Big hotel breakfast, making the most of the 50euro room fee.

No diary entries during the ride, but I do remember it being quite industrial heading towards Hamburg. I know I was angry again. The paths are still screwed, the signage moreso. I really should just forget signs and use a map and compass! I’m really feeling like I’ve done my dash on the bike – I just can’t take any more of the German paths. I’m going to find out train costs to Berlin and have the rear wheel fixed while here.

Once in the centrum (HH-Centrum, what the hell is that?!) I was checking my Lonely Planet for hostels when a courier rolled up and offered me help. WTF?! What happened to the “everone hating, too busy to eat, traffic-eating nutbag” stereoype?! We chatted for a bit “you should ride Spain and Italy”. “Don’t be silly, I’m too fat to climb hills!” and he then took the lead and led me down the road a bit. “Straight down there for about two kilometres” he said, I thanked him and we split.

Further down this road I spotted another messenger, this guy riding a fixed gear GT road bike (blue and yellow with Vee brakes?!). He was stopped at the lights. We rolled out on the green and I chased him to the next set of lights. With a funky fixie skid, he stopped at the red light. Another messenger stereotype shot to pieces! Must be a slow day! 🙂

I pointed out to him our choice of GT steeds and we got talking too. For Dutchy’s benefit: He was running 50-14T. Hamburg is pretty flat so you can use a gear that size (I’ll stick to my cassette for now thanks). He said Hamburg and Zurich are the only places you can make a living messing. I thought about all the guys working in London and figured he must just mean the money is good here.

I’m in Hotel Schanzenstern in St. Pauli. Cool dorm room with “bed pyramid” for 18euro per night, includes REAL TOWELS!!. Only problem is I can only stay today and tonight – they are booked out beyond that.

The area is pretty funky with loads of bikes and student-types. Mohawks, piercings, tatts, goth wear, etc. is all normal here. I went to a bar almost next-door called “Fritz Bauch” and chowed down on a yummie chilli con carne with flat-bread. Beer recommended by the waitress was a dark, bio-organic brew called “Lammsbrau dunkels Hefe”. I would consume more of this nice brew!

The books I sent back to Grant need to be picked up from the post office and because I sent the box addressed to me, Grant can’t pick it up! I really didn’t think a box that small would be a problem, but then I don’t think about a lot of things. I have to send Grant a letter letting them know he can pick up my mail.

I’m so frickin’ agitated and wound-up! I need more beer but I’m being ignored or using the wrong signals or something? (insert long, miserable rant here that, again, coincides with rain starting!). I did get another beer and combined with the funny ska tunes playing I seem to be cheering up. If the rain goes away now I’ll be selling my rain-controlling depression to drought-stricken farmers!!!

I bought a 4-colour pen since Shane’s “Harrod’s” pen finally died. “You can colour my world with sunshine every day!” I love that M&M’s advertisment music!:)

Also tried: Einbecker Urbock, 6.5%, 33cl, light or dark varieties. Stortebeker Schwarzbier, 5%, 50cl, dark. Rothaus Hefeweizen ?%, 50cl, brown. Of course a few more of “that bio beer, bitte!”. Sad? Get drunk. One option was a Berliner WeiBe, rot oder grun (red or green!). They add raspberry or “wood master” syrup to the wheat beer. Spent ages consulting with the bar chicks about that green, “wood master” one – none of us could work out what it was. There’s just no English equivalent.

Spent a while chatting to a guy working for Lufthansa about army drafting (Germany’s army drafts some/all of its soldiers). He bought me more beer so I wasn’t complaining! Even the hottie behind the bar was offering me drinks by then end of the night (I guess I get friendly when I’m drunk :)).

So, thankfully, the day ended on a high! Ain’t beer wonderful! 🙂