Checking in to the Hostel was not a problem with several scouts trying to master the German language at school. It was decided that after we had settled into our rooms we would go on the hunt for frankfurters. After what seemed like a mini hike we arrived at Karlsruhe rail station and proceeded to deplete the stocks of a small frankfurter stall. To get back to the hostel was our next challenge and with further investigation we found that the tram would be the best option, or so we thought. Ten minutes in to the ride the driver indicated we had arrived at our stop. Where were we, we had not a clue. It took 30-45 minutes to find the hostel at which we had another meal.
The next morning we were on the road by 9:00 hours for our final leg though Germany followed by Austria arriving in Slovenia early evening. Once through the German Austrian border the journey became a lot more interesting. If you thought driving along the M50 was picturesque then the Austrian motorways are like driving down the road to heaven. The Austrian scenery absolutely amazing, one minute you would be driving amongst the mountain and the next you would be up close and personal in a tunnel. The tunnels provided a great source of entertainment for the occupants of the minibus; every tunnel we entered everyone would stop breathing and hold their breath for as long as they could. The Dartford tunnel is microscopic compared to the tunnels under the Austrian Alps, the longest one I can remember was 5 miles.
The plan for that day was to arrive in Slovenia and
meet up with the Mayor of Medvode just over the Austrian/Slovenian border.
We did just that, at around 6:30 PM we arrived over the boarder and met our
contact at a service station. After a quick toilet stop we hopped back aboard
the minibus and followed the Jeep Cherokee that carried our contact to the
meeting place along the dual carriageway. We turned of the carriageway only
a short way along it and headed up a steep country lane. The minibus started
the climb in 3rd gear but the lane gradually became steeper and it ended in
1st gear. 
Unpacking and getting settled in was out of the question because a full three-course meal had been prepared for our arrival. Joining us for the meal was the Mayor of our hometown of St. Ives and members of the St. Ives twining committee. To understand why representatives from St. Ives were in Slovenia we will have to look back at the Easter of 1998.
Easter 1998 in Cambridgeshire was the birth of this
trip. The Mayor of Medvode was visiting Cambridge with plans to twin with
Bar Hill just west of Cambridge. That was until he visited Bar Hill. Bar Hill
is no more than a small industrial area with a shopping mall and a supermarket.
Disappointed with what he had seen he paid a visit to St. Ives and after seeing
the old bridge over the River Great Ouse St. Ives was the town he wanted to
twin with Medvode. Now how we got involved I’m not entirely sure but as far
as I know our group scout master at the time spoke to someone involved with
the visit and found out about the Two Rivers Scout Group in Medvode. A few
letters and faxes later and this expedition was born. Sorry you are probably
wondering where the Two Rivers Scout Group comes into this trip, well you
will just have to wait and see.
Groans started to fill the room, as the final course
of the meal was all but gone. Indigestion was forgotten when the view from
the room for the night was seen. The view of the Austrian Alps became more
spectacular as dankness fell and a storm brewed overhead.
Back down in the dining area the Rovers and leaders
were enjoying some wine whilst getting to know some of the people who had
joined us for the meal. One man we met, Viki Groselj, was a local schoolteacher
but also climbed mountains. He offered take the Rovers and two of our helpers
up the tallest mountain in the former Yugoslavia, Triglav 2,863 m (9,393 ft).
After arranging to contact him later on in the week to organise the trip we
made a move for bed.
The next morning after a hearty breakfast, the Mayor of Medvode showed us some of the local sites before heading into Medvode itself for the official meeting of the parties. At this point we met the one of the leaders of the scout group that would be our hosts for the rest of the week. To our surprise we were being filmed by a local TV station and our group scout leader at the time was interviewed for his view of events.
Early evening arrived and we made our way down to the camp on the Croatia/Slovenia border.
To be continued…
(16 July 1999)