8th May (sunny and hot 23C) 55km

Thoroughly enjoyed sleeping in a bed for the last time for a while but still woke quite early – at 6am in fact.  The mornings start getting light about 5.30am and so 6am is generally our waking time.  We were quite excited to put all our gear together inside two panniers and see how everything was going to fit.  While we were showering and preparing for the road, Katja and Stefan prepared a traditional German Sunday breakfast which we enjoyed outside in the sunshine.  

The main feature was weissworst or white sausage which was precooked and simply warmed through with a pot of hot water and served with sweet mustard.  When Stefan handed us our plates with two fat weissworsts on, we were hoping we liked the taste as we didn’t want to offend our hosts by not finishing this traditional food.  No problem there – it was delicious!!!  I dare say it helps to know exactly what kind of weissworst to buy and what kind of sweet mustard but we will definitely give it a shot while camping as it is easy to prepare.  Of course like all good Bavarian meals, it is traditionally accompanied by a stein if beer, which Stefan enjoyed (although alcohol free!) and we stuck with coffee.  Rounded breakfast off with fresh bread from the bakery which is still very much the norm over here.

Ready to go!

It was nearly 11.00am before we were ready to hit the road as we wanted to make sure the wages were all taken care of before we left the sanctity of free wifi.  It was a cracking day and we were thrilled that Stefan decided to accompany us and help us find the cycle tracks.  

He knew his way to Wangen which was almost halfway to Lindau and it was an idyllic ride with bike lanes all the way, some off-road and often following the Argen river which looked clear and inviting.  We passed over four wooden covered bridges, one that dated back to the 15^th century.  The first one had been a toll bridge as it was the main access way for traffic over the river.  Hard to imagine the toll system was operating all those years ago and that system probably dates even further back.

Stefan was a mine of information as we travelled but most importantly also knew where to buy the best ice-cream in Wangen!  We all sampled various flavours from merrin (which is a nut grown on a tree locally), to sparkling wine and Campari orange which actually did taste like alcoholic drinks in the nicest possible way.  All these flavours are made fresh and only available as seasons allow and you can taste the difference for sure.

Stefan left us about three quarters of the way and turned off to cycle back up the Argen valley while Pete and I followed the cycle lanes and quiet roads in to Lindau.  The compass that we have mounted on my bike has been a godsend and we found the campground without having to ask anyone for directions.  Weirdly enough Pete wanted to ask someone and I said No – bit of role reversal there!

With Markus and Esther at Lindau campground

We arrived at the pre-arranged campground of Parking Am See at half past two where we had arranged to meet our Swiss friends, Markus and Esther who were just beginning their cycle tour and had travelled from their home in St Gallen, about 55km away that day.  We hadn’t seen them in about fifteen years but Esther saw us as soon as we walked up to reception and gave us a big hug.

She led us to where they had already pitched their tent and we put ours up outside for the first time and it went easily.  It was really hot so we all wandered down to the lake, Markus and Esther seeming surprised we wanted a swim.  So initially we just paddled but the water didn’t seem too cold so we got changed and wandered in for a swim.  We were the only people swimming.

The only unfortunate thing about Europe is generally you have to wade a long time to go for a swim anywhere and this was no exception.  The wading was not very pleasant as there were small rocks covered in slime to walk on which gradually gave way to mud.  The water was also pretty murky but got clearer the further in we ventured.  It also got colder – a lot colder and would have been only about 15C.  We dived under several times seeing as we’d made the effort to walk all the way out to the deep clear water and then retraced our steps to enjoy catching up with Markus and Esther on the wall at the lake edge in the sunshine.

About 4.30pm we decided to head into the old town of Lindau for a look around and hoped to catch the free bus which came every half hour.  After arriving five mins early at the bus stop and waiting for 25 mins, we decided to go back and get our bikes.  Good decision as there was a huge traffic jam with loads of people leaving town at once and being held up by the frequent trains going across the railway lines that crossed the only way out of town.  The bikes managed to bypass the railway on the bike lane and we were in town in ten mins.  The old town is actually an island in Lake Constance and had some beautiful vistas.  

