1982 - Home Leave to England - Rhine River

Tuesday August 10, 1982 – Rhine River

This was the first time we experienced the beauty and splendour of crusing on the European rivers. Although we did other short trips at other times, it was some years before we did a long trip which is covered in my WHITE WINTER TOUR 2010 blog

We had to wake up early to catch the 07.14 train to Mainz. Klaus, the hotelier, had agreed to leave us some food in the dining room, so we had a bite to eat at 06.30. the only complaint was that the coffee was a bit cool after having been in the thermos all night.

At Klaus’ suggestion we sent all our luggage on to Bonn yesterday merely keeping overnight bags with a change of clothing with us, Rab has realised that I was right and we could have done with one suitcase, so maybe she will remember that next time. (Alas, no. I believe that we always take too much luggage: Rab believes that you never know just what you will need.) We caught the train in good time but were a bit shattered when the conductor demanded DM18 each for ‘supplement’ on the ten minute journey from Heidelberg to Mannheim where we changed trains.  We are still not sure what it was for but arguing in a foreign language is never easy.

We arrived at Mainz at about 08.10 and as the boat was due to leave at 08.45 we grabbed a cab to get across to the quay. The boat was aptly named Drachenfels and the price was a bit of a shock – DM120 (about US$50) each for Rab and me. The good news was that they were apparently having a special for children, because Matt’s ticket was only DM3 – a little more than a dollar. Just as well as our funds are getting low.

The weather had been misty in Heidelberg when we set off and was not much better in Mainz, although the taxi driver said he thought it might clear up. On this basis we set up our canvas seats on the open deck at the stern next to the rail. Just as well, because as the day progressed there was great demand for our spot. We fought off most competitors. A Spanish family came pretty close to winning but they had not reckoned on our Rab who moved their seats when they went for a beer.

 

What can you say about a view like that?

It was quite breezy once we got under way but the sun came out after a while and it warmed up a little. A lot of people boarded in the upper reaches of the river and the boat was quite crowded for a couple of hours. We were so glad we had made the trip because the scenery was certainly spectacular, especially the upper reaches from Mainz to Koblenz.(what amazed me, and still does, is the logistics in building the castles on those high crags and cliffs. How were the building crews fed, where did the stone come from, how could the stone be cut so precisely etc, etc.).I took yards of movie and could have taken even more. We were rather amused  by a young Indian couple near us who had a video recorder. They seemed to be filming every foot of the journey, usually with one or the other in the foreground - or both if they could get anyone else to take the shot.

Rab at full chat

The weather became very bleak after Koblenz and we ran into a couple of showers, so we moved into the shelter on the rear deck. Rab had started chatting earlier in the day with a mother and daughter from Zimbabwe. We had seen them at Nairobi airport and had noticed them because they both looked so unwell. We thought the daughter might have anorexia but it turns out that she is allergic to cereals. They were a bit of an odd couple altogether.

A stop at St Goar

Although we had bought tickets to Koln we found that the boat stopped in Bad Godesberg so we got off there after ascertaining from the purser that we could get a refund on our tickets from the office on the shore. Not so however! The dwarflike cretin by the name of Schanten (or was it Scheisssen?) who ran the local agency refused point blank to help and did it in such a rude manner that he almost got my stock, nagels and all, up his nose. We will continue the fight tomorrow.

 

Where else would you see sights like this?

The hotel we had booked from Zimbabwe is very nice indeed and quite reasonable. We walked up through the town to Waldbergstrasse  to the little pub where we had a meal with Jan last year. Very good value for enormous helpings. Matt had a flat omelette cooked with bacon while Rab and I had schnitzels – and nine beers (which we needed because it was a long walk!) – and all for about Z$15 – DM50.