A very early start today, courtesy of a 7am flight to Geneva. Up at 4.30, taxi out the front at 5, airport by 5.30.

Diabolical coffee and stale croisants had us reminiscing already of the great coffee culture Berlin has.

That and a wonderful U-Bahn system, funky culture and a love of drinking beer…everywhere and anytime!

Berlin has been great, too short, but tremendously interesting.

We got Geneva at 8.30 and met Rachael’s brother, Declan, or universally know as Specks, and went down to the lake to have breakfast, with another weird coffee concoction.

Our bus was 40 minutes late, and border passport checks caught out one miscreant, further delaying us another 30 mins, so we were very pleased to finally get to Annecy at about 3.30.

Time to meet up with another of our trekking group, Cards, and a quick beer before our apartment was ready, and what a place it is. Right on the canal in the middle of the old town.

Brownie points galore for moi!

The girls, Kate, Rachel, Maddy and Lucy arrived at 6. 

We were now 8!

Then 12 when Leeanne, Tony, Amanda & Paul lobbed at about 9.30, direct from Melbourne.

Look out Annecy, it could get loud!