New in this edition of the Adventures of Emrys.... Musings on Germany and Austria, Technical Issues, The Scenary.
As i leave the first country and have about 19 or there abouts left to go it is perhaps time for a little refelction. The pseudu hippy in me couldn´t help notice the difference between parks in Australia and those in Germany (and Austria too for the most part). Here it is not possible to walk for more than an hour or so even in a park and not be within easy reach of other people. As a somewhat nomadic person who likes people but also likes to get away from them this is a somewhat strange concepet to grasp.
Austrians, i think, must have a rather diferent attitude to getting thier kit off. Adelaide has Maslins beach but it seems that anywhere there is water here people love to get naked. I did wonder at the comfort factor of a bloke riding a bike in his birthday suit however. Likwise for the rather portly old bloke who was rollerblading in a g string ( and nothing else). Whatever chokes your chicken i guess.
I am greatful for the generosity i have been shown by the people i have met so far too. I think i am still to burn off the kilos i put on while in Nehaus but it has served me greatly in the last few days. I can´t thank Sybilla, Martin and Georg for all they have done. And to Christoph too for help in building the bike.
And on the concept of group travel.... I met a young Australian lad in his gap year who had embarked on the kontiki experience. He confided in me they had more or less been drinking for the entire 9 days of the trip ( with another 8 or so to go). Thiers was a zig zag city tour taking in all the sites. It struck me as a rather strange way to experience a country and culture. In a semi permanent haze and surrounded by people from your own country? I know all the arguments for such tours, not having the expeince or confidence to do it on your own, safe etc and a good bit of tiking boxes too. Sometimes though life has to be grabbed by the bits. Perhaps i am a little cynical but i am feeling glad i have chosen the method of travel i have.
Technical issues:
So far they have been minimal. I think i may have shagged a crank bearing already. I has started clicking rather a bit but i shall let it turn into soup beofre i try and pull it out.
I bought some fuel which i though was stove mix. Alas it is primer for wood fires. I burns, just. Instead of my nice qucik starting stove i now have a black smoke billowing machine that takes a good 5 mins to prime. I shall be more carefull with the nex lot of fuel i buy.
I thought i had met my end when i corssed a railway line the other day. The bike when over just fine but there was an almighty crash as the trailer went over. I looked back to see my wheel in the middle of the road and the trailer ( rather like a brake drum on a certain Nt Gov vehicle) dragging on the ground. It turned out to be nothing more than the bolts working loose ( same as before on with less consiquences!) and a nice police man helped me put it back together.
The Scenary:
This has been diverse to say the least. I have been following the danube river for the most part all the way along with a few diversions into farmland. On crossing the German border the river passes into a narrow valley that was very beutiful with high mountains on either side. After this there were a few less savoury excursions into the industraial land on the edge of the river epsically on the outskirts of Linz.
And next:
I have about 5 days or so in Vienna. A chance to try and do some free stuff and not blow the budget too much . After that it is on to Hungary, Slovakia and then Bulgaria. Guolash, Pickled cabbage with rice and meat and cheap wine coming up!
Ciao
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