Day 162, 13 December 2012. Auf Wiedersehen Nuremberg (Germany). Hello Prague (Czech Republic) - On the road again... just can't wait to get on the road again... It's Travel Day! We were sad to farewell our lovely flo-tel this morning (M.S. Sound of Music). Sad to farewell new friends too but happy to have several joining us on the bus to Prague for a couple of days. Stunningly sunny day - thick snow on the ground and blue sky - gorgeous - starting to get ve...

Day 161, 12 December 2012, Nuremberg, Germany. Tour and Christmas Market. We awoke to the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal this morning - which is a huge deal in engineering terms, connecting the three rivers and allowing watercraft to navigate. We actually passed the highest point of the European watershed on the canal overnight - unbelievably we were at 1332 feet / 405 metres above sea level (as measured against the Baltic Sea). The highest point in the world naviga...

Day 160, 11 December 2012, Regensburg (Germany). The most beautiful little town this side of the Black Forest. We woke up dragging our respective chains this morning and the delay docking in Regensburg was a welcome opportunity for a rest after breakfast (I know... normally it's lunch time before we need a wee rest). Breakfast was an occasion.... we were cruising the Danube with barely a ripple past snow laden hills and river banks. It felt like cruising in a...

Day 159, 10 December 2012, Austria cruising to Passau (the town of the Three Rivers - Danube, Ilz and Inn), Lower Bavaria / Germany. A sleep in, a late breakfast - utter luxury. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow is the theme song for today's cruise - we woke to snow covered banks, ghostly trees and the sound of snow shovels clearing the sun (snow) deck. We passed along the Danube at the point it forms the border between Austria and Germany. Snow boots wer...

Day 158, 9 December 2012, Durnstein and Melk - cruising the Danube in Austria's Wachau Valley. Big day. Huge. Unbelievable. We docked this morning in Durnstein and headed out for an info stroll - it's like a tour, without a bus. We were clothed from head to foot in our ski gear, the sun was shining and we were comfortably warm - right up until we spent 25 minutes climbing to the ruined castle of Kuenringer (pictured) - it's main claim to fame is that Richard the...