Flip's activity

Unfortunately if you want to live in a building that is sevral hundred years old, then you will have to trade of these problems which occur every Winter. Unless your house has been gutted and rebuilt to 'modern' standards then because of the method of construction of old solid walled houses (no cavity walls and little or no DPC) this will always be a problem. Most Italians I know accept this, as they are used to it, but as most Expats are used to houses with DPCs, full central heating and Air Bricks etc, this natural occurance of Condensation and rising damp will alway be in evidence. If you wish to avoid expensive and often ineffective treatments, I would suggest you look to new builds.

You can buy a vodafone dongle for £15 car phone warehouse

Unless you have a very compelling reason as coseperlacasa  says, then leave it UK registered and do the annual trip for MOT. Every aspect of motoring is likely to work out more expensive in Italy let alone the hassle. I've been driving our UK reg vehicle in Italy for 3 years now (I know I'm bad) and have had no problems, also we have a Policeman 4 doors away who know this and has never said a dicky, in fact I regularly give him a lift.

Never mind plastic bags...how about supermarkets reducing the ammount of plastic containers they seem to use for everything. You can't by cheese, veg, meat or fish without the stuff being encased in clear plastic boxes..

Mike If you get one in the UK, and set it up ready for your trips, then all you will need to do is get a 'Mobile Internet SIM Card' from a shop in Italy; and then swop over. The Top up options will be installed when you connect the dongle for the first time and it downloads the software, and then to top up all you need to do is register a card (as with anymobile provider). Your SIM has a number (like any mobile SIM 07********) so you can top it up at any ATM that allows you to do it like you would your mobile phone. Ask then in the shop for info, Carphone wharehouse is a good one to start as they do Vodafone and most other networks. Flip

And to you too...

Jan, a dongle is a USB device (looks like a memory stick) that enables your PC/Laptop to access the Web via phone signals (usually 3G) via a SIM card. Vodafone UK is not the same as Vodafone Italia, so you cannot use one for both countries. When in Italy, go into a Vodafone shop (or other provider of your choice) and buy one, you can use the web to look up costs etc; but they cost around €20 and give you 3mb of usage which lasts upto 30 days; all this on PAYG tariffs, so you can use it whilst on Holiday and top up again when you're next over. If you use up your allowance you just top up like a pay as you go phone, and off you go again. How much you use will depend on how much you use, but checking emails and browsing only and it will last ages; if you start downloading music/films etc it will go pretty fast. Speed can be a little slow and that depens on your signal strength, so pick a strong signal for your area and Vodafone seems to be the bstrongest in most areas out of large towns. Suggest you go online and look them up on Vodafone/3/Orange etc sites. Hope this helps. F

Mike, I have 2 dongles; one I have from the UK and one I use in Italy as well. Both interchangeable just change the SIM card. I got mine from the Vodafone shop in Fornaci; and yes the credit only last 30 days but it's cheap enough and if you want a web connection when you're over, I think it's small price to pay over a phone line and ADSL modem charge. It only costs about €10 for a month, less than a good bottle of wine.....

Mike, the best reception in the Bagni Di Lucca area is from Vodafone; 3 and Wind being very patchy and non existent. Therefore I would say that a Vodafone dongle would be your best bet.

or try and put Fidoka into the Community Search on this page as it has been covered before.