55+ miles a gallon. As Tim says "it's tires look like training wheels" but as I say, "you keep driving the SUV and pay out the yazoo for gas, while I buy a few extras for myself with the gas money we are saving!" (can we say "massage!") It is no speedster, but has good pickup and a great stereo system! There is an 8 month wait for them right now, as the demand is quite high!

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by two-foxes
Ouch! We test drove a Toyota Prius on Saturday...I don't know if they have it overseas or not (I know it has been in Japan for several years now, though.) But it had a hybrid engine, gets an average of 55+ miles a gallon. As Tim says "it's tires look like training wheels" but as I say, "you keep driving the SUV and pay out the yazoo for gas, while I buy a few extras for myself with the gas money we are saving!" (can we say "massage!") It is no speedster, but has good pickup and a great stereo system! There is an 8 month wait for them right now, as the demand is quite high!

Yup,
we got the Prius over here, and it's also waitlisted, I think 6 months right now. But as diesel-fuel is about 20% cheaper than gas over here, most people opt for a diesel. The diesels avaible here are so refined and quiet, that even I consider one for our next convertible. I thought about buying the Prius when we were looking for a car about two years ago, but as a convertible-fan I then decided to buy one with a retractable hardtop.
We also have a lot of people driving SUVs, mainly the small ones like the Toyota RAV, Honda CRV, but also lots of Mercedes ML, Porsche Cayenne, BMW X3 & 5. American SUVs are rare over here, because most people prefer a diesel in their SUV which isn't available for those. The great torque and the good fuel efficiency found a lot of fans. The strongest so far is the Volkswagen Touareg sporting a 313hp diesel with a torque like a large ship's engine.

 

[two-foxes]

Originally posted by Viking
The strongest so far is the Volkswagen Touareg sporting a 313hp diesel with a torque like a large ship's engine.

I SOOOOO want the Touareg! Beautiful vehicle. It is actually my first choice of vehicles to purchase, but I MUST make practicality over-rule Sometimes it is so hard! I don't know if the Porsche SUV that you mentioned is the same one I've been seeing from time to time here, but yet another beautiful one! Shoot, maybe the Prius wheels do look like training wheels!

 

[cdnmickeylover]

I will have to take everyone's word about the cars. I'm afraid if I can't read the back I have no clue what kind of car it is. I was driving my DS to a friend's house for the first time on Sunday and he looked down the street and said it's the one with the Honda in the driveway. I looked at him, he sighed and said the one with the blue car and the porch. For me I'm afraid (and much to DS's disgust) there are only trucks, cars, vans and SUV's. He, on the other hand knows all the brands etc.

Have had a cold for the past few days. Spent most of the weekend sleeping which was fine because it rained all weekend. It's supposed to be sunny today but it still looks like rain. There's a chance for rain tomorrow again.

It hasn't been all that warm either although today it's supposed to go up to 20C which still isn't that warm but warmer than it has been.

Looking forward to October.

Waterlogged in Toronto.

Fiona

 

[bettemom]

Hi Guys, Kim here...

I can't believe my eyes ! Look what I saw today...

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[cdnmickeylover]

Very funny Kim.

that's about what's out our windows too. On the news last night farmers were complaining about too much rain!!

Fiona

 

[jeanniec]

The weather has been unusually hot and dry here in North Carolina. Temps in the 90's for the last week or so. Grass is turning brown and needs watering. This is unusual for this time of year. The weather is more like the end of June or July. Global warming??

We are looking forward to our trip to DVC HH in July, and then our next vacation will be THE CRUISE!! Can't wait!

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Jeanniec -- Our grass is so green it's unbelievable actually. DS just cut it last week and it needs to be cut again which won't thrill him. Just have to wait til it dries a bit before we can mow!

Was out at lunch and it's a little warmer here but no where near the 90's -- more like the low 60's. It hasn't rained yet but there certainly is no in the sky at the moment.

