Nov 30 - Uckfield, England

Did nothing the entire day but eat three meals, write two letters and read seven Reader's Digests. Immediately after breakfast I went down with Michael to the library and bank in Uckfield. Mr. and Mrs Simmonds went down to a large city on the south coast for Christmas Shopping.

After dinner, a friend picked up Mike and I in his minivan and we went down to Brighton on the sea for a night of bowling with some of Mike's scout friends. Met some exchange students from Boston there. I managed a score of 105 by the end of the second round. They were having problems with the pin-setting machinery.

Nov 29 - Uckfield, England

Awoke at 8:30. Had breakfast with the family. Packed up, leaving my tent, sleeping bag and unnecessary clothing here. Left in a bad mist. Mr. Voller drove me out of town 10 miles. I started off through the wet, narrow, winding and hilly English country roads. At 2 pm I arrived in Uckfield. Went to Michael's house - he wasn't home. The people across the street took me in until Mrs Simmons came in. Had dinner, when Michael, his 15 year old sister and father came home. Went to Mike's Ranger Scout meeting a few miles out of town. Got to sleep late.

Mileage: Folkestone to Uckfield 80 km

[At the 1967 World Jamboree in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, the scouts had a big "get acquainted" game. Each Scout had a card with one of the letters in "Friendship." Each scout took his card and matched up with other scouts to spell the word. Michael Simmonds was was the "D" on my card]

Michael Simmonds
4 Claremont Rise
Uckfield, Sussex

Nov 28 - Folkestone, England

Slept late. First hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, in five months. Went down to the post office to buy some aerogramms. Went back to write letters. AFter lunch I went downtown, bought a Reader's Digest and map of southeast England. On the way back, I darted out on a bicycle into a truck. I made it out of his way but his sudden stop casued the motor scooter following him to run into him and broke his headlight and windshield. I went to the police station an hour later and made a statement. Went out to Clair's far to pick er up where she was taking care of her pony. Dinner, washed and retired.

Haircut .50
Map .50
Reader's Digest .50

Nov 27 - Folkestone, England

Slept late. At 9 am I started cleaning up the bike. At 11 am I went down to the docks. I couldn't get my French Francs turned into Pounds Sterling so I cashed a traveler's check in the English currency. Left at 1 pm to Dover, arrived at 2:30 pm. Cycled to Folkestone, and arrived at the Voller's at 4 pm. After dinner, Mr Voller took me with him to pick up Susan. Afterward we went to a pub by the sea. Had some fish and chips, returned home.

Andy Voller
58 Pavilion Road
Folkestone, Kent, England

Nov 26 - Boulogne, France

Awoke in the still dark at 7:30. After breakfast I packed and left the Gasty's home. Went first to "Gare North," the train station for northbound departures. I locked up my luggage, bought my ticket, and checked my bicycle. Then I returned to Montemartre, strolled through the area, then took the subway to St Michel's. As I was preparing to return to the railway station, I notice my ticket was missing. Being the same small size as a subway ticket, I could have mistakenly thrown it away.

In a panic, I returned to the station, and frantically retraced my hundreds of steps, searching the ground through the thousands of discarded subway tickets. Thank God, I found it at the souvenir shop in front of Sacre Coeur. I left Paris at 2:27 and arrived in Boulogne at 5:45. Found the auto ferries closed so I hurriedly bought some food and found the youth hostel. After my delicious cold dinner I wrote and retired.

Train Ticket: Paris to Boulogne $6.00

Nov 25 - Paris, France

After breakfast I set out on foot. Went first to St Michel's. Walked through the student quarter. Then by way of the Opera to Champs Elysee. Took the Metro to the de la Flechere's for lunch. After noon I saw more of the Opera area.

Returned to de la Flechere's for letters left there. Returned to Gasty's, walking through St Michel's, the City, the North Village, and Montemarte. Said goodbye to Paris and returned to Gasty's just in time for dinner. Retired after watching a 1949 American film.

Perfumes: 6.50
Canoe Cologne 5.00
Poster - Map 2.20

Nov 24 - Paris, France

After breakfast took the Metro to the home of the de la Flechere's. Went to 11 am mass at Les Invalides, where Napoleon lies. Had lunch with the family and went to the Louvre. Spent three hours there, mostly in the art museum. Returned to Gasty's by way of Montemartre. Dinner and TV. Retired late.

