Day 35b & 36. Ferry Helsinki to Rostock.DE.1168km

It’s 3 pm and I am sitting in the Finnlines waiting lounge.   A bus load of passengers have just arrived and need a toilet break.   Problem: there is one M and one F toilet.   This could take a while, and did.

I have my ticket to Rostock.   Rostock is the port I left with the ferry to Gedser, Denmark.   This ferry trip will take 36 hours and I will arrive at 7 am, on Sat 14 July.   The cost was €637 for me and the bike and I had a cabin to myself.   I figured that I needed the sleep.   I did some quick sums and thought that I could ride back to Germany for a lot less.   I turned out that the cabin was an extra €400.   I cancelled the cabin.   For €400 I could sit up and wander around the ship for a while.   I can have a few beers, too, since I don’t have to ride.

The boarding time for the ferry is from 1:30 pm, but there is no shade, just a very big open car/truck park once through the gate, so I will wait in the lounge until about 4 pm.

So far the trip has been a great success for me.   I have enjoyed seeing some familiar sights again, and many new sights.   The weather has been somewhat drizzly, except for patches of sun.   Maybe when I get down into Germany again there may be some more sun.   Here’s hoping.   It seems like our visit to Venice.   We left Darwin for some cool weather, and then Europe had their hottest period for 400 years.

I am unsure which way I will travel back to Holland, so I have my maps in my back-pack to peruse while sailing.

The ferry trip was routine and enjoyable.   Dinner on the second night was a smorgasbord.   The most delightful combination of fish and red & white meat I have seen.   Naturally, I went for the fish and the red meat.   I am now fully loaded with omega3 fatty acids and red meat iron.   My health should be in top shape and all my joints well oiled.   What a treat.   The two Kuhla Beers washed it all down nicely, thank you.   

Now it’s off to my aeroplane chair.

(I had spoken to the receptionist today about getting a cabin for tonight while we were docked at Gdynia, but the cost was still a bit high, considering that I am very comfortable where I am.)

I was fortunate that the ferry doesn’t have many people on board, and most of them have a cabin, I guess.   I have the full row of the three seats to myself and there is with plenty of legroom.   I fetched the sleeping bag and jacket off the bike during the Gdynia docking, so I should be able to sleep on the floor again, but this time I won’t be cold, and I’ll have a pillow too.

I selected this row of seats because it also has 2 power points next to it.   I can run the PC and charge the camera batteries.

It has been a slow, but good trip on the ferry.   It’s been comfortable, and I have had the time to just relax and watch movies on the PC.   I’m glad I bought the movie back-up drive.

We have just had a stop-over at Gdynia, Poland.   I watched “The Mighty Ducks” today for Heidi, then hit the deck for a sleep.  I will wake up in Rostock, Germany.

LN2N2012

Day 16 & 17. Dolni Brezany CZ to Berlin DE. 593km

After a great time and a sad farewell to Tony and Mirka, I jumped on the bike and headed for Berlin.   Mirka took the photo of me leaving, thank you.   It was an uneventful, but enjoyable ride.

I decided to visit the "Church of Bones" at Kutna Hora again.   We had been there in 2006 and it was worth the extra 60 km to make another visit.   It was just as good as I remembered.   I didn't know that it took some 4,000 (dead) people to make.

The internet on motorcycling in Europe recommended riding Jicin to Turnov in CZ.   They say it is the Czech Republic's paradise.   I found it nice as well and also from there to the Polish border, in the hills.   I found even more back roads after not following Zumo, the GPS, correctly.   It meant that I got to the hotel in Boleslawiec later than I had hoped.  It was worth it.

The small roads through little villages make you realise that all is well here too.   Just as in the city, people have their mobile phones glued to their ears, and drive nice new cars.   There is no shortage of satellite dishes either.   

I saw a car parked on the side of a back road and several people wandering in the grass.   I was curious what they were collecting, until I saw the front wheel of their car was missing.   Yes, they were scouring the grass for their front wheel!   I didn’t think that they needed my help, so just waved and rode on.

Polish drivers seem to be similar to when we drove there with the campers in 2006.   There is still this thing that they have to overtake and cut in front of you without leaving much room.   However, I still enjoyed the riding in Poland, and the people I spoke to were friendly.   The new freeway was a treat to ride: beautiful flat concrete and later bitumen.   I find riding on the bitumen a little easier on the eyes, as it is not so glary.   I should have put on the sunnies.

I deflated the Airhawk seat cushion a bit, as I was getting “bot-rot” after about 2 hours.   This seemed to help.

Travelling on the freeways at speeds of up to the legal 120kph means you get there quick.   The traffic was friendly and calm, which makes for very safe riding.   The bike likes it too, I think.   We just purr along at 5,000 rpm.   

Some photos of the roads will make you wish you were here, too.

LN2N2012

PS.  Thanks for all your comments.   I think I have answered them now.  Lou