Three Countries in a day

Day 136 and 137 – Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th June

Slovenia was hard to leave behind but we stretched it out at Camp Danica as long as we could, which meant that today we had an 8 hour drive to Germany.  As a massive Spanish camper parked right up beside us blocking our view maybe this wasn't such a bad time to go.  (So strange that they do that, when there is so much space everywhere else).  Kelty and Taran had one final swim while I took some photos around the campsite.  Our English neighbours Monica and Bob were already chatting to a French couple who had just arrived.  Taran commented 'they moved on fast', as if they had forgotten us already.  But of course they hadn't, they were just hearing some more travelling stories and were enjoying the flux and variety of camping society.

Passing the idyllic Lake Bled

Austrian service stations are classy

After a gruelling listen to Death of a Salesman, a lesson in accountancy from Kelty and many long Alpine tunnels we whizzed through two borders and arrived in Blaubeuren at 6.30pm.  Gaspard and Florence had been waiting in our municipal camping since 4pm, saving our place under a shaded tree.



Blaubeuren is regarded as one of the best preserved medieval town centres in Germany.  It is famous for the beautiful karstic spring.  The funnel shaped pool of the spring is about 21 metres deep and has an intense blue in appearance.

How lovely to see them.  Gaspard was in Taran's nursery and then in his class for 5 years so they have a close bond but haven't seen each other for a couple of years.

Taran and Gaspard going on a school trip in Oxford age

Florence, Patricia and Jens

Matching hats

Their apartment, which overlooked the river and was 2 minutes walk from the pool.

Taran and Gaspard slept in the garden tent

But then Taran couldn't resist a proper bed

The European heatwave was no problem in the river which was a refreshing 9 degrees.

Dankon Patricia, Jens, Gaspard and Florence (that is thank you in esperanto, which Jens speaks and gave us an introductory CD for the van).  Ni esperas baldau vidi vin.