Day 6 & 7, 20-21st April Breisach to Kehl (Germany) & Strasbourg (across the river in France)

Day 6 Breisach 

Had a very up-and-down night but we were up proper today at 7am and over to breakfast at 8am. A slightly later start today – Easter has meant that many things are closed where we are travelling so the ship staff work hard to keep everyone entertained.

We had booked the e-bike tour along the Rhine river, There are only 20 bikes so we were happy we secured spots. It was lots of fun zooming around and also getting to know the other passengers. We had a very knowledgeable young guy called Emmy who took us around and explained the area, then we stopped at a hotel in this little country area which apparently has been in the family for 7 generations and the owner gave us his 25min speech about the hotel and his life. They have developed into a large restaurant, accommodation and a spa. You would not believe it from the outside in this quiet little place. It was pumping today though with it being Easter Sunday and the food they had looked really nice. His wife was the chef so he said that’s how they kept the place running ha ha!

We were given black forest gateaux and the owner came around and poured kirsch cherry schnapps over it, served with a hot chocolate or coffee – it was delicious!

Back on our e-bikes and we cycled back a different way, Everything is long and flat here – very like Twizel canals! 

It started to rain and got very cold so we all zoomed back and onto the ship to warm up. Then lunch was ready, a huge buffet with baked ham with the pastry wrapped around it – it was so delicious. We are trying to watch what we eat but things are feeling tight already ha ha!

We went back and had a rest– Actually fell asleep for an hour in the afternoon, what a treat! Got ourselves ready and then to the trivia game, some of those questions were quite obscure as there were riddles as well – we got 12 out of 20, so was okay- just! Then they had to talk about what’s on for the next day and the staff came in and were introduced before dinner. 

We have been sitting with different people every night – mainly Americans, so interesting to talk to. We had gone on the bike tour after speaking with the group from Utah yesterday who were doing it and then today we were talking to a couple at dinner, Alison & David who are from San Francisco and Portland. He has retired and is in San Fran and she is still working up in Portland and they get together every couple of months. Could be hard!

After that we went upstairs where a couple came on board who played cowbells! The husband Mike has been playing them since he was 7 years old and Anita his wife was also very proficient. It was kind of funny but a lot of skill in it as well –Graeme said he wanted to buy the CD😆! The funny thing was they have got a ringtone on their website you could download! back to our room when that finished at 10 pm – where has the day gone?

                        Gorgeous Americans on our cruise, glad they told us about the bike tour

                                         Being a big kid!!😂😂

The owner of the hotel we visited for Black Forest gateaux with cherry schnapps

Back on the ship 

Day 7 Kehl & Strasbourg

Today we were up ready for the coach transfer to Strasbourg from Kehl, where we are docked. The ship seems to do the travel through the night, the downside being that you dont see the lochs. We missed breakfast as weve been eating so much! So jumped on the coach & into town in about 20 mins. Strasbourg is such an old town, although many buildings have been replaced after bombings in WWll. it is on the French side and Kehl on the German side of the river, but they have gone back & forth for ownership between the 2 countries, over the past 100 yrs apparently. We had a guide who did a 2 1/2 walking tour, he talked pretty much the whole time, so lost me at some point as it was just too much to take in! 

He took us to Strasbourg Cathedral which is magnificent & while there they announced the Pope had passed away, on a very significant day as well, being Easter Monday. It was quite surreal standing in this huge Catholic church & hearing the news- then they began ringing the many church bells for ages. Within 1/2 hour, there were queues of Catholics lining up to go inside to pay their respects and there were also French army guards with machine guns, suddenly all around the church outside. Quite eerie!

It was pretty wet, so after the visit (we were lucky to have been in the church before the news),I was very glad I had heeded my thoughts & not my husbands! & bought collapsible umbrellas before we left home - came in very handy today! When we were finally let lose for an hour we went to a Starbucks for a lovely hot drink - man they are huge! Warmed up a little then back to the pick up spot & the guide walked us back to the bus for the ride back to the ship.

We went to the ship restaurant & had a lovely hot lunch, some spaghetti in olive oil, plus pork belly (the crackling was amazing) washed down with a beer for me & a white wine for Graeme. Quite the lunch!

Strasbourg Cathedral

Days 4 & 5, 18-19th April Zurich & Lucerne, Basel

Walked 11.5 km's - 15,020 steps today!

We woke up after a great sleep catching up with our 1st full night of sleep after 2 days of travel. Our body clocks were a bit up the wop with waking at 1am, but then went back to sleep.

Ive decided to post costs as we go along, for interest & people have asked & it's always so hard to remember when you are moving around countries!

