Day 1 December 22nd Departing from the Doncaster North Services on the M18 at 4.50 am our holiday started. At Doncaster Interchange we picked up what they call the feeder coach that was to call at Retford and Standstead airport to pick up more holiday makers. We arrived at Folkestone for what is called the Folkestone Le Shuttle. This is where all the coaches line up and passengers then alight and look around terminal buildings have bite to eat etc. and an hour later you then transfer to the coach that will be with you for the rest of the holiday until the return journey through the tunnel and home. The original holiday booking was to take us across the Channel by ferry. In October (2008) we received a letter to state that we would be using the Channel Tunnel. Not often do you like to receive a letter stating changes to the holiday schedule, but this was great as we have never used the Channel Tunnel rail link to Europe before, so this gave us an extra train ride both at the start of the holiday and at the end. The feeder bus we used from Doncaster to Folkestone was one of the Leger Silver Service buses similar to what we used last. However due to having a holiday in Cyprus also in 2008 we did not upgrade to Silver Service. This upgraded coach does give you more leg room and waiters that transfer your luggage to your hotel room. None of this for our 2008 holiday we were back to basics. We transferred to our coach provided by Sea View Coaches (Poole) Ltd that was crewed by two excellent drivers who were to make our holiday travelling a good experience.  Our journey began with the coach driving onto the Shuttle Train. I have been told by many people travelling through the Channel Tunnel is like travelling through any tunnel. Before the train started we and a few other passengers got off the coach to experience the journey through the tunnel in coach and lorry transporter. The Euro Tunnel train which runs 60 metres beneath sea level and covers a distance of 70 km normally takes 25 minutes, but due to speed restrictions caused by the last fire it took us 40 minutes.   

The journey into Europe begins with the Euro-Tunnel. A chance to stretch the legs as there was many hours of travelling ahead of us as we made our journey to the Leonardo Hotel at Wavre in Belgium. We arrived here at about 8.30pm in darkness and in what was a very deserted looking village. Before leaving Doncaster we had packed plenty of sandwiches, biscuits and some Christmas cake so this was our chance to lighten the food load. The room was a little on the warm side so I opened a window and within five minutes a train was heard. So after our snack we had a walk up to the railway level crossing and watched a couple of trains going through and then had a walk towards the village, it was now getting late and cold so it was back to hotel and the comfort of the bed.

Day 2 December 23rd The following morning I got up at 6 am to have a walk to the railway station, but it was misty, frosty and still dark so I gave up on still photography. After Breakfast we made a start on the journey that was to take us out of Belgium into France and then into Germany passing the outskirts of many famous towns and cities many that we have visited on camping holidays (including the VW campervan) in the past such as Strasburg (postcard view obtained from our lunch break hotel). Fortunately the weather was dry and sunny so we were able to get a fleeting glance of them. We had a lunch break at Hotel Ochsen Kehl-Kork just over the boarder into Germany. Here I was adventurous and had Turkey in bread crumbs, chips and peas. The village is very "charming", everywhere except the restaurant was closed but it gave us all, including the driver a well earned break before tackling the next five hours of the journey into Austria and our main stay hotel.  I have included a postcard view of the village, probably depicting a scene in the 1880's.

Having had two similar holidays before you get accustomed to the long days of travelling. With an excellent crew and the friendly passengers on board the coach, the time does pass and at the end of day two we reached our destination the Montfort das Hotel, a privately run hotel.  There was a welcoming reception on the terrace with Mulled Wine, hot chestnuts and a brass band playing Christmas Music. Believe it or not this was not the original that hotel we had booked in to. In June 2008 we received a letter stating that there had been a brochure error that there had been a change from the Holiday Inn. Well the Monfont das Hotel was not going to let us down. The room, the bar, the restaurant were excellent, we soon realised our main stay hotel was to be the best we have had on all the three holidays.   Time for dinner after unpacking and again and go down and take our places at the table.

Day 3 Christmas Eve On our journey to Feldkirch we had only seen a few pockets of snow. A week previous all the snow had thawed at Feldkirch, but on the what was now our first day of touring we soon reached the snow level as we travelled back over the boarder into Germany to visit the town of Hohenschwangau famous for the Neuschwanstein Castle built by King Ludwig. It also seems to be famous for mist and fog for that's what we were to encounter. In the third image above this is what we might have seen if the mist had cleared! (postcard view).

Time to leave the mist behind and set off for Fussen for lunch. We arrived at their railway/bus station just as the railway booking office was about to close for the day.  A short walk took us into the town centre to have a look at the shops and the landmark of Fussen, the Fussen castle 'Hohes Schloss' (high castle), which is overlooking the Old Town from a rock high above.

A view looking up at Fussen Castle and then a view in the in the courtyard of the castle showing the very unusual painting of the window and door surrounds that from a distance create a impression of balconies and ornate stone work. 

Fussen has a Woolworth I presume this has not closed like the UK counterpart. The tourist shops display their wares whilst the statue of Luitop Prinz - Regent Von Bayern watches down over the busy road junction near the railway station. Back at Fussen stands a eco- plastic made Toyota  taxi, sorry I cannot remember the name of this model. Any suggestions?
With the daylight receding it was now time to return back to Austria and the hotel for the Festive Christmas Eve meal.

The owners of the Hotel put a special pre-meal Christmas entertainment. Poems were read by his wife and Carols were sung.  Each of us received a present from Santa (the hotel manager) Above (in the middle photo) we have Pat and the other members of our table looking at the jar of homemade Elderflower Jelly, a gesture well received by all the guests. Later on the hotel arranged for one of the coaches to go into Feldkirch for the Midnight Mass. After the service there was brass band playing Christmas Carols. Into bed for 1 pm was a little late as there was an early morning call and breakfast for the Christmas Day events.

Day 4 Christmas Day

Whist back home our friends and family were opening their presents we had been up at the crack of dawn, had breakfast and were on our way to Chur for our journey on the Glacier Express. Arriving at Chur. I had a chance to take some photographs of the Swiss locomotives and trains at Chur railway station. As on all these three visits to Austria and Switzerland we have found their railway system operating on Christmas Day.

A few more last photographs of the trains in the station then it was time to board the main attraction of the holiday with a journey on the Glacier Express from Chur to Andermatt at 11 am. Still cameras and video cameras were now kept very busy for the next few hours taking photographs of the snow covered scenery as the train wended its way through the valleys over some high gorges and skiers along the journey. 

At Andermatt we were to say a farewell to what had been an experience to be remembered. On the other side of the valley trains continued to climb their way back to Chur.