FAREWELL GERMANY, HELLO HOLLAND

The temperature has gradually been rising over the last few days so that it is now very hot. I am still carrying my wet and cold weather clothing from the first part of my journey. It is cooler to be cycling than resting. Dagmar and I are both cycling to Hook of Holland together and to overcome the heat, we have taken to cafe stops. Here is Dagmar in between cafe stops.

I have not appreciated cafe stops previously in the way I do now. We have joined in conversations with others, people watched and simply chilled out. I was fascinated by this statue outside one cafe and had long discussions with some Dutch at another.

This is Greetseil, one of my last places in Germany which was picture post card perfect. It sits in harmony with a dyke.

This lighthouse has not yet reached maturity and almost joins my set of toytown pictures.

Dagmar says she is worried about not meeting people and asked if I ever had low points. I have had no low points and based on my experience she will meet lots of interesting people. In Scotland, she will meet End To Enders (Lands End to John O Groats). In Norway and Sweden she will meet the crazy ones cycling strange journeys. They will be the ones with monster rigs and going not just on my route but to North Cape, Poland, Iceland and longer. She must stop and exchange experiences and plans. There will be Kiwis, Aussies, Europians of all countries, Norwegians who are curious as well as being manic cyclists and others. Her partner, Stefan is joining her in Sweden. Like me, she has her laptop and what modern cyclist doesn't?

My crank still makes its unnerving noise but it has been doing so since Norway. I have made no plans to change it............