August 16th - arrival in Ebersberg, our home exchange.

Breakfast was a buffet and was quite nice - fruit, juices, scrambled eggs, bacon etc. , hard boiled eggs, meats, cheeses...Anyway - plenty of everything. We set off for Ebersberg and about an hour into our journey got a text from Carmen (by good luck as I usually put my phone in flight mode so as not to waste data if I play candy crush) to say that they could not go to Rasphoe because their daughter was ill in hospital. However, it was not going to upset our stay as they were going to stay at their daughter's house to look after their 2 grandchildren. We got to Ebersberg a bit too early as we had set our arrival for 2pm. We went into town and had coffee and really good cake at Cafe Schlieger. However, we were plagued by wasps so moved table - the wasps followed us.

Then we went to 17 Flossman Street and were met by Carmen and Karsten who showed us the ins and outs of the house and then went on their way. I unpacked - limited hanging space but I managed. We took a trip to the supermarket to get some food though they had left a good selection of things. We had dumplings and a bio tomato and basil sauce for dinner. I watched Netflix because Jim was feeling miserable - coughing and sneezing.

August 15th 2019 - Heimsheim

 Breakfast at Au Pre du Moulin was homemade yogurt, orange juice, croissants, and fresh country bread. It was a wonderful place to stay. After breakfast, packing, bill pay and farewell we set off for our next overnight stop which was in Heimsheim in Baden Wurttemberg in Germany. The journey was fine but I was very sleepy after my sleepless night. 

Heimsheim seems to be a dormitory town but it has a number of pubs and guesthouses. Our guesthouse - Hirsch - had a bar and restaurant. We had a walk about town and toured the graveyard which was very interesting.

This was Guesthouse Hirsch. We took a seat on the outside terrace and had a drink, retreating indoors when it became a bit cold. The chef here specialises in Swabian dishes so I had the vegetarian Swabian ravioli filled with spinach and topped with tomato sauce and parmesan. It was excellent. A green salad came with it. Jim had herring housewife's style with salt potatoes. Again excellent. Initially we thought we would be the only ones there but it is obviously well regarded and there were lots of local groups. Everything was fantastic except for my awful cold and aching head.

Trip to Germany August/September 2019 - first 2 days 13th and 14th August

On August 13th 2019 our ferry from Dublin to Cherbourg was leaving at 4pm. This was our first time on the WB Yeats, the new Irish Ferries boat. It is much bigger than the Oscar Wilde and more spacious. However, it does not have the Steakhouse where we would normally have dinner. That left the main dining room, The Lady Gregory or Boylan's Brasserie. I like to be served my food whereas Jim is happy to slum. We had a look at Boylan's and there was a nice selection which looked nice but it was early and was not yet picked over. We seated ourselves in the bar at big wide windows which are a feature of this new boat. Jim had his customary pint of Guinness - the signal that the adventure has started. Then I sent him to investigate the menu and the situation in the Dining Room. The full dinner was 59.99 per person, 2 courses were 49.99. We decided to go there for the purposes of research and booked for 5.30 pm as lunch had been practically non-existent. We were genuinely surprised and pleased by the quality of the food. There was complimentary bread and lobster bisque as well as a vegetarian option which I can't remember but which I thought was acceptable. Then we had our starters - for me scallops with various garnishes and for Jim quail. I had duck breast for main course and Jim had rack of lamb. Both were delicious. We had a look at the dessert but decided we had had sufficient. Sometime later our waiter returned to tell us that, as we were on the early bird, we were entitled to free dessert. We succumbed - in the interests of research of course! Jim had the cheese plate which was acceptable and I had apple 3 ways - an apple creme brulee was delicious, a nice apple ice cream and an apple crumble that was a bit heavy and too big. I think they could afford to reduce the size of the dessert without anyone suffering.  We then had petits four - basically chocolate truffles, 2 each. We could have had coffee but we just finished our wine. I know the meal was on the expensive side but it was really good and a great start to our holiday. The cabins don't seem to be much bigger than the Oscar Wilde  but are well equipped. Ours was a 4 berth with the other 2 tucked into the ceiling. One was set as a settee for day and only required pulling down to be a bed. There was a tv and lots of nooks for putting clothes and luggage. We had breakfast next morning in cafe Lafayette.

