Trivia Time- who is older? a) Harrison Ford b) Chuck Norris c) Mick Jagger d) Paul Macartney
Answer at the bottom of the page.

Hello all. Mike has tired fingers, I've told him he'll go blind next, so it is I Vinny typing this update. Also due to the fact that we stayed with my family in Switzerland Mike felt it would be in better taste if I donated my one finger typing skills to this entry.

So I now have the pressure of having to try and compete with the wit and observation of Mike. I'm only typing this as an email to send to Mike as he has the blog password thus Mike will be proof reader and editor. Mike wears padded bras......... Just testing to see what will get left on the cutting room floor. Mike plucks his eye brows......... Mike spends 23 hours a day looking at himself in the mirror....... Anyway enough of this tomfoolery.

We left Budapest destination Zurich change at Vienna lunchtime on the 7th. The day after my 21st birthday! 4 hours of heat and bustle in Austria and 9.30 overnight train to Switzerland's Finance capital......

A few common Switzerland misconceptions
1) Bern is the capital of Switzerland not, thou bigger cities, Geneva or Zurich
2) There is not an all incorporating language of SWISS. Of which region of Switzerland you reside decides your spoken word. German, French and Italian dialects are spoken and a 4th Romange on a smaller scale
3) Yodeling doesn't actually happen that much

.......The great thing about overnight trains is the cost saving side that they offer. You don't have to pay for accommodation. The huge negative is that its at night so you can't see anything of the countryside you pass through. So we have now pass through Gloriously mountainous Innsbruck and Salzburg three times now and not seen a thing. Mike has also had to resist my constant call to stop in the latter and go on the Sound of Music tour.

My father's sister, beautiful aunt Sheila (she'll be reading) has resided for the last few decades in a town called Jona next to more commonly mapped Rapperwil on lake Zurich. It about a 20 minute train ride around the lake. Sheila took in us two furry uncleans on the morning of the 8th. Cleaned us, showed us around on foot after the car wouldn't start! more on that in a bit, fed us then let us sleep in the afternoon. What a star.

Cousin Richie, Sheila's youngest, now lives in a wonderful farm house high up into the mountains on the other side of the lake, with his lovely lady Anita. Who has some seriously good Bon Jovi moves after a few drinks! The views are lovely, wooded mountains one side lake the other and, as mountains way in the summer, everything lush and green. We had a perfect evening as the sun went down. Sat outside with some of Richie and Anita friends, Sheila and ourselves. Eating a Rabbit based food spectacular, drinking wheat beer, red wine finished of with some g 'n' t's. Richie, the legend, picked us up and drove us home via a night cap in Sheila's local. Isn't it funny that Sheila's car didn't start earlier in the day!!!! I'm sure I saw oil under her nails and some wiring on the floor when we arrived!!

The next day at 7, after more great food and hospitality and a short exchange on the door step with cousin Bobby, Sheila's eldest, who was returning from a weekend away we headed off to Zurich station. To get our night train back to Vienna. We allowed for plenty of time in the train station to settle down and watch, we hoped, France beating Italy, I can't stand Italian Football. Unfortunately having been avidly watching and with the train guard whistle in mouth jumped onto the train just before the penalties were about to commence!!!! We found out the bad news the next morning.

Anyway I've typed for to long. Lets see how much of this makes it past the editor.

Regards.

The answer
b) Chuck Norris


Editor's Note - I do wear padded bras and pluck my eyebrows, but only because Vinny makes me. He also calls me names and threatens to roll me up in a carpet and throw me in the river. But I would also like to extend my massive thanks and appreciation to Shiela and all Swiss Family Tuckwell, for taking me in, looking after me as one of their own, and forcing me to consume more food than I ever have in a single day - and it was all fantastic. We've had two meals in the last four days to compensate!! And the Swiss, I found, were without exception polite, friendly and good looking. Quick point of interest though - They have enforced national service, the buildings, even new ones, come with air raid shelters, and there`s a rifle and ammunition in every household...... I wonder what they know that we don't???