Brekky at the hotel, then we walked back to the train station to go to Lucerne today- it’s a 1 hr trip. Tickets for 2nd class were 110CHF = $236 for 2 !!! An easy ride there, then we wandered around town. We loved the vibe of Lucerne- preferred it to Zurich which is more grungy. We walked over the Chapel Bridge which dates back to The 14th century. It was adorned with a set of paintings from the 17th century and is beautifully cool to walk under its roof while crossing the water.

I have a photo of Mum & Dad when they came here in 1984 & visited the Lion of Lucerne monument, which always fascinated me as a teenager of 16. I had done some research and we decided it was worthwhile to go to Lucerne to visit and it was definitely worth it. It was only about a 10 min walk to the monument, with a little pond in front of it. It always flips my mind that you visit places where people you know have been and the only thing separating you is time! Its like our family have photos of my Grandfather standing in front of Stone Henge (touching it), then a generation later my Mum standing in front of it, then another generation later, me doing the same but it was then roped off- but we are all in the same place. Only 66 years separating us all from each other.....

Anyway, we spent quite a while at the monument, just sitting on a bench watching all the visitors (& Graeme having a bird shit on his shoulder! Isn't that meant to be lucky?!), then we walked back to town- not much open as its Easter Friday, but we did go into an open chocolate store & bought a small bag of little chocolate eggs $40! And then went to a great little pub along the waterfront with a really friendly waitress. She suggested beers which we really nice and we had lunch. Graeme had a spicy sausage in a bun & 2 beers while I had a Brie burger with sweet potato fries a beer & a coke. The burger was insanely good! Total was $175 , the waitress was saying the Switzerland is the most expensive country in Europe & she isnt wrong, its more than double the NZD- pretty much what it is in CHF, it literally translates to the figure it is at home eg/ a burger thought would be $28 NZD is 28 CHF. Unfortunately, it isn't the same at the bank end haha 😜, but it is what it is & you just have to suck it up.

We wandered back over the chapel bridge and onto the train back to Zurich. We decided not to go out for dinner tonight as it will be too much after lunch, so bought a couple of salad rolls & a bottle of coke- $50 nzd. Back to our hotel, so much easier to find today now we know our way! Its been chilly but nice today & it has warmed up to 20C this afternoon. A lovely day & just fighting a bit of jet lag later in the afternoon, so off for a walk around the river to stay awake to an appropriate hour. 

There are bars across the road - although last night it was just people outside drinking & talking unti 1am, so hopefully it will be ok tonight. The hotel leave ear plugs in your room which is a first! We are off tomorrow afternoon to the airport for pick up to our river cruise anyway, so it’s all good.

Day 5, 19th April Zürich – Basel

We both woke at 2 am again this morning, must be to do with the time difference! But went back to sleep and got up at our leisure this morning, down to breakfast and spoke to reception who said we can check out at 12pm instead of 11am. It's great here that checkouts are later than in NZ. 

Mooched around and repacked properly, then we walked over to Zürich train station and got tickets to the airport. Allowed ourselves plenty of time to get there and find the right place for our river cruise pick up with Emerald cruises. This is a 7 day 'Rhine &the Tulips' cruise.

Bought some fruit at the airport for lunch and asked for directions to the terminal ( my motto, if in doubt - ask!), found the cruise information desk and settled down to wait for the pick up an hour later. it's interesting in Zurich airport, you can use the free wi-fi if you scan your passport or boarding pass, it gives you a code and then you can get online!

We got picked up about 2 pm and all onto the coach for a 1 hr 20 drive to Basel. It's funny we were passing signs to turn off to go to Karlsruhe which we drove through and stayed, when we did a road trip down the Rhine with our friends Rudy and Anna, some years ago – what a great adventure that was! 

Where we are going now– Basel, has a French side and a German side and you can literally stand on one side of the bridge where we docked and you are in Germany and walk to the other side and you are in France!

Got on board and into our room, very nice with floor to ceiling glass windows – you can press a button in the top half comes down like a french balcony, now that would be a good idea for a home :-).

We unpacked our bags – love that, as I really hate living out of a suitcase! It's been really hot today after cold days previously, it was 23°! Got our info and they went round everyone on board once we all got into the lounge – very surprised that we are the only Kiwis onward!😳😊, There are a few Aussies lots of Americans, a Jamaican, some people from Brazil, Ireland, UK, Wales and Canadians, so a very diverse group.

The last river cruise we did was predominantly Australians so it was a surprise that there were no other New Zealanders and so many Americans here today.

We sat by a couple of ladies from Australia while we were having a drink and turns out they live in Albion Park where Graeme used to work in New South Wales!! And then we sat next to some Americans from Utah for dinner and they had mutual acquaintances with friends we've had for a long time – they are all members of the Mormon church; so it is such a small world out there!