So we sat at one of the many open air restaurants and enjoyed a huge Radler each (probably about half a litre I think).  Then we pushed our bikes around the cobbled streets taking photographs and enjoying catching up after all these years.

Cycled back to camp and while Markus and Esther cooked their dinner, we went to the small restaurant just out of camp for spaghetti Bolognese.  Seeing as it is Sunday, all the shops are shut so we couldn’t buy groceries or camping gas.  The Bolognese was huge and we could easily have shared one but Pete made a superhuman effort and actually managed to finish his!

Back to camp and it was going dark now so we changed into our long pants and shoes and sat outside with Markus and Esther and enjoyed a coffee from their campstove, comparing notes, mapping techniques, good routes to take and various equipment, talking until 10.30pm when we decided it was time for bed.

FOOTNOTE: The cost of this particular campground was $40 and Marcus and Esther told us that was okay. So with that in mind, we’ll be hunting for free camps or trying more of the warm showers system. The biggest nightmare we have is getting wifi. Easy access is not good in Germany, so we will have to buy a “dongle” so we can use it anytime….however these aren’t cheap and with moving from country to country, their use may be limited. So, with blogs to write and post and pictures to download, it’s not easy.

7th May (sunny and hot 22C) 46km

I’d only just woken up when Pete walked in the bedroom with a cup of tea for each of us.  It was great to finally sleep through the night and not be the first one up for a change.

On the agenda today was a bike ride up the Danube with our hosts Katja and Stefan and their son Tamino.  We loaded all the bikes into and onto their Volkswagen van before hitting the road to see a special church in Obermarchtal.  It was about a 40 minute drive away and as per usual my body had soon forgotten it had a full night’s sleep and my eyelids began to droop and my head to nod.  Thank goodness I don’t get the same way on a bike!

Obermarchtal was another baroque church but this time there was a lot of wood carving inside and again lots of gold paint and incredible detail.

Ju suits down to wait while Pete confesses
his sins - might be a long wait Ju!

However there was a beautiful day beckoning outside so it was time to head to the Danube valley for our bike ride.  This started at a town called Neumeule and the rock formations in this area gave a dramatic look to the valley.  We unloaded the bikes and started off down the mostly flat ride with plenty of shade alongside the river.  It was by now quite hot in the sun so the shade was very welcome.  We stopped early on for our picnic as we were all pretty hungry, and the scene was reminiscent of something out of the Sound of Music.

There were a couple of old castles perched high on the rocks dating back from 1500.  

You can’t imagine how they even went about building these castles in these seemingly inaccessible places.

In the town of Beuron we stopped for a delicious iced coffee and shared an ice-cream sundae as well – delicious!  Then we pedalled another 6kms before turning around and heading back to the van.  

Radler stop where we saw two kids almost get run over

We stopped for a Radler (citrus flavoured beer – delicious!) at an old farmhouse and watched as some old guy backed his car up, slowly bearing down upon two kids who were oblivious to what was happening.  We all thought because the guy was driving so slowly that he had seen the kids but he just kept getting closer and closer to them until we all shouted and screamed at him to stop – which luckily he did when he was about 20 cm away!  We all knew that had been a close one!

Monastery in Beuron

The rest of the ride passed uneventfully until about ten mins from the end when a thin four foot long black snake writhed across the path in front of me.  I couldn’t be sure but I think it had a white diamond on its head.  I described it to Katja and Stefan and they hadn’t heard of any such snake in Germany so Anne, please feel free to google it and report back!

We checked our speedo and we’d done 46km when we got back to the carpark and it felt good to be exercising again.  The drive home saw me napping most of the way and I missed the downpour that came over for about five minutes, 

We were much later than we had anticipated so we stopped in Vogt at a lovely old restaurant where we had a very traditional and delicious German dinner.  Katja and Tamino also gave me a taste of their dinners which were also delicious!  Finished the drive home and had a cuppa while I uploaded the blog and we all sat round chatting until midnight.  A wonderful end to a great day and a great day to end our stay with a lovely family.

