Despite the efforts of all and sundry including last minute paperwork hassles we managed to leave home at 4.00 pm on Monday 3rd June.
Many thanks to all our friends and relatives for their good wishes. We will do our best to stay safe and keep in touch!!
First stop was the Holiday Inn next to the Chunnel. We had fish and chips from the restaurant which was not a good idea but hey ho we are sure we will eat worse than this on our journey.
Up bright and breezy next morning for a quick drive to the Train. Very calm crossing and no seasickness! Alright there shouldn’t be on a train but it is an achievement for Tim to manage getting to France without any queasiness. We the hit the road. Had a text exchange with Catherine, Tino, Ned and Silva saying they were on way to Verdun did we fancy meeting up for a few days. Seemed a good idea so arrived in Verdun to look for each other to find we both went to the same campsite by chance and arrived 10 minutes apart.
First Night under canvas
Ned and Silva tried to claim squatters rights
Damn the gas mantle is broken!! Where will I find a replacement
Had a really relaxing evening eating and drinking before climbing up into the roof tent for the first time in quite a few years. Both managed it without accident.
We decided to keep together for a few days as they were travelling roughly the same direction on way to Romania. We stayed two nights in a beautiful campsite in the Black Forest and yes we did indeed eat gateau!! as well as copious amounts for excellent German beer.
Lunch in a picturesque German town
Capturing the moment!!
Another successful descent of the ladders
Beautiful campsite in the Black Forest after a gorgeous drive over the mountains
View from top of hill
Having a great time
Feet
The view down. Isn’t Isabel tiny!
Happy? I think so
At last the beer!!
About to start the rest of the adventure
Sad to say farewell. Odd seeing our Disco.
Knitted house
After two days we went are different ways. They headed off to Uffenheim in Germany where Ned had been on a school exchange. We headed towards Salzburg. Original plan had been to go into Salzburg for a coffee but traffic jam on motorway delayed us by a couple of hours so headed to campsite on a lake. Very beautiful but like all of Austria a little bit to perfect. Austria seems to fulfill all the stereotypes we have of Germany which was not apparent in Germany.
Getting hotter so needed beer
Yet more beer. Is this becoming the image of the expedition. Not in Iran we guess.
Beautiful view of mountains in Austria
Next day we went to Vienna and stayed two nights so we could walk this beautiful city. Vienna is stunningly beautiful in a pristine, manicured way and seems to live on its past with young ticket touts walking the city in historical costumes including wigs. Very unpleasant for them on a hot day like Sunday was. It was absolutely heaving with tourists of every nationality but in particular the ubiquitous Japanese. However we managed to get out of the bustle and find an old fashioned coffee house where we had to eat cake and drink coffee in peace and coolness. Very lovely. We were though shocked to see that the rule on smoking inside buildings seems to have missed Austria. With all their perfectness it was a shock to see the amount of smoking going on inside cafes and restaurants.
Some pictures of Vienna
