What Happens On The Holiday?
Friday 9th September
After 18 months of planning and preparation the day has finally arrived our eight VIP's, eight carers, two nurses and group leader are safely seated in the Jumbulance. Luggage and wheelchairs stowed underneath, food and goodies in the galley and we are off.
On arriving at Dover we board The Pride of Canterbury for our crossing to Calais and for the first time on one of these trips everyone will be on the upper deck for the duration of the crossing, leading to much excitement among the VIP's.
One hour and ten minutes later we are in Calais. We then travel via Northern France, Belgium and into Germany for our long overnight journey. All the VIP's are tucked up in bed by 10.15pm.
Saturday 10th September
We wake, after our first night on the bus, in Germany. The drivers stop to allow us to have breakfast, our first stationary meal since leaving Gretna. We arrive in Lofer at 3.45pm. We all make our way up to the top floor our, home for the week, the rooms all come with a view and no one is disappointed.
Sunday 11th September
Sunday morning, clear bright and sunny. We have breakfast then take a walk round the village; it's just like the postcards. After lunch our first trip is to Lake Konigsee for a boat trip. The views are wonderful and a stop in the middle of the lake allows the boat driver to play the trumpet using the echo from the mountains to complete the tune.
Monday 12th September
We decide to have a leisurely morning, we go down to the swimming pool, while some of the others went cycling or shopping.
After lunch we headed for Zell-am-Zee and the cable car, which would take us to the top of Schmitten Hohe. Once at the top of the mountain it was beautiful looking out over the mountains. We all had some refreshments at the top of the mountain before catching the last cable car down.
"So far each day has been better than the last, having never been abroad before, it's been a great experience one to look back on and one I'll never forget, it was just super." Linda MacDonald.
Tuesday 13th September
Our outing today was to Salzburg; on arriving in Salzburg some of the VIP's shopped did some shopping at some of the stalls while others visited the cathedral. We were all given 10 Euros to buy lunch. Most of the group had lunch in a cafe in the square, outside but under umbrellas due to the rain. Once we were all fed and water Much shopping then ensued, present buying, CD buying, more ice creams, and all the while taking in Salzburg's' sights.
Wednesday 14th September
A lazy start to the day Ben and Bills mystery tour departs at 11am. All the group are in their white t-shirts as today will be our group photo. The bus stops a quick look round and there are some unusual looking cows in the field and a sign says something about wildlife. We are at Ferleiten Wildlife Park. We line up for our group photo, which Gordon asks a passing tourist to take.
The group then has the packed lunch, supplied by the hotel, sitting at the foot of a mountain waterfall. The weather is getting hotter and brighter and the alpine air is fresh. We pass some donkeys and large bison, there are deer sunning themselves, its feeding time and the stag come right down next to us, which is an amazing experience.
Refreshments were then sought at the cafe, some shopping done and it was back to the hotel, after a very enjoyable and relaxing afternoon in the wild. After dinner it's quiz night. Teams of two or three are made up of carer and VIP. Never has the group been so quiet and serious. An enjoyable end to an enjoyable day.
Thursday 15th September
At 11am we were all on the coach to travel to the Hellbrun Water Gardens near Salzburg. We had a picnic lunch in the courtyard. After the gardens some of the group had a quick visit to the adjacent zoo, others visited the palace, also seeing the summerhouse used in the filming on The Sound Of Music.
Then back to Lofer for the Fancy Dress Night. We all assembled in the lounge at 7pm, then the customary conga, led by Betty, wound it's way through the dining rooms much to the amusement of the other guests, some of whom joined in, and staff.
Friday 16th September
Today is a free day, to give the drivers a rest before the long journey home tomorrow. Christopher spent the morning swimming and then announced once in the pool that it was the first time he'd been in a swimming pool for 16 years. Once again we make the impossible possible.
Saturday 17th September
All the cases are packed and loaded onto the bus, just the VIP's and hand luggage to load. Once everyone was loaded Herr Grissemann and the kitchen manager thanked everyone for coming and hoped we would return again in two years time, before wishing us a safe journey home. The rest of the staff all lined up to wave us goodbye
By 11.10am the girls were in the galley making tea and coffee, lunch was cheese and ham rolls. By 6pm we were approaching Frankfurt, we stopped to find somewhere to eat. The bus bringing Frankfurt to a standstill in the process. The meals and service at the Aschaffenburg Restaurant were excellent, somehow we managed to get 23 meals but only 19 drinks??? Gordon led the group in thanking the manageress and invited her back to the JUMBULANCE. An offer she accepted. Impressed by the bus she wished her Scottish guests a safe journey home and bade us farewell.
Stomachs full everyone then settled down for the final night on the bus, and the trip through Germany, Belgium and France.
Sunday 18th September
The day starts early as we enter the port of Calais just after 5am, most of the VIP's are still asleep. We board the 6am ferry, the crossing this time was a little rougher than the one out, but not too bad. After some more duty free shopping the sun was coming up and it was off to the front of the ferry to see the White Cliffs Of Dover. For most of the VIP's it was their first view of them from sea.
Then it's onward and upward, towards Bonnie Scotland, and so to the end of our chapter, journey, and holiday. We arrive back at Gretna and emotions are running high amongst all of us, and the long goodbye is alive and well. We chat as if we have all just met to go to Lofer, not wanting to say the words "bye see you soon." The Drivers Ben and Bill are back on the bus, waving goodbye through the open window. They head south with the lights and sirens going for one last time.
The end of another fantastic trip, which, when asked how it was Keith replied, "Aye, it wis a'right."
