Late Spring Holiday, 25 May 2026

Niederdollendorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen

I decided I really didn't want to go for a walk this morning, but the Swan Whisperer went for a 4 km one around Aschaffenburg which he seems to have thoroughly enjoyed. 

After this, we set off, stopping first at the services (excellent - water is €1 for 100 litres, but you don't have to buy more than 10 litres at a time. Emptying was easy, as was rinsing the loo). Our next port of call was a petrol station, but we were really annoyed because both Google and our Satnav said it would be €1.87 per litre, but when we came to it, it was €2.10! The SW did not buy a full tank! We will probably find it cheaper somewhere tomorrow and can fill up before leaving Germany. 

We drove on to Niederdollendorf without further incident, stopping in an aire somewhere for lunch - we had been able to buy rolls at the petrol station. Once we had parked up and had a cup of tea, we set out to catch a train into Königswinter proper (Niederdollendorf and, indeed, Oberdollendorf, are suburbs). The plan was to catch a train and then walk back along the river. But public transport decided to hate us, and the trains promptly fell over - and we left it just a minute too late to catch a tram, and the next one wasn't for half an hour. 

So, plan B - we walked along the river into Königswinter, and got the tram back.

There wasn't really time to see anything of the town, but we have been there so many times before - the first time I went was with a school party in 1970, when we were going to visit the Passion Play in Oberammagau, and spent a week here first.

So anyway, the tram arrived on time and we were back in Niederdollendorf a few minutes later. My feet held up fairly well, but the blisters were making themselves felt underneath their plasters by the time we got back to the WoMo. All the same, it was not an unpleasant walk, even though I rather had to go at the SW's pace, which leaves me breathless - and I was really rather a damp mess by the time we got back! 

We are now sitting out listening to the dusk chorus. There's another British van here, which is unusual - we very seldom see other British motorhomers in Germany! There may have been some Hugo.....