6th May (sunny and warm 22C) 15km

Once again, awake at six and began on the blog before we were to journey to Weingarten to observe what is known as the Bloodrun.  Every year a ceremony known as The Ride (or Procession) of the Blood, in honour of a relic of Jesus’ blood, is organized at Weingarten. 

It is a parade in which nearly 3,000 horses, ridden by representatives of the individual parishes and by the clergy of the individual churches, participates.  We had been informed by our host, Katja as to how many horses were likely to be taking part, but never imagined what this would be like, having so many horses, in such confined spaces.  

Along with the horses are brass bands representing various districts, marching in amongst these majestic looking beasts.  And to our amazement… no one was injured….well that we saw anyway.  The only time medics were required was for dehydration and too much sun. We have never seen such a spectacle and although it seemed ridiculous in one way to make such a fuss over a few drops of blood supposedly from Jesus Christ, it was amazing to see and they just did it so well that you couldn't help but appreciate the finery and the organisation.  There were so many varieties of horse and although the streets were a mass of horse muck, people were still able to cross, when the procession came to a halt at regular intervals.  

Nuns eating brotwurst

Vendors were out plying their trade, so the public was able to purchase different kinds of food.  Julia was snapping shots off with the camera like nobody’s business and what you see on the blog are only the very finest of a huge amount. 

The bishop with the blood.  Gotta love the staging with the white horse and the red cloak draped so beautifully.

The culmination of the event was a gathering of perhaps a couple of hundred horses outside the Basilica, where the Bishops and clergy do their bit and return the blood to the church.  As a religious spectacle…..the horses came out well on top for me.  Not only were they such fine looking animals and so well behaved, they carried their riders for hours without complaint, in testing circumstances…..so well done….I’m sure GOD would be proud!!

Our ride home took us through the town of Kisslegg and this time the stork was in the nest. 

We had decided that the afternoon would be a bit of down time, in comparison to previous days. It was also an opportunity for us to do some last minute checks on the bikes and take them for a ride. Stefan has a few trail circuits that he does during the week and we rode one of these through wooded tracks and around lovely lakes with views of the snow covered Alps.  All seems well with the bikes, which is a relief after the flights, as you never know how well they are handled.

Waiting for us upon our return was a beautiful late lunch of breads, cheeses and meat…. A staple and very enjoyable meal. Capped off with a Radler….just the trick! At 7.30pm Stefan and Katja’s son Tamino, who works in I.T. in Augsburg arrived.  

Tamino and Pete give me a hand but we
both managed to go solo on the AirWheel

He had brought with him his electric unicycle, or airwheel, which he was only too happy to let us have a go on….and I have to say, both Julia and I could see how you would get hooked on it. A bit like a Segway, without the handles and stem, this requires a sense of balance and although we were only just able to stay on it…. It wouldn’t take long to become proficient.  Tamino told me that because it is classed as a motorised vehicle in Germany, you need a license, something most who own them don’t do.  They certainly are a lot of fun.

Katja and Stefan's lovely home

Later on we all sat and enjoyed a nice evening meal outside as the sun faded. The conversation flowed and Stefan and Katja  you sense,are really proud of their son, who is a great young man with a good personality. Hit the sack just after 10.30pm.

5th May 2016 (sunny and mild 17C)

Julia up at six this morning after being awake for the previous hour, with me only ten minutes behind.  Must say I’ve been sleeping really well.  Enjoyed a cup o tea with Ju and did some work on the blog, before Katja and Stefan woke and we enjoyed a nice breakfast.

After Ju had showered, we opened the bike boxes and put the bikes back together. Good to have Stefan there as he gave us a helping hand.  Whilst Julia finished off pumping up our tyres, I shaved and showered and we were set for the day.

Julia, Katja and Pete in front of the Birnau Basilica

Heading for Birnau today, to a Catholic Basilica, one which Katja had said would `knock the pants off yesterday’s church`.  I found that very hard to believe, but we were on our way, on extremely busy roads, as it was a holiday (Fathers Day).  The traffic was beginning to get very busy, so we took minor roads for the final stretch.  Couldn’t believe the amount of cyclists out on the roads and cycle paths. There were thousands….apparently, this is what happens on all public holidays.  It’s great to see, especially the amount of older people.  The other point worth a mention, is how popular electric bikes have become over the last two years, since we were last in Europe.  Masses of them, from sit up and beg variety to mountain bikes.  We mentioned this last time we were here, but if the town planners in Auckland had any sense at all, they would be looking to put in huge amounts of cycle paths, to get traffic off the roads and at the same time, improve people’s health, hence reducing the cost to the country.