Nov 23 - Paris, France

After breakfast at Gerald's, I set out on bicycle. From 9 am until 1 pm I cycled through the streets of Paris, traveling down every street and boulevard of any size. I picked up my mail at American Express, and had lunch with Gerald. After lunch he took me up to Montemarte, the artist colony on the hill where the Basillica of the Sacred Heart (Sacre Coeur) overlooks Paris.

We took the Metro downtown and walked through the Latin quarter. He showed me the faculty of Sorbonne, where the student riots occurred in May. After dinner with the Gasty's I went with Gerard and his girl to a student dance at the House of Norway at the student union. Got to bed at 2 am.

Gerard Gasty
12 Rue du Baigneur
Paris 18e

Letter home written from Paris, Nov 23, 1968

Dear Folks,

I arrived in Paris last night on the train and am staying here four nights with a boy I met in Germany. He's a student at the university near Versailles. I picked up your mail at the American Express office today. Cashed the check ok. I received the tickets back to Dallas. I thought he have me pay the bill here. He sent it to you however, so I have about at $150 surplus, and I'll pay you when I return.

With the Franc about to be devalued, I'll wait until I leave Paris to buy my gifts. Everything will be cheaper. Today I was cycling around Paris. I was in front of the Palais de l'Elysee off Champs Elysees and there were hundreds of policemen. I found out later that the Prime Minister was arriving to confer with De Gaulle on the latest problems.

The snow melted while I was in Lyon, but I took the train to Paris anyway to hae ample time to see England. It's now already the Christmas season here, and downtown Paris is packed with early Christmas shoppers. All the street decorations are out, and the sight is breathtaking for a small-town kid. I circled the Tour d'Eiffel, but I'll save the .40 ascent to the top for a better day next visit. Tomorrow I'll attend 10 o'clock mass at Notre Dame, then visit the Louvre, Versailles, and the Gardens of Luxembourg.

Monday I'll go out on foot window-looking. The airline agencies along Champs Elysees are 21st Century in design, and the shops downtown are fascinating. Then I'll stroll the Latin Quarter looking at the numerous book stores.

This is roughly my remaining itinerary:

16 Geneva
17 Annecy
18 Chambery
19 Lyon
20 Lyon
21 Chalon sur Saone
22-25 Paris
26,27 Folkestone, England
28, 29 Uckfield
30, 1,2,3 London
4,5 Slough, Bucks
6,7,8 Great Yarmouth
9 London
10 Folkestone
11,12 Tourcoing, France
13,14 Brussels
15-17 Genk
18 Luxembourg

I could spend a month here and never stop moving. There's too much to see and too little time. As it is I'm up at 6 am and down at midnight, and on my feet all day. One day of my schedule would take you a week to recover from!

Au Revoir,

Michel

Nov 22 - Paris, France

Just as I wrote down the Day number, "88," I remembered the sunny afternoon I wrote down "Day 1." I sure didn't think I'd get this far with this crazy venture. Mrs. Peten picked me up at the youth hostel at 9:15, took me home, served me a quick breakfast, rushed me to the bank to cash a traveller's check, ran me to the station, got my tickets and saw me off. All the time acting like her house was on fire and I was taking up her time. Got the 10:28 train (late as usual) to Paris.

Train $12.40

Nov 21 - Chalon sur Saone, France

After breakfast and goodbyes I returned to the railroad station. The train didn't leave until 1:30 so I walked around Lyon for several hours. Arrived in Chalon sur Saone at 3 pm. Went to the address I had. After waiting for three hours, the wife came home. She took me to the youth hostel. Later, after a make-shift supper, the husband called inviting me to their house for awhile. He picked me up and I stayed there two hours. There's a Greek from South Africa here also at the youth hostel.

Train $3.50
Supper $1.00

Christian Peten - de la Forte
"Bellevue" rue Jules Chevier
Chalon s/Saone

Nov 20 - Lyon, France

After breakfast with Rene and his roommate I went with them to morning classes. First was optics in physics, then an analytical algebra course and a problem solving course. Had lunch in the cafe with each of Rene's friends contributing from their plates to make a meal for me. Did nothing that afternoon but read. It was too cold and too far to go into town. A London pea-soup fog has descended. It should be snowing again in the morning, although the snows of the last three days have melted. Had dinner in the same style as lunch. Retired early.

