Monday 15/12/08
Met the other couple in the van this am – Germans, who were very friendly and told us all about this town, and encouraged us to visit the Thermal baths (which we had no idea existed here) so we decide to. What an experience, bathing in hot springs in about 35 degree waters, out in the open with snow all around and in the distance Neuschwenstein towering over the valley. Decided to go upstairs to check out the sauna and found out they were all naked, thank goodness didn't take the kids up there!! Hit the road again and on towards Linderhof, another of King Ludwig's castles. Found an absolutely magnificent spot at a campsight closed for the winter. The snow was glistening in the moonlight as we pulled up. The street lined with old fashioned lamps, about 50 metres from the edge of a lake.

Sunday 14/12/08
Up early and continued on to Munich arriving just in time for the Sunday morning meeting at the Hubert and Julie's. Beautiful meeting where everyone’s testimony was translated into English for us, and we translated back to German for them. Unfortunately Hubert was away and their children were all very sick with Bronchitis, similar ages to our boys and would have dearly loved to see them as apparently they do not get to see many other friends their ages – one of the only churches in whole of Germany. Then on our way to Neuschwenstein, built by king Ludwig II during the 1870's. Took a horse drawn cart to the top, then a guided tour through the castle – boys were in awe. This is the castle used as the inspiration for Disneyland themes. Walked back to the van, bought our first German pastries – hot cinnamon rolls – then we drove on to a town near Fussen where we camped next to another Campervan.

Saturday 13/12/08
Up around 8am to a sumptuous buffet breakfast, kids had their first snowball fight in the Novatel car park in the dark!! I went and picked up the hire car, a VW station wagon and then North east to southern Germany to 'Bad Walsee' to pick up the camper from Hymer. Quite funny driving on the other side of the road again, but got used to it soon enough – not much choice really!! GPS is working like a treat – guided us straight there – Weather is absolutely freezing and there is snow everywhere – in fact some times it looks like we are driving in a black and white landscape. We took a ferry to cross a lake at one point and the wind chill must have been -10. It was cold... Picked up the van, it is a 6.7 metre HYMER, built on a Ford chassis, with a 3.8l Turbo Diesel. Good handling with lots of power. The van is pretty roomy inside with 2 tables that seat six, and fold down to a double bed at night, 3 burner stove, toilet and showers at back of van and double bunks on the side - above the cabin is the master bedroom consisting of the only permanent double bed!!

Off we went to drop back the Hire car at a town called Ravensburg, where we went to a massive supermarket and filled up with supplies only to find out at the check out they did not take Visa or Amex, and our Handy Card wasn’t accepted at the ATM. Well we were in a fix. Ended up having to leave the trolley, drive into town find an ATM that did work, get out cash and drive back for a groceries, which they had kept for us. No one understood a word of our German, or English but all very friendly and understanding (particularly with 3 kids in tow…all starving hungry of course. Got dark at 4:30pm and got even colder, somehow this translated to very hungry and need food NOW…So we fed the kids and off down the main highway towards Munchen (Munich).