Finale

 Well that's it - I'm back now in the UK and already thinking about the NEXT one! This is a selection of pics I took along the way - and if they make you think "Wouldn't it be good to do something like that - but ...." I hope you'll forget the 'but' and just DO it! You wont regret it

Rain, rain,rain! - but every cloud ....

Spoke too soon. By the time we reached Reidlingen it was hammering down. It cleared up a bit in the evening but overnight, and off and on the next day it rained heavily. Coupled with that we arrived at two consecutive 'campsites' only to find them closed. In the end we wild camped beside a lake a few km outside a little town called Rottenacker. Despite the rain we had a lovely night at a restaurant in the town. Today day we decided to take the detour route to Blaubeuren and have a night in a B&B to dry out. So that is where this entry is coming. The town is absolutely gorgeous - all original timber frames - but the most remarkable thing is the 'Blautopf' - a massive upwelling spring coming from a hugely deep blue pool. Below it leads into an enormous cave system (supposed to be THE place for cave divers from all over the world) Nearby in some limestone caves, occupied from prehistoric times, they have the 'Earth Mother goddess figure - - breasts, big pregnant belly and bum - no head and just top part of the legs. Apparently it is the first one of its kind ever discovered, although others have now been found nearby. Over the past few days I've made up my mind - and I think Di has too. Even though she's going to carry on to Istanbul, and I have to go back to meet Sam, we are going to get back together after out trips. Tomorrow is going to be a difficult day - saying goodbye in Ulm. Post Script We carried on (in the rain still) to Ulm, but couldn't bear going our separate ways and had another night together in the town and a little B&B just off the square. Next day we set off in opposite directions - Di eastwards to Dillingen, and I went back down to a campsite marked in Erbach. Saying goodbye was awful. I discovered Erbach to have to yet another closed campsite - so I caught the train to Dillingen! There was still had best part of a week to wait before 'D-Day' so we headed down past Donauworth, then up a side valley on the Altmuhl Radweg for a few extra days. Finally the time came when we couldn't put it off any longer. At Eichstadt, Di cycled off on her way, and I took the train back to Dillingen to pass the last four days before the others arrived. Believe it or not, the weather finally changed! I'm really glad that the forecast now is for real 'summer weather' while Doz, J&J are here. I hope they enjoy it - but it's going to be a difficult time. PPS Dillingen Hospital is really good - they stopped the rather spectacular arterial bleeding quite quickly, and once the stitches were in I was as right as rain. Must make a note - never try whittling pieces of wood with a pen-knife when you are bored! Still got another 9 working fingers - but this one is still recovering!
Well - that's it! This blog is over. There are too many to mention, but thanks to everyone who have read my account of my journey, encouraged me, helped me, to the people of Germany who have been so unreservedly friendly, and to all the really wonderful people I have met along the way - especially Di.

Donautal ... at last!

I'd had enough languishing in Donaueshingen after three days doing nothing. Sitting by my tent I noticed another cycle tourist roll up - a Kiwi called Diane, who's on her way from London to Istanbul. We compared notes and later on,went to the bar together in the evening. We got on really well and finished up chatting til late and we decided to set off down the Donau, travelling together for a while. So that's what we're doing. I'm bloody glad I did. The Donautal is a spectacularly beautiful limestone walled gorge - unbelievably gorgeous scenery with no road - just the cycle track ... by far the best couple of days I've had on the whole trip and it's made it so much better having someone to share it with. It would have been a shame to wait in D/eshingen and not spend as much time here. Today we're in Sigmaringen - it's got a castle/stately home on the hill over the town ... on the same sort of scale as Chatsworth House. We went on the guided tour instead of just wandering round (reminded me of Budapest and Jeff's tour!) It was well worth it. On the way here we stopped off at lunchtime at a 'surprise' Beer Fest going on in a huge marquee in the woods in the middle of nowhere. At the interval we got chatting to the horn player in the 'um-pah' band and he's invited us over to his house in Sigmaringendorf (a nearby village) for something to eat and a few beers. Had a great night - tomorrow we're heading on to the next place - think its called Riedlingen. There's supposed to be another 'Royal Palace' there too ... but when you've seen one ...
It's not too long now before Doz, John and Julie come and I'm starting to have doubts about what the state of things will be by that time. This time with Di is great. It was hot and sunny again today ... let's hope the weather stays like this for the rest of the trip.

