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Lesley and Ingel only have sporadic internet access and then, more often than not, they can't use their memory stick at internet cafes. I am posting this with their permission.10/06/07We were on the road at 9.20 and decided to use the toll roads to avoid Nice and Monaco. We were making such good time that we stayed on them all the way down to La Spezia (Italy) and the woman in the toll both asked a man what category we were because we were towing a trailer. He said class 3 so we really paid heaps for the tolls. First and last time in Italy! As we crossed the border into Italy we stopped at the booth and asked 2 policemen what speed we could travel at towing the trailer. They had no idea as trailers behind motorbikes are unheard of in Italy âMoto si, Caravane nonâ. One went and looked in his book from the back of his 4x4 while the other called into head office. We were there 10 minutes when they finally came back and said 150 and pointed to 125 on the dial. The toll roads are 130 so that is good. Sweet, no more travelling at 90k. They merrily waved us on our journey. For more than an hour when we first entered Italy we did not ride on a road per se. We were going through tunnels and then over bridges above the towns below us. Most interesting and amazing feats of engineering. We found the camp with no probs thanks to Emily and joined the queue at no. 8 of those waiting to get in. Everything closes from 1pm â 3pm, including camp site offices. We waited an hour and then were told to choose where we wanted to go. Again, not allowed to park next to the tent but this time not far away. This camp ground sits along a river with some very nice launches moored next to the bar and along the river. As elsewhere on this side of Italy, hills abound and surround us. We have electricity but had to buy a plug to use in camp grounds because our European plug will not do! However, the best news yet is that camping grounds in Europe will not allow men to swim in their pools wearing beach shorts. So Ingel is off to buy a pair of speedos and I canât wait â yeah right! And Ingel is really looking forward to it â yeah right! I reckon after seeing Ingel they might change the rules! 11/06/07We decided to get up early and head for the 9km/5hr walk around Cinque Terre before the sun became too fierce. We made it into La Spezia and found the train station and bought a ticket for all day on and off trains and buses and the UNESCO walk. This walk follows the path that links the five towns (hence the name Cinque) that were begun 1000yrs ago by peasant farmers levelling out terraces in the cliff and hillsides. Until last century, the path was their only connection. We decided to start at Riomaggiore and walk west so we could have a longer train ride back at the end of the day. We strolled along the 20 minute Walk of Lovers towards Manarola thinking what a doddle. Then we had 365 steps to climb up to Corniglia. From here the walk to the next town is 1 1/2hrs up the cliff and hill and down the other side. It is very steep in places and it was extremely hot and sunny. We were meeting many people who were only do parts of the walk and the rest by bus or train or on other days. We were determined to go all the way. We stopped at a tiny cafĂ© at the very top for Ingel to have a cold beer and me another bottle of water (my second so far since setting out). As we came down into Vernazza it looked magical with a fort and towers on the waterâs edge.
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We had lunch at a cafĂ© looking over the beach and were serenaded by an Italian quartet. After lunch we began the last 1 Âœ hr climb and drop to Monterosso. Whew, by far the hardest. At times the track cut into the cliff face is only one person wide and meeting others coming the other can be tricky. The very rocky terrain played havoc with feet just months after surgery and Ingelâs knees hurt from the extremely steep steps going down. It really would have helped to have had mountain goat in the genes somewhere. We eventually made it just an extra 30mins than the recommended time.%20(Small).jpg)
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Both of us were straight into the sea to cool off and ease the tense muscles. Well worth it, but I think there are two trips here â one to do the walk and one to spend some time exploring each little village. The scenery from the paths is just stunning, with the Ligurian Sea a beautiful blue and very clear. Well worth the effort. Certainly not to be done in the height of summer though, we were doing it in 30 degrees plus and that was too hot.So far our interaction with Italians has not been as pleasant as with the French. We have yet to be spoken to politely or with a smile. My Italian is limited to âOne chocolate ice-cream pleaseâ, âGood morningâ, âVery beautiful legsâ âNon-Capiscoâ, âPregoâ, âuna momento per favoreâ and ââScusaâ, phrases taught to me by my father after his time spent here during WWII, (and some of those wonât be very helpful to me). However, we always start a conversation with âexcuse meâ and try our best with sign language. Hopefully, our language will improve and so will their attitude towards us.  