European Tour

Ok - I'm back ! For those of you who didn't know, Ralph the MG Roadster and I set off on Thursday 24th May, bound for The Italian Lakes and 2092 miles later, we're home again!!!!

We set off for Ashford and got the train to Calais then headed for Vittel, France (1 night), Grindenwald, Switzaland (2 nights), Lake Como, Italy (3 nights), Lake Garda, Italy (3 nights), Bregenz, Austria (1 night), via Germany to Vittel, France (1 night). Phew!

Things I learnt on this holiday, in no particular order ....

1). 6 people, 3 different maps, 3 sat navs, 3 walkie talkies and a route books does not make for a harmonious experience when trying to decide whether to go left, right or straight on.

2). When the tour rep has dinner with you in the evening in a beautifully green alpine ski resort restaurant(Grindenwald) when you are all out in short sleeved tops and open toed shoes and says "Isn't this place beautiful, I just can't picture what it would look like covered in snow" - DO NOT AGREE WITH HIM. When we woke up the next morning 19cm of snow had fallen.

3). When snow falls on Swiss mountain roads out of season - so do trees. Lots of them.

4). When snow falls out of season on a Swiss Bank Holiday - roads and trees don't get cleared.

5). Lake Como is nice and Lake Garda is nicer but photo's of Lake Como in the sun look better than Lake Garda in the rain.

6). Old people like lots of coffee stops. And then Petite Pois stops. Then more coffee stops.....

7). There are a lot of Alps in Europe. French, Swiss, Italian, Austrian and German. The they F'ing cold at the top on the passes and either wet or warm at the bottom. They ALL had snow on them. IN JUNE.

8). Buying a very large umbrella as a holiday souvenir to use is very, very sad.

9). Pine trees in pine forests smell fabulous. Pine scented candles always smell awful. Why ???

10a). Windburn from having the soft top down on the car hurts.
10b). Spraying factor 30 sunblock onto burnt skin brings tears to the eyes.
10c). Human beings have lots of layers of skin.