Andy's World Tour of Europe 2000 Diary
Monday May 22, 2000
We took a train to Cannes in the morning. We missed the film festival by one day. They were all packing up. Then back to Nice to do some laundry and internet in the afternoon. That evening we walked through the ‘Old Town’ with its many restaurants. So many to choose from and they were all nearly full. We settled on a Chinese restaurant a few blocks away! Afterwards (and a few beers later) we returned to the Promenade to get some video... I was quite drunk. Back at the hostel, it sounds like some kind of ‘Kylie Mole’ convention going on next door tonight. Noisy girls!
Tuesday May 23, 2000
Today we took the train in the other direction to Monaco. It’s about two weeks before the Grand Prix hits town and there’s scaffolding and barriers everywhere. Saw the changing of the guard at the palace. Went to the Oceanographic Museum, then a walk over to the casino and got some video from the outside.
Wednesday May 24, 2000
This morning we visited an old Russian church in Nice before rejoining Busabout to Avignon, the former great city of the popes. A short rest stop there, then on to Lyon (Susan was our guide and Marie was driving the bus - two NZ girls!) Climbed the steep hill to Basilique de Notre-Dame for the view over Lyon. Lyon is known for its many restaurants by we decided on a simple sandwich down by the Rhone river. Three french boys came up to us and talked for a while. At first we weren’t sure if we were about to be mugged or what. Anyway they where nice lads who’d never met Australians before.
Thursday May 25, 2000
Busabout took us from Lyon to Geneva. Then thru Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen. A campsite again but we had a nice timber cabin this time. Lauterbrunnen is very picturesque - a little village nestled at the floor of a valley with towering rock faces on two sides and snow capped mountains at the back. Waterfalls cascade into the valley on all sides, and little trains, funiculars and cable cars carry people from place to place. Way too cute for so few words. That evening we walked along the valley road, lots of wild-flowers and cow bells!
Friday May 26, 2000
Had a whole day to explore around Lauterbrunnen. Took the funicular to Mürren and then a cable-car to the Schilthorn - where they filmed James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. Had lunch in the revolving restaurant on the summit, then back down to Lauterbrunnen. In the afternoon we visited Trümmelbach Glacial waterfalls.
Saturday May 27, 2000
Rainy day :( Caught the train to Wengen. Had a very salty cheese fondue for lunch. Busabout picked us up at 1630 and headed for Lucerne. We both felt crook from lunch. Too much cheese gromit! Lucerne is a quiet town on the lake.
Sunday May 28, 2000
Spent most of the day on the bus to Munich. It’s raining again. This is where we leave Busabout for a few days, as we can't go on to Prague. We'll have to make our own way to Berlin and rejoin them there. We were dropped off at our hostel, it’s in the centre of Munich near the train station.