DAY 1

Saturday June 19th 2004

Lust fades, so you'd better be with someone who can stand you.

After a period with a number of personal problems and worries which meant that my preparations were more or less not there, the day for my departure finally came.
I should have changed the computer, I should have changed my tyres, I should have done a lot of things.
Nothing happened.
I have not even brought spare tyres on this trip:
I have never been so badly prepared before.
Actually I did not want to go at all.
I had to get up at 2 am to clean and tidy up a bit, because my Norwegian friends were coming to stay in my house for about a week, while I myself was away.
I like that a lot.
It is part of the change of life style I am making.
If the cookie lady can make it, so can I.
Edel, my ex-wife came with rolls and cakes at 7.30 and we had coffee together.
By then I had almost finished packing and around 9 am I left Aarestrup.
I was somewhat confused and the good bye ceremony was not too impressive.
After exactly 7 km it started raining, and after 10 km I thought I had forgotten "something" important, so I decided to go back again.
Some start!
Of course it turned out that I had not forgotten anything at all, so I left home for the second time that day.
This time I chose another route. Riding on exactly the same roads again, would simply be too boring.
All day long I had a lot of showers. The only time without showers, was the last 30 km, where I had constant rain.
I realized I had to do something about the louse goodby ceremony, so I called Edel and asked her, if she would meet me to say good bye again.
She said, that would be ok, so after 75 km we said good bye again. She brought some nice things to eat for me, and even a beer, so it was very nice indeed.

Just before I had to turn right towards Hansthom, I had an enormous shower, so I dedided to make a stop in a nearby forest. There I saw another bike rider hiding for the rain.
I found out it was a man around 50 years from Belgium.
He told me, his son was wind surfing in Klitmøller and he himself had ridden his bike round in Denmark. We had a very nice talk.
Finally the rain stopped and we rode on together for a few kilometres. Now the rain really became a major problem.
However, I had time so I was able to seek shelter here and there, so it was not extremely bad.
I came to Hansthom a couple of hours before the departure. I was showed to a corner, where all the bikes and motorbikes were. We chatted for a while; some were more interesting than others. I talked a lot to a very nice elderly couple from Germany.

And then there was this extremely annoying Dane. He was diabled and had been to Iceland on his 3 wheeled motorbike. But somehow his vehicle caught fire up there, which obviously made him so proud. He had a cutting from a local paper, and he showed it to everybody; several times.
All passengers on 2 wheels were alloved to get on the ferry first of all. It was quite easy to find my couchette, but first I parked my bike. :-)
This cabin was a tiny room with 9 beds, just big enough if you wanted to change your mind. Too small to change anything else. The door was a swing door.
I was lucky because we were only 3 persons in the cabin. I can imangine what it would be like with 9 passengers in there,
And how is it to stay on a ferry for such a long time?
What can one do on a place like that?

Walk around, talk, read, write, talk and maybe enjoy a beer from time to time.
And that was exactly what I did.
I bought the menu of the day and had to pay 100, kroner for it. Before I got on the ferry I had decided not to do that.
Well ...
I wonder if I should go back to Denmark earlier than planned, because actually I am not really motivated for this trip.
Not good.
I have already asked in the reception, and they told me, it is possible.
Hmmm.
The ferry is defenitely not crowded. I have no idea, why it is so empty?
In the evening I sat in the bar for a while. An orchestra played there, and the music was actually very good.
To tell the truth it was midnight before I fell asleep.