19th and 20th April (Thursday and Friday)
We drive on - under the city of Chur via a tunnel. Then in Austria. We try to avoid the motor way so we don't get fined for having no Vignette (Motorway pass at about E100). Somehow we still end up in the big motorway tunnel that takes us to the German border. We get a first view of Bodensee (Lake Constance). Zita and I have an ongoing debate about which is the larger, Bodensee or Lake Taupo.
This is now all very familiar territory. A strange and pleasing feeling for me, being back in this part of the world which I know and love. The wonderful countryside, the great mountains, the fantastic running and and mountain walking and mountain biking. The German language. Family and friends. The nature, which is so different from New Zealand.
We now see road signs to Isny - where Zita and I lived for a year. We drive around the edge of the town, park and walk up through the familiar "Fussgangezone" (pedestrian area). We immediately find shops with great quality stuff for excellent prices. We buy me a new outdoor jacket for E25. We sit and have our first proper German tea/coffee and cake in a proper Konditerei. We drive on to Eisenharz - to Gebhards (Zitas brother) where we will stay for the two weeks we are here.
ABout 6pm I head off to MAiehofen, park the car and do one of my favourite runs.. 300 metres of climb, first on a minor road, then up a track and through forest, to the summit of Kugel at about 1100 metres. A perfect evening. No wind, great views towards the Voralpen and Alps, still with lots of snow. I write in the peak log book - then run along the ridge through forest tracks. An hour and 1/2 gets me back to the car. A great first run in my second home.
Friday 20th April
Two hours guitar playing to start the day. Good German buns for breakfast. First up Zita and I go for a run together, through forest and a Naturschutzgebiet (nature protection area). The air is crisp and there is frost on the grass.
Thern it is an internet and shopping visit to Kempten. I find my internet cafe in a book shop but still struggle with photos for the blog.
Zita finds a great mens clothes shop (according to her) and gets me into new pants, shirt, jacket - a set of best for the First Communion celebration on Sunday for Beate, Zita's niece. They will also be great clothes fr me back in NZ for 1/2 NZ prices.
In the evening we have Pizza and salad wit Zita's other brother and family - Hubert, Elizabeth, Beate, Markus, Stephan.
I understand enough of what is being said to feel pretty cmfortable and included. It can be very hard with the local dialect for me to understand people here - and when you can't understand what people are saying it can feel very isolated and difficult, especially over a longer period.
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