The houses are all made of concrete, stone or brick, the same as in France (we saw only 2 wooden houses riding through France) and most have untidy paint work and some have crumbling concrete and stone. This all gives the impression of things being very old. There are different colours on the houses here which is a change from the orange/pale apricot we saw in France.Riding along the roads round here and in our campsite jasmine abounds giving off a most beautiful perfume. The bike riders in Italy so far seem to be more sports bike oriented but they still ride as crazily as in France. Most car drivers in France were very courteous but not so here in Italy. In France we were only overtaken once on a main road but here they tend to do it anywhere. The scooter riders are crazy in both countriesâŠâŠfast, weaving in and out and very little clothing. We certainly get looked at in all our gear. However, we have joined them a bit and discarded our gloves as it is too hot.We blew a fuse and so called in to a scooter shop. He hummed and haaed, said ânonâ and sent us 2km down to the roundabout, turn left, go along to the trattoria before the bridgeâŠâŠâŠ..all in Italian and sign language! We understood duo km, roundabout, left, trattoria and so set off and there right by the trattoria was an auto electrician. Nice. He rummaged around and managed to find what we wanted. We paid him more than he asked because we were so grateful to have it sorted. He gave us a big friendly smile and wave goodbye. %20(Small).jpg)
22/06/07
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We left Roma about 7.15 to ride most of the way before the heat crept too high. We were headed to the east coast. From the vineyards of the west coast, olive groves became the prominent crop. Kilometres and kilometres of olive groves then kilometres shared with wheat fields and these then gave way to bush covered hills and mountains. At times, apart from the different vegetation we could have been riding through the Karangahake Gorge. In many places, buildings stand shoulder to shoulder for physical and moral support as they cling precariously to the mountainsides. Once through the mountains, we saw field after field of newly cut or baled hay. I am curious to know - are the animals inside being sheltered from the heat? Are they underground? Are they on vacation? Are there any? Is the hay used for another purpose? If anyone can enlighten me, I would be grateful.We booked in to a lovely (facilities and price wise) campsite packed with people, mainly families with small children. However, it is a bit like a resort or Hi-De-Hi camp. Again we are the only native English speakers in the whole camp. The numerous numbers of Dutch in France and Northern Italy have given way to numerous Italians all in campervans. We have caused quite a stir at this camp with our bike and trailer. The camp has its own beach on the Adriatic Sea with rows and rows of umbrellas and deck chairs for our use. The sea however, is very dirty with lots of rubbish floating in it. The pool is a much better bet. Bars, restaurants, entertainment and a very good shop. All this at the cheapest price we have paid yet. However, a bit like a Butlins with organised entertainment like aerobics in the sea and on the stage, talent quests and a shoe tossing (?) competition by the pool. The pool opens at 9.00am every day so Sunday Ingel and I sauntered down about 9.30am confident of getting some chairs in the shade only to find it closed until 10.30. This, because in the stage area next to the pool the local priest was holding his church service for about 100 people. He had his alter set up with chalices, wine, wafers, candles etc. Religion continues even on holiday. The bike is going much better with the new tyre and Ingel says it does not sound like a tractor now.Every major tourist town we have been to has had very dark skinned (I assume African) men selling their wares on the streets, beaches and even into the restaurants (until they are moved on). In Pisa we were offered Rolex watches by the hundreds.Speaking with couples from Germany, France and Australia we found they have all had the same experiences as us with people in the tourist industry in the cities. We have found them rude, impatient, sour and most unhelpful. Locals in the shops and those at the camps have been much more pleasant. Someone needs to tell those in the tourist industry that their job is to deal with tourists and their questions because it gives a poor impression when they donât and those are the memories we all go away with.One of the guards at this camp has excellent English with a very extensive vocab. He loved the fact that we were from New Zealand but did not know much about it. E.g. what money did we have? Was it Americaâs dollars? Australiaâs? But he did know we had more sheeps (sic) than people. âHow many people in NZ?â We replied 4 million and he said âAnd 20 million sheepsâ. No, we told him more like 60 million sheeps and he laughed uproariously.Coming to Venice from Guilianova was a mission. We took the coast road all the way to Rimini then inland to San Marino. It is beautiful. It is the oldest surviving republic in the world having been set up in 300AD and only covers 61 sq km. It is set on top of a rocky outcrop with amazing views of the surrounding mountains and all the way to the coast. Quite incredible. The bike and trailer caused quite a stir there as well.On leaving San Marino we decided we needed to make up time so took the toll roads. Just out of Bologna we hit a 15km traffic jam. It took us 50 minutes to get through it in 46 degree heat! It was really most uncomfortable and we had to stop on the emergency shoulder to get cold water out to drink and pour down inside our jackets to cool down. I can definitely hear a BMW summer jacket calling! We passed through that jam and were heading to BMW Venice in Mestre (on the mainland next to Venice) to book the bike in for its 20 000km service when we hit another traffic jam. This one was caused by a truck losing its load of washing machines and driers onto the autostrade 12 metres below! It had come round a bend in the on ramp high above the autostrade and the whole front truck load of