Here follows a comprehensive list of the modes of transport used during the Alumni Travel program’s Great Journey Through Europe, June 27-July 7, 2012.
• An airplane—a massive airliner with, thankfully, plenty of legroom—cruising overnight from Atlanta to Zurich, Switzerland.
• A motor coach, humming through Switzerland’s pastoral northern cantons, rolling hills dotted with livestock.
• Our feet, stepping through the narrow, anarchic streets of Lucerne, its cobalt lake reflecting 16th century architecture, the towering Alps and a cerulean sky above all.
• A gondola, pulling us atop scenic Mount Pilatus, a mountain famed for two myths: that a dragon resides near its peak, and that Pontius Pilate is buried there.
• A cogwheel train, the steepest in the world, clanking down from Pilatus through fragrant mountain grazing land and clutches of wildflowers.
• A boat, gliding over Lake Lucerne, churning up a breeze to offer a welcome reprieve from the summer’s warmth.
• The Glacier Express railway, chugging through the Alps, disappearing into tunnels, reappearing into valleys, summits clawing at the cottony clouds far above.
• Another cogwheel train, clanking up from Zermatt toward Gornergrat, best known for its views of the Matterhorn, but this day known for its views of soup-thick clouds and nothing more.
• Our feet, sprinting out into the city center, carrying us to where we finally caught a glimpse of the Matterhorn, which shone blindingly in the morning sun.
• Another motor coach, humming through Montreux (the lake front!), Gruyere (the cheese!) and Basel.
• The MS Amadeus Princess river cruise ship, powering gracefully along the Rhine River, affording us a luxurious vantage point to admire the clusters of ancient castles.
• Our feet, climbing hundreds of steps to the top of the famed gothic cathedral in Strasbourg, France, lifting us up to the gargoyles’ perch, affording us an unbroken view of the city.
• A coach, carrying us to Heidelberg, Germany and the Heidelberg Castle, home to tales of court intrigue.
• Our feet, striding through Cologne, seeking out the region’s famed liquids: the world’s oldest perfume and the world’s best Kolsch beer.
• A plane, soaring east to west, from our great journey to home.
Want to travel with fellow Ramblin’ Wrecks? More information is available at gtalumni.org/travel, or call Martin Ludwig, director of Alumni Travel, at (404) 894-0758.
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