Day 56 - 12 November 2012 - Berlin to Wurzburg (Train)

We slept well for our final night at the "heart of Gold' Hostel in the former eastern sector of Berlin. We had grown to quite like the place and the people who ran it. They were certainly nice to us. We had washed the bikes last evening for the big train trip today. They were covered in mud from our ride into Berlin along the wet and muddy tracks from Wittenberg.

Last night we also had another revelation. I just happened to look at our train tickets that Julie had purchased when she and SJ met MArgot at the station of Friday. We were due to train it to Wurzburg today, a city towards the south of Germany situated on the River Main. I glanced at the ticket for the first time, and noticed that the tickets were to 'Wolfsburg', a town in the far north of Germany! As late as it was last night, a Sunday night, we walked the several kilometres to the main train station to make sure we could get the tickets changed.

Cutting a long story short, yes they could be changed, but Wurzburg involves two train changes (not one as before) and a trip of some eight hours in total. At least we had seats, for the bikes also, but the thought of getting our loaded bikes on and off three trains and four railwat stations did not exactly fill us with joy!

Anyway, it was now Monday morning. We paused out front for the official photo, but we were not looking forward to saying goodbye to our precious girl Sarah-Jane, this time knowing we will not see her again until she moves home from London in 3 months time. We walked to the end of the street together, but it was a sad moment when we hugged each other goodbye, and mum and dad went one way, and Sarah-Jane turned and went on into the main city centre.

It was only then that Julie and I hopped on the bikes and negotiated Berlin peak hour traffic as we made our way along the River Spree towards the massive International Railway station of Berlin. The route then took us over the former 'Berlin Wall' marked on the ground, with the massive image of the Reichstag on our left across the river. We veered right along with the curve in the river away from the Reichstag, and continued along the former Berlin Wall marking until finally coming to rest in the main courtyard of the biggest railway station that I have ever seen, possibly the biggest in the world. There is nothing that matches German ingenuity!

We took elevators to the main floor of the station, but got out one level too soon. Waiting for the elevators again, the queu was long, so we managed our bikes up the escalator, a new experience. The train was already in, and we wheeled the bikes straight on - also another new experience! The journey was great. It was lovely to watch the scenes of firstly Berlin then German countryside pass by.

Our first change was Madgeberg after about two hours. We struggled with the bikes getting them down to the station level from the train, the platform not being level. It was then an effort with stairs to change platforms, but found ourselves waiting for the next train. The routine got no easier the longer the day went. The train had several steps up, so man-handling the hevay loaded bikes was no fun. However, once in we could relax and just let the scenery pass. We headed this time for Erfurt. Changing for the final time was an agony. The steps down from the train are very awkward, but we managed. We changed platforms again, this time down starirs and then having to carry the bikes up another long flight to the correct platform. This time a lovely, strong, fit young German man came to Julie's aid before I could get back to her. He picked up her loaded bike basically in one hand and said in broken english 'where you want me to carry this for you?". It was like a matchstick in his strong arms, a pity he was not travelling with us on the same train. It was another effort getting up to the train, but then we settled for a further two hours.

One of the constant sights we have been impressed with in Germany is the extent of the use of wind and solar power. Wind turbines are everywhere, but more impressive are the acres and acres of solar power shields that often fill entire paddocks. Many houses have solar power, but we often see entire huge barns and old factory rooftops completely covered with solar pawer shields.



 Darkness descended and we arrived in the dark at Wurzburg on the River Main at 6pm. We were dreading the lift off again, but we managed it, then carried the bikes down long stairs off the platform and then out into the dark streets of Wurzburg. Fortunately for us, the 'Babelfish Hostel' was directly in view across the street. It was a sheer delight to see our hostel room. Following the 'Heart of Gold' in Berlin, we expected the worst but got the 'honeymoon sweet, with wi-fi as well! The room was as good as any Hotel room, with a magnificent shower/toilet - a blessing after a rough day with trains and stairs and loaded bikes.

We had a brief walk on the streets of Wurzburg, and quick bite to eat at a local 'take-away', and decided to have an early night. The plan was to ride the River Main cycleway tomorrow, taking a short-cut across a peninsular created by a long bend in the river, and aiming for Wertheim for end of day. The receptionist at the Hostel however too easily convinced us to take the road direct from Wurzburg to Wertheim, which was nothing short of a small disater, but more about that tomorrow!

It was the end of a solid day of trains, stairs, loaded bikes and everything but cycling. However, it was nevertheless a great day. We saw a lot of lovely countryside from inside the train as we dashed across this beautiful country. Creation is wonderful, and which only directs our minds and hearts to the creator. It was St Paul who had this in mind when he wrote to the christians at the church in Rome "For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made..." (Romans 1:20).

As we rest tonight in a most beautiful setting, in the city of Wurzburg on the edge of the River Main and a place of unsurpassed beauty which we are yet to behold, we send our love.

Kelvin and Julie