Friday 12th June

Welcome "day-off".  After sorting my chores, catch bus into Old Town Heidelberg and enjoy a beer in Seppl bar, where Magoo, Maple, Chris, Dave, Squire and I used to frequent when we hitch hiked to Heidelberg in 1966 - happy memories.

Saturday 13th June

Follow cycle paths after leaving Heidelberg, which fishermen inform me is "Kaput!".  It takes me at least an hour to find an alternative route.  Camp near lake after meeting Dutch couple on tandem who guide me to camp site.

Sunday 14th June

Great ride alongside Rhine to Saint Goar Youth Hostel where I meet Theo, yet another Dutch cyclist who is just cycling back to The Hague from Bodensee.  He intends to spend a few days at home and then off to cycle Hadrians Wall and West coast of Scotland.

Monday 15th June

The only day of the trip so far when it rained virtually all day.   I got to speak to other cyclists who were sheltering under bridges.   Reach Bad Honnef youth hostel which is predictable high German standard.

Tuesday 16th June

Cycle alongside Rhine through Bonn Cologne and the industrial area of Germany, although I'm hardly aware of it whilst I'm on cycle paths.  Stop at bakery run by Iranian guy for bockwurst and bread, who reckons present Iranian leader is new Hitler!  Camp at site beside Rhine where I can lie in bed and watch barges go by.  Very good Gasthaus nearby for soup and Vienerschnitzle.

Wednesday 17th June

Through Dusseldorf and stop for Kebab for lunch.  Turkish guys running bar remind me of days in Turkey two months ago.  Youth hostel full in Kleve so stay in very good "Zimmer".

Thurs 18th June

Lovely  ride along "Dyk".  Strong head winds again and quite tired by the time I reach Bunnik Youth Hostel near Utrecht.

Friday 19th June

Reach The Hague.   Pop into bar for a beer where I meet Andre, from Burundi who has had both parents and two sisters murdered in genocide 7 years ago.  A very sad man, who made me feel that I am a very lucky man.

Saturday 20th June

Spend morning around Youth Hostel and meet interesting people, including Aussie Rob, who is a young dancer, who is in The Hague to visit dance groups in Holland and Europe including DV8 in London, and Fraser, young Scot working in Court of Human Rights in the Hague.

Sunday 21st June

After lazy morning, cycle to catch overnight ferry from Hook of Holland to Harwich.

Monday 22nd June

Lovely ride through quiet roads of Essex to Saffron Waldon Youth Hostel.  Enjoy a pint and pasta at Wetherspoons for a fiver!  Three cheers for Wetherspoons.

Tuesday 23rd June

Continue through lovely lanes and roads until I reach Milton Keynes, where it takes at least an hour to find Youth Hostel through the maze of roads.  I keep bumping into two other cyclists from Leeds who are also looking for the hostel.  Both are very small and in their 60's, like two "Diddy Men"!  I beat them to it.

Wednesday 24th June

As soon as I get out of Milton Keynes, I'm back in beautiful countryside.  Call at Falkland Arms in Great Tew for sandwich and pint, lovely little pub and makes me feel good to be back in England.  The last night I spend on good camp site in Morton in Marsh.  Bernard 'the Bolt' and Kevin ride out on the motor bikes for evening meal.

Thursday 25th June

My last day.  I meet 'Crow', Birdy and Ben  at Half Way House pub in Kineton for baguette and a pint.  Good to see them all.

By the time I get back to Worcester I have completed the grand total of 2895 miles since leaving Lafionas, but more important than that I have had a fantastic experience, seen some wonderful places and met some great people.   Many, many fantastic memories.

Sat 6th June

Lovely ride, still following the Danube, from Passau to Staubing. Staubing Youth Hostel like something out of the 60´s with rules and regulations everywhere.
I´ve stayed in youth hostels about 6 times so far, and every time I am put in a room by myself! I´m trying to work out the reason?!

Sun 7th June
Staubling to Inglestadt - got my calculations wrong here. I had pre-booked youth hostel at Inglestadt, and by the time I reached it I had done 90 odd miles and I was absolutely knackered.
Inglestadt is a beautiful town.

Mon 8th June
Lazy morning after yesterdays efforts. The 40 odd miles to Donauworth seems a doddle!

Tues 9th June
Leave Donauworth in rain and head away from the Danube for the first time since 6th May. I reckon I have followed the river for between 1200 and 1400 miles.

Wed 10th June
Great ride through Black Forest roads and villages. Find lovely campsite near Hosslinsulz, situated beside lovely little lake. The warden asked where I had come from when I was checking in. I told him that I had started from Greece, within 20 minutes the local newspaper arrived to interview me!

Thurs 11th June
I pick up the Neckar river and follow great cycle paths to Heidleberg, and check in for two nights. Feel like a rest and need to wash some "smalls" ready for the push back to England.
Looking forward to Pip Squeaks Goulash!

Tues/Fri 26th - 29th May
Sweetheart and I spend great few days in Budapest at Danube Guest House. Amazing bar called Simpler and thermal baths, boat trip, bus trip and meals. Great times and a good rest.

Sat 30th May
Good cycle ride beside Danube and stay put in Estergom, as it´s started pouring with rain. Great meal in little restaurant where I have good chat with waitress and Hungarian/Canadian who had been an airline pilot, who said that if you that you had to to your favourite hobby for 30 years - that´s the job I had!

Sun 31st May
Miserable weather. Stopped for coffee at little village bar for coffee, whereupon Hungarian all male version of NBCC turn up, and we all start singing "Singing in the rain".
Find a room just outside Gyor and wander up to hotel just up road for food, I meet Fritz and his wife from Berlin. They invite me to share delicious Hungarian dessert wine. Thanks again Fritz.

Mon 1st June
Good ride to Bratislava - though a bit hairy getting into city. Enjoy a couple of beers at KGB bar with statues of Stalin, Lenin etc.

Tues 2nd June
Follow cycle path beside Danube which is long, flat and staight and sometimes a bit boring. Cycle though Vienna beside river to Klosterneug. Very good "Zimmer" where mein host is Austrian Basil Fawlty!

Wed 3rd June
Suddenly loads of cyclists - I understand why, because beautiful through delightful villages through grape growing area.

Thurs 4th June
Very strong headwind and I´m quite tired and just looking for campsite recommended by Tourist information in Linz, when German couple direct me to lovely little campsite that they are staying on. I share a lovely evening meal talking to Suzanne and Andy music. Thanks again for your company Suzanne and Andy - and for the Schnapps! And lovely send off next morning with Andy playing Galician folk music on his accordian.

Fri 5th June
Still loads of cyclists and lovely stretch of river - anyone comtemplating Cycling holiday, this is the stretch to do. Arrive Passau Youth Hostel - more effort to push bike up steep hill to hostel than it was to cycle previous 50 odd miles! but fantastic place when I get up there.