With just a certain number of days left and a certain number of kilometres to cover, we do some maths. Some simple calculations. Division and addition. Or even better, divide and multiply. Still time left to leave a remainder. Create an unbalanced equation. Add some meat to the skeletal. Get more from less.
On arrival, today’s first choice is full. We must, from now on, pre-book. Luckily Insel camping at the other end of Niedersonthofener See (try saying that while chewing on a wurst), has room. Our hopes of a lakeside stretch get reined in and on. The heavens open up.
Today, we head north. Decide on our last two-nighter at Durlach. North-west of Stuttgart. We’ve broken our golden rule a few times on this trip – to not venture onto any motorway. Today, we go for broke again. Needs must and all that. Come the afternoon we regret it. Major road works around Stuttgart exasperate. Exacerbated by a broken down lorry in the middle carriageway. He gets the short end of the stick, mind you. We just lose an hour or so.
Kurlsruhe Palace is a short train journey from Durlach Camping. With no Scoot to fall back on, we get to see first-hand how a train system should operate. Organised, efficient, clean and value for money our verdict. On board, we receive a couple of tut-tutting looks. It seems it’s compulsory to wear face masks on all public transport. The Planet of the Apes look is still deemed fashionable. We haven’t brought any. We run the gauntlet on the return.
On entrance we’re surprised. The palace has been converted. It’s now a museum. Holding thousands of ancient artifacts. As is par for the course, many snaffled from occupied territories. The palace looks so good because it was totally rebuilt in 1955, after the original was flattened by allied bombing during WWII.
Back at Durlach we head into the old town. Visit its central park. The sound of competition draws us near. Six teams of three are having fun. We know this game. Played once before at The Kingdom, when our Icelandic family introduced us to the Swedish game Kubb.
We round the day off nicely with a double dose of what has become our daily addiction. A customary Italian style gelato. We walk it off with a round of the old back streets.