"Beautiful" Women and Real Dogs

I was in Freiburg a couple of days ago - another one of those "twee" places ... but living there must be like living in a gold-fish bowl. The place was full of touristst like me - all snapping away. It reminded me of Bowness - another "beautiful" little town. I was in a cafe sitting at a table in the sunshine, when a smart open-topped car pulled up and disgorged a fat little guy my age and his 35 year old "beautiful wife?". They sat for maybe an hour - didn`t speak much. Just when I was pondering what her upkeep must be, and thinking - I think tigers are beautiful ... but when they`re caught, stuffed and stuck on show in a trophy cabinet, you just start to feel sorry for them ... a real dog came up and sat at the table next to me. She was a bit overweight, with a flat sort of face and plenty of wrinkles - but she was friendly and in her own way beautiful. I asked if I could take her photo ... and her owners said "Of course" , when I explained I had friends with an Old English Bulldog too! ... it`s all in the eye of the beholder!

Somehow ... it's just not like home!

I've been here quite a while now and visited a good few pubs and bars ... but it's not the same as back home. In some places I've been greeted by a pair of sparkling eyes ... but not quite like those in the Oringal - in others I've been welcomed by a disarming smile ... but somehow it's missing something ... it's different to walking into the bar back at home. In fact it's true to say that in all my travels I haven't been served by anyone quite like .... Eileen!

France was closed! ... so it was Germany all the way

I carried on South from Philippsberg, again through beautiful countryside on little tracks and lots of off-road sections to Plittersdorf. It was another brilliant day, with the sun shining and I was glad to get the tent up and into the shade (under an umbrella outside a bar of course!) The campsite was a bit of a rip off though 14.50Euros NOT including showers. The next day down to Kehl was a bit boring, with a few sections through more built up areas. On the campsite there, I was camped next to a really nice family from Nurnberg. They have invited me to visit them for a couple of days, and if it fits in with trains and things, I may well take them up on their offer.
After Kehl, for the next 2 days the plan was to do a nice leisurely 35km to a little ferry across to Rhinau, a town on the French side with a campsite, then cross back in the morning for another leisurely 45km to Breisach. It all went so well ... had a lie in, took my time setting off ... tootled along at a snails pace and caught the ferry mid afternoon, looking forward to a dossy day and a few beers ... only to find France was closed! (some kind of Public Holiday) Not a soul was stirring (and didn't look likely to any time soon) ... so I didn't have any option than to go back to Germany and carry on to Breisach. The literal translation of the word "Breisach" is "I'm completely knackered!"
Anyway I'm back in Freiburg today to buy a Radweg book for the last leg down the Danube to Ulm - tomorrow its the train up to Donaueschingen and a few days break in the campsite there to get everything washed.

The last few days

Plan X never got off the ground when I found out it would involve 190Euros just in train fares. Believe it or not, I'm back to Plan C .... but its actually Plan C ++
From Gundelsheim, I took another couple of days to complete the descent of the Neckar past Heidelberg and down to Mannheim, where it joins the Rhine. My cunning plan is to go down the Rhine again ... but this time on the German side, instead of the French. So far it is turning out to be a GOOD plan. Today has been one of the best yet. The countryside leaving Mannheim is stunning, the weather has been gorgeous and there are plenty of campsites to choose from towards the end of the day. Tonight I'm heading for Philipsburg.
The other good thing about today is that I passed the 2000km mark at a little place called Altrip, just North of Speyer ... which is where this blog is coming from.