Breakfast is at 07:00 and we want to depart at 08:00.
Breakfast is a good buffet with very attentive service
and as soon as a table is empty the waitress is there cleaning it and relaying
it ready for the next customers.
A couple of hours down the road we stop at Konigsburg
services in the heart of the Alsace close to Colmar. As I’m driving on my own I
have a 45 minute break which will allow me to be a bit more flexible with my
driving hours later today.
From here we journey to Basel and across the border into
Switzerland and as we near Zurich I have a lunch stop at a large service area
which is more shopping centre than your average motorway stop. There are two
floors of shops as well as a Burger King, cafe and superb self service
restaurant which has one of the best spreads you could wish to see.
The toilets here are spotless (as you would expect) and
as with most countries now there is a turn style system that costs a Euro or a
Swiss Franc but you do receive a ticket in return which can be redeemed in the
restaurant or shops. I wonder if anyone buys anything in the shop by the
toilets!! It is a naughty shop and seems quite out of place here.
From here the journey is gorgeous all the way and we are
soon crossing into Austria and stopping for a third and last time. I top up the
fuel and the Austrian Go Box (toll) before calling the hotel with our arrival
time of 17:45-18:00.
Shortly after our stop we drive through the nine mile
long Arlberg Tunnel.
I speak to Michaela and she reads out tonight’s dinner
menu choice which I will then read to the passengers and Hollie will write down
their choices.
We arrive at the Hotel Hochland at 17:45 to be met by
Charly, Chrystal, Linda and Michaela. It is a bit of a rush sorting luggage out
as there is not too much room between coach and hotel but we soon sort it. I
park at the hotel tonight but will park away next time as there is building
work going on in the next door shop and the bus would be in the way. No problem
as there is a parking spot around the corner.
Dinner is at 19:30 but just before this we have a welcome
drink in the lounge where Charly gives a little speech and makes everyone feel
at home.
Bar a couple of other guests we are the only people in
the hotel and all of our rooms are in the new building with balconies and
fantastic views.
Dinner was a bit different in as much as the people who
ordered steak and mushrooms received baked mushrooms only! I had written down
steak instead of bake when speaking to Michaela earlier! It was soon sorted out
though and we all enjoyed a five course dinner!
Each evening we have a small appetiser followed by soup
served at the table, then it is as much salad as you require from the salad
buffet before your main course (from a choice of four) and then finished up
with dessert! Happy with that!
Feeling very sad today as one of my closest and dearest
friends is very poorly and has been admitted to the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in
Farnham. He will probably not last the week and tonight I have received a
message to call him as he wants to hear my voice again for probably the last
time. I call and his phone is put on loud speaker by his bed as I try and find
words to say to him. He cannot speak to me but is moving his hand in
acknowledgement of what I am saying. The saddest and hardest call I have ever
made and just want to go home to see him. If I had another driver with me I
would be off but cannot go and leave people here alone. It is going to be a
long week.
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