Birnau, is on the lake of Constance, a spectacular lake, which borders Switzerland, Austria and Germany. We had cycled here thirty years ago and today, with the weather a warm seventeen degrees, under clear skies the alps were out in all their glory….stretching for miles. 

After parking the van we went to check out inside the Basilica, but because there was a mass on, we had to wait along with a couple of hundred others, for about fifteen minutes.  When the doors opened and we wandered inside, it was definitely a WOW moment.  The interior is stunning and because you weren’t allowed to take photos, the illicit one I took really doesn’t do it justice.  Painted ceilings, gold everywhere….beautiful…..and the ugliest painting on the roof of a baby Jesus, you’ve ever seen in your life.  Don’t know what the artist was on when he painted that, but if I’d have been Mary with a kid like that, I’d have left him in that manger for the donkeys to look after….!

The reconstructed pre-historic village of Pfahlbauten

After leaving the church we drove a short distance to visit Pfahlbauten…..a pre-historic village, built on the shores and over the lake. It dates back nearly 6000 years and it was fascinating. It showed how the people lived and how they traded, with the lake as a major player in the whole scenario. The people who discovered the remains in the lake did a great job, not only finding the site, but pursuing the restoration programme to eventually get it to where it is today, this is over the last hundred years.

Julia, Katja and Stefan at Pfahlbauten

Arriving back at the van, it was a drive down the road to Meersburg, which boasts the oldest castle in Germany. Aside from sitting on the water’s edge in a fantastic location, the views over the lake to the Alps and surrounding countryside are stunning.  Our photographs really do not show just how spectacular the vista is, as the light affected the clarity of the mountains.

Meersburg Castle - the oldest parts date from 630 AD

Some of the crazy helmets on display in the castle - you would need a strong neck to wear these!

Being situated on the lakefront, Meersburg is also a ferry port of call, nothing large, just a few cars and passengers, making the crossing to Constance in Switzerland, or putting along the lake to other ports.

Meersburg castle, first founded in the 7^th century, sits on a rocky promontory and boasts a 14 metre deep moat which is spanned by a 12 metre drawbridge.  A tour of the interior revealed all sorts of fascinating information and a look at the dungeon, not a place you wanted to end up…!  The current owners of Meersburg Castle still live in part of the building.  After enjoying a coffee and something to eat, it was 6pm and as we sat outside, still bathed in sunshine, we pondered on the itinerary for tomorrow, which would see us requiring an early start.  

A walk through Meersburg township ended our visit to this quaint piece of history and on the way through we encountered a brass band entertaining a large crowd.

A drive through more breathtaking countryside and a stop to pick up a couple of delicious pizzas saw the day come to an end around 11pm, everyone appropriately tired and ready to crash.

4th May 2016........................Mostly sunny, 12C

Morning campers…..it’s nearly 7.30am on Wednesday 4^th and I’m writing this from the home of Katja and Stefan.  As I type I’m looking out of our bedroom window over what should be beautiful German countryside in the hamlet of Oberrot……I say should be because at the moment the whole area is shrouded in mist.  There are only about half a dozen houses in this hamlet and there is a working dairy farm across the road where Katja collects their milk every morning directly from the vat.

The calves from the farm across the road - they spend most of their lives inside

It is an old home dating from the 17^th century which they have and are, renovating. I stopped counting the rooms after the first half dozen, but it is huge and substantial.  Thick beams and doors, solid wooden triple glazed windows, three or four storeys (I lost count) solar, wood, oil powered, and central heating keeps its large rooms snug and warm.  The main lounge area has catered for 50 people. It is a great room with feature windows overlooking the serenity of this gorgeous spot.