the truck and trailer went through the retaining wall crashing to the road below. It is a miracle no car was passing there at that particular time. We managed to find BMW (just as they were closing) and book in at 8.30am the next day to make an appointment for the service. So we have an appointment to make an appointment! Coming back from there we again were caught up in the traffic from the bridge incident and Emily took us on a detour. Unfortunately, every other Venetian was on the same detour. Again nearly an hour had passed when Ingel thought he could see on the GPS a road that may have cut out some of the traffic. Down it we went and nodded friendly like to a very nice Honda Goldwing parked on the side of this small road chatting with other bikes. Round the corner and sitting in traffic, yet again, when the Goldwing pulled up alongside and asked us where we were from and where we were going. Told him the name of the campsite and he said âfollow meâ. So we did and we were here within 15 minutes. He shook hands with Ingel and rode off into the sunset. So we booked into the camp ground at 8.20pm â 12 hours after setting off in the morning! We have chosen a site here that our lounge window looks out across the water to Venice where we can see the spire of St Markâs and all the lights of the city and the cars going over the causeway to Venice. Very beautiful. 26/06/07The camp is also just along from the port and we have MASSIVE container ships being tugged in and out just 20m from our tent. We have enjoyed some really great sights of some wonderful ships.  Ingel was away early to get to his pre-appointment appointment on time. He was told they were booked up until August! Then the head mechanic asked if we were going to the rally in Garmisch. On hearing we were he said they would squash the service in between jobs that day!!!! He said he could understand how difficult it must be trying to get work done in a country when you donât have the language. He was also taken with Ingelâs BMW shirt with our bike on the back from our BMW club in Auckland and asked if we would be selling them at the rally. Hmmmm, a thought for next year maybe. Ingel bussed and taxied back to BMW at 3.30 in the afternoon and rode back a happy chappy as the service was all done and nothing wrong.The next day we woke to tremendous winds and I wasnât looking forward to the boat trip across to Venice but it was no problem and the day turned out to be very hot and sunny. We wandered around all the little back streets and I really enjoyed it. Venice has always been my favourite Italian city and it still is. The outside of St Marks basilica is stunning with its painted frescoes.
We had a lovely day just wandering in and out of the alleys and streets and over the bridges and canals. 
We found the Danieli hotel where Dad had 10 days leave during the war. We went inside and took some photos of the magnificent dĂ©cor. We also took an hourâs boat ride round the Grand Canal and back to our station for the boat back to camp. As the afternoon wore on the sky became progressively darker and on the way back to camp on the boat, the heavens opened in the most spectacular lightning and thunder storm. The lightning display lasted for about 20 minutes and we were absolutely drenched by the time we reached our tent. The wind had also blown the awning poles down and we had small puddles of water in the front sunroom and between the tent floor and the tarp underneath. Mopped up the puddles inside and went to bed for a very comfortable nightâs sleep. We also came home to see our neighbours (Australians) from Florence had parked their campervan next to us again. They had been driving round the camp looking for a site and spied the bike so pulled in next to us. Yay, friends. We spent the next couple of nights drinking and chatting with them and sharing travel stories. We also met an older Kiwi couple from Tauranga who have done this most years since 1999. They were great to talk to and pick their brains. Good ideas for work in the UK as well. The weather was so lovely and the camp in such a great spot that we stayed on another 2 days.01/07/07Innsbruk and extremely hot still. Nice.We noticed the Italians do not seem to be sun-smart as many of them were VERY burned at the camps and still out in the sun. No children in cover-up rash shirts and no-one wearing hats. There must have been some very sore bodies those nights.As we left Venezia and travelled west towards Verona the landscape changed yet again to mainly orchards with some vineyards amongst them. We pulled in to a service area beside the toll road and it was bedlam. Queues for the car parks, queues for the gas, queues for the loos and queues for the food. People were elbowing others out of the way and yelling out what they wanted. It looked like the beginning of a massive store sale. Crazy. We saw two more services just like this. We were in 5 traffic jams caused by who-knows-what before we hit Trento. After that the Italians disappeared and the roads became more driver-friendly. 100km on the Italian side of the border the houses took on the look of Austrian houses with balconies and flowers out the front â typical chalet type, and the sides of the alps were covered in pine trees.Going through the Brenner Pass was a breeze and did not feel at all that we were climbing, although the temperature did drop to 20 degrees â cold for us! There was even some snow on some of the mountain tops.The lady at the toll gate was very pleasant and the one at the end of the Brenner Pass toll smiled and was very nice. Wow, way different from those who obviously do not enjoy their jobs in Italy.Our campsite in Innsbruk is at the foot of (and in fact part way up) the Alps.
