Riders on the storm

Had our 'rest day' in Hamburg today though we spent it walking 10 miles around the city so I can't say I'm very rested and it rained on the way back to the hostel, grr. We were able to take a free tour handled by the same company as the ones we took on inter rail. They're run on tips so the speakers are well motivated to endear us.


We learned of the great pirate Klaus Somethingorother who marveled audiences by running headless past members of his crew. On top of that we were left mighty depressed by much reference to the holocaust. This was lifted a little when we learned that the grand father of the inventor of the red telephone box designed the church that was used as a landmark in the largest bombing campaign in the second world war. Now if that isn't enough to cheer your heart I don't know what is.

Our room has been party to French, German, American, Canadian and we think Czech (quite terse) people all who have been able to further our knowledge of Metal. Be it 1980s French Metal (which was where metal really began), or the German efforts of Kraftwerk (which was where metal really began), or the back streets of Massachusetts (which was where metal really began) etc etc etc. Essentially don't visit Hamburg during Wacken if you don't like metal.

There was a very loud thunderstorm last night. Glad we weren't in tents for it.

Hanging on the telephone

Well you may have noticed there has been a bit of a lull in blog posts. Well we've finally reached Hamburg, a whopping 750 miles (it took a lot to resist having a proclaimers reference as the post title) from Oslo, and have access to the internet. Yup Scandinavia is third world in that it has no internet.
We having a well deserved rest day here tomorrow and walking around the city instead of cycling (relaxing). We're here three days ahead of schedule too.

99 luftballoons

My turn to write a post!

Germany - Yule Log... €1 ... Need i say more :D

Max

Here comes the rain again

So Tomorrow we cross into Germany and it has started to pour with rain...again. But no bother, we are made of sterner stuff than that. On a related note we have had the best showers (not together) of the trip. Tiled temples to cleanliness. High pressure, constant heat and no timed turn off. Marvelous.

Blowin' in the wind

We knew coming into this trip that we had already made an error in our plans. The North sea cycle route tends to go South to North, we are heading North to South. The reason for this we found is to do with the prevailing wind, high pressure areas and meteorological stuff like that. What it boils down to is strong winds in the face all day. The Danish coast is 180 miles cycling South, fun.

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Batman!

No sign of the caped crusader yet but we're in his home town of Gotham city (Göteborg). We're here three days early and will be catching our ferry to Denmark tomorrow. To celebrate we're staying in hostels tonight (plural because they are all fully booked. That is except for a single bed in two hostels - so tonight we are separated for the first time - neither of us are taking this too badly).

In true healthy fashion we ate at McDonald's tonight as it was all we could afford (Sweden not much cheaper than Norway).

Bridge over troubled water

Into Sweden! Only three days into the trip and we're already crossing borders. Before leaving Norway we did get a sight which almost made up for the previous day; the two countries are divided by a deep valley with a river running out to sea. The two sides of the valley are connected by the peace bridge. The bridge is about 250 meters above the river. The view was stunning. We spent about 10 minutes looking out over each side.


We've stopped following the route as it is leading us out into the middle of nowhere and then the signs disappear. This means much of our time is spent cycling along main roads.

I'll take the rain

It rained today. All day.

The ground is soaking here at the campsite. Nothing like English weather to quail homesickness though. But it wasn't just rain today. Max got two punctures (the second within 10 minutes of repairing the first). My chain came off. To celebrate we ate 90Kr kebabs.

Money Money Money

We've arrived! Norway is hot. Guess it is just England that has rainy summers. We left the airport into blazing sun and put our bikes together. I broke one of our bike pumps so I'm having to ride on semi-flats for the moment. Also because the flight was 'Ryan air comfortable' Max has lost feeling in his left ring finger.
One of the first things we discovered, Norway is expensive; 220Kr (22 quid) steak expensive. We are getting around this though by cooking our own meals. Tonights culinary delight, pasta.

It is a very lovely country. Lots of corn fields and rolling hills. Nothing could make it look bad.

Them Bones

Right we're packed and ready to go. Our bikes are packed into polyphene bags and ready to be smashed by baggage handlers.
This evening has been a bit hectic. I went to the doctors earlier... I have chest infection and a fractured elbow. Though by the time I got to Tesco for the antibiotics the clinic was closed - four minutes late. The problem being, I don't qualify for medical insurance if I don't get my prescription, and then develop pneumonia :)

Max is now is also showing symptoms of a chest infection :D

Apparently Stansted has a clinic but we aren't sure.

On the bright side in Oslo they have record breaking rainfall and no sun for the next week.

Write again soon, Jules and Max