After a breakfast of fresh bread from the bakery with five different types of cheeses and meat and or marmalade and jam….delicious !...we sat talking, before preparing to venture out for a day of sightseeing. The guys had a couple of places they wanted to take us today, the first being Wangen, a beautiful medieval town with wall still intact. Dating back to the 1500’s, it, like many other towns of this era, is well maintained with any upgrades being required, done in that style…and boy, do they do an exceptional job. Spent a good few hours wandering around, looking at various aspects, including the obligatory church, which like the vast majority, turns out to be amazing…!

Tried to change some New Zealand currency at a couple of banks without any luck….and unfortunately when we attempted to use our cash passport, we had forgotten the prescribed pin number…so our hosts funded our days activities and lunch….thanks guys….our turn tomorrow..! 

It was a nice day and when you were in the sun, quite warm, however any form of shade and you could feel the temperature drop…..certainly not what we’ve been used to this past N. Z. summer.

Driving later on in the afternoon toward Waldburg and a very old fortress perched high on a hill…( without the lonely goat herd ) it was great to see the amount of small roads ideal for cycling and even the more main roads, all with cycle paths….one of the reasons we love this country for riding.

Waldburg Fortress

Some scary characters in Wangen museum

After a short, but steep climb to the fortress, we spent the next hour and then some roaming in and around this solid structure, dating back to 854…..friggin amazing..! Yet, once again, Europe is filled with all this history and you could spend a lifetime exploring all the wonders that are available.

BELOW: This guy was not too impressed by two kiwi 

tourists and had no problems showing his feelings!

As the afternoon began to fade, we journeyed back home, calling in to Kisslegg, the town closest to Katja and Stefan. Here stands a fantastic example of a catholic Baroque church ….(Christine Goodin, you would love it…!) You certainly don’t have to be religious to appreciate the beauty and finery of this wonderful structure. From the moment we entered the main doors, we had our mouths open oohing and aahing at the paintings, lining the walls and ceiling and gold adorning the sculptures.

And this, apparently, is nothing, to what we have lined up to see tomorrow….how is that possible? 

Anyway, enough drooling over the church as we had a castle to go and see next.

Through the village of Kisslegg to the new castle which has the amazing feature of a stork nest on one of the chimneys.  

Apparently the stork came and built her nest on the only working chimney on the palace and so they had to shift the nest onto a different chimney - which would be no easy task as the nest is huge!

The new castle in Kisslegg - if you look carefully you can see the stork nest on the right rear chimney.

Back to Oberrot for another delicious dinner including white asparagus spears about three times the size of our normal green asparagus and extra delicious in a cheesy sauce.  Tonight we were able to stay awake until 9.30pm before the jetlag kicked in and we hit the hay.

3rd May 2016...................Cold and raining 10C

After sitting in The Outback bar at the airport, drinking coffee, we finally made our way through security.  After filling in all the appropriate details, we wandered into the next area where we sat people-watching and posting the blog.  Then to our departure gate and boarded about 7.30 pm.

Seated at the rear of the plane, not too bad as far as seating goes.  The captain comes over the speakers,  “Would all ground staff please depart the plane,” followed by “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking,” in his smoothest, I’ve got your life in my hands kinda voice.  He proceeded to provide all the flight details and I could see women swooning in their seats, whilst the men waited eagerly for the plane to get off the ground, so the bar would be open.

This is the longest long haul flight in the world…and believe me, after the full 17 odd hours, it felt like it. Throughout the journey we were up doing our usual stretching and strength exercises, whenever possible, at the rear of the aircraft….that’s when we weren’t making room for the passengers who were praying on their prayer mats.  We had the perfect view of all the alcohol hungry, stewardess chat-up type of guys on the plane who seemed to have no problem blocking up the access to the toilet and in and out of the kitchen area.  The stewardesses looked about as impressed as we were.

First time flying Emirates and couldn’t fault the plane, the food, entertainment or service….it was efficient to say the least…..however…and for me it’s a massive however…..No personality!  We had been informed that the crew spoke in total, 9 different languages, however they couldn’t smile in one of them.

