i am becoming quite the caravan site connaissuer. i am obsessed! straight away i am adding and deducting points for various features for my imaginary guide. the last few sites have been above par so we are getting better at judging them. when we finish this trip i will be fully qualified to open the best caravan site in the world!

big point scorers are:

-clean, functional showers (as some of you may know (not something i really like to advertise) i dont really like showering at the best of times, and caravan park showering is not the best of times (showers that you need a PhD (in german) to a) turn on and b) make warm, showers where the shower curtain just wants to wrap itself around you (and every other person before you), where the water comes out like sharp hot pins into your body, no barrier to keep your clothes dry, etc, etc, etc) however the other day rohan said 'Ainslie, there is a strange smell around and i think it is coming from you' so i am going to make more of an effort.

-clean, functional toilets - with soap (to be fair, we havent had a problem with this)

-outstanding natural beauty - preferable some kind of water that you can swim in (not a stagnant pond)

-a noise curfew (am i getting old or what?! this is from a Bad Experience)

- a shop with things you dont know you need until you dont have them and a fridge stocked with beer/wine and fresh bread in the morning

and the list goes on.

so, the life of rohan and ainslie in the last few weeks in pictures....

Ieper skyline (Belgium) - our first stop and a good place to ease into the trip. a bit touristy but pretty sleepy, good beer, mussels, etc.

me on the streets of Ieper - Menin Gate in background
Menin Gate - first world war memorial to soldiers with no known grave

VC Corner - near where rohans great uncle recieved a distinguished conduct medalmemorial to aussies with no known grave (i think we have paid our dues now!)

me in Luxembourg

Luxembourg - we had a good time here despite finding a vegetarian restaurant and then finding it wasnt open.

pretty village in country luxembourg

the camera man

beautiful old, old church in Trier, Germany

The gorgeous Moselle Valley

cycling the Moselle Valley

our bikes and castle

just in case it wasnt nerdy enough

a bit of cultcha in Weimar

Yay - something other than meat and cheese (rohan isnt really happy about this but i am) - Erfurt, Germany

We were in town for the Dresden Town Festival which was quite cool despite the appaling Classical Rock concert (we sat down with some beers in the sun to hear some Wagner or some such but had drink up and leave!)

oh thats a bit close up isnt it...me enjoying the sun and beer at the dresden town festival

Bikers (or trikers) that drove me to insanity! when they arrived rohan was muttering and making dissaproving sounds and i was like 'dont worry!, they'll all be middle aged doctor types' (sorry doug m.). As it turned out they set themselves up like this - facing our tent and played music i cant even describe - it was like banal electro german folk music - til at least 1am (hence the noise curfew earlier). i think it would have been better if they were playing thrash metal.

climbers in saxon switzerland - they deserved the view alot more than us (who drove up)

Bastei - Saxon Switzerland

Beautiful Prague

we are now in munich after having a lovely, too short time in czech. we have had quite alot of good weather so rohan is looking quite brown. i am still standing out like a frecky, sore thumb on the tanned hand of europe.

hope alls well.

a&r