No expenses - No mileage

Nov 19 - Lyon, France

After a strange breakfast of beef steak, bread and Coca-Cola, I took the 11 am train to Chaloz and Lyon. Arrived at the Lyon station at 1:30 but had to wait two hours for my bike to show up. I was understandably mad and to top it off they lost the pump. It took me another hour of cycling through rain to reach the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA) where Rene Bonaz arrived at 6 pm. Had dinner in the dorm after unsuccessfully trying to slip through the cafe line with another girl's ticket. Retired after several hours of conversation with the guys on the floor.

Train 4.00
Post 11 letters 2.00

Nov 18 - Chambery, France

After breakfast I cycled into Annecy and took the 11 am train to Aix-Les-Bains and into Chambery at 12:30. Went to Rene’s home. Found his mom and brother at home. He’s studying in Lyon. Went downtown after a lunch. Walked around the old city in the thickly falling snow. Wrote until dinner. Retired

Train 1.50
Postcards of Chambery .80

Rene Bonaz
Ecole Du Stade
73 Chambery, France

[Rene Bonaz was one of the scouts I met at the World Jamboree in 1967 in Idaho. Below is a letter I wrote to my parents from Chambery]

Dear Folks,

I started out writing with a French typewriter but it was like typing with your hands shifted one key over. I’m in Chambery (Pronounced: Shawm-bay-ree) now. Mr Bonaz just got home from work with a stack of mail for me. A letter from Lt Mahary, Joe Richard, Barbers, Val, Susan, and three from home.

I thought I’d cleaned up in Geneva with seven letters but this is great. I just finished a typical French dinner: French bread, wine, sausage and cheese. Mr. and Mrs Bonaz have two boys. Rene is in Lyon at the University and the other 15 year old boy is here. They speak no English, but the boy can flip a fast dictionary. I just read your letter about this being good for glove buying. Mr Bonaz tells me Grenoble is the home of the industry. I’ll see if I can pick up some tomorrow.

It started snowing just after I called home. When I woke up the next morning, Geneva was under half a foot of snow. I hadn’t cycled in snow before, so I tried the 25 miles to Annecy. I nearly froze solid. The gears, spokes, chain, gearshift, and brakes iced up, even while moving.

Ice filled the teeth of the gear sprockets, froze, and the chain would slide over the teeth without catching. Today I took the train into Chambery. Since Lyon is on the way to Paree I’ll take the train to the University, stay with Rene two nights, then train into Paris. I’ll spend at least three nights there, then onto the English island. Unless the weather clears, I’ll leave the bike in Folkestone, and hitch hike through England to save money and energy.

I don’t think I mentioned it yet. In Kandersteg I met an American cyclist from Pennsylvania. We cycled and took the train up to Zermatt, and then took a cog train up the Monte Rosa where we could get some fine shots of the Matterhorn. It was gorgeous weather. He camped out on top to get a sunrise shot of the horn. I left him and cycled down the Rhone valley to Sion, Aigle, Morges, and Geneva.

I meant for you to share your letters with the Barbers. I’m also asking Boots to share hers with the Zayats. I’m busy enough writing to five Nishimuta’s and five Strongs.

Dad, you mentioned the bike getting worn down. It’s me that’s getting worn out! With a new chain, tires, tape and oil, she’ll be as good as new.

I followed the election all the way. On the reverse of a Paul McClung column (in the newspaper my father sent me) was a story where (Senator Mike) Monroney was quoted as saying: “There is no doubt in my mind we’re rolling up a far bigger majority in the U.S. Senate race than has been seen in a long time.” Personally, I was strongly for Nixon, and I’ll tell you all about it when I return.

Just as I opened the letter, that postcard from Oklahoma fell out. The family spent about 30 minutes admiring it. The family in Morges has chosen etchings and engravings of old European towns and mountains to decorate their house. I’m just fascinated by them. They give the room an old, antique mood. I bought some post-card reproductions of some of the popular etchings. A good genuine etching costs about $25.00.

I really spent too much on myself before thinking about gifts for the family. So now I can only afford about $25 for the gifts for the family. I can’t afford gloves and gifts.