It took a while to find a campsite that had only a slight slope to it. Staying in bed at night is interesting as we tend to slide towards the foot of the bed! Wow the scenery is just amazing. I love the mountains. As soon as we arrived and had not even taken our jackets off, we were pounced upon by an English couple also on a BMW. They told us all about their 2 week trip, where they had been, where they were going and she even rushed back to their tent to get the camera out to show us photos of their trip! We were hot, tired and wanting to get the tent up and get to a supermarket for food. Ingel excused himself and left on the bike for the supermarket and left me there to say perhaps it would be easier if we spoke with them again after dinner. While Ingel was gone I thought I would try and get the tent at least part way up. Have any of you put up a very large dome tent on your own? Great fun, because as soon as you get the expanding poles in one side and rush round to do the othe, the first side pops out. I was giggling away to myself thinking how silly I must look when a man from a neighbouring camper came and in very little English offered to help. He was great at holding all the right pieces and I had it almost pegged down by the time Ingel returned. The lovely man said to say I did it all by myself! We went in to Innsbruk and walked around the very beautiful city. It is very small (only about 130 000 pop.) and easy to get around. Lots of souvenir shops but not tacky. We saw the triumphal arch built by the Tyrolians after they thwarted the take over from Bavaria. We then rode out to Wattens to go through the Swarovski crystal exhibition halls.
It is truly amazing. I have never seen anything quite like it. Thirteen rooms all showing different crystal art works. Some of the art has been done by Dali, Picasso and Warhol. It is all dark and you wander from room to room each with a different theme to it. We saw a crystal of 300 000 carats and one in its raw state of 5 500 000 carats.
It was really worth the visit and we both enjoyed it immensely. Something quite different. This has been a highlight for Ingel.  The road into Garmisch-Partenkirchen from Austria wound through an alpine valley next to a milky green river. Several bikes were in front of us and we were the 50th bike to arrive so were able to park near all amenities as opposed to down in the fields. We arrived Thursday afternoon as they were still constructing the site. A purpose-built X track was being constructed with diggers, trees, hills, log ramps and stone banked bends. The party tent was the size of a football field with stage lighting, an 8m sq screen, projectors, bars, snacks, cold food and hot food counters. The toilet block consisted of 8 containers of showers and toilets, 4 sitting atop 4. They were spotlessly clean with cleaners working throughout the day every day to keep them that way. The ladiesâ had roses in vases and womenâs personal products supplied. There were fast food trucks, a cinema showing bike travel films, BMW gear for riders and bikes of every type, a service centre, a tyre centre, a barber, after-market accessory tents and showrooms for Touring, Enduro, Urban and Sports bikes. There were even some caravans and campers for sale that were made especially to take bikes inside them. The whole weekend ran like a well-oiled machine, as all BMWs do. As far as we are aware we were the only New Zealanders there. I apologise to any other Kiwis who were at Garmisch. We wish we had seen you so we could have flown our flag together. There were Austrians, Australians, Chileans, Czechs, Dutch, English, Finns, French, Irish, Italians, Malaysian, Norwegians, Russians, Scots, Slovakians, Spanish, Swiss, Swedes, Turks, and of course thousands of Germans and us. English and âBMW languageâ were the lingua franca with everyone looking at and talking about otherâs bikes. Most were astounded to know we had come from New Zealand. There were no official numbers but the locals were expecting 40 000 people.The first morning everyone was presented with a programme for the weekend and each morning delivered to our tents was a coloured newspaper with interesting articles as well as happenings from the day before. Full and half day tours were provided each day around the region, any new bike could be trialled for 90 minutes on guided runs, those who wanted to try could ride GSs around the x-track and there was also an enduro track for first timers to try, fashion shows daily of all the latest BMW gear, kids demonstrations of those in training for x-tracks, the German x-track champs put on 2 shows daily and Chris Pfeiffer put on a freestyle show 3 times a day for all 3 days. There was also a childrenâs playground with trained staff to look after the children while mum and dad did their thing. At night there was any number of food styles to choose from and after an hour of welcome the first night, and raffle drawing the second night, the party tent hosted a live band until 2am, the US Lodge provided a salsa band and there was a German/American outside around the campfire with his guitar and amp until 11 -12 midnight for slower and more romantic songs. So several tastes were catered for. On Saturday afternoon more than 1000 bikes left the town centre for the motorrad korso (parade) of a 110km ride through the area and into Austria. Police from both countries escorted the parade and stopped traffic where necessary. It took 50 minutes for all the bikes to leave the camp area and make their way down to the town. On the Sunday there was a parade of vintage bikes (of which there were several) through Garmisch-Partenkirchen. There was also the opportunity to do as you wished in terms of riding in the area and going up the mountain on the cable car to the ski slopes and bier gartens at the top. Despite the rain most days, only Saturday was very sunny and really hot, and the thunder and lightning storms it was a great weekend and a grand experience. Last year 28 000 litres of beer were consumed and judging by the performance of some of the folk we saw there, this year would not have been less. There were wonderful people to talk to and great sights to see. Definitely a must for BMW bike fans.
