BY BARGE, SAILBOAT, CAMEL, HORSE OR BIKE!         
Noel & Jackie's Journeys
  • Our Travels
  • About Us
  • Our Books
  • Gift Store
  • Contact
  • Travel Photos

Belgium to Italy by Bike - 4

5/30/2016

6 Comments

 

A day in May in Switzerland

We knew there was a cost for entering Switzerland. On a bike it was only €40 euros for a year  the policeman at the border was smiling and happy and generously guided us to the office to pay by card for the vignette.
 
Payment was swift - all easy, until the time to stick it on the bike.

The guy who gave us the vignette has a motorbike and tried to convince us to put it on the underside of Noel's seat.

The uhmming and arhhing and explaining of this took several freezing minutes. The temperature had dropped, we'd been on the bike an hour longer than we'd wanted to (between stops) and I was cold.
 
'Just put it on the windshield!' I said.
Noel took a breath and started to say, 'but...' and then he saw my face, stuck the vignette to the windshield and off we went.

'Where shall we stop?' he said

'Anywhere, soon, the first place you see, I'm cold.'
 
We stopped briefly for a coffee and snack at a motorway stop. It ‘s amazing how just a few minutes stretching and a hot coffee fortifies you for another few hours on the bike.
 
And then everything changed...
 
‘Oh my goodness - how long has this been going on?’
Picture
Straight out of a brochure - but even better!
We swept around a corner into Switzerland. The jaws of the green mountains opened up to reveal their splendour, the world changed.
 
We squinted... and Noel held out his hand as if to say 'would you look at that!’
 
We'd had no desire to go to Switzerland, only because we couldn't get there on our canal boat. We knew about the Alps, of course, but we were not ready for the real thing.
 
It's so much better than the brochures - that's only ever happened to us once before, at Machu Pichu.
 
The peaks stretched out toward the sky, tearing at the odd wispy cloud - our eyes widened, I smiled and rubbernecked my way through the streets.
 
And then the traffic stopped.
Picture
Traffic backed up for miles - the evening and the following morning.
The 38 mile Gotthard Base Tunnel loomed up in front. We had quickly learned that Switzerland has numerous tunnels. Traversing umpteen tunnels already we saw no point in spending an hour sucking in exhaust fumes starting at a concrete wall and brake lights.
 
Como was our loose destination today, we weren't going to make it.
 
I tapped Noel on the shoulder as he battled with the throttle, stop start, stop start. Ahead was a turning into Wassen, a small village up high on our left.
 
He eased the bike from the line of metal and we scooted along the hard shoulder. My shoulders became tense, they'd shoot you in Australia for riding the hard shoulder – no questions asked!
 
We turned off the highway and circled around into the main street, which was two hundred metres long, sporting many hotels, a garage (closed), a small shop (closed) and an old school house and church.

​​

Picture
School - Wassen
We investigated three hotels - all similarly priced, but the nicest was the most competitive with our own bathroom and breakfast included.
Picture
Our plan of exploring without plans, had paid off. We had no fixed place to be, allowing us to indulge in this unexpected slice of heaven.
Picture
View from the Church, over the valley - Wassen.
Our day in May in Switzerland would become one of the most memorable - one of those special, unplanned days. The next blog will share all those wondrous details, movies and pics! Here's a movie from the back of the bike, up the pass behind Wassen, in the meantime.
 
Join us on the ride along mountain passes.
 

Next: Stupidly Blue!
6 Comments
Susan Jackson
5/30/2016 05:21:40 am

I drove from Germany to Switzerland and stayed a few days at Lake Lucern--loved it and loved the drive--the air is so CLEAN

Reply
Jackie Parry link
5/30/2016 05:31:42 am

It is - so wonderfully clean - You had a few days which is fab, we had but one, but enjoyed it immensely!

Reply
Lesley Lodge link
5/31/2016 06:16:06 am

Great stuff - as always. Thanks for putting in the links (I had only a vague idea what a vignette is). Looking forward to the next update, all the best, Lesley (AKA Horses in Film)

Reply
Jackie Parry link
5/31/2016 08:01:54 am

Hi Lesley, lovely to hear from you and thanks for your comment - so glad you are enjoying the 'ride'. BIG news is that I have finally cleared my decks and am working on reviews - guess what - yours is top of my list - how about that for coincidence!
For all other comment readers/lurkers on my website - I can recommend Lesley's "Horse and Pony Colours" which would you choose? https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=lesley+lodge
Well - which one would you choose? ;-)

Reply
Lesley Lodge link
6/2/2016 01:42:40 am

Hi Jackie that's terrific. I look forward to your review BUT don't let in get in the way of your great blogs (and more to the point, all your adventures)!

Jackie link
6/2/2016 10:57:25 pm

Ha! Thanks Lesley, it is well overdue! We are in floods at the moment, so can't do much else but write and read - kind of nice really in a horrid damp, wet sort of way! lol!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Follow us on FB to
    receive new blog posts 

    Further Reading

    Read more on our sailing, horse, barge and bike escapades here

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    October 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.