We had to leave the campsite by 10:00 today, so we didn't linger over breakfast, but the Swan Whisperer used the services while I tried to pay, but for some reason my bank thought Google Pay wasn't me and blocked it, but my physical debit card went through all right when I used the number. I then had to spend some time reassuring my bank that yes, it was me trying to pay, thank you for caring!
Meanwhile, we decided that driving down the motorway to Brno would be rather dull, so although we had paid the toll (electronic vignette, so useful), we thought we would go cross-country, so told the SatNav not to use toll roads.
Mostly, it was a lovely drive, once we were past the incredibly congested traffic in Prague and its outskirts. The Czech seem very good about directions, giving you plenty of warning when you need to change lane to turn left or right. The scenery, once in the countryside, was fantastic. Small villages and larger towns, and lovely countryside in between. But the road surface was not always good, and when we stopped for the SW to have coffee, we found that the big tub of yoghurt had fallen over and disgorged most of its contents into the depths of the fridge! The SW ate quite a lot of it - I pointed out that he needn't think he could put off stopping for lunch just because he wouldn't be hungry, because I would be!
The SatNav did take us on some very minor roads which it said was quicker, and we didn't really mind, but as we approached the campsite where we had hoped to stay, we were badly held up by not one, not two, but three accidents on the highway! The first one was the worst holdup, at least half an hour.
And then, when we got to the campsite, we found it was closed! They had had to close during the floods, but they had told me they would reopen on Monday. Evidently they weren't able to. I had, however, prepared a Plan B, so we are now in the secure aire on the outskirts of Brno. The campsite would have been nicer, and we could have taken the boat down the lake, but it will be good to have plenty of time to look round. The only snag is, you have to pay in euros, in cash. A very complicated system - it had a sort-of vending machine, and you chose the option you wanted - in our case, 48 hours with electricity - and then put in your money, etc, just as if you wanted a soft drink or chocolate bar! What was disgorged, however, was a small cardboard box, about the size of a pack of playing-cards, that contained a card with the code to open the gate, a biro, a sheet of paper to fill in your number-plate, date of arrival and date of departure, which you put in your windscreen, and an instruction sheet! The aire is fairly full, with a lot of British vehicles, and small children - I'm sure some of them ought to be at school. We wondered if they were Travellers, but this aire is not cheap,and we've mostly encountered them in free ones.
Our first desire was for a cup of tea. But when the SW opened the fridge, he found that the "Rote Grütze" (red fruit compôte) that I'd bought in REWE the other day had also upended itself on the rough roads, and gone everywhere!
I hadn't had any exercise today so decided to take myself to the local Lidl to replace the yoghurt and fruit - there was just enough left for a small helping each this evening - and to get washing-up liquid, which we were out of. I didn't dare switch it to Czech Lidl in case I couldn't get it back, as I don't speak or read Czech. But I bought what I wanted and a couple of ready-meals, and then set off back. But it was uphill ALL the way, and I still can't really do over a kilometre all uphill, so I rang the SW, who was returning from a walk in the opposite direction, and asked him to come and carry my shopping for me, which he kindly did.
I was a bit worried about tomorrow, as the tram stop is outside Lidl, and the thought of that walk back when I will be tired anyway.... So we did look on Park4night to see if I there was anywhere we could park in town.. There is, but we also found there is a bus route that is much nearer the campsite. We will have to change to get to the heart of the old town, but public transport is free to the over-70s in Brno!
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