Appears that Jim has caught my cold (which I caught from DS).

We probably won't be going anywhere this summer as I usually get busy at work then but then the CRUISE.

Back to work.

Fiona

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Also meant to say glad you had good trips Ave, Mike & Cathy!

Fiona

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by two-foxes
Ouch! We test drove a Toyota Prius on Saturday...I don't know if they have it overseas or not (I know it has been in Japan for several years now, though.) But it had a hybrid engine, gets an average of 55+ miles a gallon. As Tim says "it's tires look like training wheels" but as I say, "you keep driving the SUV and pay out the yazoo for gas, while I buy a few extras for myself with the gas money we are saving!" (can we say "massage!") It is no speedster, but has good pickup and a great stereo system! There is an 8 month wait for them right now, as the demand is quite high!

Jill,
you may not believe me, but the VW Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne are basically the same car. They were developed in a co-op between the two brands and the bodies are build in the same factory in Slovenia. Then the bodies are sent to Germany to Volkswagen and Porsche where they are completed. But I must admit that I like the Touareg's design better, although the Porsche is available with a twin-turbo V8 pumping out 450hp and going as fast 165mph.

 

[Twinave]

Eric, Are you always this smart in both English and German?

Sending to Fiona!

Kim, Love the Ark & animals!

Later, Avé

 

[disneybride96]

I just want a beetle convertible. Can't decide between black or mellow yellow though!

 

[papa]

Looks like the rv is out due to sticker shock at this time. C class 22 footer is about $50,000. Oh well we can still buy lottery tickets

Mike

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by Twinave
Eric, Are you always this smart in both English and German?

Sending to Fiona!

Kim, Love the Ark & animals!

Later, Avé

Yup, Mary As a subscriber to four of the major German car magazines and a regular reader of Road&Track and Car&Driver (I have so many coworkers flying do Denver, who bring them for me) you could call me car-crazy. I can even talk the tech-lingo in English.

Mary and Ave': Operation 'Soccer' successfully completed - Even got some for the 'big' boys - Don't tell, it's a surprise.

Kim,
please don't repeat last time's mistakes: DON'T TAKE THE MOSQUITOES ABOARD THE ARK


The Beetle Convertible is a nice car, but I don't like the fact that you have to use a tonneau-cover. Our last convertible had the same technique and after some time you hate it.

 

[cdnmickeylover]

It worked Ave -- We have today!!!!

Fiona

 

[Sarah'sMomfrom PA]

I have discount coupons from the Entertainment book on rental cars and also airline discount tickets--the car rental coupons are for: Avis; National; Hertz; Alamo and Budget and the airline coupons are for United so if anyone can use these, just email me or pm me and I will send them out to you. Sun is shining today and it is supposed to be a great weekend--we have had terrible thunderstorms with really awful lightening every night for two weeks. The other night we had hail the size of golf balls and several people had their cars damaged. The lightening is what really frightens me since there have been a few lightening strikes on people's houses.

Reneé...got the Panama Canal book yesterday in the mail and the magnet...thanks again for the heads up on the book--I couldn't find it on the web site! Also, have fun in Pennsylvania and tell Colleen and Don that we said hello! Doesn't look like we will make it down to meet you as I am trying to clean out some clutter on my patio/sunroom and my bedroom--quite an ambitious project!! Mary Jo

 

[piglet33]

Originally posted by Sarah'sMomfrom PA
Reneé...got the Panama Canal book yesterday in the mail and the magnet...thanks again for the heads up on the book--I couldn't find it on the web site! Also, have fun in Pennsylvania and tell Colleen and Don that we said hello! Doesn't look like we will make it down to meet you as I am trying to clean out some clutter on my patio/sunroom and my bedroom--quite an ambitious project!! Mary Jo

Actually, Colleen emailed me this morning to say that they have to cancel. I'm not sure if we're still going to go or do something else. I have to talk to Lenny when he gets home to see what he wants to do.

Reneé