A warm welcome in cold Hildesheim

Having actually been in Germany for 11 days, we actually did our first bit of camping last night. We left the comfort of Christian's house and made our way up to a camping place some 261 miles north. Christian questioned our decision to stop on the way and was trying to encourage us to travel to his brother Klaus in one fell swoop. However, we thought another 170 miles in the van was not the best way to spend the time, and not the most comfortable too. So, we found a site in the hills around Schlüchtern (time to get the maps out). We were a little worried about the snow covered hills and the ice covered roads, but we are a little more confident with 'our Hugo' and decided to take the plunge. Typically, we were the only ones on the campsite.

Heated bathrooms treated us once again. We ensured our heating chuntered gently through the night and the results was a toasty warm van. Minus 6 was conquered with plenty of comfort and we slip-slided our way off the site and over the further frozen roads

down to the Autobahn to continue our journey northward. Sadly, Hugo has not been the best Autobahn vehicle, we have not made the most of the 'no speedlimits' although we did nearly break over 72 mph I think. A speed limit perhaps best viewed in the positive light and more favourable numbers of a kilometre per hour conversion to give a dizzy speed of 115kph! We are some way short of going 'Back to the Future' (sorry, a favourite film reference, where the magic 88mph takes you into time travel speed!)

So, we are now in Hildesheim, a town 30km south of Hanover. Klaus and Renate are very kindly opening their lives to us and letting us live more comfortably in their home. We once again, are touched  by the kindness of people who have helped us engage our travels and their country with greater ease. Both Klaus and Renate work in a Waldorf Steiner School, something which is vastly different to a standard  school with different principles of child development etc. I don't wish to bore everyone with the details, but as part of our time here, we have kindly been let into the the school to be a part of it for a few days. Who knows what will happen, but it is just another thing that will add to the colour and life of our journeys and adventures thus far. A report will surely follow. In the meantime, Hugo shivers alone sadly on the roadside, and we are snug and warm in a welcoming household.