My knees and feet don't talk to me no more!

No one but no one told me how hard it would be to actually visit the Neuschwanstein Castle in the Bavarian Alps today.  It is 1008 m above sea level. It is 200 m up the hill from Fussen, but there is about 600m by shuttle and then a further 250m by foot uphill to the castle.

We lucked in to a 31 degree day (unusually hot for this time of the year) and a public holiday to boot, so there would have been about 6000 tourists all eating ice cream, legging it up and down the hill or queuing for the horse rides or shuttle.

I was pretty proud to make it to the top. Lord knows the toll that took on my knees, but then inside the castle (and of course it's a one way tour) you have no choice but to climb the steps, all 150 plus of them spiralling up to the third floor. 64, 69 then 34 because you can't go back.

The pay off was the rooms themselves, especially the Throne room and the Singing Room. King Ludwig might have seemed crazy but he has left a rich and wonderful legacy of gilt paint and Meissen, fake grottos and the first batteries.

The tour was great but as it finishes the realisation hits you - you have less than 40 mins to get back DOWN the hill to the bus! I could feel my knees creaking and the balls of my feet burning, but I made it. Pretty sure momentum got me halfway down and determination did the rest. Lou schlepped it in thongs and had enough energy at the bottom to go shopping while I limped to my seat in the bus , ready for an ice cold drink.

Moral of the story: travel when you are young and fit, or get fit if you are going to travel.

Better rest up now, off to Salzburg tomorrow!