WEDNESDAY, 6th SEPTEMBER : DIERBACH to BAD URACH

6.45a.m. Dierbach : Scene from our door.

It was a day with a few frustrations and disappointments.  We left Dierbach at about 10.30a.m. after saying auf wiedersehen to neighbours Uli and Volkar, who had given us a few tips on places to visit and who had also very kindly offered to let us park at their home overnight when in their area.  They told us of roadwork on the motorway which was causing lengthy delays so we were prepared for that.  Forty minutes later, after crossing the Rhine, we encountered the first stoppage which only lasted a few minutes but the stops became longer and longer with the major roadworks currently under construction.  

 Both directions on the motorway were affected and on our side, it took us more than 20 minutes to travel 7kms.  We were expecting it so it wasn't too bad and once we passed through the work zone, 

there was lovely scenery to be enjoyed.

The first visit was to Tubingen. After our German friends had recommended it,  Mike checked the town  out on the internet and was very keen to visit, but it was the old story of not being able to park the motorhome.  We drove around  town a few times, including down a very narrow street with cafe tables and chairs just inches away, to the amusement (?) of the diners.  There were signs around the town for parking, but the car parks were either full, too far out of town or underground and not suitable for us. So, after a very frustrating 30 or 40 minutes we left and headed for Rottenburg am Neckar.  Here we had a similar rather frustrating problem with parking but about to give up, we found the stellplatz which was a little too far out to walk but there was an Aldi much closer so we parked there and walked along the river into town.  A charming town, busy but not crowded and we enjoyed a little wander but disappointingly, I lost my Hunter Valley cap which I bought 23 years ago and which has been with me on all our travels since.  We retraced our steps when I discovered it was missing, but it was gone and either keeps the sun off someone else's face now or is in a bin somewhere!

Leaving Rottenburg, we headed  for Bad Urach for our overnighter, chose a spot and settled in to a relaxing late afternoon and in the evening walked a few hundred metres to a pizza & pasta restaurant for an excellent evening meal.  Although close to a main road and a railway station, it is quiet here so we should have a good night's sleep.