Got up had the complimentary breakfast which was really good! Then walked down to Battery park along the river via the Clinton Castle (not that Clinton). Hot Hot Hot - no hotter! Then onto the Staten Island Ferry and back again... very good great pictures of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. After the Statue of Liberty we went up town to Rockerfeller Plaza and Saks on 5th avenue and then a lovely little Deli called Toasties. As it ws so hot we went to a bookshop called "The Strand" - 18 miles of books.. still hot even with the air conditioning on. We then went back to the hotel and the Managers reception - which afte the heat was very welcoming. 3 or 4 Amber bocks later we decided rather than doing the ... read more

Oh yes - not long to go now. We leave a week on Friday for New York, staying there for a few days then heading of to Denver and driving into Wyoming/Montana. Then back to New York. Hopefully we'll be updating the blog as we go along! With links to pictures either here or on Google. You'll be hearing from us soon!... read more

Up up and over today - went through 2 passes - one at 7400 ft and the St. Gothard at about 7000 before we arrived in Lugano. Loads of great pictures - the kids playing in the snow, mountain ranges higher than Pilatus which we went up yesterday. The Range Rover absolutely purred up and down the mountains - it was like it was a place it wanted to be! Seeing as we drove it up and dwon 2 passes both higher than Mt. Pilatus it did really well. Stayed in Lugano overnight - briefly crossed into Italy and then back into Switzerland - Eleanor and Matthew went swimming in the lake - Eleanor after falling in after paddling... Lugano very nice - but strange Swiss/Italian cross so I'm not sure it nows what it wants ... read more

Saturday 25th July Now that was a good sleep! Went to sleep reasonably early particularly for me! Slept right through apart from when Catherine had shut the window and I woke up feeling like I'd been boiled in a bag! Eventually woke the kids up and went down for breakfast which was very good, breads, jams, cold meats, cereals, yogurts, fruit and proper coffee. Our outing today is going to be into Luzern and we have to decide whether to take the boat in and train back or the boat both ways- excellent thats the highligh of my decisions for the day! As the weather was quite good we decided to take the boat both ways.and boarded about 10:15 - this boat stopped at numerous places on Lake Luzern and arrived in Luzern itself around 12:00. ... read more

Nearly time for the 2009 expedition - after last year in Cornwall with the rather varied weather and dislocated shoulder! we have decided to head into Europe - the tank (Range Rover is ready) and we have booked the ferry but that's about it! We cross on the 24th of July - then 3 weeks away. Intend on being in Switzerland by the end of the first day. Nothing booked yet apart from the ferry - should be a real adventure.... read more