I did not go to Fussen today as planned. After
arriving in Zurich Flughafen (airport), I spent about
20 minutes familiarizing myself with the controls on
the rental car (Mercedes E240 with GPS and CD player).
Iīm not allowed to take the car into Italy or Southern
France, but the rest of europe is mine to explore!!!
Before I continue, lemme just say that the Z and Y
keys on this keyboard are switched, so mz apologies in
advance for anz typos. ("mz" and "anz" were not
intentional but i left it that way)
Anyway, getting out of the airport and on to the
freeway would be impossible without the navigation
system on the car -- Iīve learned to trust it
completely now. When the voice says "Turn right now",
i turn immediately no matter what my map says -- itīs
great!
Swiss freeways are nice - reminded me of some of the
roads in colorado. in the distance i could see some
mountains rising straight up! Probablz swiss-austrian
border over there. "Probably". Forget it, iīm not
going to trz to correct anz more of those!!! Well,
crossing into austria was fun -- the navigation szstem
again was a big help; I wouldnīt have been able to go
there on my own! Since then Iīve learned that an A
with a circle around it means that road goes to
Austria. Similarly D means deutchland and CH means
switzerland. But the first time, itīs nice to rely on
the gps.
No passport control at the border crossing - I was
just waived through. Went through some very tinz roads
on the way to town of Bregenz ("turn right in 100
yards", "turn left now"), then the freeway north into
Germany.
One very long tunnel through a mountain, and on into
germany and the autobahn.... I saw a motorcyclist
zooming by in the left lane - I was going 120 (all
speeds from now are in kmph), and this guy mustīve
been doing over 240.... After muttering "wow", i
stepped on it! 160...180... then back down to 120
again! "no speed limit" doesnīt reallz mean no speed
limit -- everz 10-20 km you go through some town and
the speed limit becomes 120. then 2 kmīs later you
exit the town and step on the gas pedal with one eye
on the rear-view mirror one eye in front. Thereīs
alwazs someone going faster!
Well, I was having too much fun so I decided to staz
on the autobahn, instead of doing some planned
sightseeing at Neushwanstein Castle. Drove around near
Ulm, Augsburg, then down to Munich -- which is the
long way. But it was fun! Most of the long stretches
were at 200kmph constant speed (120 in towns, and 80
in tunnels, and down to 160 when someone cut in front
of me), with the longer bursts up to 220, and one or
two short bursts up to 230+. I never touched 240
though, but the car is quite capable of it.
And no, i didnīt stick my head out the moonroof. There
is no moonroof in this car.
Itīs an amaying car and an amazing country!
Now iīm in munich -- a little trouble finding the
hotel because they changed the name of it in the last
week! Also a little trouble finding the parking garage
- i was expecting to find an underground parking
entrance, but itīs actuallz a GARAGE similar to home
garages in the U.S.
Roamed around the town in the evening, had lunch, had
a pastry, took about 5-6 pictures of the old city, and
back to the hotel for a nap. Itīs 10:30pm now and iīm
wide awake and very hungry and very hot because
thereīs no a/c in mz room.
tomorrow on to Salzburg!
and i donīt like this kezboard. but i love german
roads!
auf weidersehn,
me.
Munich: All of these were taken on the stroll through the city:
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