I Get Around

Another early start, waking before the wake up call and with that a chance to try and cram everything back into the bag to load onto the coach. Mission accomplished, but not without effort and constant remainders that it all fitted in there once before, it was breakfast, load the coach and then into Venice for the last time. Those who have travelled with me before will know of my reputation of having no sense of direction. Actually those who have rowed with me have an inkling of this too. But today I had six travellers and a wife who were prepared to follow me in a morning travelling the Venice waters by vaporetta, so I undertook the challenge with relish. We only had two hours - and this included time for lunch - so timing was critical. Unfortunaely the first trip took us a little further than intended across to Lido, where we ambled for 20 min before catching a vaporetta back. But this line took us not to the main tourist area but instead toward the harbour where we first arrived in the morning. Our relief at eventually turning back into the Grand Canal was tempered when the vaporetta reached its terminus and stopped. Moving by foot to the next stop we luckily found a vaporetta ready to head up the Canal toward our meeting point but rushing to the  turnstiles found our tickets had expired. Luckily we frantically purchased the eight tickets required and made it onto the ferry for the trip up the canal to the San Marco terminus and a brisk walk to the meting place just in time to get the boat back to the coach. No time for lunch or the recommended toilet stop as we all got in the coach and headed up the autostrada into the Alps.
The final leg up the canal was brightened by an unexpected Facetime with our absent MD, and it was really good to see him even if conversation was limited by the noise. We are looking forward to seeing him in person later in the trip.
The scenic route took us away from the city into the countryside with farms and then up into the mountains. The road wound through villages that became increasingly smaller and eventually we arrived at our destination Hotel Muehlgarten with the peaks and ski slopes in sight at the front and rolling forests of pines behind. We had a magnificent five course meal and then a short rehearsal afterards in preparation for the Festival performances tomorrow. The Festival has scheduled us for performances in sections that we hadn't nominated, so there will be some  work to do tomorrow, with three performances over the day - but in some impressive locations !