Tuesday, April 20, 2010

A NEW ADVENTURE BEGINS

Here we go again, only this time we’re traveling a little further. With fond memories of our 2006 trip to Europe, we’re heading across the pond for 6 weeks of exploring France, Germany and Austria. The last several days have been worrisome with the volcano closing down all flights to Europe, but it looks like we’re going to make it.

We leave in one week on the 28th for Geneva, where we will walk out of the airport into France. We have leased a new Peugeot which should be waiting for us upon our arrival. Here’s a link to the lease program. http://www.peugeot-openeurope.com/html/en/home/home.aspx On our last trip to Europe, we stayed exclusively in Bed and Breakfasts and we are doing so again.

For me part of the fun of travel is the planning. I’ve been planned this trip for two years now, having cancelled last year due to a terrible exchange rate. It’s somewhat better now and I’m hoping it will stay that way. Our trip looks something like this:

Four nights, south of Geneva near Annecy, France in a small village at the foot of the Alps. http://annecy.lescolombines.free.fr/ When I contacted the owner this B&B, she e-mailed me that it was very rare to have Americans stay in her home. Sounded like my kind of place, so it will be our first stop.

From there it’s south to Provence for six nights at this B&B in a small hilltop village. Here the owner in the last part of her driving directions said, “turn right on the dirt track”. Again my kind of place. http://www.masdukairos.com/site%20gb/index.htm

Then it’s southwest to Carcassonne, France, an old walled city, for a couple of days. Turning north, we will stay five nights in the Dordogne Region of France at a B&B owned by an English couple. http://www.lerelaisdupech.com/index.html.

That’s the last place with reservations, so after that the road may take us just about anywhere. We will spend some time on the Rhine River in Germany, then onto Bavaria and Austria. When heading back across Germany we intend on stopping in Munich for a few days before ending up in the Black Forest to stay a few days with Hans and Silke, our new found German friends.

Last year friends asked us for our advice for their upcoming trip to Europe. When asked if they should take a laptop with them, I told them not to bother. Who wants to carry around the extra weight? Upon their return, they told me it was the worst advice I could give, as a computer would have been beneficial for making reservations and researching the area one is visiting. With that in mind, I went out and purchased a Net Book, or mini-computer, which only weights about 2 pounds. With any luck, I’ll have internet access on occasion and will be updating the blog on this our latest adventure.