Slept reasonably well in my dark pine forest.
Let Sacha go for a wander while I fiddled around with the attachment for my IPhone/sat nav. The bits had fallen apart again and were stuck inside the cigarette lighter. After I fished them out while trying to avoid an electric shock it still wouldn't work. Got out the big fat inverter and at first that didn't work and after changing the fuse I found more bits left inside the other 12 volt connection at the back of the van.
Sach had now disappeared and I had to wander through the woods for ages before she appeared behind me.
Without the sat nav it is so much more difficult.
I drove to Innsbruck on the express way as I had prepaid for the vignette to use it. Came to a toll and found that I had to pay another €8.50 for this Brenner pass route. At least the toll booth lady was able to explain where to go to buy a new attachment.
This was a huge industrial complex where I found the media shop and bought what I needed.
An English girl with a child who lived there spoke to me as she was surprised that I had driven from England. I was able to ask her where a garage was to fix the cigarette lighter. She directed me to a huge Ford dealership. The various chipper fellows kept sending me to different doors. However in the end one of the more sensible chaps said it would be best to go to the VW place. As it was awkward to get to he drove ahead of me to show me. So kind.
At VW quick repair counter the fellow took the keys off me and said to give him 30 minutes. I grabbed Sach out and went into a cafe there and had the much needed coffee. Was happy to see in the newspaper that Kate had had a baby boy. After 30 minutes the man found me and handed me the keys saying that it is fixed. It was electrical and there was no charge. Wow that was nice.
So it was great with my new attachment and fixed cigarette lighter me and my mate sat nav were back in business
Changed my plan to go to Bodensee rather than Munich and it was a pretty route.
At Bregenz it was busy, hot and it was difficult to park so I carried on. Saw a place for camper vans to park but it was crammed and very hot so again carried on.
In the end I went on for 20 miles and then turned off towards a village and I have cheekily parked up in a little green carpark for the hikers to use. Well I did do a little hike for 30 minutes or so but it was still hot and muggy.
Now I'm in the van and there is almighty thunder and flashes of lightning and it is pouring with rain. Actually so many nights there has been thunder including last night but not as bad as this.
It did eventually stop raining and just after 7am I was on the road hunting for a coffee. The good thing about wild camping is that I don't set up the table, chair, bike and screens so it is quicker to move on.
After a coffee and salami roll in a supermarket I thought I'd have a look around and ended up spending €50 on stuff I didn't need.
At last on the autobahn and raring to move on when I was flagged down by a customs officer and told to pull over.
40 minutes later I was able to go after they had checked my documents and used their fancy huge moving X-ray machine on my poor little old can- that was supposed to be van but maybe the first go was apt. It was quite annoying with most of the 30 odd uniformed and armed men just lounging around and smoking. They were rather severe.
At last, on the road again but now there was a storm and travelling on the autobahn was quite frightening but I carried on. At least it wasn't too hot.
I had planned to go to a campsite on the way to Heidelberg but before I reached it I saw another which looked appealing as it was next to a small river.
I turned off and looked at it but didn't fancy it as it seemed very busy.
However a little way along was an overnight camper stop with coin operated electric and water.
I have ended up alone here which is great although I could do with a shower.
Sach has her swim and we did a little bike ride although my bike is not changing gear and is making funny noises.
The village is called Wildberg. I am also right next to a park. I had a friendly chat with a fellow at the children's playground. It is a brilliant playground as it has equipment that makes the kids want to work. There was a water feature where if they turned the handle it turned a spiral which would bring the water up and drop it into a trough where they could then divert it and so on. I think these kids will all become water engineers.
Clean at last. Stopped in a posh thermal spa and stayed until I went all wrinkly. No comments please!!
Now on the way to Heidelberg and have found a McD for wifi.