Sorry about the radio silence these last couple of days. Haven´t been able to get onto a computer. So a couple of important pieces of news. The first is we´ve reached our fundraising target!! We´ve got to 1000 pounds! So, us being us, we have now raised the target to 1,500 pounds, so keep the donations coming! The second important piece of news is that we have picked up our extra, Sten Haastrup, so sponsor him too! There is also the possibility of photos being added to the blog soon. I have been using mum´s small camera, as my brand new one broke, and mum camera is far too old for most computers to want to talk to, but we have now bought yet another new one, so as soon as it´s charged up there shall be photos!

My knee seems to be holding up pretty well, all things considered. I had two days on the train, then got back on the bike the day before yesterday. On my second train day i had a little hobble around Woerden, a very pretty little town, and got quite lost in an enormous shopping centre in Utretcht, where i also saw the Dom tower and a little bit of the centre. Since then I´ve had three days on the bike. It´s been quite pretty, with lots of animals everywhere. We have now left Holland and have entered Germany, where there have been lots of animals, barges, power plants and identical bridges. It´s all been very flat and smooth so far, but the days have been very long. This is hard work! I´m exhausted! Still, rest day soon.

Ellie

Ellie has a most impressive array of bruises, including a spectacular imprint of a pedal on her left calf.

The second we crossed over the border from Holland and into Germany, the sun came out and it´s as hot here as it is at home.

The waterside views were much prettier in Holland than anything we´ve seen so far: tiny, flower-filled cottages backing straight onto the river. Every house seemed to have animals: sheep, goats, and the smallest ponies I´ve ever seen. One was only knee high to it´s owner.

The Rhine is very, very full. The rain we had in Italy had obviously fallen on the north side of the Alps too. Lots of river side trees have their feet in water and the river is racing along. Barges lumbering upriver to Basle are going so slowly that we can overtake them!

We are now in the industrial heart of Germany, but you would never guess it from our path alongside the Rhine. Most of the borders are designated protected areas and there is a lot of wildlife. The only clues to the presence of all the industry are the identical power stations and bridges which greet us as we turn every corner. Rather like a continuous case of deja vu.

Keep the messages of support coming - we read them all and they are really helpful!


Alison