Changing rooms

Things are changing nicely over on the continent. Time away from the office is going well and my little trip back last week led to me going to my ex workplace to pick up a key. Although I seemed to be a minor distraction for a while it really was strange to be back there and I didn't really want to cross over into the building. I passed on an all day meeting to faff around town instead, I hope that was a joke anyway.

Otherwise, in the last week I've came from France, in through Switzerland, Liechtenstein, a smidge of Germany and into Austria. Ive done some bike touring in the past and although Ive passed through a variety of countries I've tended to get from one place to the other and scoot around for a while.

Today has been a little like that, or also similar to a weekend away where you drop into a city after coming off the plane. It's strange the way that air travel or even motorway travel (as I travelled today) places you simply in a location with no real impression about how you got there. I've never noticed previously that there might really be another way and it really struck me as I drove today.

Driving more slowly allows you to feel, smell and hear what's going on. Stopping for food or a drink allows you to meet some of the people. Getting lost helps you really figure a lot out that would really have gotten you stressed before. On any other trip I wouldn't have missed a train in France with no option but to try and find a hotel in a small town, nor of driving into the alps hoping that one of any number of mountain passes was open only to find them all closed but there being a rail train available. These little challenges are lost when the worst you have to do is transfer between terminals at Heathrow.

As the trip moves on I'll have no end of options for getting lost. All sorts of possibilities for meeting people and taking part of life as I work my way through it. As a contrast some time ago I went for a friends wedding in Majorca and stayed in a one star Magaluf hotel. No matter what time I made it back to the hotel the wake up call was the full volume sound of Eastenders from the Eastenders bar across the road. Ive no problem with a spot of familiarity but do want to see more of local life so will keep trying my hardest to eat and drink locally, avoiding all the global corporate guff where possible.

It's not a British thing either and I was struck with the sight in Salzburg of what appeared to be Koreans leaving a Korean restaurant and a bus full of Indians at an Indian restaurant. I'll keep on with my Weiss bier and roast pork, and being amazed at the difference between driving styles in different countries.

Location:Matrosengasse,Vienna,Austria

A quickie, so til spik...

Just a quick note from a slightly damp Salzburg. Off to Vienna before too long but Ive uploaded a few more photos onto Flikr. Unfortunately not all that clear once in Salzburg due to hazy weather but Im sure youll get the idea.

In there is a mix from the travel up through Switzerland, a couple from Liechtenstein, a couple from the drive up into Austria before the more hazy ones of the Sound of Music tour (camped it up big style there), some from the Eagles Nest at Berchtesgaden (google that for some history) and then theres also some of Salzburg last night as it started to get a little darker.

Ill do a proper entry soon...

Confusion

I've had a number of false starts to the trip so far, from leaving work, to leaving home, to leaving my mothers house then leaving family in Germany.

Tomorrow brings a new take, a new perspective. While I've known I'm on my way for a while now I've not quite been on the trip proper. There's been a lot of familiarity and I've worked through Europe so far to familiar places (with a quick trip back to sunny Aberdeen in the midst). Tomorrow marks a new start and once I'm east of the Furkapass in Switzerland it's all new. So far I've nothing booked. No arrangements are made. I won't have a clue about where I'm working toward on a daily basis but fingers crossed I'll still see one or two friendly faces on the way. Two weeks in and the trip really gets started tomorrow.

Location:Samoëns,France

First steps

As a part of my efforts to see, feel and eat my way around the world I decided that I should try to eat local. The other night I had tartiflette, a baked ham, cheese, potato meal. I've had it before and it was great.

On the ferry on the way over I tried the veal tartar which was a small starter of raw meat, although not local to the middle of the north sea it did give me a little confidence to get my first proper steak tartar. 180g of raw minced beef with a raw egg yolk on top. Well worth a try. I just hope that I enjoy all the different things I'll get to try over the next few months.

Location:Samoëns,France

Un bier sil vous plais

Well, here's the first update since getting away and I'm in the French alps having a beer in the town square.

It's been a good trip so far from meeting up with Dave the Harley rider on the way to Greece while on the ferry to Chris and Gordon on the way north in their Ural combination. Then there's my family in Germany who looked after me very well indeed, plenty to eat and drink with a trip to a beer festival in the middle.

I've already learned (again) that curbing the miles per day is a good idea after waking up in Heidelberg by a river and trundling down through the black forest. As I made my way toward Switzerland I realised again (for the third time in three bike trips) that it's not all that small a country and I made it on to the motorway to cruise my way to the south of Lac Leman. The dusky trip over past some ski resorts was good and I made it to my destination before dark. It's not going to be good for me to do long days all the time for the rest of the trip so I expect my progress to slow as I leave the familiar.

It's funny travelling through Europe with the absolute lack of border controls nowadays and I'm sure I'll long for that again in a few months as I wait for hours with shady customs officials taking their time. What's still evident though is the change between nations as you pass with roads, building styles and plenty more changing immediately as you pass. The passage into Germany from Holland being particularly striking as all the trees spring up. It's not that Holland is like Orkney, just that the north west of Germany has so many forests!

In the time I've written this I've had a bird leave a wee present on me, been buzzed by any number of small bright insects as well as a child on an electric toy Ducati and finished a beer. Where's that waitress again...

Location:Samoëns,France

Ta ta...

Location:Coble Dene,North Tyneside,United Kingdom

Location:Garthdee Rd,Aberdeen,United Kingdom

This is the day...

Well, this is it I guess. It's 11:00am at ASDA in Aberdeen. Bill arranged a few folk to meet up to try and make sure I make it at least south of the river and this is where it all really begins.

As you'll see from the photo I've managed to get the bike all loaded up. From getting away last weekend I knew the bike was going to be a little heavier and handle differently but there's another few kilos on there today. I'll be used to it by the end of the trip.

That's the bike. As far as I'm concerned I'm shattered. There's been an awful lot happening recently and a huge amount to sort (or at least try to sort) in the run up to today. A couple more Guinness than I planned last night combined with the nerves and excitement for today waking me up early mean that I'm looking forward to some early nights and long lies in the next few days.

Who knows what's coming up over the next few months, it will be an exciting time and I'm sure at least some of it will make it's way onto the blog here. So it's a fond farewell to Aberdeen and all that put up with me over the last few months, I'll be back.

Location:ASDA, Bridge of Dee