Crimbus, Somewhere, Europe.
This bus does not fly. Neither is it amphibious. Therefore we must still be touring Europe. The sky is grey. The road has dual-carriageways on each side of the divided, therefore the road is more modern, therefore the Crimbus is not bumping to the same extent as on the single carriageways of Eastern Europe.
We left the hotel in Prague a little late, around 12.30, delayed by mechanical difficulties on the Crewbus. And excitements! my first adventures in organising digital photos on this Powerbook.
12.12 We are in a very long tunnel, so I assume we are under the Alps. The police stopped us about an hour ago for a roadside spot-check. They check to see inter alia whether drivers on buses are getting their mandatory 45-minute breaks. They woke up our second driver to ask him if he was getting his rest time.
12.26 Now in Austria --
12.38 Now in Switzerland --
14.51 A long tunnel under the Alps --
15.11 We are now on the Italian side of the Alps.
15.34 Driver stop.
16.45 On the way 10 minutes ago in bright sunshine.
17.56 On the outskirts of Milan. But not yet in Milan -- The Crewbus will arrive about 4 hours behind us.
18.11 We are in Milan, but not yet in the centre of Milan --
00.30 Hotel Acceptable, Well Located But Rather Tired, Milan.
It is very hot. We arrived at the end of the hotel's street at 18.50. The hotel's shuttle van went off-duty at 18.30 so we carried our luggage to the hotel, with some porter assistance, and were in the rooms by 19.15. The journey lasted 18 hours and 20 minutes. The hotel faces the Cathedral, that is, parts of it face the cathedral (our rooms do not), and its brochure features a picture of The Beatles on the hotel roof in 1965. Pat & I walked around the block to see what's about. Pat remembers the area from earlier tours. Then back to the hotel & guitar practising for me. Tired. Hot.
"Playing fast is easier than playing slow."