Disembarked in Dubai and what a huge airport. It’s a city in itself and an expensive one at that. Paid $20 for two Costa coffees, although they weren’t too bad.  

Then took a long walk through the terminal to our departure gate, where we sat talking to a German girl from Regensburg. Through the opaque designer windows we could see the very modern architecture that is Dubai, but unfortunately this cancelled out any photographs.

As I write, we have just over an hour to wait for our flight to Munich, which fortunately is just over six hours in length. Let’s see what our European flight crew are like…!?

Well it seems the crew were as delighted as we were that this next flight from Dubai to Munich was only six and a half hours long and nowhere near as full as the last one.  They were very chatty and smiley and between them spoke seventeen languages.  Makes you feel very ignorant and uneducated being only able to speak one.

We touched down safely in Munich at 1.40pm. After the first leg of the journey taking so long, we were beginning to feel very tired.  Julia had watched eight films, whilst I had seen seven, with only the odd few minutes napping between us.  AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple kept me awake between viewings.  After waiting in line for customs for a while, we eventually entered the baggage area, where we spent another twenty minutes waiting for our bikes to arrive.   But the main thing was they did arrive…..and safely!

Through the main doors into the arrivals area, to be met by a smiling Katja and Stefan. The journey to their home was approx. 150kms, but didn’t take long as we took the autobahn for part of it.  The weather when we had touched down had been a pleasant fifteen degrees, but now the rain had set in, heavy at times and the temperature had dropped.  We had managed to remain awake in the back seat of their van, for the majority of the trip, but the final leg had us both out cold!  Once settled in and after a cup of tea (Yes….we are in Germany…not England…) we went for a stroll along the country lanes and wooded glens, to help get the muscles working again and relieve some of the swelling in our feet.  Mine were actually worse than Julia’s, something I’ve never had before.  

Did the trick anyway and this morning they are fine.  Although we had rain jackets and borrowed an umbrella, our shoes did get damp and a bit muddy on the soaked wooded lanes, something we’ve got to watch, as they, apart from our jandals, are the only footwear we have.

We had a very enjoyable dinner with a glass of wine but by 8pm we couldn’t keep our eyes open so took ourselves off upstairs to bed.

2nd May 2016

You know you’ve got a great life when you’re in no hurry to leave it.  From our incredible family, to great waves, enjoying walks on the beach most days, fantastic friends, awesome staff, the most beautiful dog in the world, clients who are more like friends…..yes, life doesn’t get much better.  But it’s always good to chuck a bit of adventure in there….plus after 28 years of marriage, you need a few different stories to tell!

The family seeing us off at New Plymouth airport

After a good night’s sleep, having packed our gear last night, we awoke to a mild, cloudy morning. On the agenda was to get Rufus out for a walk, but first a nice breakfast. Temperature outside was ideal and we enjoyed taking our hairy beast for a final stroll until our return in August.  Picked up some duct tape from the supermarket (to use on the boxes at Auckland airport…….or to kidnap some high profile celebrity and bind them up, whilst we held them for ransom).  Once home it was some final last minute jobs and we were heading to the airport….on surprisingly quiet roads for that time of the day.  Check in at New Plymouth was a breeze and with family there to farewell us it was a relaxing half hour before we were finally in the air.

Touchdown in Auckland to 20 degrees and pushed our trolleys under blue skies around to the International departures. Here we emptied the extra bag we had brought with us into the two bike boxes (along with the celebrity we had kidnapped on our way around to International departures) and checked them into the Emirates counter, without any fuss at all…..obviously the gag and duct tape had worked…!

Bikes and camping gear all packed up and ready to go

One of our oldest friends (and I mean that in the nicest way) was on her way to pick us up.  Shaz…we love you and we thoroughly enjoyed our long lunch at Moreton’s in St Heliers, overlooking Rangitoto. 

With Shaz in St Helier's - a great lunch with a dear friend on a stunning day with a cracking view!

Back to Sharon’s place where she dropped us, before heading into work, to be replaced by Roger, the other half of this formidable duo, who at 4.30pm piled us into his car for the return leg to Auckland airport, where we currently sit, awaiting our boarding call for our outward journey to Dubai.