Summer Plans

Sat at home feeling rotten, full of the cold. The snow floating past my windows my mind naturally turned to summer (perhaps because the last cold I had was courtesy of Quimper and its freezing nights). I have plans so far of getting the train to Paris and meeting Steve in Berlin. Between those two points I'll have a month to donder around Europe. So, where to go?

Naturally, I want some sort of Paris - Berlin route and at first, I looked into the lowland route a la round the world guy but, it just wasn't getting my goat. I wasn't feeling it in my belly. Of course, the problem the other way is mountains. Lots of them. After much research I have happened upon the Danube Cycle Way (Donauradweg) . It looks ok, it takes you through some interesting places. Its the most popular cycle way in Europe, just not with Brits, and its quite flat in places. So-the plan is to cycle from Paris to the start at Donauschingen, follow the river to Budapest (was going for Bratislava or Vienna but then I thought: Trains!) take the train to Prague before cycling the remaining 350 miles to Berlin. Maybe nip into Poland, maybe get another train? My planning at this point is:

Then 

Followed by a week in Germany (Berlin and Kassel [Documneta 13]) a train ride to Paris, a night there (tres romatique) then the train back home.

And as for the bike? Well, the bike to work scheme may start running next month so I may get a new one. Otherwise me and my dodgy brakes will have to take their chances on the wild mean bike routes of central Europe.

Needless to say I have bought lots of maps, several guide book and most importantly of all, a new note book (bloody Amazon) so watch this space for further plans.