I know the kids would much rather have toys than gloves, but I don’t know what they want. Stephen’s interested in stamps and models, that’s all I know. Switzerland and Germany are the homes of railroad models. For around $2,000, I can get a genuine working model of the grand St Bernard Railway tunnel in HO scale. Again, tell the relatives I don’t want any clothes. Just magazines: Time, Newsweek, Reader’s Digest, National Geographic, maybe even Interplay. (It’s not a sex magazine, it’s a chronicle on American-Europe economic and political news). I read it in Sion, it’s great.

I’m going to owe so much when I get back I’m only going to afford one decent pair of clothes, and I want to hand-pick it myself. My room isn’t going to fit me when I return. I’ve raised the saddle three times on the bike. My pants are stretching when I sit down. I have to stoop in some doorways. So my room is the first target of urban renewal.

When Mr Bonaz received your letters, he couldn’t figure out what the “c/o” in “Mike c/o Rene” meant. He took the problem to a leading English teacher who had never seen it. It really worried him.

Remember, every stamp you buy is helping to finance the Nixon administration.

I just remembered, my stamps are supporting the De Gaulle administration!

Love, Mike

Nov 17 - Annecy, France

Awoke to find Geneva under four inches of snow. I packed up and left at 10 am. It was tedius and slow moving.The bike froze over, I froze. I got to Annecy cold, wet, and tired. The address I had, no one was home, but I was invited to a nearby house. Had some beer, bread, cheese and rice. Went to bed in a room that was as cold as the outside snow.

Mileage: Geneva to Annecy 43 km

Nov 16 - Geneva Switzerland

After breakfast I packed up and left at 9 am in a very cold wind. However it was behind me and I arrived in Geneva at 11 am. Went to the American Express, got my mail and sat down and read for an hour. Went to the Kuffers, had lunch and called home at 2 pm. It was 7 am in the morning in Oklahoma. But for $10 I heard everyone. Alain took me out in the car and we saw Geneva, The fountain, the University, the old town, John Calvin’s Cathedral, the World Health Organization building, International Red Cross, the European Atomic Research Complex, and the new Geneva Airport. After dinner, retired.

Mileage: Morges to Geneva 59 km.

Alain Therry Kuffer
Route de Vandoeuvres 74
Chouilly, Geneve

Nov 15 - Morges, Switzerland

Went downtown with Mrs Wittlin after breakfast. Toured the small village but it was freezing cold. A north wind bringing wither with it kept up. Returned at 11 am. Had lunch with Mr and Mrs Wittlin, Tom and Monica. Took the train into Lausanne at 2 pm. There Marc Muret showed me the town. Returned to Morges at 5:30, had dinner with the family. I was presented with a Swiss Calendar for my birthday. I finally came out on top in the second round of "Concentration" with Moni and Tom. Mr and Mrs went to a ball in Montreux. Wrote and retired.

Book 1.25
Notebook .25
Picture cards .30

Nov 14 - Morges, Switzerland

After breakfast, I packed up, locked the door, dropped the key in the post box, and walked outside. I remembered I left my coat inside. After a bad half hour I had it back and was on through the warm mist to Castle Chillon. Stayed there an hour, touring the famous Castle. Arrived in Morges about 2 pm. After a cold rain had just started. Had lunch at the Wittlin's talked with the Mrs., wrote and read. Retired after dinner.

Mileage: Aigle to Morges 54 km

[The prisoner of Chillon is a poem written by Lord Byron in 1816, telling the story of a Genovois monk, François Bonivard, who was imprisoned from 1532 to 1536. The stark contrast between the imprisonment of the cold cell and the freedom dreamed of by the beautiful views of the mountains and lake beyond must have been beyond torture. Here is the opening of the poem...

Eternal Spirit of the chainless Mind!
Brightest in dungeons, Liberty! thou art,
For there in thy habitation is the heart
The heart which love of thee alone can bind;
And when thy sons to fetters are consign'd -
To fetters, and the damp vault's dayless gloom
Their country conquers with their martyrdom,
And Freedom's fame finds wings on every wind.
Chillon! thy prison is a holy place,
And thy sad floor an altar - for t'was trod
Until his very steps have left a trace
Worn, as if thy cold pavement were a sod
By Bonnivard! May none those marks efface!
For they appeal from tyrrany to God.]

Nov 13 - Aigle, Switzerland

Left the Digier's after an early breakfast. Cycled in the shadows of the mountains to Martigny. Bought a Time magazine and read it to pass time. Started off to Aigle. My legs were terribly sore due to the lack of cycling lately. Arrived in Aigle at 1:30 pm. Jean Wirz, Biology teacher at the Gymnasia, met me at the Gare (Train Station) at 3 pm. We went up the Tour d'ai and watched the sun set in the mountinas. After dinner, I wrote and retired.

