MANNHEIM 2 ZURICH

June 16.09 – Train to Mannheim, Caravan pickup and drive to Zurich

We had one more episode of hauling all our stuff to the hauptbahnhof from the hostel. We had something to eat in the train station and then caught the hour long train to Mannheim. From the Mannheim station we had to find the local train that would take us the last few stops to where the caravan was. Not an easy job moving all our stuff on and off trains, up and down stairs – 50lb suitcases and backpacks – what is all this stuff I need?! It was raining out now as we got off the last train so Geoff did a 10minute walk to pick up our campervan. Finally, we are on our way around 3:00pm headed South for Zurich.

We are about 20 minutes outside Zurich when we notice there’s a small car in front of us with a flashing light in the rear window. It says something like ‘Flaugen Polizei Bitte’ and keeps repeating itself. Wondering why this car has flashing lights in it and a hand that now waves outside the window with another red sign, we are starting to think the people driving this car are a little strange. We bought the vignette road pass for Switzerland and haven’t done anything wrong, so they can’t be after us. I tell Geoff to pull around them, but when he makes a move to go into the other lane, more hands come waving out of the window so we figure they must want us. What could they want with us? Turns out they the Polizei are very upset with us. One of them gets out and comes over to the driver’s window and starts yelling in German at Geoff. After he figures out we’re not German and don’t speak German he proceeds to tell us in English what we’ve done wrong. A tip if you’re ever driving in Switzerland, don’t ever switch lanes before you head into a tunnel especially if there’s an unmarked car behind you. It’ll cost you 200CHF!! Welcome to SwissJ

About an hour later, we manage to find Mary and Kevin’s place and the spot where we’ll park free for the night. Bonus, no camping fees here!! Mary and Kevin live just outside Zurich in a canton called Gattikon. Their place backs up onto a treed hill with trails heading all over the place. No cars, just horses, ducks, kids and locals.

Morning of the 16^th Geoff and I have appointments to visit two international schools in the area which we do and leave the kids and Gams to hang out in the peace and quiet of the Brownings abode. Emily, Mary and Kevin’s daughter, flys in from Vancouver today and now makes the Browning family complete with David who came earlier after his graduation from Cornell. A big feast with us, Brownings, and Jason & Liz (just in from Shanghai). Poor Huck left behind to bark for 4 hours in his new unfamiliar home.

June 17.09 – Breakfast in Wengi at Welgo’s chalet then to Prague

Heading out deeper into the Swiss countryside to find Jason and Liz’s chalet in Wengi for breakfast. Up and over a mountain we find their tiny and very cute place tucked away in a hamlet of 40 people. They have been busy making pancakes, eggs, and applesauce. The perfect breakfast we needed for a long drive ahead. By time we got out of Zurich – an hour with road construction – and on the road to Munchen it was 12 noon. We ended up driving straight through to Camp Drusus just outside the Prague city center. The gate closed at 10pm and our clock showed half past, but a friendly man with little English kindly let us inside the campground. We passed out pretty easily and awoke to a beautiful day.