TUESDAY, 12th SEPTEMBER : MAINZ to SOHREN (HAHN)

We left Mainz this motning at 9 o'clock after doing the dumping of fresh, grey and black water and a last clean out of the motor home in preparation for its return to Frankfurt.  

Crossing the Rhine yet again, 

via yet another bridge, 

we were soon on the motorway where the speed limit is 120kph

 and nearing the airport, watched a Singapore Airlines plane land and taxi across the motorway bridge, 

we drove undeer the bridge

and past the airport which is enormous.

Half an hour later we crossed another bridge, this time over the Main River.  We arrived at the motor home rental company at around 10.30 and because they were busy, we had a thirty minute wait for the inspection and handover.  Mike called up an uber who arrived quite quickly and we drove into Frankfurt to the bus station.  We had tickets for the 1.00pm bus to Frankfurt Hahn (a smaller, regional airport about 100kms from Frankfurt am Main) and our amiable Iraqi uber driver suggessted one of the cafes close to the bus stationas as a  place to eat.  We ordered a doner sandwich each, they were yummy and huge and neither of us could finish them.

The bus ride was pleasant, 

once again crossing

The Main River

 and The Rhine 

only in the opposite direction and stopping after 15 minutes at the Frankfurt Main airport to collect a few more passengers.  We were soon out in open country 

rriving at Hahn Airport shortly after 3pm.  Our hotel host runs a shuttle service to and from the airport but we could not get a phone signal to let him know our arrival time, Mike asked a young man sitting near us at the airport if he could borrow his phone to make the call, which the young man very kindly did and we were picked up 10 minutes later.  It's not a great distance from the airport to the hotel but too far to walk, expecially with bags.  The hotel has a restaurant which, unfortunately for us, is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, we asked our hostess where we could eat and she gave us a couple of suggestions.  We decided to try the Asian option and set off up the road just before 7p.m., hadn't walked more than a couple of hundred metres and the rain came, with a vengeance and with it, thunder and lightning.  In minutes we were soaked, didn't know whether to continue on or turn back and decided to go on.  The rain eased a little, we got lost, found a little bit of shelter, got wetter but eventually found the Asian shop, it's a take away!  We ordered a chicken and noodle dish and some mini spring rolls to share, it was a huge meal and we couldn't eat it all.

We managed to take a few photos on the walk to and from the Asian shop, Sohren is not a tourist town but it has  charm and the people are friendly.

The thunder and lightning and rain continue but we are in a comfortable room with a proper bed and  a bathroom we can turn around in so we're not complaining.

Tomorrow is another day!