It's almost a moth since we're back from this one of the kind expedition. And I am writing something about it now.We started on beautiful Tusday morning on a very well known meeting point in Velenje, that is in front of Red Hall. This was our third expedition of this kind and I must say it was a success. We had the same driver as on both past expedition, since he is the best bus driver in the world. But this year he had a suprise for us. He came with a brand new bus. A very nice coach from Neoplan.
After hit the road we had many kilometers before our first stop in south Germany.
Let me just go through the days:
Day 1. (Velenje - Nürnberg)
650km of road and two stops in Passau and Regensburg.
The first day was more driving less exploring.
Day 2. (to Waterloo)
Three countries in one day. Germany, Luxemburg, Belgium. This was a very joyful day. Luxenburg is really nice city. Unfortunately we had only 2 hours to see it.
Day 3. (to Dunkerque)
Brussels and Dunkerque are nice cities. Brussels was very empty thou. Especially new part of city. The old town was very beautiful. And the EU parliament was nice too.
Day 4. (to Cambride)
On our way to UK we took a ferry from Calais to Dover. Our coach driver was in UK for the first time and he adjusted well to driving on the wrong side of the road. First stop in England was an old town of Canterbury. This is a really nice old small town. At the afternoon we reached our base for the next 4 days - Cambridge. We know a scout group from there and we have contacts for more then 20 years now.
Day 5. (to Jamboree)
This was a nice experience. We had all day for exploration of Jamboree area. And it was not enough. The place was huge, and there were more then 30.000 people. It was just crazy experience. Meeting other cultures and people from all over the world. And they were all scouts.
Day 6. (to Duxford)
On that day we visited air base in Duxford. It is a really nice airplade museum. I saw Blackbird there and even B52. Nice experience. In the afternoon we went to pub to see how it is like to watch a football game in one of pubs. And it was nice.
Day 7. (to London)
I was there before, and I know that you just can't see it in one day. But it is nice city. I went in national gallery for the second time (because of my girl), I didn't mind that at all. I was in Apple store there. It was nice to feel the subway again.
Day 8. (to York)
We left our base in Cambridge and turn north to Scotland. We stopped in Lincoln and York. Two nice cities. I must say.
Day 9. (to Edinburgh)
We stopped in New Castle., the ugliest cities on out expedition. I don't know why but it was not nice and we all agreed it was the worst. We only reached the suburbs of Edinburg that day.
Day 10. (Edinburgh)
That was day of 25km long walk around the city. The city is just pearl of North. A really nice city to visit or to live in. Worth visiting again. This a half of the expedition.
Day 11. (to Loch Lomond)
We went on Wallace National Monument, dedicated to the greatest rebel of Scotland William Wallace. That day we also stopped in Pitchlochry. This was our most North point of our expedition. We concluded the day near Lake of Loch Lomond, but there was unpleasant surprise. A million of small bugs attacked us. Much like mosquitoes, but far worse.
Day 12. (to Chester)
We came to early to Glasgow so everything was closed and we went on. In Liverpool we visited renewed old docs with Navy museum, Beatles museum and Tate. In the afternoon we arrived in Chester, another pretty old town with nice wall and buildings.
Day 13. (to Cardiff)
On this day we visited ruined castle in Montgomery and ended out day in Cardiff, with beautiful parks and very fancy ruby field.
Day 14. (to Portsmouth)
Through Bath with the nicest today standing roman baths. We stopped by Stonehenge. Visited a beautiful cathedral in Salisbury and ended in Portsmouth, which is nice city with Spinaker tower, a sail shaped tower. There we got on ferry for France and had a party on board of that big ferry that took 7 hours to reach the France.
Day 15. (to Aromanches)
Back on the mainland. We visited the D-Day museum there where the allies have come to shore in World War 2. We also visited the monument for American soldiers there by.
Day 16. (to Tours)
The one and only St. Michel. A really beautiful monastery with small village on the nice little isle. Next was St. Malô. a nice small isle town with narrow streets full of people.
Day 17. (to Orleans)
The castles on Loire. They are nice. We visited two of them Amboise, where Da Vince lived last 3 years of his life and is buried there. The other castle was Chambrod. The greatest castle I have ever seen. Huge building with lots and lots of rooms.
Day 18. (to Mulhouse)
Mostly driving whole day. There were many kilometers to home.
Day 19. (to Insnsbruck)
Stop in Zürich. One of the most boring cities on expedition. Full with rich swiss people and very sterile. There was really nice view from our camp in Innsbruck.
Day 20. (to Velenje)
Visit of Innsbruck in the morning with golden roof, and ski jump site. Stop in Swarovski museum. Museum full of crystals all kinds and colors. Then the way back home pass the Großglöckner, with nice mountain sight.
There will pictures published in my gallery but I have to pick witch ones first. There are lots of them.