http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/drbexl/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from drbexl en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:57:54 BST Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:57:54 BST MORE PHOTOS TO COMESaturday 5th JulyWoke up 7am to the sound of rain falling on the tents which rather spoils our plan of cleaning them out properly and ensuring that they are ready to be put into storage for another year Instead everyone gets up slowly whilst we form a new plan of action which is personal possessions and chairs onto the coach by 8am when we'll have breakfast then take ever http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Kent/Otford/blog-297126.html Thursday 3rd JulyThe earliest start we'd ever had and probably the longest journey best part of 700kms. Marzi carried out a quick photo shoot of the group minus Glenn of course before guiding us into town so that we could drop off David and Siew Ying before we headed onto the bulk of the trip. Stopped in Basel for a break where 10 minutes turned into 40 minutes this seemed a bit of a dis http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/France/-le-de-France/Paris/blog-297119.html Tuesday 1st JulyToday is a complete blur as the antibiotics kicked in. Thankfully a travel day so spent most of the day dozing on the back seat of the bus. The guests headed into Locarno for 2 hours said it was nice but not unmissable going up the Madonna del Stresa gave a nice view over the Lake Headed over the Gotthard Pass which the guests now said was THE absolute highlight of the trip http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Switzerland/North-West/Lucerne/blog-297113.html Sunday 29th JuneAn early start as we said goodbye to Glenn who was off to get his early train to the airport back to the UK. We were pretty much ready to go and had warned the campsite that we would be leaving at 8.30am BUT when we looked into the carpark it was rammed with cars and there was going to be no chance that we were going to get out. Freddie reckoned we needed at least 10 cars moved t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Lombardy/Lake-Maggiore/blog-297105.html Saturday 28th JuneMet 8.30am for breakfast before the heat of the day Many then headed down to the beach about 20 minutes walk before coming back for the 11.30 meetinglunch. Today was Freddie's testimony Belfast boy before we had prayers and praise topping it off with sitting around the books available from the bookshop for 15 minutes whilst people pointed out books that had been helpful t http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Lucca/blog-297101.html Friday 27th JuneFlorence otherwise known as Firenze is our excursion for today. It looks all set for another boiling hot day and another extortionate parking fee about 230 Euro for the day. Found the information centre and found our way to the 'fake David' and to the Cathedral before people split off into groups. Some went in the Cathedral quite plain inside until you look up into the dom http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Florence/blog-297097.html Thursday 26th JuneReally hot day about 38 degrees travelling all morning arrived Pisa around 2.30pm. Extortionate parking 60 Euros for a couple of hours and surrounded by hawkers the minute we leave the coach. Pisa was beautiful think everything's being cleaned... and as per usual more entries for a potential book many of us have discussed entitled famous monuments I have photographed http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Pisa/blog-297090.html Sunday 22nd JuneAverage temperature in Rome is supposed to be around 27 degrees at this time of year. The coach clock is registering 3637 degrees Everyonersquos wilting a bit but we keep reminding each other that it was only last week that we were all complaining that it was too cold We stop at a truckers stop which seems to fit in with Freddiersquos hours actually quite impressed some http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Rome/blog-291639.html Friday 20th JuneWe manage not to have TOO early a start today but wersquore still in Punta Sabbioni for 9.15am where it takes a while to find a good deal for the ferry over 4 Euro though. As wersquore taking 2 packed lunches today and are staying out to see Venice at night itrsquos too late to get a return deal wersquoll need to get the regular ferry back tonight. Send group with Pa http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Veneto/Venice/blog-291635.html Thursday 19th JuneAnother early start and an efficient packup and wersquore soon en route to the campsite in CarsquoVio. Verona is also not a possibility for a stop as itrsquos too far for Freddiersquos drivers hours but we take a chance on Trento for an hour which actually turns out to be the perfect size for this kind of stop and turns out to be the city of painted walls. Very nic