Traffic at 20 kph - but we are no longer in Romania!

Talk about first world problems today!
We are heading to the Nettetal region for the wedding of couchsurfers who stayed with us a few times in 2010-11 - Anne Zenz and Steve Blyth.  When Anne sent us advance notice of the wedding last year, we had always hoped that our plans would work out so that we could come!

We need to leave Steph and the kids about 9 this morning for the 477 km, 4 hour 51 minute trip north to Lobberich, the main town in Nettetal and where Anne's family come from. Steve is English and it turns out that his very big, close, extended English family are travelling en-masse for the wedding.

We get away on time, and in our haste, leave the bag of car food which now also has my tablets in it - too bad, by the time that Steph gets back from the supermarket and finds it, we are too far to turn back! Couple of days won't kill me (I hope).

Despite my pretty good sense of direction, we are taken further to the east than I thought, but I soon realised that the autobahns follow roughly the rivers and ridges.
It was pretty obvious early on that the trip time was going to be out.  We are told by Google Maps that 'the traffic is worsening, you are still on the fastest route'.  Tell you what, don't go anywhere if you need to be in a hurry at the end of the summer break here in Europe. No joke, we were literally back down to the 20 kph crawl - in two stints for almost an hour each. Yes, there are roadworks, but the bigger holdups are where the 150 kph fast stretches come to and end and fall back in to two lanes instead of three or even four. Fast cars are absolutely no use in this here and now!  And in the other direction, the traffic jams went for more than 20 kms - at an even slower crawl.

We are travelling amidst a virtual united nations - there are lots of people from the Netherlands pulling small caravans headed home, there are Brits and French and Italians all headed north.  There are trucks from across the eastern states again - lots from Romania, Poland and Lithuania with the occasional German one thrown in too.

I stop just once as we needed fuel and we made one comfort stop - both quick and just kept travelling. Despite this, we don't arrive in Lobberich until 4:15 pm this afternoon - and I am well and truly over this drive.

We have traversed some pretty country - the wine fields planted down the slopes to maximise sunlight in a relatively short growing season (well, compared with Australia), we cross first the Rhine River with the barges busily shipping their stores up and down river, and then the Mosel River before it confluences with the Rhine in Koblenz.  At one point, I consider getting off the autobahn and travelling along the river, and then realise what a stupid move that would be - if the traffic is bad here, I can only imagine how bad the scenic route would be!! Sorry, not too many pics today - Michael couldn't be bothered with the camera.

As we cross in to the Nettetal region, we pass a huge open cut gravel mine with the drag-lines very visible as a blight on the horizon. 

Finally we arrive and after a bit of a problem, find the hotel where Anne has booked us and its car park.  Before long, we have changed and head downstairs to meet up with Anne and Steve.  There are lots of hugs and some tears. Some reminiscing and updating on each others lives before many more people begin to arrive for the first of the wedding gatherings.  We are excited to catch up with Anne's brother Johannes who also stayed with us, and to meet her parents for the first time.

Tonight is to allow the guests who have come from many parts of the world - including a number of Australians who are now working and travelling in Europe - to meet each other before the wedding tomorrow afternoon. Great idea.  

Lots of German bier and lots of curry wurst and schnitzel for dinner - the hotel staff are run off their feet.  Anne had warned them about the number of people to expect, but somehow, I don't think they thought so many would eat, or drink, so much!

The obligatory Mr/Mrs Herr/Frau game is played to the delight of the audience and the occasional embarrassment of the bride and groom.  By 9:30 pm, Anne is calling it a night and I head upstairs to write up the blog and battle with a poor internet connection.

Tomorrow - the wedding!