381. On Hold

Bled, Slovenia

Spanky

Today felt like a day on hold. Was supposed to be the big drive to Venice today but no Disco insurance means we stay put till the office in the UK opens tomorrow. Caught up on correspondence this morning then, while J did the laundry in our little machine, me fetching water fifteen litres at a time on me bike and emptying the wheelie water container, towed behind the bike. To add a little spice to the day I cleaned the front and back of the Giantavan.

First thing this morning (a little before midday) I opened the new can of polyurethane to touch up the big patches in Teasel and discovered that it is some sort of oak stain. Used it anyway but will chuck it. The first can I bought was acrylic varnish - useless, long since chucked.

On packing up Teasel one of the oars panels was falling off so fixed that with the water proof PVA that we seem to use for everything from craft to wallpaper repair. The piece that came off had warped away quite significantly so I lashed it tightly with one end of the rope tied to the Giantavan and me pulling hard as I wound it on. Was quite puffed with sore fingers by the time I was finished but it seems to have worked. Packed up Teasel with the oar still lashed which will give it plenty of time to bond.

This evening we watched Burlesque, the movie. Cher is outstanding. Fyfe was unimpressed.

380. There and back and there again

BLED, SLOVENIA

Right, the end of the month tomorrow. Must pay the car insurance before the end of the month. Looked up the reminder email and discovered on reading it in detail that I needed to phone them within five working days of receiving the notice. That was two days ago and, dammit, it is Saturday today. Dam and blast, what an i_dot. It was a huge hassle getting overseas insurance and now I need to reapply. So much for heading to Venice tomorrow, we are stuck here till I get it sorted. Dam and blast, much gnashing of teeth and self deprecating language. Please, feel free to comment on what a complete idiot I am - more grist for the mill. Sack cloth and ashes for me till I get the insurance sorted.

Determined to sail today, it has been two long. Dug out Roman's water proof camera and discovered that it was flat - dam again. 

Rigged Teasel at the Giantavan or as near to as able due to the trees, resplendent in their autumn colourings. Using the tie down straps as shoulder harnesses I staggered down to the lake front dragging Teasel behind me on its single wheel. I fixed our NZ Ensign to the gaff head and raised the main and within twenty seconds was surrounded by a number of enthusiastic Kiwis absolutely stunned that I too was a kiwi. Super nice blokes and blokesses, over here for a months gadabout. Was lovely to hear the local inflection.

Sailed for a couple of hours, did a lap of the island and sailed right to the head of the lake. Wind very shifty. Kept well clear of the hand rowed water taxis but may had tacked right on loopies flailing around in rental dinghies for a laugh, not telling. Don't want to appear an ass for my readers.

On my return, derives Teasel and left her on the beach and returned to the Giantavan to make a late lunch. After lunch we headed for the island. It is the only time owning a boat has ever saved me money, ever.

Audrey, Fyfe and Roman out for a row,
while waiting for others to appear

Audrey rowed most of the way

We landed at a small wharf

The port, reminded me of Hong Kong

379. Haemorrhaging superlatives

Bled, Slovenia

What a place. Knew nothing about Slovenia before arriving here, know little more now.

Today, with much levering, dug the children out to bike around the lake as the setting is stunning and the day a calm twenty two degrees. All in all, it took nearly three hours from first announcement to actually being on the bikes. 

It is not a big ride, we rode clockwise, about three and a half kilometres to Bled (town) at the top of the lake and similar distance for the return. We meandered along with lots of stops and it was quite outstanding.

Apologies in advance for the excess of photos, I have already deleted over half the snaps taken today. 

From the camp 

Roman leads off

Iris on colleague Ashley's old bike 

Jacqueline 

This church was pealing beautifully

Bled, head of the lake

Possibly the most picturesque place we have been 

These boats ply a steady trade too and fro to the island
with about twenty tourists per trip. The oarsman stands
at the back facing forwards. The oars are not lifted out on the
forward stroke but turned (feathered). Makes for a very
quiet graceful passage

The boats are stationed around the lake.
At the closest point there were coach loads of people
queued up waiting

On returning to camp we swam in the lake.
Wonderfully warm still.

Unloaded Teasel tonight, hoping for a morning breeze for a sail then a row to the island with the family.

Anything above five knots is perfect for sailing.
Over ten is a bit much on my own,
and daunting for family

378. Bled dry

Bled, Slovenia

Not a long way to go to Bled today but the first half was on slow roads with a lot of it under sixty kilometres per hour. Made for beautiful driving though.

I attacked the greasy mess on the side of the caravan, beside the door where we cook. I couldn't really budge it with Spray and Wipe type stuff and ended up using Wurth Industrial Cleaner spray which got stuck in but if used too liberally softened the paint. Using the search function in this blog I see I last cleaned behind the cooker on January 13. I think we need to hang a cloth or similar to protect the caravan. Cleaning the area, a little over a metre square took me over an hour while the family had lunch. It was hard work and I am not keen to repeat the experience.

Church of the Assumption of Maria,
 Bled castle on
the shore cliff behind

Reversed into the double site

Arriving at Bled, then driving around the lake was a stunning surprise. Quite fantastic. The castles around the edge and tiny Bled Island with the Church of the Assumption of Maria - wonderful.