04/07/07The night before we left Innsbruck it started to rain and continued all night. At 9am it stopped so we decided to pack up before it started again. We left Innsbruck just after 10am and it rained the entire way to Kisslegg, a town in Germany of about 7000 people. Just before Arlberg we hit a traffic jam where there had been an accident a few tunnels about 8 kms in front of us and the traffic was at a dead halt. Fortunately for us we joined the queue in a tunnel so at least we were not in the rain but it was cold â about 11 degrees. We stayed in the queue for about 15 minutes but noticed cars going off to the exit to the right. I hopped off the bike and walked to the end of the tunnel to reconnoitre. We decided to follow the cars because we figured they were all going in the same direction. Hmmmmm, a good idea to get passed the traffic jam, but we climbed and climbed into the Alps on the small secondary road. As we climbed higher, the temperature fell lower â down to 5 degrees and still raining and we were dressed for summer! We went through St Cristorph passed the Austrian Ski teamâs headquarters and on to Arlberg. Should have had our skis strapped to the trailer because we were above the clouds and in snow! Summer? Donât think so. We arrived at Werner and Gundelâs home in Kisslegg at about 4pm to the most wonderful welcome ever. What delightful people. We were shown our room and made to feel at home as if we were part of the family. Ahhhhh, a bed to sleep in and no wind blowing our room about. The next day they drove us in sunshine to Lindau Island where we saw Germanyâs foremost and first beauty clinic. It looks out on the Bodensee with a beautiful vista to aid recovery. We climbed the lighthouse and walked through the town.
We then drove on to Wangen (in rain) and back home. I helped Gundel make KĂ€sspĂ€tsle (well, just a little bit) and learned how to do it so when we are back in New Zealand expect that on a dinner menu, delicious. The following day we met more of this wonderful family and in the afternoon were taken to a car museum which was most interesting to see one manâs collection of all sorts. BMW cars and bikes, fiats, porsches, NSU, jaguars. It was very well done and Ingel was in his element. We left Werner and Gundel to head towards the BMW rally in Garmisch. It was quite sad for us to go because they are truly two of the kindest people we have met. Thank you Alex and Gerda for letting us borrow your parents for a few days. They are a fantastic couple. Gundel did a marvellous job cooking and translating, Werner did a marvellous job in trying English and using the dictionary, the men did a marvellous job drinking beer and wine at night, we loved the photo albums and Oh Alex, that moustache!! We had lots of laughs and this confirmed humour is similar all over the world. Thank you so much Werner and Gundel for opening your home to us and showing us such wonderful hospitality. You are a great couple and âThank Youâ is not enough to express our gratitude. We want to return the hospitality one day.We were the 50th bike to arrive at Garmisch-Partenkirchen after having ridden all day in the rain. The site was nowhere near finished but they let people in to set up tents anyway. We managed to get the tent set up in a break in the weather. People were already at the bar drinking in the afternoon as bikes were dribbling in. What a site! The facilities were outstanding. The toilets and showers were in 8 containers â 4 on the ground and 4 above them. The ladies had roses in vases and womenâs personal products supplied free. The water was hot and plentiful. There was everything there a biker could want and even some things maybe he didnât want. Every taste and style was catered for in terms of food, music, bikes, accessories, company, clothing â and yes, there was a summer jacket there with my name on it! Fancy that. For the first whole day we did not hear any 1st language English spoken but plenty of English spoken as Turks tried to converse with Italians, Czechs with Swedes and Finns with Chileans. The common denominator was BMWs and riding. People were able to test new bikes and test their own skills, or learn new ones on the x-track and the enduro course, all on provided bikes. At night the place just jumped with live bands until 2am, a salsa group until 11pm in another venue and live guitar music around a camp fire until 11 or 12. Our tow bar and trailer were a talking point and the Germans around our tent all stopped to talk about it in their limited English. We hope we translated correctly. Most were staggered that we had come from New Zealand. I had my shirt signed by Chris Pfeiffer, the world champ freestyle rider. It is incredible what he can do with a bike. Lots of LTs, most with racks on the top box. The Saturday was beautifully hot and sunny but the other days all presented us with rain and/or thunder and lightning storms. It is incredible watching the lightning in the Alps and hearing the thunder roll along the valley between the Tirols on each side. When it wasnât raining we could hear the cowbells