Newsletter 04 - August 1998

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So after a good meal and a few beers in a local restaurant, I had a very welcome and comfortable nights sleep. Before bed I booked in, by phone, with the appropriate authority of course. (OiC Domestic). Next morning after a leisurely breakfast I started off on phase two of the journey to Switzerland. I had prepared a number of routes to take, eventually settling on A26 (motorway) to St-Dizier, then a mixture of roads before crossing into Germany, where I was able to take the hood down for a short, but concentrated, unrestricted, blast down the A5 (motorway). The unrestricted blast was one of the unofficial reasons for this journey, big numbers seen on the speedo? No, max of only 110 seen, and I tried three times. I turned off the A5 back into France at Junction 65 then on to Basel/Mulhouse for another ‘Formule 1’ hotel. Basel/Mulhouse is the location of the Swiss airport for Basel, but is, in France. For those French speakers among you, the name Bâle is possibly a more familiar name. The first time I went to Switzerland, in 1967, (say ‘That was before I was born’ and get wacked with my walking stick) the different spelling in the two languages caused me problems. The town on the road signs was the right direction, right distance and on the right road, but was the name was wrong. About 50 miles from Basel, Ruedi met me, to escorted me the last bit of the journey, and explained that the difference was caused by the two languages. I booked in at the hotel, emptied the car of ‘gear’. Then went into Basel, which is only about 8K (5 miles) from the hotel. This set up of hotel in Basel/Mulhouse, France and visit a friend in Switzerland, was chosen as it has the advantage of the hotel being nice and cheap, and close to Switzerland, which isn’t cheap. Also it brought me into Switzerland from France, thus avoiding the problem I had last time I went to Switzerland (by motorbike): - On that occasion, I arrived at the border with Germany on the A5, the Swiss customs wanted me to buy one of the motorway stickers which are necessary if you intend to use their… motorways, I didn’t, I was only going to Basel and wouldn’t be touring in Switzerland. But this customs post is actually on the motorway, so to continue I needed the sticker. I declined, so was escorted a short way down the motorway, crossing the central reservation and onto the exit from Switzerland side of the motorway. The German customs officers wanted to know why I had been ‘thrown’ out of Switzerland. Once I had explained, they gave me directions into Basel via a different route and, away I went. Page 12 I arrived in Switzerland at about 11, I had to find my way to Ruedi’s ‘new’ flat. The
town is in a state of turmoil as they are building a motorway under the existing flats. As a result I couldn’t find the shop or his flat. I stopped to ask in a motorbike shop, and parked half on the pavement. Just as I was about to go into the shop a police car turned the corner. Here only 30 minutes and I am about to get a parking ticket, not a bad record I thought. In for a penny, I flagged the police car down and asked the way in my rusty German. Eventually the officer I was speaking to asked if ‘that’ was my car. ‘Yes.’ Switching to English he said ‘Follow us‘. So I got a police escort to Ruedi’s flat and some serious catching up, before going out for a meal, after which we went in to the town centre where I saw the ugliest woman ever. It was obvious that she was a he. He was horrible. On Sunday morning I returned to Ruedi’s flat and after some more catching upand the English GP, had a very nice meal that he prepared for us. We watched the first half of the world cup together then I returned to the hotel ….. On Monday morning, I started the second part of my holiday and hit the road south. I had two priorities now 1). Get south to the sun and, 2). Ensure that I wasn’t anywhere near to anything remotely football like, and 3). I wanted to take in some of the Tour de France. OK so I can’t count. Unfortunately the Tour didn’t take a route that would have been convenient for me, if it had, it may have made hotels difficult to find, so number 3 doesn’t count after all. Nor does number 2 as the football had now finished. It was Bastille day, every one was out to give the gentry got as far away from Paris, and the seat of the revolution, as possible and as quickly as possible. I don’t want the chop! the chop. So I See next time for the thrilling conclusion to this thrilling report of my thrilling holiday. Sorry the pictures don’t look as good on paper as they do in glorious colour on my screen. DAS The Swiss flag is one of two internationally recognised flags that are square, identify the other one! Page 13
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Newsletter 04 - August 1998

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