Camping Bled is expensive but right on the water at the end of the lake.

377. Dodged

VELENJE, SLOVENIA

Magnificent lake, no wind makes for no sailing. Weather has warmed up again which is much appreciated though only making twenty degrees. It is remarkable how short the summer is here but then in the winter the lake freezes so there is a long way to go.

Children did a reasonable amount of homework, Fyfe currently being the most focused.

Had a brief and expensive go on the dogem cars which the children loved. Roman and I were in the fourth car.

Jacqueline ventured back into the local mall solo as there were no takers.

Didn't even get Teasel off the Disco here due to the lack of wind

Frustratingly picturesque

Fyfe

Audrey

Iris

376. A small loss

VELENJE, SLOVENIA

The next morning Halloumi had moved but still sleeping, research telling us that mice sleep fourteen hours per day. Later in the day, much to our surprise we discovered Halloumi had died which was quite a surprise. Another surprise was how disappointed I was.

Board meeting tonight. Phoned fellow director Len and discovered that the wifi was very scratchy... not easily resolved but essential for tonights board meeting at ten thirty. 

Also phoned Uncle Richard, my business co-owner and he offered his 75 for me to use next month when I am back in NZ for meetings. It is 1980's V6 Alpha that was derelict and broken in a warehouse that we took in a hurry following the quakes and now modified with multiple butterflies and rorty exhaust. I love it, it is brilliant to drive. The height of nineteen eighties angular cool.

Roman spent quite a bit of time with a group of Irish boys from the camp watching the side show there being a large family group with seven beautiful new caravans and late model cars putting our rig to shame. None of the boys had the money to ride but, as the story relates, Roman showed them his money, six euros, two pounds and a special coin. Later one of the boys had some money and they watched him ride. Later again, Roman discovered that he did not have any money and returned in tears with his empty purse, upset and confused. Somewhere in that there is a learning opportunity for Roman.

Yesterday was mostly spent prepping for the board meeting and catching up on other admin stuff. Jacqueline and Fyfe went to the local mall in the early evening. I did the board meeting until the early hours in the Disco with the fan heater to keep me company.

375. Halloumi

Velenje, Slovenia

Austria to Slovenia

Managed to uproot ourselves from Austria, the colder weather helped, and headed for Italy, our next major destination. Slovenia is between us and Italy and new for us. We were travelling secondary roads through Austria but on hitting Slovenia the secondary roads became impossible to make much progress, uneven with little villages every few hundred metres and slow tractors. Not really an option bouncing the Giantavan along as a moving road block with a score of little cars with a combined cylinder capacity of the Disco (turbo multiplier added) behind. We headed for the motorway where we sit at eighty two kilometres per hour up hill and down dale, trucks passing us on the latter as our power to weight is larger than the trucks.

Fyfe

Arriving at the campsite we found, to the children's delight that a fun fair was in place at the front of the camp, screams and loud music ensuing. Reception said it wouldn't go all night and there was plenty of space away from it, which proved to be the case. 

In the evening Audrey caught a little mouse and named it Halloumi as he seemed to enjoy the piece she gave it and also a pea which it delicately ate leaving the skin. It was actually quite charming sitting on its hind legs eating. She left it outside with a little water in its container when she went to bed. When Jacqueline saw it a couple of hours later it looked miserable as it had got wet, spilling the bottle top of water, it being seven degrees in the awning so we bought it in, dried the container and crumpled a paper towel which it climbed onto and settled down for the night.

374. Hungry in Hungary

Hungary

Fifteen minutes from the border, time to visit Hungary. Headed for Szombathely for no other reason other than it looked a reasonable size and would take us cross country for about an hours slow dive on secondary roads. The change on crossing the open boarder, check points abandoned, was quite startling. The roads after the first few hundred metres were undulating, the roadsides little mown, farms more raggedy and untidy. Felt more like New Zealand except for the copses of trees and unfenced fields. The tractors that we caught up on the roads were much older, unsprung and slow than the typical late model fast tractors usually seen in Europe.

Disco food

People food

Un-typically for Europe, supermarkets are open on Sundays in Hungary. This meant that we did not need to make lunch prior to leaving. We were surprised to see a big Tesco and heading in ...... to the nineteen eighties, like it was in NZ. Shabby supermarket with poorly stocked shelves. The prices were hilarious with one Hungarian forint worth point slightly less than a third of a euro cent (point three one of a cent). We spent thirteen thousand on lunch and various provisions, including meat for dinner and I see on my card that is came to seventy one NZ dollars. After fueling the Disco about two thirds of a tank so that we could use the toilets, another twenty thousand, we headed into a lovely park with a decent lake to eat lunch while I thought about sailing on the lake.

Fyfe and Audrey playing "The Bunny Game" prior to departure

Tesco Hungary

Hmmm, I thought, café looks inviting

Locks and ...... pistons on the bridge

Elizabeth & Tony?

Audrey, Iris and Jacqueline counting the locks.
The left had 453 according to Audrey
The right 736 according to Iris or 670 Jacqueline

The Deck Bistro and Bar, que music (the joy of Shazam)
Kids couldn't believe their luck and a craft table
Coffee and cokes, profiteroles & deconstructed sponge cake with chocolate 

Learning Yazhee
The pad is in German which doesn't help