We have four people, Frank, Val, Sue and Alan, who need picking up in Bracknell so I will drive over in my car to pick them up and take them to meet the coach in Guildford.
The original plan was for Wendy to come over on the coach with Brian and take the car back but as the weather is a bit stormy this morning she will come over a little later when it is light and before the nasty traffic warden is about!
The pick up goes smoothly and I go off with Brian leaving my car on a single yellow line ready for Wendy to collect at 08:30.
We have an uneventful journey down to Folkestone and plenty of time in the terminal before our 09:20 shuttle to Calais.
Everything is running on time and we drive away from Calais at 11:00 local time. It is a long journey to Rudesheim and we hope to arrive by 18:30/45.
Two hours from Calais, immediately before the Brussels ring road, we stop for lunch at a motorway service area.
The traffic seems to be moving okay on the motorway so we should navigate Brussels without too much trouble.
Had a text from Wendy to say she got to the car at 08:35 and that nasty traffic warden had got there at 08:30!!
We depart the service area at 13:45 and two hours later have managed to travel 3 miles!! There had been an accident and we have been caught in the aftermath. Bum!
This is one of the most frustrating parts of the job especially when we still have a fair way to go.
We have a short stop at the Belgian/German border before arriving in Rudesheim at 20:20.
We are staying at the Hotel Lindenwirt in the centre of Rudesheim. This is a wonderfully located hotel in the heart of one of the prettiest Rhineland towns whose Christmas Market is spread throughout the town.
The hotel is a little basic in many aspects but I do enjoy staying here as it has bags of character and we can park the coach here. Mind you it is a bit tight reversing the coach under an arch which is only just high enough to fit the coach under and then into the hotel’s courtyard.
I have called ahead and agreed to have dinner at 21:00 with us all making our choice of main course at our last stop on the motorway.
The hotel is very busy with another English coach party and two other coach loads of Americans who were just dining and dancing, and making a bit of noise!
There is a musician playing and singing each evening which is common with all of the bars and restaurants along the famous Drosselgasse, a narrow alley that goes from the river promenade to the top of the town and is full of bars, cafes, restaurants and shops and has a lively atmosphere.
We are all sat at the bottom of the restaurant with the noisy Americans between us and the other English group and with their dancing it is difficult to navigate through the throng.
The service was a little slow but that can be expected when it is so busy and when the food did arrive it was good. The Bitburger beer is also a taste to be savoured! And we like to savour!
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