Sooty Old Coal 2 of 2

Wet and wonderful Germany



Its amazing to think back on all the nice people that have given me nice things, let me stay at their houses and generally looked after Doris and I. So much so that I have almost come to expect the best of people and when it does not happen it seems to come as such a shock. Crossing northern Germany I was thwarted by a canal or two. Mostly large ribbons of ocean snaking their way through the very low lying inland areas and fairly easy to work out where the crossings were. One such ferry crossing happened on a rather shitty day. There was some anger in the sky and the rain fell incessantly all through the morning and into the afternoon. The wind drove the soaking rain into my face and never was there a let up throught the struggle to make the kilometers I wanted.



Oh Doris



I waited momentarily for the crossing on the deck of the barge and even took the time to give the old girl a once over and fix something to eat. As I was at the front the two cars and two trucks that made up the front row watched me go about my tinkering. The boat got underway and out of the relatively sheltered cove bay and into the main channel the wind began to tear across the deck reducing visibility and causing me to hunker down behind the leading wall at the bow. As the wind increased the waves that shook the hull sent frozen spray over the wall, over my head and saturated the cars. Still they watched. I thought I could ask to sit in one of the cars but I also thought I would wait and see if one of them asks me to come and join them. Alas there was no luck in this ploy so while the warm drivers of their vehicles continued to watch, the wind and waves soaked Doris and I sending a might chill all the way through to the very bones holding it all together.

Here moosey moosey moosey

People are quick to come and start a conversation with me when I am standing outside a petrol station or a supermarket and the other day as I was doing just that when a man sturck up a conversation about cycle touring. We were chatting about some trivial things like the start of the second world war and the fall of the soviet union when a land dismounted her bike came over with purpose put what looked like donald trumps hair piece in my hand and said "warm in winter cold in summer, have a good trip"?? It wasn't until the man joked that I should not put it on my head that I realised it was a bike seat cover made from sheeps wool.

Furry Wet seat

So here is some of the new plans that are zipping around that little head of mine. It seems that there are changes in the air. It has come about through no real fault of my own that the original idea to get work in Scotland has fallen through and failing any really good reason to stay in the Uk I have decided to continue the bike ride. Given that the very lose original plan was to complete the ride after 6 months and 6000km in the Czech Replubic I see no reason why adding another 2 months to the extra 1 already taken care of to this point couldn't be a good idea. So here is what will happen. In a few days I will reach London where I plan on staying for a few days

The cat wanted to Ride The doris

. I will move from there with Doris (assuming nothing else breaks with her) to Perth, Australia where I will take on the Snakes, Spiders and tree less heat of the plains across to Melbourne where I shall take another jet to the land of milk and honey, landing in Christchurch and make my way to the greastest place on earth. That of course would be Te anau and the gateway to Doubtful sound before taking my leave and heading to the winding, hilly, stunningly brilliant vistas of the westcoast road heading north to Nelson where I shall finish 9 months after starting in the exact same place. I have been accepted to the Nursing Degree Programme at the Nelsom Marlbrough Institute of Technology and thus will be getting home for the start of Feburary.

Very Dutch

 I will be writing a summary of my European adventure upon getting to London so until then keep your toes warm and your tires pumped up and think of me as you are having a nice cold beer in the sun. Unless you are reading this from europe where you will be inside as it is cold as balls outside.