Day 9 Verona, Switzerland rain and landslide (June 29)

We are up at 7.30am, late by tour standards for departure to the Swiss Alps at 9am. All day in the bus, a quick stop in Verona before leaving Italy and heading for Switzerland.

Verona is the setting for Romeo and Juliet and is played up as a key tourism point for the city, especially "Juliets Balcony" although the authenticity of the balcony is questionable it doesnt stop thousands of tourists a day.

Other attractions at Verona are shopping and the ancient Arena where many performances are played out in opera, Shakespear etc.

The trip to Switzerland was long and the weather still hot, the packed itinerary was taking its toll on some members of the tour so they slept and missed some of the views.

  Then the adventure began…….

There has been a landslide on the road leading to our hotel, heaps of rain has bought down part of the mountain on the road to Engelberg. Keep to the original plan until we hear otherwise or Tour Director Richard tells us.  We are still travelling in bright sunshine and 33 degrees temperature so it makes it difficult to believe.

We hit the Swiss border and stopped for checks in sweltering heat.  Travel a few kilometres and though a few tunnels and the weather changes with rain, hail, thunder, lightning all in a matter of a few minutes.  The hot air from the south and the cold air from the north hit and wham it all breaks loose.

Aim was to be at the hotel by about 6pm, Road due to be open about 8pm. Plans change so stop in Lucerne to have tea, a little wander around then back on the bus. 

Road still closed, So to plan B, Pull all the suitcases out from under the bus pack enough clothes for 2 days: 2 tops each, 2 sets of undies each, one set of outer wear, 2 pairs of socks, and runners, leave other cases on bus, We bought 1 case up the mountain. Why could we have not left Australia packed like that?? Bus it to an unknown place where we got on mini buses, they take us part way up the mountain another change onto a big bus up to hotel arriving at 10.30pm. We have been given a late morning wake up call for tomorrow at 7.30am.

Landslide

Trying to cram into transport to skirt around the landslide, by now it was dark

We are way up in the clouds, plans changed for tomorrow as well not sure if we will be able to get out!!! What an awful part of the world to get stuck??? NOT, it is just unbelievable.  The visual delights of Switzerland are magnificent, huge mountains, beautiful lakes, neat houses, clean streets etc