Pirmasens Germany to Ansbach
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Pirmasens to Ansbach
Motorhome Journey from Pirmasens to Ansbach
It is pouring with rain when we wake on the stellplatz in Pirmasens, Germany, five of us have parked here overnight, not a leaf stirs as we all quietly get on with our breakfasts and one by one begin to leave. We drive to the service area at other end of the moho parking, empty the grey tank and toilet cassette and fill with water (all included in the €5 overnight charge — why don’t towns in the UK provide facilities like these?).
Leaving Pirmasens we call at a garage opposite the stellplatz to fill with LPG but find the hose connection is poor, with gas escaping as it fills. A group of young men stood in a huddle under an awning (likely immigrants) point to the leaky connection. We agree and Mr C. terminates the filling, only €5.96 worth, but a top up. On our way on H10 past Hinterweidenthal to Annweller where the high-level bridge is being repaired, and thus a whole section of the H10 highway is closed. All traffic in both directs must leave the highway and drive through the town (it reminds me of when M6 is closed at J33 to J34 and all traffic has to queue along A6 through Lancaster!
Annweller has lovely turn of the century (1900s) feel about it, its buildings along the route are large, detached and distinctive, many with the family name on them (some Jewish). It feels like the world and his wife are out on this Easter Saturday, the retail park is packed and the roads choca-bloc as we from the closed highway file though the town very slowly. Back on H10 to Landau and Speyer, we stop on the Ratstalte (rest stop) at Sinsheim for lunch. Parked next to a truck and sat quietly eating our lunch our reverie is interrupted when a coach arrives.
Sixty noisy bodies emerge, mostly young men (a few young women) pouring out of the coach door they head for the covered sitting area, in an instant trousers unzipped and sprays of pee water the edges of the grass, relief evident… some of them still with beer bottles in hand. There is much repartee and joking as the young men pee, smoke, drink and laugh at their own jokes! All wearing the yellow and black football jerseys of Dortmund (next town) we presume they are here for the Easter football match. After a short break they take more beer out of the crates stowed beneath the coach and are on their way.
Silence descends and we start to clear up, as we prepare to leave another coach pulls alongside us. The side door opens and out pour another 60 (mostly) young men who repeat the peeing performance all over again! They laugh raucously (but with a fun intent) as we (now my turn to drive) have to move slowly through and part the half- inebriated melee of young men, not quite so tidy as the biblical parting of the Reed Sea for Moses!
On our way on H10 from Annweller we turn south onto H6 past Heilbronn and Satteldorf to J52 where we leave the motorway for Nagal Wohnmobile suppliers of Motorhomes and caravans. We have stayed at their excellent overnight parking area on previous trips, we are first here to park up in one of their large gravel pitches for 8 motorhomes. The parking and the facilities are all free (pay for hook-up). We park up, the weather now cleared is sunny with clouds although not overly warm at 14°C. It is mid-afternoon so take the opportunity to rest, journal and read. Later I cook the smoked fillet mignon (from Auchan) which we enjoy with new potatoes and green beans. Five of us on the site tonight but an early night for us, we need to catch up on our sleep.
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