jangling on the hillside as the cows wandered about their fields, lovely. Here again people mentioned how many sheeps we have in New Zealand. Ingel went on the korso â a 110km ride through the area and into Austria. The ride was led and supported by police from both countries, all riding beemers. On the Sunday morning he and I rode through to Oberammergau which was only 23km away. What a very pretty little town and one that I am sure is wonderful to visit during the time of the Passion Plays. We were one of the last 40 tents to leave on the Monday morning and we packed up a very wet tent and rode all the way to Luzern in cold and driving rain. Luzern was not our next intended stop but it is 25 minutes away from a company who makes back rests for riders. Ingel saw them at the rally so we made the detour â as you do! We rode the same road we took to Kisslegg last week. The one that we had to detour off because of a crash in a tunnel. This time, no crash, but what a tunnel! It cost us âŹ8.50 to drive through it and it is 14km long. Whew just amazing engineering. We put the tent up in pouring rain and survived another storm with thunder and torrential rain. This is supposed to be summer! Fortunately our tent keeps us very snug and dry. We have been told the weather will improve by the end of this week. Hope so because it does make sightseeing unpleasant. A lot of the countryside on our way here, Luzern, has fruit trees growing and houses on hillsides. Our camp site is again amongst the alps and beside a lake. The clouds hang very low over the mountains and at times look quite eerie. As I type this I am looking straight out our lounge (oh yes!) door at an alp with houses dotted very high up and I can almost see Heidi following Peter and his goats. The wood stacked beside houses and barns is at times a work of art. It is so neat and tidy and often forms lovely patterns. Today we saw cows being milked in their barns and I think snuggling down for the night. I have been told that in some areas the cows do not come outside all year round.
19/07/07Well our entry into and travel up through the Netherlands was not so pleasant, as the smog was at ground level. Neither of us has seen it like that before but it looked like the fog which hangs low over the Waikato River. It was sitting right on the ground. This was at 1pm and it stayed like that all the way up to Ede where we were staying with friends. The motorways were also lined by trees so it was quite boring with nothing to look at. Nothing for it but to sleep, so I did. The next 2 days there was no evidence of the smog though as it was bright and sunny. Eric tells us it is often like that and comes in from England. I guess it is nice to be able to pass your smog onto your neighbours. A bit like burning rubbish or having a bar b q and having the smoke go on to their washing and not yours. It was great to see Eric again and to meet Anne. Thank you both so much for your hospitality and for giving up your bed for us. We will be back.Ingel said the bike needed a new front tyre so Eric called a BMW bike shop about 30 minutes away and checked they had a Metzler for the K1200LT and said we would be there in an hour. Sure enough right on an hour later we pulled into the service area of the BMW shop as they were all sitting outside having lunch. No-one moved to speak to us and we wandered around the shop looking at the bikes and gear for sale for 5 minutes before we were approached. âOh yes, you are the ones who called. They will get to your bike when they have had their sandwich.â We waited another 20 minutes before they rolled the bike into the service area and then we wandered down the road to have something to eat. When we returned an hour later we were greeted with âOh, we have a problem. The tyre I thought we had in stock is not the right size for your bike so would a Michelin do?â After some questions about a Michelin working with a Metzler, Ingel said yes it would be fine. So then they started working on the bike. The next thing we knew they were stopping for afternoon tea. No-one mentioned our bike until I spied it out the front presumably completed and Ingel went over to the counter. The man we had been dealing with, with perfect English, then began to discuss how good the Michelin was etc. After a good few minutes he walked to the computer and told us how much and we paid and left, 2 Âœ hours after arriving! Obviously business is done in a casual round about way there. So our planned trip across to Den Haag and Mudurodam had to be aborted for that day. Hmmpf. The visits to Ingelâs cousins and Oma amd Opaâs friends went very well. All were very surprised and delighted to see us. We had lots of laughs with the cousins and lots of interesting stories from the friends. The cousins cried when we left and we promised to return and look forward to doing so once we are back in England.The campground we are staying in just south of Reuver (where Ingelâs dad was born) is on a farm and has 7 baby bambis still feeding from their mums and the field next to our tent is full of Shetland ponies. The