First stop after leaving Munich on Sunday was Vaduz. Lichtenstein is one of = the smallest countries in the world. They fall under the protection of = Switzerland. =20 We tried to get our passports stamped (you can get it done for 2=E2=82=AC), = but we could not find a place that was open 🙁.

After check-in and dinner it was into town for a walkabout and beer. The = others did not feel like going out so I hooked up with some crazy Aussies: = Virginia (Regie), Robin, Anna and Sandy. There was also Lindsy from = Canada. Lindsy and I did some window shopping while the others headed.

Best wishes for the new year!

We just passed Monsee the town where the bulk of the sound of music was = filmed. Definatly not a highlight on my itenary, but it seemed to be a big = deal for some. I am now being subjected to the soundtrack aaargh. Also we just ate Motzarts balls (a chocolate marzipan thingy). Tasty.

They showed us a documentary about the camp and then we could walk through = it. The barracks had verry little furniture other than the bunk beds. We = walked through the gas chamber and the crematorium. It was all rather = eerie, especially with the morning mist still hanging over = everything. I’ve seen.

After checking into our hotel on Thursday we walked over to the shopping = centre. It makes Canal Walk look like a 7/11. We only shopped at the Spar = (which was huge). We bought some odds and ends and of course loads of = chocolate (yum). Lindt slabs are R15! I also got my.

I almost forgot to mention that when urinals at our first stop in Austria = flush, they play the sounds of chirping birds. How bizarre is that?.

We have seen snow on the distant mountain peaks every now nd again. Just = before crossing into Austria there was snow up to the road. Heaps cool! (as = the Aussies on the bus put it). Unfortunatly there was no snow at the stop = we made further up in Austria, so we’ll still.

So before I left South Africa I activated international roaming on my MTN = sim. The main reason for this was so I could use GPRS to send email into my = blog. Unfortunatly GPRS coverage is highly sporadic.=20 What has been my saving grace was a Virgin Mobile SIM bought in the UK. It.

Yesterday we went to Venice. We were on the main island, San Marco. The = morning kicked off with a glass blowing demonstration on St. Marks’. = Square, which was very cool. They made a vase and a cat in under 10 min. = Venice is known for its glass and embroidery. After that we.