Back to the room early as we are starting to feel pretty tired any will be on the go every day this week. Surprised how fast the river boat moves too. – it is much bigger than the one we did years ago, And it's great watching it go into the lochs and the water rise and then fall as we go out. We are really chugging along too – almost sets off my vertigo! We are contemplating a guided bike tour tomorrow as they have E bikes on board which spoils you! Either that or a walking tour – we are off to Breisach pronounced “Bry- sahik”. 

On the way from Zürich airport to Basel for the river cruise with Emerald

Emerald destiny

Breisach - on the border between Germany & France

 

Days 2-3 16-17th April - Singapore to Switzerland

We are on our way!

Ive started writing this we are 12 hrs into the first leg and are flying past somewhere called Banjarmasin, en-route to Singapore and are currently flying at a groundspeed of 970km/h.  Its -55C outside 🥶 and we have travelled 7930km from Christchurch. 

Flight has been good, although I had a nasty vertigo attack as we levelled out at 30,000 feet earlier on. Took a while to recover but all good now, Graeme got me some ice to chew on🤢😊.

Singapore air staff are pretty good for the most part, especially the younger ones who are very sweet. I watched an unusual kind of movie called 'the room next door', starring Julieanne Moore and Tilda Swindon. Quite a heavy movie about a woman dying and her friend supporting her. Then I watched good old Narnia, of the lion of the witch and the wardrobe fame, an old favourite from childhood books. Graeme watched a movie called 'Lee' starring Kate Winslet, cos he likes her! And another one called 'the return' with Ralph Fiennes, which he said was slow. 

We were held up almost an hour circling in a holding pattern because there was torrential rain around Singapore and a lot of air congestion. Neither of us felt good as the pressure on your head when you are flying in circles, makes you feel really weird, but we landed into T2 at Changi airport no problems. We caught the sky train over to T3 which is where we will be flying out on our next leg to Zürich, so I had booked the T3 ambassador transit hotel for 6hrs, so we could have a shower and hopefully a bit of sleep.

Graeme had to take his boots off to go through security and felt something pop in the side of his knee when he bent over, so is limping now and it's really sore. I offered to put him on a luggage trolley and push him but he declined ha ha!

The transit hotel was next to the butterfly garden and the free movie theatre, but was tucked away and not that easy to find. That's why I always ask as a female & get directions lol! Got there no problem and the staff had our room ready – there are no windows so it's lovely and dark and they had the room very cool which was nice after the stuffy plane.

Definitely my best item I am bringing this trip  is my Temu usb plug-in travel fan – it's so good on the plane where there's no moving air and also in hotel rooms :-).

We had showers, didn't worry about the included food although it looked good as it comes from a food hall around the corner, but we just wanted to lie in a bed and rest. Beds were very hard but we didn't care! We got a couple of hours sleep which was good and then we bought a bandage for Graeme. Strapped it up, then up to the gate before boarding.

We are on a 777–300 ER for this leg of 13 hours. It is an older plane but actually feels better in someways as it's bigger. We both declined food because it was about 6:30 am New Zealand time so we had been in the go for 24 hrs and 1:30am Singapore time by then. Graeme got about 6 1/2hrs sleep and I got 3 1/2hrs and then we have just mooched around eating caramel popcorn at 39,000 feet – as you do! We really wanted to try a Singapore sling cocktail but given we still have a whole day ahead of us to stay up in Zürich on not much sleep, Graeme suggested maybe it wouldn't be a good idea at this time of the morning and he's right as we land mid morning :-). We are now flying past Tehran by the look of it on the map & over the Caspian Sea.

The last 6 hrs were pretty as the sun came up and then I watched a really excellent  quirky English movie called ‘About Time’ - a funny movie about a time traveller that had surprising twists.

Rest of the flight was fine except when I accidentally pulled my headphone jack out & the adaptor must have dropped down under the seat into the workings, both me & the flight attendants looked but couldnt see it. He did offer to get an engineer to come with the right tools to pull the seat up but didn't want him to have to wait after a long flight or us. Annoyed with myself though!

Off the flight & what a huge airport Zurich is! We had to get a skytrain to another terminal to get to immigration & then to the baggage pick up. Was a bit tricky to navigate it all as not quite clear, but we worked it out. You don't have to take bags through xray & there were no staff anywhere to ask if you had items to declare! Down into the train station underneath & lots more working things out & me asking locals to get in the direction we needed for the old city over the river. We decided to walk as we were told the tram was over the river too. It was wet & damp but nice to get out into the cool fresh air after the heat of inside. Finally found the hotel after a bit of to & fro, it was only 10 am so yesterdays check outs hadnt started yet. We were so tired at this point, but went for a walk to get our bearings - a pretty & grungy city, even in the wet. But it started to rain more & we had left our umbrellas in our suitcases at the hotel lock up - travel brains!  And the old town was pretty dead as nothing opens until 11 am.

