Day 6- Thursday 22nd June

"In spite of ourselves we'll end up sitting on a rainbow!

Zesch am See - Halbendorf am See : 146 km. Total 1028km.

As regards the nature there was notmuch to go into raptures over this day. Only very few small hills and forests most of the time.

As I had planned I left around 5 a.m. That was the time when by back began to hurt, and I was not able to rest anymore. So I might just as well ride on. I have two positions I can sleep in. On the back and on my right side. For some reason I am unable to sleep on my left side.

This was the day, where I was going to visit Friedrich Kuhlmann and his wife. Unfortunately I had to ride 14 km in the morning to get to Baruth, where I had in fact been the day before. These 2 x 14 km do not really belong to the trip and they are very irritating to me. The heat is once again tremendous, but perhaps not as much as the 2 previous days.
I found out that the distance to Peitz was 99 km. Peitz is not all situated in a scenic area. The first things you spot are smoking chimneys from a power station.

Once in Peitz I went into the post office to ask for the way to the Kuhlmanns. However, the lady at the post office informed me, that she was not local so she was of course not able to help me.
I found that this was a very interesting piece of information.
On the other hand another customer in the office knew where to find E. Thälmann Str. It was just around the block.
Outside I met an elderly lady - on bike.
She called out to me, "Follow me". I did of course and she delivered me at the address in question.

The Kuhlmanns' house

I rang the bell, somewhat anxious to know what would happen. I had a cordial welcome by Mr. and Mrs. Kuhlmann. They told me they were sorry they had not answered my latter, but they had been to Poland, where they had stayed at a health resort, and later on they had actually forgotten all about it. But no problem, I was there now, which was the important thing.
First of all I had bath to take the worst stench and after that a glass of water.
Mrs. Kuhlmann served lunch and as we were eating we talked about this and that. I conveyed greetings from Ellidshoej and we looked at some photos. They were extremely nice people. When I still talk about them as Mr. And Mrs. Kuhlmann is it because the way people address each other in Germany is very different from the way we do it in Denmark. You do not just call people by their first name.
We also talked a little bit about the political system. They were not at all pleased with the way things had changed and in a way they felt they had now been occupied by West Germany. They were able to tell about big differences, among other things concerning wages. People from the former East Germany were often paid 68 % of the amount people from West Germany would receive. When DDR existed everything was under control. That was not the case now.
I spent a couple of hours there before I had to move on. A couple of hours with pleasant people. I was feeling very well, when I said good bye to the Kuhlmanns.

Mr. Kuhlmann

When I left I had 31 degr. C, so the heat wave went on. I got a little ill at ease in the heat a short time after my departure, so I was riding very, very slowly.
I found out, that there was a camping site already at 150 km, so that was what I was now heading for. Then I would also be able to leave the bigger roads, where the traffic was too heavy. As I approached the site a thunder storm was starting, but I succeeding in getting settled before it broke loose. It was a tremendous thunder shower, but it only cooled a little. Soon after it was almost just a sultry again, up to 26 degr. C. I had a quick China dish for DM 7, and found out that there was plenty of food in it. Noodles, salad and duck. I also had a shower, no matter if the need was existant or not.

It's now 6.44 p.m. and the sun is shining again. I am sitting at a table where a number of young people are sitting too. They talk about whatever it is young people talk about. Some of them look rather tough, but as a matter of fact I believe they are all very peaceable They drink beer and smoke cigarettes.
I only drink beer.
Now there are 7 young people, and I might go back to my small tent in a moment, because they are very loud, so I can hardly concentrate on this diary.

I have studied my maps, and I think I can get some distance into the Czech rep. tomorrow. Ibelieve I have 211 km to Vysoke Myto.
I think it will be possible to find a camping site at the other side of the boundary. I am not quite sure what I do about Czech money, but I am sure I will solve that problem too.

FACT BOX

On the trip I bring along all kind of tools. I can fix almost any problem myself.
Most of it I never use. The total weight is about 2 kilo. If I leave a special tool at home I will defenitely need it on the trip.

Notice that the tools are placed on a thin green piece of plastic which I also bring along. It's about 150 x 190 cm and it's extremely useful. I use it as camuoflage and protection against the rain at night, and I can wrap things up in it to. The weight is about 250 g, but I would not leave without it.

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