My Life is Not Average

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Day 8 - Munich to Rhine Valley.

Sunday 6^th January 2013

A day of discovery – medieval castles, vineyards and the mighty Rhine River which carves its way through the countryside. Tonight spend the night in one of the many castles along the banks of the Rhine.

I think this is the part of the trip, bar Paris, I was looking forward to the most. I had always wanted to visit the Rhine Valley and although we only had one night here, we were staying in a castle!



A sobering start to the day. Feeling a bit better but still full of cold and rainy damp weather added to the mood of our first stop on our way to Munich. Dachau concentration camp. I had never heard of it, but apparently this is the one that that opened in Germany and all others were modelled on. You were sent here from Auschwitz (I think). It must have been bad. We filed into the camp, heads sore from the night before and feeling melancholy. Everyone was wandering around in their own thoughts, soaking up the atmosphere and feeling emotional reading the history in the museum. It is hard to describe. We were told that we were not supposed to feel a certain way, just feel what you feel. But I think everyone felt slightly humbled and I for one had too much respect to take many photos. Somehow it didn’t feel right. You could feel the ghosts there as you read the inscriptions and the descriptions of the people brought here. I had never really wanted to know about the Holocaust and the war, but as you get older, you realise this history is important. It shaped the world for us and the way we live. I cannot imagine living in that time and experiencing everything that went on. Needless to say when we got back on the coach it was a quiet journey onwards.

Shaking it off, we watched some Idiot Abroad on the bus which was very funny and arrived at The Rhine Valley. We didn’t actually visit any vineyards or castles as the indication above, but we had a lovely drive along the river to our destination. A 12th century castle up on a hill, including a precarious journey in which Ype managed to manouvre the coach so well that we all cheered as he coaxed it through a tiny brick archway and up the mountain! We all piled out and I took the chance to grab a group photo of everyone in front of the beautiful chateau. My request for a ‘Top what’ was not met with the usual enthusiasm it raises whenever the boys shouts out the chant but it brought a laugh and I got a good snap! We had about an hour until dinner and so unpacking into our bunk beds and grabbing the small point and shoot, I wandered outside for some fresh air, sitting over by the wall looking at the twinkling lights over the river. A very romantic moment had you been with someone – I was sat with Ype and one of the Brazilian ladies listening to their Spanish talk and waiting for them to finish their cigarettes. I lingered outside after they left and admired the beauty of the Rhine.

Venturing downstairs, I found the beers were 1 euro and so you can imagine what everyone was drinking all night. This turned into a party as it was King John’s birthday and he pronounced Ype his King 'Bitch'. Drinking games ensued with renditions of Never have I Ever and a new game that confused everyone, especially Kenny. Somehow we couldn’t quite get the clapping sequence right. After a couple of hours, people ventured to bed and it was down to a few of us left standing. This is where all the photos of us blowing Jared’s horn comes in! not a euphemism – an actual swiss horn! Check the pix if you dont believe me! A heart to heart with the King and I pottered off to bed and left him to finish celebrating his birthday!

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