deer make a noise rather like the bark of a dog with a very bad cough, something I didnât know. It was well set out with huge sites and all hedged off from their neighbour. Very quiet - nice.As we left the Netherlands and travelled further into Germany the smog lessened and the day brightened considerably. We love the autobahns in Germany because we can travel at good speeds, see things and not pay any money, although apparently they are trying to bring toll roads in to Germany. Leave well enough alone, I say. Travelling towards Hannover we passed many industrial towns with smoke billowing into the sky. Hmmmm. We are constantly amazed at the sheer volume of trucks on these autobahns â convoys of thousands of them. I wonder at the numbers and the amount of fuel emissions they are putting into the air. I also hope the rail transport is being fully utilised otherwise some of these trucks are polluting for no reason. The motorway systems throughout Europe are incredible. Many have 2 or 4 360 degree off and on ramps at their intersections. From the air it must look like giant snails have slimed their way over the countryside in indiscriminate patterns and stopped every now and then for a ritual, circular dance. Oh dear, the last 6 days have spoiled us as just as we finished erecting the tent and unloading the trailer the thunder came rolling over the hills, the lightning followed and we had an hour of thunderstorms. What a terrible summer Europe is having and they are expecting more rain. We are heading towards Berlin then Czech Republic and then south so hopefully we will be heading towards better weather. Ren tells us daily that London is having awful weather. This camp ground in Vlotho is very big but very nicely set out. We are overlooking a small man-made lake and can sit and watch the young people swimming in it. Strangely, at 4pm today the lake emptied of people â just before the thunderstorm. The facilities block is well set out with cooking elements and a small dishwasher. This is the first camp ground we have been in so far that has provided cooking facilities. This one also provides a dog washing area! Every camp ground we have been in has had many dogs with their owners. This one even provides drinking bowls at the reception area for newly arrived dogs. We have also seen drinking bowls and food at service stations for travelling pets. A nice touch.
27/07/07We left Germany under beautiful clear blue skies and temps getting up to 31 degrees. Emily had us turn right at Dresden and from there until about 90kms on we were travelling on a single lane road (both directions) into the Czech Republic before we hit another motorway! A really backward road but the only one in from here. Bikes do not have to pay to use the motorway system although cars do. We were stopped at the border and had our passports stamped â out of Germany and into Czech Republic. I always feel worried and guilty at borders or customs control because the officers are so serious and stern. Ingel said, in response to his question, that we were NZers so I handed over both NZ passports and they really searched his to find his Dover stamp. I had one in my passport but not Ingel. We then clicked and gave them his Dutch passport with the Dover stamp in it. Not sure they were too impressed. Just over the border we changed money from ⏠to Koruna - âŹ270 gave us 7100K!The countryside was very dry with pale insipid grass after Germanyâs lush green. Lots of maize and wheat growing and very old and dilapidated, empty buildings. There were also many kind ladies on the sides of the roads waiting to give men a helping hand (?). A couple waved out to Ingel but he kept on riding. We had fun (?) finding the camp as two were not where their coordinates said they were to be. In the end after almost an hour we just followed some signs on the roadside and ended up at Camp Sunny. Very clean, quiet and quite small but in the middle of tall apartment buildings! A strange place for a campsite. There is lots of new development in the area with new supermarkets, subway nearby and industrial sites. Everything here is sooooooo cheap. The roads in the entire centre of the city and part way beyond are all paved with cobblestones which played havoc with the bike and trailer as we bumped over them.We tubed into the centre of Praha this morning. What a beautiful city. It is stunning. Very old and beautifully maintained. It survived both world wars basically untouched. There is a mixture of Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque style buildings and it feels as if time has stood still and you are back in the 17/18th century. The Old Town Hall is in the old town square but the New Town Hall is in a different square. One is the Old because it was built in 14th century and the ânewâ one was built in 17th century. The Karlủv most (Charles Bridge) is adorned with 30 statues dating from the 18th century. Under the clock tower of the Old Town Hall is an astronomical clock built in 1410. We joined the crowds and waited until the top of the hour when a skeleton rang the bell and two