http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Trentino-Alto-Adige/Trento/blog-291633.html Wednesday 18th JuneLate breakfast 9am clearly doesnrsquot look like a paragliding day but then a handful check it out and it is a possibility Several others of us head up the hill towards HerzJesu a chapel we can see from the valley. A steep climb and muddy and Irsquove forgotten my sticks againhellip takes a while but come out to several great panoramas of the valley. We sit for http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Salzburg-State/Zell-am-Zimmer/blog-291630.html Tuesday 17th JuneExcursion day to the Krimml Waterfalls Irsquom determined to get to the top this time I manage ithellip in 1 hour 10 minutes.. the superfit made it in about 50 minutes. Bought walking poles for this particular day but left them on the campsite doh 16 people made it to the top others chilled at the halfway restaurant or elsewhere. No time to see sidepaths or the base http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Salzburg-State/Krimmler-Wasserfalle/blog-291629.html Monday 16th JuneCatherinersquos 21st birthday today so we surprise her with a little cake before we head off didnrsquot want to wait til the evening. Find the coach drop in Salzburg after negotiating the oneway system a bit then Freddie and John drive off to the coach park and the rest of us head in across the river looking out for pretzels en route. Lose half the group at the first ATM http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Salzburg-State/Salzburg/blog-291628.html Campsite is Petronell CarnuntumSaturday 14th JuneAsked the campsite to explain the train ticketing into Vienna. Went to the station to buy the tickets still confusing but the best value for our needs we need a single into Schwartz then a 24 hour day pass then a single back from Schwartz. Buy the first 2 easily enough then think I have the third but as the last one drops out see it says lsq http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Vienna-State/Vienna/blog-291627.html Friday 13th JuneBack on the coach to find our way out of the Czech Republic. A long road and we donrsquot quite make it across the border before Freddiersquos drivers hours run out so we stop at a service station for 45 minutes. Next obstacle is getting a refund on the Czech Road Tax. The border ldquosends us to the Devilrdquo service station but their machine is not working so we http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Upper-Austria/Mauthausen/blog-291625.html Wednesday 11th JuneTents down quickly again and onto the bus for a bit of a drive into Prague. Soon drove back into drizzle again and the countryside outside noticeably changed to communist style buildings Were told to expect delays at the border but Czech Republic has now joined the EU so border controls are very relaxed road tax system a little confusing as he kept my 100 although hersqu http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Czech-Republic/North/Prague/blog-291622.html Monday 9th June A fair journey on the bus arrived Koblenz in a beautiful 3032 degrees which was much appreciated. Tents quickly up on a pitch with a beautiful view onto the river the castle and the famous statue. Realised hadnrsquot quite put the tents up right so a quick change of poles to the OUTSIDE of the tents Took some time to get hold of the lsquorulesrsquo for the site. Headed i http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Germany/Rhineland-Palatinate/Koblenz/blog-291619.html Saturday 7th JuneFinal packing and chat with Tim before meet the guests for breakfast and all head down to the coach. Interesting loading the coach not entirely sure where wersquore putting everything but it all has to fit on. The coach seats about 70 and therersquos only 23 of us now 28 of us later so itrsquos all got to fit on. Therersquos a lot of tinned food to fit in every corn http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Belgium/West-Flanders/Bruges/blog-291614.html For this summer I am working as a voluntary tour leader for Oak Hall a Christian holiday company based in Otford Kent. I went on their trips ski trips initially as a guest enjoyed them and came back often physically tired but spiritually refreshed and always with a number of new friends some of whom I've stayed in touch with some inevitably not Facebook always helps though...After disc http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/blog-273904.html Sunday 1stSuperearly train to Winchester but Mary gives me a lift shersquos an early bird anyway Something up with the trains so end up getting an earlier one and arrive in time to catch the last halfhour of church and sit next to Kate Jon thankfully shersquos still pregnant and not had the baby yet as otherwise might not have got a chance to see them. We head down to the Buttercro http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Hampshire/Winchester/blog-273889.html