Just to update you on my lost camera, I received an email from Eurostar directing me to the Brussels web site where I am required to fill out a form, but guess what? I only have the choice of French or German. Tonight I'm going to try to translate it into English with Google. Otherwise we have a lady on the bus who speaks French so I'll ask her for some help.
Of interest to my writing friends...I had photos of Chipping Norton and it's post office. You might all recall my Elizabeth story began in Chipping Norton and Elizabeth worked at the post office owned by Annette. I'd really like to have those photos back to be able to include them when I have the story printed.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Coach/bus travel
A bus tour can be very interesting, to say the least. It involves early morning rises, a bunch of travelers with varying personalities and lots of sightseeing. But the main component pulling it together is the Tour Director and bus driver. Our Tour Director is Malcolm, a New Zealander who is now married to a Russian girl and living in Minsk, Belarus. He is probably in his late thirties and his knowledge of Scandadinavian and Russian history is remarkable, what he doesn't know probably isn't worth knowing. He is caring of the older passengers and nothing is too much trouble for him. But...he can certainly keep everyone in check...most of our days have started with a wake up call at 6am, ports out the door by 6.30, followed by breakfast and departure at 7.30am on the dot. He warned us one minute late and we have to sing a song, two minutes late, we have to sing a song AND dance. Three minutes late and we would be singing and dancing on the spot where the bus was. He has a great sense of humour with an infectious giggle.
The driver, Artur, is Latvian with very little use of the English language but boy can he drive! In Russia most of the highways are just two lanes, however they have started construction on an 8 billion dollar highway between the two main cities of Moscow and St Petersburg. When you want to pass someone you straddle the middle white line and the traffic on both sides of the road spreads apart to let you through. As you can imagine there was much jaw dropping and widening of eyes when we saw this happening for the first time. Artur's handling in turning the bus and maneuvering it in tight situations is excellent.
Most of the group are couples, but we have 7 ladies traveling on their own, three of them are Aussies and four Canadians. One Canadian lady is 83 and jokingly says she is looking for a man with a full head of hair, sadly this tour isn't going to help her! There are two men on their own, one from Las Angeles and an 87 year old from Brisbane.
Comfort stops on long-drive days can be amusing, especially when we know there won't be another stop for some time and the call of nature hasn't really set in. It's become known amongst the ladies as 'producing on demand'.
The driver, Artur, is Latvian with very little use of the English language but boy can he drive! In Russia most of the highways are just two lanes, however they have started construction on an 8 billion dollar highway between the two main cities of Moscow and St Petersburg. When you want to pass someone you straddle the middle white line and the traffic on both sides of the road spreads apart to let you through. As you can imagine there was much jaw dropping and widening of eyes when we saw this happening for the first time. Artur's handling in turning the bus and maneuvering it in tight situations is excellent.
Most of the group are couples, but we have 7 ladies traveling on their own, three of them are Aussies and four Canadians. One Canadian lady is 83 and jokingly says she is looking for a man with a full head of hair, sadly this tour isn't going to help her! There are two men on their own, one from Las Angeles and an 87 year old from Brisbane.
Comfort stops on long-drive days can be amusing, especially when we know there won't be another stop for some time and the call of nature hasn't really set in. It's become known amongst the ladies as 'producing on demand'.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Russia
Malcolm warned us that crossing into Russia could be an interesting experience. He said the guards would not be smiling or pleasant and that we may have to wait for some time at the border while they decided they would open the doors and let us through. Well we caught them on a good day and the we were through the border within half an hour. The guards hopped on the bus and checked it as well as checking our luggage in case we were trying to smuggle extra passengers in. We have surrendered our passports and will not get them back till after we leave Belarus. It was interesting to see most of the border guards were women. We never attempted to take photos either, just to be on the safe side as we didn't want an unscheduled extended stay in Russia.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Copenhagen...day 1 and 2.
Last night we had and authentic Danish dinner followed by a tour of The Tivoli Gardens. The tulips are in bloom and the gardens are full of them. They had a pantomime which was interesting and the grounds have many play areas for children. People were out enjoying the fine weather, however it was freezing with a chilly wind. I'm pleased I have a warm coat, gloves and scarf with me.
The Tivoli Gardens.
Today we were treated a tour of Copenhagen by a local tour guide. The city is very clean and bicycles are a popular form of transport, hence there are hundreds of them parked around the streets. We visited Princess Mary's winter and summer palaces. She was in residence at the winter palace, although Prince Frederick is currently in Stockholm. Then came a tour of the old city of Copenhagen with a viewing of Hans Christian Andersen's house, the famour Danish author, fairy tale writer and poet. We also visited the Frederiksborg Castle which is now a National Museum. It was originally built in the 1500's, however it was pulled down and rebuilt again in the 1600's. It's a magnificent building with an opulent interior. The ballroom was magnificent and the ornate ceilings were a sight to behold.
The local tour guide was very informative and worth her weight on gold.
Frederiksborg Castle.
The ballroom at Frederiksborg Castle.