We were just heading back as we were getting a bit sodden when the hotel rang & said our room was ready at 11:30am - yay! Got back had showers, the rooms are small in Zurich maybe 14m2 & this was cheap at around $400 a night !?#$! We set an alarm and lay down for a kip, took us both a while, then we were gone for 2 hrs! And that's with the windows open onto the street as there is no cooling in the room.

Up and out for a stroll again, it had dried up just grey, but things were coming to life. Really pretty streets & a relaxed atmosphere. Full of the top end luxury shops tho omg! We went for dinner at the Adler hotel restaurant, funnily enough it was where we were booked to stay in 2020 when covid stuck & everything was cancelled. Their prices had gone up a 1/3 since then, so didn't stay there, but still wanted to take Graeme to their restaurant as they do  the traditional Swiss cheese fondue. We had to mote-mote cheese ( think that's 4 cheeses) & chunks of bread to dip along with a couple of beers. Graeme's was a wheat beer that tasted like a blonde Guinness!! I had a Pilsner and then gray had pork sausage with gravy. Was nice enough, although both were a little underwhelming - maybe cos it's the tourist area? But it was ok - $178 though!

Walked back through the streets, they have lots of pedestrian streets here, but also trams - it was so like Melbourne. Stopped and got a big tray of strawberries, so nice & sweet & at $10 they were cheap. Carried them back, then time to rest our sore feet & heads before much needed bed!

Graeme crashed at 8pm but my neck was pretty sore by then, so took me until 10pm, but then we had the sleep of the travel weary- have done well being up for 2 days with only a few hours sleep- that's the tough bit done :) !

2025 Trip to Europe… 15th April -Pre trial day & Day 1 CHC - SIN - ZRH

Pre Trip Travel Day

Well I have resurrected the faithful travel blog that I first began on our 1st trip to Europe in 2007! It's been 18 yrs & 302 posts...a lot of typing late at night (or I would never have remembered everything!). I also got clever & started posting 2 days of travel together in one post lol 😊.

We have been reminded this week that there is a lot to do to get out the door for a month away for us & our precious puppy dogs, but we did ok & got going this morning at 8:30am from home. Twizel was 6C, but a lovely crisp dry cold, then we were off - stopped at the famous Fairlie pie shop for the tradition of a pie on the way thru when heading north, today was salmon/ bacon & a beef/beer/ cheese pie...omg yum 🤤 . 

A bit of a long trip to Christchurch as an unexpected road closure & detour added an extra 1/2 hr to the drive. Arrived up there around 1 pm, then dropped our babies to our wonderful friends Pam & Gordon who love them like we do. Caught up with them then Pam drove us in to the Novotel at Christchurch airport. They will keep our car for us as well😊.

Had dinner at the hotel restaurant then went over to the airport for a wander & a cuppa/muffin for dessert. The domestic departure hall was chocka at 6:30 pm, lots of flights going out but no arrivals atm.

Walked back for showers & into bed - we are shattered as it's been a very busy few weeks. We are over to the terminal around 8 am tomorrow, for our flights Christchurch -> Singapore -> Zurich.

Pip is adoring!Paddy is not so sure he likes his toying riding him! haha

Day 1,  Christchurch NZ - Singapore - Zurich 

We had a pretty good sleep last night – the Novotel beds are always amazing :-). Decided to get up just before dawn and go for a brisk walk together around the airport since we will be sitting pretty much for the next 35 hours, was lovely and the airport was all quiet. 

Back for showers and got ourselves ready before the stroll over to check in. 

Luckily, I looked at our boarding passes as we were walking away, the lady had printed two sets of boarding passes for Graeme and none for me, right through to Zürich, so that would've been fun at the boarding gate as they were all his seats! Went back to the service desk and they fixed them,  then we went through to the lounge for a little bite to eat and a few hours before our flight.

We are flying Singapore airlines - the first flight is on an A350–900 to Singapore, then we have an 8hr transit wait 😳😣, so have booked a room at the T3 ambassador transit hotel at Changi. That way we can have a freshen up and maybe a bit of a nap. 

Then we fly Singapore to Zürich on a 777–300ER. We will definitely need to try to get some decent sleep on this leg as we arrive in Zurich at 10 am & want to make the most of the day we have there!