On Wednesday, 14th August, we arrived in Cherbourg shortly after 11am and were on our way to our overnight accommodation by 11.45. It was a 7 hour drive. We stopped off at a shopping centre to buy a sandwich for lunch and I went to a pharmacy in the hopes of getting something for my cough and cold. We had put the postcode of Au Pre du Moulin, Clamanges into the sat nav but it brought us to the wrong village. We had a further 17km to drive. It was a Chambres d'Hotes in the country outside the commune of Clamanges. We met Valerie, our hostess, and she showed us our room, the dining room and an outside sitting area. There were to be 4 of us for dinner, which I had booked as Table d'Hote was only 30 Euro each.  We sat outside for the aperitif and were joined by an elderly couple who often stayed here on their trips through France to Italy. Our aperitif was a very nice sherry with little gateaux d'aperitif. Then we went inside for dinner. Started was tarte flamme with courgette and cabbage coleslaw - tarte flamme, or flammkuchen in German, is a particular favourite of mine. It was delicious. Then we had chunks of turkey in a tomato and olive sauce with cauliflower in a goats' cheese sauce. Cauliflower cheese is always delicious but it is sublime when the cheese is goats's cheese. This was followed by the cheese course - chaource, comte and goat cheese log. The we had an apple and red fruit crumble. She served a St. Chinian red which was very nice. The whole occasion took 3 hours. The bedroom was very comfortable but I couldn't sleep because of coughing. (In hindsight I now wonder if I had an early dose of Covid - but my sense of taste or smell were not affected) 

Monday June 3rd 2019 and Tuesday June 4th 2019

We got up about 6am , breakfasted, packed  and then an hour and a half on the boat. It was quite cold and damp at times. Then we had to cross other boats to get back on land. Thankfully Verena helped me. Back to Gadventures office by bus and repacking as before. Had a delicious empanada from the shop next door and then back on the bus to head for the airport. It was very bumpy as the roads were mainly unpaved. We had a long wait at the airport but finally boarded just before 2pm. Our flight stopped at Cusco for more passsengers but we had to stay on board. We got to our accommodation in Lima around 6.30 and arranged to meet the rest of the group at 7.30 pm for our final meal together. We had a very nice meal in cafe Bruno and I broke out and had 2 glasses of wine. Then we went back to the hotel where more drinks were had by some and it was 12 midnight before we headed for bed - a very late night for this trip! I couldn't wait to get home...

Next morning we had a coffee across the road from the hotel and then a nice walk along the sea front. There were lots of people surfing. 

Then we headed to the restaurant we had been to the last time we were in Lima and had a lovely lunch and some wine. 

My sickness seemed to be lifting and I was relieved that it must have been altitude sickness all the time as I had come to the conclusion that I was really ill. Then it was back to the hotel to collect our luggage and get the flight home. What an experience!

Sunday June 2nd 2019 - Day 2 Tambopata Lodge

 It was dark when I got up and I had to have a shower by the light of my mobile phone. It was a good hot shower though. Then I discovered that I had not brought fresh underwear! I can't understand it as I remember taking them out and having then ready to pack. As it happens I discovered them later. Breakfast was at 6am and then there was a scheduled walk around a laske and looking at trees. I expected the walk to be a bit slow with lots of stops and  nowhere for me to lean for balance. So I didn't go. The walk involved wearing wellies which were provided at the lodge. All that was required was to go get a pair that fitted. Jim did - 2 left wellies of different sizes!!!

I spent some time sitting on my balcony. I saw another capybara and when it moved into the trees it created a huge commotion of what I think were monkeys but I could not see them. My hair was still wet 2 and a half hours after my shower. I then went for a walk during which I saw some more rodents, 2 red squirrels and some lizards.

Here are some photos Jim took during the walk:

Charlotte

After lunch - rice, chicken stir-fry, a nice pasta salad, beans, deep-fried yucca/jungle potato followed by rice pudding. Then we had a demonstration of how to chop a brazil nut fruit. They were really nice - far superior to anything we get at home. 

This area, where they open the walnut fruit, is very popular with capybaras.

Then it was siesta time when it was bright enough to take photos of the sleeping quarters.

This is the veranda area of the main building. There's lots of seating accommodation and a bar inside.

Next on the agenda was an outing to a farm. Only Jim and 8 others went there.

And while all that was going on I was relaxing on my porch.

Dinner was at 7 pm (and cake for Bev's birthday)  followed by caiman hunting for those interested. The rest of us just sat about until bed time at 9pm. The frijole had started so the weather was fresher unlike the humidity of earlier.