Mileage: Sion to Aigle 57 km

Nov 12 - Sion, Switzerland

Left immediately after breakfast for the Val d'Herens. Steep climbing immediately. 425 meters up to Vex, only 1 km from Sion. The rest was generally level. Where they were working on the road I had to walk, sometimes carry the bike. I arrived in Les Hauderes, cycled down the one street, and had a chocolate bar. Left for the downhill run of 927 meters, taking pictures occasionally. Arrived in Sion at 1 pm. Had lunch, then read old Newsweeks and wrote. After Dinner I showed them my Oklahoma collectibles. Mr. and Mrs Digier went to a party. I read and wrote until 10 pm.

Mileage Sion - Les Hauderes - Sion 64 km

Nov 11 - Sion, Switzerland

Awoke about 8 am. The humidity within the tent turned to ice inside the tent. When I ruse up it came snowing down on me. We had breakfast on a bench in front of the church with a fine view of the Matterhorn. At 10:30 we took the train up to Gornergrat. Took some pictures and admired the enormous expanses of rock covered with new snow. Warren decided to stay on top and get a picture of the horn at sunrise so I went down and packed up. Left Zermatt on the tiny mud road down to Visp. It took me three hours to get to Visp and I got to Sion at dark. Went to Major Digier's home and had dinner. Wrote and retired.

Mileage Zermatt to Sion: 80 km

Food 1.00
Train 5.00
Postcards .75

[I'm not sure how I met Major Digier, but it could have been a connection to my hometown in Lawton-Ft Sill Oklahoma. The Army's Artillery and Missile Center was located there, and in the 1960's there were extensive exchanges of officers from Allied countries who came to Ft Sill for training. We hosted many of them in our home.]

Nov 10 - Zermatt, Switzerland

After breakfast we walked up to lake Oeschinensee and took some pictures. Warren walked along the shore for two miles to get some good shots. We started down and followed the chairlift down. Took the 5 pm train through the Lotschburg Tunnel after dinner on the loading dock. We got into Goppenstein at dark and cycled down and into Visp. His light went out halfway down and our brakes were earing thin by the time we reached bottom. Took the 7:10 train up to Zermatt. Camped out under the stars in an empty camping spot.

Train 5.00
Train 1.25
Food 2.00

Mileage: 20 km

Nov 9 - Kandersteg, Switzerland

[Photo taken by P. Baldwin]

Arose and took the front wheel to a bike shop. Walked around Kandersteg. Walked by the Scout Chalet, which is now closed, and by the river Kander through forest land. The sky is white with cirrus clouds, and the mountains are dressed in gowns of white snow and blue ice.

Had lunch at the side of the Hotel National. Warren arrived on the train from Lucarno. I got my bike wheel. We cleaned up our bikes, then bought some food and had a feast up in our room at the youth hostel. He eats his tuna fish with a stamped bike wrench. Without my can opener, he would have opened the can with a screwdriver and his shoe.

Bike 2.00
YH 1.00
Lunch and Dinner 1.50

Nov 8 - Spiez, Switzerland

After packing and breakfast, I cycled to the Sager residence. Ali's mother had some gifts for me. I showed her my collectibles from Oklahoma and then left in a light mist for Spiez. On arriving I tried to fix the wheel but it looks like I'll need a new one. Waited around for three hours at the train station. Left for Kandersteg at 5 pm. Arrived at 6:30, quite dark. Picked up the front end of the bike and dragged it to the youth hostel. Warren Havens, a cyclist I was to meet here, hasn't shown up.

Thun to Spiez - 10 km

Train $2.00
Hostel $1.00

Nov 7 - Bern, Switzerland

After breakfast I left for Bern. Cycling through meadows and forests reminded me of the days in Sweden. I bought a scout shirt at the materials supply and went to the scout office. The Federal commissioner wasn't in but I sat in the office and read the newspaper. Went to the bear pits before leaving. On the return trip I badly bent the front wheel when I ran into a curb. Went to Dr. Statter's. Read the War of the Worlds and the newspaper. Had dinner of goulash and wine. I showed them my collectibles, which includes patches, and Indian beaded rosettas from Oklahoma. Dr. and I walked around town, for his health, not mine. Cycled home. Got to bed at midnight.

