Well, after three very relaxing days here on the shores of Lake Maggiore, it's time to start our journey home. Very reluctant to leave (in fact we were debating whether or not to extend our stay for another two weeks). From here we are heading back to Geneva where it all began. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us as we head back over the alps. Saw a news report about conditions in the Austrian Alps. The day after we crossed over from Friedrichshafen, t...

At last - Geneva!! End of the flying part of the trip (until we return that is). We're both pretty shagged by now. The worst has happened!! Lost luggage!! Only one of our bags has turned up. Unfortunately it was the bag with the bulk of our clothes in it. We should have been expecting the worst when Virgin couldn't check the bags past Sydney, so they had to do a work around. Ah well, what can you do? Just shrug the shoulders and continue on. Anyway, we lodged a l...

Woke up this morning to find that the weather had closed in on us. The lake and mountains were covered in fog and it was raining. Rather than drive around on the icy roads, we decided to take a train ride to Zurich (about 60km away). Everything you have heard about European train travel is true - modern, clean and efficient. Although we weren't on one of the Very Fast Trains, we were soon gliding across the snow covered landscape towards Zurich (and 78 e...

Heading up to Switzerland today. Lucerne will be our new home. Key words for today are MOUNTAINS, SNOW, COLD, and MORE MOUNTAINS. The weather looks like being kind to us as we head out - overcast and cold (3 degrees) but no rain or snow. As we thread our way out of Como we say goodbye to Italy. Must say that it was everything we hoped for. Great sights to see, wonderful food to sample, charming old villages/towns to visit. Before we know it, we are at th...