All 4 Love Tour


	The rest of Day 7 saw me battling against strong South Easterly winds as I cycled around the Wattenmeer. I ended up in Norderhams on the River Weser. So after the first week of cycling, I had covered 541 kilometres, less than half way to Esbjerg. With legs the colour of an Egyptian sunset, a sore backside, sore hands, weak chest and very tired legs, would I ever make it? I contemplated this over a delicious Doner Kebab near the station in Norderhams before going to the youth hostel and sleeping for ten hours.
		Common in the canals in North East Germany, I was able to photograph what I presumed was a 'water rat'. My French friends told me it is a 'ragondin' and my dictionary tells me that is a 'coypu'. Apparently, along with the better-known frogs' legs and snails, they are eaten in France. Bon appetit!
		Day 8: A gruelling 19 km ride up the Weser and a ferry ride over to Bremerhaven was the only cycling I did on day 8. There, I met Ravin, an Indian businessman, stunt bike rider, linguist extraordinare (13 languages and counting...) and good guy. After a quick lunch I locked up my bike and went in Ravin's car down to Bremen (fortunately no wheelies on the way).
		Day 9: Before heading back to Bremerhaven, I spent a quick hour with Ravin, doing the tourist route in Bremen. Here I am with the Bremen Musicians - standing just where Emily stood in the book.
		After a final drink in Bremerhaven, I left Ravin and pedalled through Bremerhaven docks and finally along the coast in, as you can see, glorious sunshine. Once again, very impressive cycle paths so that I very rarely heard or saw cars so that I could cycle safely - a great place to take children for a cycling holiday.
		Shortly before arriving in Cuxhaven, I went through a forest, one of very few on the tour. Hats off to the designers of the North Sea Cycle route who have an impressive variety of cycle paths to make the journey more interesting.
		Day 10: Setting off early - and in the rain, I left Cuxhaven and cycled South East, most of the time on great cycle tracks but in this picture we can see a two kilometre grass cyclepath - not easy to cross with 26 kilos of luggage.
		At Krautsand, a little beach on the side of the Elbe, I met Judith, an old German friend that I knew from Ireland. After an ice cream, Kaffee und Küchen and a long walk, it was time to get back on the bike. Unfortunately, a bridge linking the Krautsand peninsula to the ferry was no longer there which meant I had to do an extra 15km - in the rain.
		After taking the ferry across the Elbe, I stopped off in Glückstadt and had chicken and chips in an Imbiss - served by the unfriendliest woman on the tour so far. Back out in the rain, I set off for Elmshorn, 26 km away, but planning to stop at the first Bed and Breakfast on the way.
		Day 11: I cycled 3km down to KGSE school in Elmshorn where I was met by Oliver Carnehl and the other enthusiastic teachers - one of whom is a famous popstar - apparently.... The staff and students were very friendly if a little shy (the students) but seemed to enjoy the fun and games I asked them to do.
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	ALL 4 LOVE Cycle Tour - April 2004 ( Part 3 of 6)
	ALL 4 LOVE Cycle Tour - April 2004 ( Part 3 of 6)