windows opened and ceramic (?) apostles paraded by. Quite fascinating and a great piece of engineering. The statue of St Wenceslas looks down VĂĄclavskĂ©, a very wide avenue about 1 1/2kms long. I, of course had to sing the song. We also had to go to a place mentioned in the Lonely Planet book. It is a travel company organising tours to various parts of the world and selling maps and is called Kiwi Adventura! We had a 20 minute tour around the town in a 1923 Skoda convertible. It was fun and the driver was a real character. Our driver told us the city is very expensive for rents so on one street there are only 2 businesses owned by CzechsâŠâŠ the rest are all foreigners. In fact down the VĂĄclavskĂ© (the long main street down from Wenceslasâ statue) we saw Marks & Spencer, C&A, Debenhams, H&M â all British stores. We climbed the 340 steps up to the castle on the hill where the President still has his official residence. Tourists abound and souvenir shops are everywhere but they are not gaudy stalls jutting out on the streets, they are in proper shops and sell arts and crafts of the country rather than tacky unrelated things. There are many art galleries and exhibition shops to purchase from, displaying art works from local people and also Bohemian crystal shops by the dozen. Oh, if only we had the space in our trailer. We both thought Praha was beautiful as everyone we have met has said so. Nikalas loved it as well and now we can see why. 28/07/07Well, I have had motor bike racer husband, hero husband and today - criminal husband! We set off today to ride through the countryside to see KarlĆĄtejn Castle. The sign pointed straight ahead to the village and the castle but Emily told us to turn right which, obedient to her wishes that he is, Ingel obeyed. We travelled along little tree lined lanes which were very pretty and eventually came into the castle area. We could not find a carpark so Ingel told me to wait while he went down the road a wee way. I sat and watched people walking up to the castle and heard the bike go back the way we had come. Ahah, thought I, he is going back to the signpost. Forty-five minutes later he climbed up the hill to where I was sitting. I was laughing thinking he had had a long walk when he asked had I seen what had happened. His story is as follows:Going down the lane, he was stopped by a policeman in a carânflk;kjsesgfne,mââSorry, I only speak English.ââWhatâs this?ââIâm looking for a car park.ââYes, but what is this?â Indicating Ingel and the bike.Ingel, getting a little cross because he had ascertained the man spoke English very well, replied âA motorbike!ââOh, oh.ââNow can you help me and tell me where the carpark is?ââIt is down in the village.ââCan I go this way?â (straight ahead)âNo, you must turn around and go back.ââWell can I collect my wife?ââNo, just GO!â and with that he escorted my law-breaking husband up passed the castle and back to the main road.After Ingel had recovered from walking the climb for 2.5kms we continued on to look at the castle. It is high on a ridge and built in the 14th century. When we had finished we walked back down to the village and passed little souvenir shops all along the way. Some selling rubbishy junk and others selling Bohemian crystal.Sunday dawned very grey looking but we took a ride to KutnĂĄ Hora, a city east of Praha. Nearby, Sedlec began as a Cistercian monastery in about the 11 century then large silver deposits were found under it and it developed into Bohemiaâs 2nd most important city. In the plague of 1318, 30 000 people lost their lives and were buried in the monastery cemetery. Bones were piled up around the chapel and in 1511 a half-blind monk began piling them into pyramids. In the 18th century the chapel was redesigned and this included designs for decorations using the bones. In 1784 the ruler Josef II abolished the monastery and it was bought by a local family who had it rebuilt in its present form. A local wood carver began making the decorations that are seen today. Well what can I say about it? It is believed to house the bones of 40 000 people forming such works of art (?) as chalices, chandelier, candelabras, coat of arms and pyramids. In the pyramids the bones are all just placed on top of each other in their patterns without any binding at all. The chandelier is said to contain at least one of all 206 bones in the human body and the coat of arms of the owning family has the skull of a Turk someone in the family killed during a battle in 1598 when they ousted the Turks. The skull has a bird pecking at the eye socket and the bird is all human bone as well. The wing is the hand bones and the beak is a ball and socket joint bone. Look closely at the right hand side of the coat of arms to see the bird (if you want to). The pyramids are topped by wooden crowns and the whole thing is to remind people of the limits of human life and the fact of death and to respect life and be aware of their responsibility to God. The whole thing was quite macabre but a once in a lifetime visit. Whew!
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