Today is a drive out from Ljubljana to the north west into the foothills of the Alps, our base for the first week. The suburbs rapidly pass by and within a few kilometres forests line the dual carriageway motorway. We divert to the village of Radovljica. The old part lines a ridge overlooking the surrounding countryside – a model-trainset landscape even down to the calves lying in the manicured fields of toy town farms with the soundtrack of distant church bells giving it all a bit of ‘atmosphere’. So ordered, so neat.

16th century houses with painted facades line the main street.

Outside the town hall a wedding party wait for their turn to tie the knot. A bit strange though – not a man in sight.

Round the corner at the far end the parish church of St Peter stays in the shade and provides cover for its guests.

Hidden amongst the houses are the Beekeeping Museum and the Gingerbread Museum. How quaint. Anything to attract visitors.

After a coffee, served by yet another charming and softly spoken young Slovenian, and a wander through the back streets, it’s back to the car and the motorway. The clouds falls lower and cover the layers of peaks that line the valley up ahead. Soon it is raining properly. All going swimmingly until the traffic builds, slows and then shuts down completely. Five kilometres of crawling traffic until the required turn off. Only then do I realize it is Saturday and all the cars are German or Dutch, all returning home from holiday and heading for the tunnel through the Alps and blocking my route. Infuriating. So careful when you travel guys.

Then yayyy, the turn off appears after an hour and a half of crawling along. Still, in adversity we make the best of it don’t we – high quality games of I Spy, for instance. A short time on wet country roads. Even the rain is calming and gentle.

Godz Martuljek appears in the murk and the house is easy to find. Tea is required and as we sit outside on the veranda and under the roof, the rain slows and stops and the cloud thins. Through its wisps and curls the mountains appear behind the neighbouring properties and these are real sharks’ teeth. See the snow?