We 'crossed back' today. And almost ended up driving on the wrong side of the road again!
3 weeks to sell the van. Theres a bunch of photos from the last few weeks below - sorry for the folks on dialup connections! Go make a coffee...
Met some more great aussies in the last few days - night to have a glimpse of home!
Will post some more photos from the last week soon.
Sam and P.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Sunday, August 28, 2005
We're in Koln (Cologne)
The sun is out and it is about 25degrees. My shoes are almost dried out. So it's a last dash attempt at shoreing up our suntans before heading home.
We rode about 7kms into town along the banks of the Rhine last night and had a good look around town. Koln cathedral is famous for its lighting by night and it looked great. Riding home in the dark was fun - noone else seemed to have bike lights either.
We´re gonna head back to the UK at the start of next week to start looking at selling the van. The UK school holidays run until then, so it might be a good chance to look around Scotland or Ireland for the last few weeks until we fly home on the 23rd. Or just fly to a beach in Portugal or Croatia.
Whilst we´re a bit sad at the trip ending, we`re starting to get very very very excited about the prospect of getting back to a new life somewhere, with a new house where you dont bump your head twice a day just getting stuff out of the cupboards!
See you all soon,
S&P.
PS, I´ve turned on an option which will stop all that stock option Spam stuff coming thru to the blog. Some folks need to get a life.
We rode about 7kms into town along the banks of the Rhine last night and had a good look around town. Koln cathedral is famous for its lighting by night and it looked great. Riding home in the dark was fun - noone else seemed to have bike lights either.
We´re gonna head back to the UK at the start of next week to start looking at selling the van. The UK school holidays run until then, so it might be a good chance to look around Scotland or Ireland for the last few weeks until we fly home on the 23rd. Or just fly to a beach in Portugal or Croatia.
Whilst we´re a bit sad at the trip ending, we`re starting to get very very very excited about the prospect of getting back to a new life somewhere, with a new house where you dont bump your head twice a day just getting stuff out of the cupboards!
See you all soon,
S&P.
PS, I´ve turned on an option which will stop all that stock option Spam stuff coming thru to the blog. Some folks need to get a life.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
In Munich at last
We've been holed up in Lauterbrunnen for 3 nights. The floods were incredible. We just managed to stay out of the water, but not the rain which must have gone non-stop for almost 5 days! We've taken lots of photos of everything and will post some when we get the chance.
It was such a relief to be let out of Lauterbrunnen - 4 days trapped in a town the size of Koroit's main street. Several bus tours were trapped also (including Paula's sister Toni's).The hordes must have bought up everything in the town by day 4 - must have been great for commerce. It didn't stop our Caravan park trying to charge us for power despite not having any for 3 days. The Swiss definitely take their national sport of money making much too seriously.
For the 2 nights prior we stayed in Interlaken and Zurich, and ran into our Aussie mates the Noonan family. It was great to have some company in the cold and wet.
Today we're off into Munich. There's still lots to see and not much time - we fly out a month from today!
Love to all,
S&P.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Stuttgart
Last night we packed up camp in Strasbourg, in order to make an early exit, which we did. But first we ducked downtown to an internet call shop and tried our luck with Qantas.We've feeling a little bit rushed. But enquiring about moving our late september flight out by a few weeks proved fruitless, so we're sticking with the current date.
We're getting better at accepting that we'll never see it all no matter how many months or years we travel for.
After investing a day's travel across the beautiful German Schwarzwald mountain range we arrived at the birthplace of the car - Stuttgart. Mrs Daimler & Benz simultaneously invented the motor car here 'independently' - a fact repeated so often today it almost sounds like a coverup. I think the locals are underestimating mankind's ability to abandon all sense of confidentiality after two large steins of Heineken Beer. 'Hans, you won't believe what I did to that old horse cart and diesel engine in the workshop today' etc etc.
We made a visit to the Mercedes visitors centre late this arvo. As a publicity stunt, a bus picks you up outside the factory and speeds you through the grounds to an ageing but modernist sort of building, under the pretence of security. The vehicles inside were mostly disappointing, but we had a few good laughs at some 80's concept racing cars which looked like they consisted entirely of 45 & 90 degree angles. I think the design folks from Volvo must have had their protractors knocked off prior.
On the bus back were 3 american freshmen who kept us entertained with tales of frightening stupidity. Stories of takeovers of honda by 'somebody' and Audi's poor build quality stunned me. Paula stopped me from instantly giving a lecture on the last few disgraceful decades of production by companies like Harley Davidson and Jeep.
Tomorrow we're off to Switzerland for a few days and we're meeting up with Paula's sister Toni on sunday night in Lauterbrunnen (Foey if you're reading this back at the office I'm finally going).
Love to all and see you in a few months,
Sambo.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Strasbourg
We dropped the guys off yesterday and headed south to Strasbourg.
We ended up adopting a couple of belgian backpackers who came up to our van and asked if we had a spare tent (the town hostel was full). They are doing an entirely random trip on 20 euros a day! Some funny stories about rats and sleeping at fuel stations kept us entertained.
Just had an amazing lunch of typical local foods (including alsacian stew - with pork knuckle).
We're off to wander the museum of contemporary art this arvo and head home with a baguette under each arm - it's apparently what you do! And to sample some more french arrogance (we just asked the waitress for cafe machiatto, which is an espresso with milk. No, of course they don't have it you silly english types. But they'll sell us an espresso with some milk in it!)
How nice to be back in france. Time to go practice our outrageous french accents.
S&P.
Ciao
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Luxembourg
We've just had the best 3 course meal (including steak!) courtesy of our guests as a bit of a farewell bash, as the guys are going off towards Paris tomorrow.
Paula and I are off towards southern Germany and Switzerland for 2 weeks, before heading back to the Uk to sell the van, with plenty of time to make sure we get a fair price and maybe put a deposit on a house when we get back to (somewhere?)
Better go. The waiter is making kangaroo charades at us.
Sambo.
Friday, August 12, 2005
Ghent
We've been in Ghent, in Belgium for a few days. Probably a trip highlight.
Off to Brussels this arvo.
New pics below.
Cioa,
Sam.
Off to Brussels this arvo.
New pics below.
Cioa,
Sam.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Amsterdam
We had another great evening in Amsterdam last night after walking around the town in the afternoon. There were people everywhere - the gay & lesbian mardi gras was this weekend. Unlike the truck based event in Sydney, the floats here actually do float! People boating around in outrageous costumes adds even more to what is of course such a relaxed and open minded city.
Last night we had a fantastic dinner outside Centraal Station (no, not a typo). I haven't had dutch croquettes since being a kiddie - lots of memories come back with tastes and smells!
We moved on to a 500 year old pub that held no more than 25 people and Ryan did a great job of interviewing visitors and locals with his videocamera. The highlight was Hendrik the barman singing a birthday song into the lens for Ryan's dad.
We're heading into town for lunch and to take a canal cruise, and maybe find a sunday night jazz club that's been organised.
Ciao,
S&P&R&A.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
We're in Hamlin
We've been in Hildesheim, and are on our way to see Hamlin (Pied Piper).
Having a top time, have to go get on the road. Some new pictures below.
Cheers to all,
S&P&R&A.
Having a top time, have to go get on the road. Some new pictures below.
Cheers to all,
S&P&R&A.
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