Europe2011

A collection of 37 posts

Europe2011

Summary

Like idiots we forgot to check the mileage before leaving the UK but this **Google Map **suggests 1845 miles without any side trips. It's an underestimate anyway as we took non-motorway roads ifor most of France and all of Switzerland and although I've tried to replicate that the map isn't

Europe2011

Last day

Yesterday was hot but today the forecast is for 37°C. Good job we decided on air con in the van. It's 180 miles, forecast at 3½ hours from here to Calais and we have plenty of time. So firstly into Gulpen to pick up a card for Jens who's

Europe2011

The Dutch Mountains

The terracing can just be made out, perhaps. Gulpen, is in Limburg and the area known as the Dutch Mountains because of the slight hills that discriminate this area from the rest of this dead-flat country. The Osebos campsite is actually terraced to take the small slope into account. It's

Europe2011

Sometimes I wish we had a bog-standard VW van conversion

Two days of Friedrichshafen was wearying on the feet and we didn't think there were enough bargains in the flea market to stay and haggle closing down prices, so Sunday morning we set off for home. A ruler drawn between Friedrichshafen and Calais would suggest setting course for Luxembourg or

Europe2011

Campsite Photos

Space was a a premium, so some had to camp atop their car Or half over the pavement An interesting mag-loop That's quite some capacitor

Europe2011

Campsite craic

On of the highlights of the hamfest for us was staying on the campsite. It was as if a multinational band of gypsies had coalesced for a weekend. The Romahome was the object of interest to almost everyone. Everytime we looked out of the window someone was looking at it

Europe2011

Hamfest 2011 - organisation

Messe was busy but not overcrowded. The 3 halls did take a good, tiring day to get round and occasionally it was a squeeze to see things but nothing like the UK rallies. Everything was well spaced and easy to find. The main hall which housed the traders also housed

Europe2011

Hamfest 2011

The whole point of this trip was to visit Friedfrichshafen Hamfest, albeit via the circuitous route involving Switzerland. To non radio amateurs a hamfest is a combination of trade stands, electronics car boot sale and in the case of the larger ones, technical lectures. Of course, the problem with going

Europe2011

Zeppelins and Fronleichnam

I day say - close! An early wake up call - just what is that hellish loud drone outside the van so early in the morning? It's a Zeppelin! Having left our home in Eastleigh where the Spitfire was built and tested, we find ourselves in the home of the

Europe2011

Oh I do like to be beside the Bodensee-side

So we bid Switzerland a fond "au revior", "auf wiedersehen", "arrivederci", "a revair" just to make sure we include all of its languages and head off towards Germany. The plan is to follow the Bodensee's south coastline around, through Austria and up into Germany. Hmm - explaining that to Tomtom

Europe2011

As Neuhausen am Rheinfall falls, so falls Neuhausen am Rheinfall Falls

A bonus point for identifying the film that lends provides today's title (hint replace "Neuhausen am Rheinfall" with "Witchita") Impressive, but not on a Niagara scale The Rhine waterfall just outside Schaffhausen is the largest in Europe - at only 23m they are not particularly high but the width of

Europe2011

Here be dragons ...

Gargoyle-cum-guttering and cyclists, and schoolkids. We decideed to take a train down to Stein am Rhein, a beuatiful fresco painted medieval town at the point where the Rhine becomes Lake Constance (or vice versa). The train was easy enough with the ticket machine having an English option. Being Switzerland the

Europe2011

Romahome owners can't be shy ...

... 'cos everyone wants to see the cute little van. This site, particularly we have had stares from almost everyone that passes. This morning the English couple next to us knocked on the door to say "Goodbye" and were keen to see the interior. Suddenly we had a queue, two separate

Europe2011

Rococco Schaffhausen

The TCS campsite just outside Schaffhuasen seems to have everything going for it. It is literally on the banks of the Rhine (Liz went for a paddle), about 1/2 mile from a Co-op hypermarket and less than a mile into Schaffhausen itself. It's partly shady but does have some

Europe2011

Europe vs USA

Since before Thatcher the UK has had a special relationship with our American allies. Despite being described "as two nations divided by a common language"* Britain seems to have allied itself very strongly with the US, its ever increasing pace of life and its permanent homage to the great god,

Europe2011

Buochs in the wet

Well, a wet day had to happen sometime. It started raining heavily just after we arrived at Buochs campsite, just SE of Lucern and hasn't really stopped for the last 18 hours. Still, we've not had much rain, almost none in the daytimes and the forecast is good again after

Europe2011

It is, indeed, a fearful place.

The torrent, swollen by the melting snow, plunges into a tremendous abyss, from which the spray rolls up like the smoke from a burning house. The shaft into which the river hurls itself is an immense chasm, lined by glistening coal-black rock, and narrowing into a creaming, boiling pit of

Europe2011

Oh Nooo-ohdley-oohdley-oo!

From Bönigen campsite, across the Brienzer sea Plan is to head down to Bönigen, just a mile or so east of Interlaken for the weekend, but the TCS campsite that takes camping cheques is fully booked for Friday and Saturday nights. Given the apparent fullness of other sites we passed

Europe2011

Our Chalet

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) has 4 World Centres: Pax Lodge in central London, Our Cabaña near Mexico City, Sangam in Poona, India and Our Chalet nestling high in the alps above the resort town of Adelboden here in Switzerland. Liz has visited Pax Lodge

Europe2011

Sun Bern

Strewth, it's a scorcher. Probably 26 Celsius here in Bern today and full, baking sun in a clear sky makes it just that wrong side of pleasant heat. Took the bus from the campsite into central Bern - my German just about running to the "zwie zum bahnhoff, bitte" required

Europe2011

Dehydration

Hope the last couple of posts make sense - a long day's driving in full sun and high temperature means both of us are very dehydrated this evening. However it appears all of the liquid in the van has been contaminated with ethyl alcohol ...

Europe2011

In praise of Camping Cheques

Just beofre we left the UK we stumbled across Camping Cheques (www.champingcheque.co.uk) - cautious of a good deal we bought a few as a trial. Looks like here in Switzerland they are brilliant, the Morges and Bern sites should be just over £30 per night at this

Europe2011

Busy doing lots of things

Left Morges today to go to Bern. But, of course, a circumnavigation of Lake Geneva just has to be done. The north shore down to Geneva was pleasant, but Geneva - wow! As you come in from the north shore you see the large water fountains and the town centre

Europe2011

Busy doing nothing

Mostly holidays are great rushes of things, "quick we must get to town before the museum closes", "we need to press on to make the campsite by dusk" etc. Today was the opposite. When we eventually got up we took a leisurely stroll round the campsite to photograph some of

Europe2011

My Fair Lady

In a tiny cemetry at Tolochenaz, just a mile or so above the campsite here in Morges, lies the grave of Audrey Hepburn. We strolled over after tea tonight and in the deserted cemetery laid a single wild flower on her grave. An icon to so many, including our own