Monday 17 March

We set out for home today. We took the morning train to Zurich from Jenbach. The route was through the Alberg tunnel and the route taken by the train gave us magnificent views of the mountains both sides of the tunnel. After Feldkirch we were in flatter country but the mountains were still in the background. Between Feldkirch and Buchs we briefly crossed Liechtenstein and entered Switzerland. The last part of the route to Zurich was alongside two of the major Swiss Lakes. At Zurich we changed trains for the run to Basel where we had an overnight stop.

We arrived in Basel early afternoon and the hotel was just across the road from the railway station. The hotel provided us with a day ticket on the buses and trams and next to the hotel was a major tram interchange.

We took a tram into the city centre which turned out to be very interesting with some fine old buildings. The old centre round the Marktplatz had streets running off with many small shops but they were all closed on a Monday which was frustrating. Basel is another city worth another visit sometime.

I noticed over the past few days that the snow was going from the valley bottom and the farmers were starting with the ploughing. At the top of the Arlberg, there was still plenty of snow about but once we had got lower down again the snow went and in Basel it definitely felt springlike.