Some more photos

Our hosts Maja and Christian

For the golfers

Out

For the tennis lovers and chochaholics

For the coeliacs

The Lake of Zurich

For the farmers

For the nature lovers

Memories of Switzerland 22-28 August

- Travelling by train through valleys and mountain tunnels, with tiny villages dotted all around. 

- Being met at Zug by Maja and Christian, with bikes for us to ride 10km to their village - Christian's has a trailer for our luggage. But first we must swim in the lake of Zug, which is cold and the weather is barely warm ...

- Staying in their house we meet and eat with an English/Swiss woman, an Ethiopian family, a Russian family, a Lithuanian/German family. There's enough English between them all to manage, and smiles and gestures go a long way. 

- Cycling through the tiny villages, each with a church and houses with shutters and window boxes of geraniums. We buy fresh-picked fruit and veg from little farm shops and just-milked milk from coin-in-the-slot machines. 

- Taking part in an Eritrean coffee ceremony, where the beans ate first roasted, then ground, then brewed on a charcoal-burning stove before being served thick and strong in tiny cups. 

- Singing and dancing with an African band

- Eating raclette, rösti, fondue, creamy cheese, moevenpick icecream, CHOCOLATE and berries picked 1m from where we eat breakfast.

 

- Watching a hedgehog in the garden eat the cat food

- Swimming in the lakes of Zug and Zurich brrr, and the river of Aaren v brrr!!!

- meeting lots of friendly people who switch to English as soon as we open our mouths, and offer help when we pull out a map. 

The proposed cycle tour of Lake Constance is cancelled due to the weather and  Maja and Christian's work, but we are loving all our local rides and adventures. We take 2 trips to Zurich, 30 mins by train, and briefly think of visiting Jungfraujoch with it's cable car up inside the mountain, but it's a l-o-o-ng way and can wait for a 5* visit another time. 

Friday 22nd Melbourne to Zug

From Australia to UAE to Italy to Switzerland, it's all a bit unreal... Flight very busy but fine, with a surprise choc birthday cake presented just before laming in Abu Dhabi, wow  (daughter) Jess, how clever are you, THANKS!! Ian had been bailed up at Melb airport by Etihad man, so figured something might happen, then forgot. Shame flight too full for your attempted upgrade Jess!

We'd booked a hotel in Milan which was close to the train station, but still managed to walk around the block before finding it. A quick dinner then zzzzz. 

I'd contacted a cafe featured in the Age a few weeks ago, so walk there for a very fine coffee and pastry breakfast. The owner was away, but his friend welcomed us and yes, Colin, it was mates rates. Will hopefully meet Luca next time in Milan, in 2 weeks. Had a few hours to spare so kept walking to see the cathedral, and a spot of people watching in this very quiet city - it's summer hols and deserted. 

It is 3.5 hours on a  tilt train to Zug, through  beautiful  countryside, with amazing roads and tunnels and story book villages. We hosted Maya and Christian last New Years Eve as they cycled Australia, so it was great to meet them at the station, with bikes and a trailer for our luggage. First stop the lake for a brisk swim, then 10km ride to their house, up and down gentle-ish hills and through patches of forest, to their village. Dinner was outside in the increasingly chilly air, summer isn't really happening here this year. And more zzzz. 

Europe August - November 14

Yay, we're now at Tulla, so here's a quick (?) itinerary:

Fly Etihad to Abu Dhabi, 2 hour wait, then continue to Milan for 1 night.  

Train to near Zurich, overnight with people we hosted thru couchsurfing New Years Eve, the borrow spare bikes and do 5 day cycle round Lake  Constance with them. 

Train back to Milan then Varigotti, Italy, for 5 nights freebie in home swap who might come to us one day. 

Train to Milan, fly to Athens, join 6 friends for 2 week Greek Islands/Turkey tour. 

1 week timeshare on Black Sea. 

1 week bike ride SW Turkey.

Back to Venice for 3 nights. 

1 week timeshare Lake Garda. 

Train again to  Venice, for 2 week Adriatic/Greek Isles/Med tour. 

2 nights Rome. 

1 night Milan. 

HOME!!!