Monday Sept 7 London Another lovely omelet and fresh fruit bkfst at leisure this morning - slept in til 7:30 ish (it's nice having the bkfst included, otherwise my frugal bones would probably send me to the grocery store for some pastry - not that there's anything remotely frugal about this trip). Since I had an hour until it was time to buy a Day Offpeak Travelcard, I went to the Internet “Cafe” (not really a cafe, it's in a Food Store) and bought an hour for L1,30. They didn't have wireless as it turned out, but he helped me get [View Full Entry]

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England, Chartwell and Hever Castle, Sept. 11, 2008 Loaded up again and onto another bus; finally have our Tour Director on “Day 4” of this tour (first two days were travel days for most tourites). Seems like a larger group, but maybe it's a smaller bus, or something. Many women traveling singly, and couple of sisters/friends, and a few couples. Average age probably higher, only one rather younger person. We took a circuitous route of London, scheduled take-off was 8:15, but the first place we were going to wasn't open yet really when we got there. It was Chartwell, Churc [View Full Entry]

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Day 15, Sunday, Sept 7, London, England So, I'm halfway thru this trip and feel like I'm starting to get the hang of this - but that's likely because I'm in an English-speaking country now and settled into one hotel for four nights - what a luxury. Trying to get caught up on my laundry for a clean start for the next tour - it's helps that there's actually an iron in this room (none on the continent) since clothes don't dry here very well on their own. Saw a laundromat today but it's a couple of miles away (not sure [View Full Entry]

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Day 11 and 12 - On to Paris, Sept. 3, 4 Left Montreux (very pretty town) for short bus ride to Lausanne to catch the train to Paris - first class cabin, comfy seats with table. Very smooth 4-hour trip through the French countryside, while our bags went on to Paris on the bus. Lots of cows, many small towns, rolling hills and pastures. Snacks, drinks and sandwiches available on the train, and a WC. I bought a chocolate milk and a beer at the train station before boarding, to use up some Swiss francs, and consumed them on the train, [View Full Entry]

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Day 13, 9/05 - train from Paris to London Not much to report today. And I have time to write! Lost an hour, so it feels like 9:30, when here it's 8;30, and have already had dinner and done my laundry. This is the shifting day, and the going home day or on to other things for everyone. It's been a fun group of people - lots of good humor, and a really good tour guide. Wake up at 7:45 a.m., but I was already up and on the way to brkfst when the phone rang. Suitcases out at 8:30 (people [View Full Entry]

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Saturday, London, Sept 6 Day 14 No automatic wake-up; got up at 7:00, slept pretty well. Nice to have fried eggs and toast for bkfast, and really good fresh fruit, very nicely cut up. Good full breakfast here, didn't care for the sausages and bacon, or waffles, but there was lots of choice (breakfasts are included with the tour cost). Due in lobby at 8:20 for an 8:30 included sightseeing tour; chatted with a couple from Illinois who are just starting a 3-week Europe tour; their son recently moved to Swannanoa next to Asheville. Bus not quite full, with folks from [View Full Entry]

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Day 10, Tuesday, Sept. 02, 2008 Fantastic day today; right now I'm sitting on my 12th floor balcony looking out at Lake Geneva - gorgeous, a little haze and a few clouds, but superb weather today. Bkfst at hotel in Lucerne not too good (my dinner last night was very nice), bt I didn't come here to eat. A slightly later start - on the bus at 8:30. Dropped some people in town, then most of us headed up for the Mount Pilatus visit - a short bus ride to edge of town, a four-person enclosed cable car (like a charilift) [View Full Entry]

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Sunday, August 31, 2008 - Day 8 Venice Hooboy!! Barely a week into the trip and I'm whipped - obviously no trip to China is in my future unless there's a dramatic improvement in my physical fitness. I seem to have wrenched something in my left side (at least I hope that's what it is and not a kidney stone or something - never had that, so probably not it). But I'm carrying on as best I can - altho I did cut the Venice day trip a bit short and have the adventure of getting back to the hotel at [View Full Entry]

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Monday, Sept. 1, 2008 - from Venice to Lucerne Another early day up - well, they're all early days up - going to need a vacation to recover from this trip/tour! This is mostly a travel day, first break at an Autogrill, about a half hour, and it was over two hours into the drive. Heading back into the Alps, past Lake Como near/at Italy/Switzerland border. Lunch stop at Lugano. Most of us opted for the easy Burger King - only Mayo-like dressing on the burgers and fish sandwiches; fries same as home, plenty of ice in the soft drink (about [View Full Entry]

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Day 5, Thursday, Aug 28 - “Whirlwind tour” A lot of driving today, with 2-hour stop in walled city of Rothenburg - very quaint, cute buildings, shop after shop after shop; bought an “eis” (E0.60, small, but enough) -- Baileys gelato, yummy, and a couple of postcards.. Then on to Munich for an hour stop in late afternoon - quick view of Olympic area drivng past, then to Marienplatz for a couple of photos, and a walk to the Hofbrauhaus. Munich was pretty much flattened during the war (we're hearing a lot about the war) and rebuilt with a lot of [View Full Entry]

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