The Mosel and Rhine Rivers

We went back to the mechanic to have the new exhaust installed on our camper. But the new part was different and didn’t fit so they gave us two choices. We could leave with the old muffler temporarily fixed or wait another 6 days for the correct part to arrive from Italy. We chose to not wait around for the new part and left with it fixed for now. Back at the campground Mum researched towing insurance. Just in case we get stuck on a mountain pass in the alps.


The next day we left the campground and drove down the Mosel river. The scenery was beautiful, the valley on either side of the river was covered in steep rows of grapevines. At another campground on the riverbank we went for a walk up the steep slopes behind our camper through the grape vines. Along the way we indulged in some sour grapes, not yet ripe enough for picking. At the top we found a cute chapel, small cemetery, a large wooden cross and a great view of the valley. The town looked like a model trainset as a train went past every 20 minutes and large boats went down the river. From the Mosel we went through Koblenz at the top of the Rhine and followed he Rhine down.. The Rhine is noticeably faster and bigger and there are lots more boats that we watched as we ate our lunch.. There were lots of castles on the side of the valley. Thomas made new ‘NZ’ signs for the windows so other campers don’t think we’re British because of the license plates. People often treat us very differently when they find out we’re from NZ. We stopped at Lorely and climbed the steps to the top of the hill. On top was a mermaid statue. The mermaid used to lure sailors to the top of the hill. The views from the top we stunning. We continued down the Rhine headed for a place for the night. As we drove past people setting up fireworks we found out there was going to be fireworks that night and celebration in Oberwesel, a town across the river. We decided to stay to watch them so we took the camper on the ferry across to Oberwesel. The town was full. We found a park and had a quick dinner then “hit” the town. We walked along the waterfront and around to a small point. As darkness fell music started on the other side of the river where we saw the set up fireworks earlier. Then a fleet of light up tourist full boats came around the bend and up the river. They looked like ghost boats. The boats parked on either side of the set up fireworks. As we waited we ate gourmet biscuits given to us by a lady from the camp ground before the Mosel river. Then a cannon fired a few times and the fireworks started. At first Madeleine was scared because she had been hit by fireworks in an accident last year. The fireworks were probably the best display we have ever seen and we have seen a lot of good fireworks. They were choreographed to music. Big ones very high in the night sky burst in a shower of gold or purple sparks like flower. White ones shot in unison from the ground and towards the end, a spinning wheel on a crane shot them in a spinning circle. After they finally finished (which was a while because it was a long show) we walked back to the camper past a lot of empty wines bottles and people celebrating.