Snowed-under Autobahn
Well, that was an interesting Friday! Since my ex is going on holiday to visit her parents, I need to go down to Geneva and pick up my little cat, Vilma. I’d planned to do that the last time I was there, three weeks ago, but couldn’t since my boss surprised us all with a three day meeting in Paris and it just wouldn’t be fair to bring Vilma home and then leave her in the hands of the neighbour for three days straight away. So, yesterday, I set off from Northern Germany on a nine-hour drive to Geneva. Well, it would have been nine hours long were it not for the blizzards!
Up to about 50km South of Osnabrück, it was a bit snowy, but I was making good progress. I drove over a hill and suddenly I drove into what seemed to be a white wall. The snow was coming down so quickly that the traffic ground to a halt and the snow piled up around us. Half an hour later, there was so much snow on my car, I had to go out to wipe it off of the bonnet since the wind was blowing the top layer up every time I moved forward a little and I couldn’t see a thing. Three hours later, I was 2km further, surrounded by crashed cars and trucks and then we started climbing up the other side of the valley and there trucks and cars just started falling to the side as their drivers realised that they just couldn’t make it up the hill, their wheels spinning uselessly in the snow.
Luckily, my car seemed to have what it needed to make its way forward and gingerly, I drove up and down snow filled valleys, seeing more and more cars and trucks abandoned by the side of the road. At this point, it was no longer snowing, but the temperature had plunged to -15ºC and I could feel the car squirm under me every now and then as I crossed patches of ice under the snow. It was only when I was near Frankfurt that the road really cleared and I could start making good time again and this was all helped by having my lovely girlfriend on the phone (over the Bluetooth hands-free system, of course) for the last 250km before the Swiss border (cripes, she’s lovely!!!)
Gosh, that was a trip and a half. Thirteen hours after leaving, I arrived, shoulders so tense from the stress that I couldn’t bear to touch them. Luckily, my ex knows how to handle that and welcomed me at the door with a lovely red wine from the Côtes du Rhône region of France which still feels like my home! I slept rather well after all of that, helped by my little Vilma snuggling with me!
Now, I only have the return journey ahead of me… I hope that goes a little more smoothly!!!
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And here’s me moaning about the half inch we got last night! My, my, my you must really love your cat to make that journey. I hope things will improve for the return trip and I hope you get home safely. Did you not check the weather forecast before you set out Emily? Maybe you could have taken the train? Very nice to be welcomed with a glass of red wine too, which reminds me……LOL. Love
Shirley Anne xxx
Shirley Anne´s last blog ..In for a change?
Yes, I do love my cat!!!
I did check the weather and whilst it was snowing where I was, the ADAC (the German version of the AA) were saying that it should have been clear from a couple of hundred km South, which was obviously not the case. The train would be an option, but it’s quite a bit longer when one considers the whole rigmarole of getting to and from the stations at either end… Maybe next time I travel in winter it might be a better option, though! 
As for that glass of wine… Time for another, I think! 
Do you hit Zürich on your way back?
Bad Hair Days´s last blog ..Rätsel in den Logs
I’m afraid I don’t!
I drive from Geneva to Basel and then North into Germany, heading up to Hamburg via Karlsruhe, Frankfurt, Kassel and Hannover. I have some visits to Zürich early next year, though, if things go as planned! 
Judging by the photograph, you are showing respect where it is due, and slipping courteously behind the Toyota Picnic!! Ha ha! Selyna x
Oh, I only did that for the photo. At the first opportunity, I blasted past. You should know by now that the Merc’s in front and the Picnic’s behind!
Driving Sunday between Hamburg and Osnabruck – and back! – was no fun yesterday, but at least we didn’t have any Stau.
ian in hamburg´s last blog ..wordpress.com front page fun
I did the return trip yesterday and likewise didn’t have any big traffic jams, but it was slow and decidedly scary a few times!!! I’m glad you made it safely!