Thun - Bern - Thun 52 km

Dinner 1.10

Nov 6 - Thun, Switzerland

Had breakfast in the hotel cafe and left Interlaken. It was a clear day. As I turned a corner I saw before me miles away the Frutigen mountains blazing in the early morning sunlight. I cycled along the Thuner See for 22 km, arriving in Thun at 11 am. Went to the address I had. Cleaned the bike and went downtown.

Today's Herald Tribune doesn't have the results [of the election]. Read and wrote until dark. At 6:40 the Air Force Radio News service carried Nixon's acceptance speech. Went over to Dr. Statter's at 7 pm. Read until he arrived, had dinner, then went to a movie. Took a short walk afterward. Went home for tea.

Mileage: Interlaken to Thun 22 km
Expenses: Newspaper .25
Gloves 7.00

Nov 5 - Interlaken, Switzerland

After breakfast, Mr. Agostini left for work. I followed right afterward. Cycled to Interlaken along the Brienzer See, stopping only to put on my thick wool socks as a replacement for gloves. Heavy clouds obscured everything. It didn't rain but the mist was heavy. Went to the Drei Schewizer Hotel. Had a big lunch of soup, french fries, steak, broccoli, pudding and beer on the house, since the owner is hosting me. Tonight, went out for a beer with the Italian waiter. Bought a new ski jacket.

Piredda Antonio
Via Verdi 10
Thiesi, Sassari, Italy

Carabiners 4.60
Pen .10
Coat 9.20
Postcards .25

Mileage: Meiringin to Interlaken 31 km

Nov 4 - Meiringen, Switzerland

After breakfast I left in a cool downpour, cycled along the lake and then south to Giswil by the Sarner See. Through the mist and fog I could see the silhouette of giant mountains. Got the noon train up to Brunig, where I got off and coasted, freezing, to the Agostini residence in Meiringen. Had lunch and read that afternoon. After dinner he fixed me up with an address in Interlaken. I pray the clouds lift so I can see the Eiger, Monch, and Jungrau peaks.

Train 1.00
Candy .25

Mileage: Luzern to Meiringin 40 km

Nov 3 - Lucerne, Switzerland

After breakfast we went to church down the street. Except for the language, the service was identical to our Catholic service. The church was new, spacious and modern in design. After lunch I went to the Transportation Museum where I spent four hours browsing through bicycles, cars, trains, ships, airplanes, telephones, etc. Afterward I walked to the Hermitage Hotel, where Hans' mother works at the mini-golf. We had dinner with Susie, and across the way we could see the lights of Lucerne reflected in the sea. Took the bus home, wrote and retired.

Museum .25
Bus .20
Candy .50

Nov 2 - Lucerne, Switzerland

As I set out to Fluelen it started raining. I got my bike on the small boat and we left Fluelen at 12:12. Tugged through the green waters of the Lake, with rain falling outside. Changed boats at Brunnen, and I left my ski jacket on the small boat. Nobody's perfect!

Arrived in Luzern at 5 pm, rain still falling. Checked in at Mr. Birnstiel's house, left a number. I went back to the station and called it. Got another number. After an hour I got through to Hans Peter Tschupp, who invited me home. That night we went to a concert at the Kunsthaus, on the shore of Lake Lucerne.

[The concert was Ludwig van Beethoven's Ouverture zum Trauerspiel, and the Mass in C Minor op 86. The director was Eduard Muri, with Solists Josefine Hocher, Elanor-Jans-Ulmi, Peter Sigrist, and Eduard Stocker. I remember how much I enjoyed the concert, and felt I was royalty. Earlier in the day, losing my jacket, and being in the rain, I remember I was feeling a lot more like a peasant! Years later, while stationed in England, I would return here, and remember it as one of the most inspiring evenings of my four month trip]

Expenses: Boat $2.00
Candy .25

Nov 1 - Shattdorf, Switzerland

After breakfast we went to church. There is only one church in this village of all Catholics. Everybody was looking around to see who wasn't there, as Robert explained. After lunch we slept. I read and wrote a bit. That evening Robert's brother came over. He has a wife, a four year old girl and infant boy. We had snacks and watched TV. I showed them my Boy Scout patches. The next morning he brought me a Swiss neckerchief and many patches.

No expenses - no mileage