The last month and a bit

This is me attempting to summarise what I have done over the last few weeks. It doesn't go into much detail but hopefully it fills in all the gaps so I can return to more regular blogging. Warning: there's a bit of a photo overload (and I was really selective and everything).

In amongst the normal routine of homework helping, English tutoring and German learning the family and I went on holiday to Lucerne. The drive itself was exciting, through the Alps, through Liechtenstein and into Switzerland (incidentally country 22 of my year abroad!). Our first full day in Lucerne was spent at the Stanserhorn, a mountain which five of us climbed. The path was very steep, zigzagging under the cable car. There were not a lot of other people walking, but there were plenty of cows. In any case, the view from the top was pretty impressive: mountains and Lake Lucerne. The German for Lake Lucerne is Vierwaldstättersee which really confused me. We got the cable car back down the mountain (the family have a bit of a thing for cable cars) but this was no ordinary cable car, this was an open top cable car.

After an evening watching Germany v. Portugal in an Irish bar in Switzerland (okay) we had a relaxed day wandering in Lucerne. Such a pretty place.

The Sonnenalm (family owned restaurant up the Kampenwand) had a big event for the Summer solstice which happened to coincide with Germany v. Ghana. We decorated the cable cars in preparation and then headed up the mountain to help out. I ended up in charge of the bar (!!!) which was interesting, exhausting and entertaining in equal measures.

I went to a McBusted concert. Enough said.

At the beginning of July the family (and by that I mean my actual, real, British family) and I went to California. There were spectacular vistas aplenty, some memorable meals and a bear spotting! It was wonderful to spend two full weeks with my family, having not seen them for that long since last August.

I had a couple more weeks aupairing, which included the end of term for C, V and T. Then on Friday evening I flew back to London. So it was actually Saturday by the time I arrived so there was very little sleep before setting of to Chris and Rachel's wedding. I lived with Rachel for first and second year of university, and was determined to attend her wedding despite being in the wrong country as per usual. The day was wonderful and beautiful and perfect. I am so so happy that I was able to be a part of it.

And now we're back to the present. This week is youth week at the Chiemsee Yacht Club so C, V and T are sailing all week. When the weather is good I go along too for a swim and a read (although the water is freezing) and when the weather is not so good I stay at home.