Today we were treated a tour of Copenhagen by a local tour guide. The city is very clean and bicycles are a popular form of transport, hence there are hundreds of them parked around the streets. We visited Princess Mary's winter and summer palaces. She was in residence at the winter palace, although Prince Frederick is currently in Stockholm. Then came a tour of the old city of Copenhagen with a viewing of Hans Christian Andersen's house, the famour Danish author, fairy tale writer and poet. We also visited the Frederiksborg Castle which is now a National Museum. It was originally built in the 1500's, however it was pulled down and rebuilt again in the 1600's. It's a magnificent building with an opulent interior. The ballroom was magnificent and the ornate ceilings were a sight to behold.
The local tour guide was very informative and worth her weight on gold.
Trains...the good, the bad and the ugly!
The trip to Copenhagen began at Banbury with a train to St Pancras Kings Cross Station. That went smoothly as did our Eurostar trip to Brussels through the tunnel. From Brussels we caught an ICE train to Cologne, which is where we were to pick up a first class sleeper for the overnight trip to Copenhagen.
It was whilst we were waiting for the sleeper, supposedly arriving at 1028pm that I found I was missing my camera. Panic set in as I tipped the contents of my backpack out three times, I just could not believe it wasn't there. Horror of horrors!! I'd been taking photos of the beautiful French countryside and that was the last I'd seen it. My original thought was that I'd left it on the Brussels to Cologne journey, however later that night I worked out it was on the London to Brussels leg, so I've sent an email to Eurostar in the hope it has been handed in to their lost and found department...the first three weeks of holiday photos are on the Sd card, about 2gb worth. Luckily Dan has been taking some photos on his camera too. Fingers crossed that one of the staff or an honest person has picked it up.
Back to the trains now...as I said the sleeper was to arrive at 10.28pm, but we were advised it would be 90 minutes late. By midnight we were freezing and weary. Finally we were in our little, and I mean LITTLE bedroom after a mad scramble to alight the train. Sleep was broken with us being shunted and air brakes letting off air regularly. We had ordered breakfast for 8am as the new scheduled time of arrival in Copenhagen was 10am. At 5.30am an alarm went off in the cabin, followed by a knock on the door by the conductor telling us the train was going no further and we had to get off and take another train to Hamburg. We were hurriedly given little boxes of breakfast (that's another story) and told to sit and wait for another train. Can you imagine many travelers with much luggage trying to get onto a normal commuter train? It was not good...with a language problem to exacerbate it! At Hamburg there was more confusion. Anyway we arrived at Copenhagen at 3.30pm yesterday. More than 24 hours of train travel has cured us of that form of travel for a while.
It was whilst we were waiting for the sleeper, supposedly arriving at 1028pm that I found I was missing my camera. Panic set in as I tipped the contents of my backpack out three times, I just could not believe it wasn't there. Horror of horrors!! I'd been taking photos of the beautiful French countryside and that was the last I'd seen it. My original thought was that I'd left it on the Brussels to Cologne journey, however later that night I worked out it was on the London to Brussels leg, so I've sent an email to Eurostar in the hope it has been handed in to their lost and found department...the first three weeks of holiday photos are on the Sd card, about 2gb worth. Luckily Dan has been taking some photos on his camera too. Fingers crossed that one of the staff or an honest person has picked it up.
Back to the trains now...as I said the sleeper was to arrive at 10.28pm, but we were advised it would be 90 minutes late. By midnight we were freezing and weary. Finally we were in our little, and I mean LITTLE bedroom after a mad scramble to alight the train. Sleep was broken with us being shunted and air brakes letting off air regularly. We had ordered breakfast for 8am as the new scheduled time of arrival in Copenhagen was 10am. At 5.30am an alarm went off in the cabin, followed by a knock on the door by the conductor telling us the train was going no further and we had to get off and take another train to Hamburg. We were hurriedly given little boxes of breakfast (that's another story) and told to sit and wait for another train. Can you imagine many travelers with much luggage trying to get onto a normal commuter train? It was not good...with a language problem to exacerbate it! At Hamburg there was more confusion. Anyway we arrived at Copenhagen at 3.30pm yesterday. More than 24 hours of train travel has cured us of that form of travel for a while.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Heading to Copenhagen.
Tomorrow, Friday, we are catching a train from Banbury to London, then another train from St Pancras station, onward through the Channel tunnel (I'm hoping there's no leaks!) to Brussels, Cologne and finally arriving in Copenhagen where we will be joining a Trafalgar Tour.
It's been raining here in Banbury and is only 8 degrees outside. It might be a bit warmer in Europe... We are looking forward to taking heaps of photos and I'll try to put some on the blog if we have an Internet connection.
Dan now has antibiotics for his respiratory infection, and will be on the mend in a couple of days.
It's been raining here in Banbury and is only 8 degrees outside. It might be a bit warmer in Europe... We are looking forward to taking heaps of photos and I'll try to put some on the blog if we have an Internet connection.
Dan now has antibiotics for his respiratory infection, and will be on the mend in a couple of days.
Plumpton Woods...bluebells.
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