Today is a travel day. We were up bright and early, washed, fed and off the boat by 8.30am so that the crew had time to prepare the boat for the next load of guests who would be arriving later that day.
We said our farewells to Linda, Gabby, Neal and Randa who were heading off by car to Switzerland for a week but via the Black Forest. We have our fingers crossed that the good weather continues as they hope to have a look around the central Swiss area where there are some spectacular views of the Alps.
Meantime, Al, Jen and the two of us stored our bags on the boat and headed out towards the center of Mainz for our morning coffee.
It happens to be a Saturday morning and all the local produce shops were setting up for a busy day.
Mainz is known for a number of things but the most famous person from the city is probably Johannes Gutenberg. He is best known for his invention of movable-type printing in Europe, which is considered a pivotal moment in the second millennium. His printing press revolutionized the dissemination of information and ushered in what is known as the Printing Revolution. My, how that is such old technology now.
It just so happened, that the remaining four of us were catching the same train out of Mainz. We will get off at Frankfurt Airport whilst Al and Jen will continue onto Frankfurt Central Railway Station. After a very brief stop at the station, they will board a train to Berlin which will take them about five hours. They will meet their daughter Belinda there for a weeks holiday with her. After that, they return to Oz.
We had a few false starts at the station in Mainz but finally we were all aboard.
Over the years, we have been through Frankfurt Airport many a times and it continues to be the most confusing of international airports. Whereas the train station……
……is the exact opposite. We have always been in awe of the German rail system because of its efficiency, and ease of use. We feel a change though. Things are not efficient and reliable as they use to be. Travel has changed and unfortunately not for the better. Gone is the spontaneity. It is now combative and competitive. The romanticism and fun has gone.
There has been some improvements that have piqued our interests and one is the speed and comfort of the trains. This short video probably doesn’t do it justice but travelling at 292k/hr is pretty cool.
To do it in such comfort and using free internet at the same time is pretty cool.
We got into Hilversum after 5.00pm and we walked the short distance to our friends Ali and Ads house.
Ali is the younger sister of our very good friend Nick who Fraser has known since he was 12. We have visited Ali and Ads a few times now since we have been living in Canada. We both very much like the Netherlands and have travelled it extensively but this time we will be doing a detailed tour of the waterways. More will be revealed in a few days. Meantime, we have a few days with the guys and will have a few down days and catch up on washing and walk with Brontë the dog down to the Haida where she loves to roll in any mud puddle she can find!!!!
Walking from the train station to Ali and Ads house was a very short stroll and it was lovely to be walking down memory lane. We are pretty sure we were last here back in 2017 when we came and looked after the two kids for a week whilst mum and dad went to New York for a wedding. The kids are now almost finished university. How time flies.
There will be a hiatus in the blog for a few days but hope to be back in production soon.
Steps 11,029
Rowkin Rovings Blog 