Germany (in short)
It has been more than a month since the visit to Germany; lets see how my memory serves me.
Germany, the Bavarian countryside was exceptionally beautiful. Germany is a place where I would like to visit and drive from town to town and stay at pensions along the way. The pine forests, greenery everywhere, hamei, wild flowers, perfect weather, and efficient trains that arrive and depart to the minute.
On one of the days in Germany a tour of Ludwig's Castles was booked, booked from back in Sydney. This trip featured another one of my moments - after boarding the coach and waiting for 8.30am, the time that the coach was due to depart, I get off the coach and go for a wonder to buy a bottle of water. I get back and decide to ask the person that was informing people on which coaches to board (assumption was that he was the coach driver) if the seats right at the front of the bus were used by anyone. The reply was, as expected, that the tour guide sat there. I then had to say (why stop there no?) that if the tour guide didn't enjoy sitting at the front I would be more than happy to sit there. We were all merry and had a laugh, I get back onto the bus and take my seat at the back. The departure time comes and an unknown person arrives and takes the driver's seat! The person who I asked about the seating boards the bus as well, only to introduce himself as the Tour Guide. Not to say more, but I was remembered for the whole day there as well, plenty of jokes to be had. Trivia for you, apparently during the whole month of August there was as much sunshine as we had that day, Mr Tour Guide informed at the beginning of the trip ~9am or 10am. We were a lucky group with wonderful weather to enjoy the sights at both Linderhof and Neuschwanstein. I recommend them to anyone and everyone (remember, drive through Germany staying overnight at pensions).
Another day was reserved for sightseeing in Munich, forever marked in my memory as the day before the Pope arrived. In all the main areas and major buildings flower arrangements were being set up and red carpet laid (I walked on a patch of the red carpet!).
In Ingolstad I learnt a new recipe for making apple pie (secret is breadcrumbs) which I have successfully reproduced here in London.
This entry shall now be concluded with a description of the bus trip from Ingolstad to Munich Airport. It was a chilly morning in Sept 2006 when, for the first time in Germany, the bus that was supposed to take us all to the airport did not arrive on time. While on the bus, the designated time to arrive at the airport came and went - no indication from the bus driver when we would arrive. Other persons, speaking German, began approaching the driver asking when we would arrive (I am assuming that that was what they were asking since my German is limited to identifying sour cherries). To make matters lighter, when we reached a T intersection I pointed that at last there we were seeing signs pointing towards the airport! But then the bus went towards the left and not towards the right. Not to worry all, the bus did reach the airport, maybe not two hours before the departure time but on time. As I was boarding the plane towards London I had my passport examined by German security, when he saw that I was from Australia he said to me "You are the first kangaroo of the day!". He then asked what area I worked in, because of the working holiday visa, and we shared yet another thing in common. I have been fortunate along the travels, meeting the best of people :).