Hamburg

We stayed with a couple we met on our one cycle training trip in NZ. They were very welcoming and gave us keys to their place so we could come and go as we pleased.

Hamburg is a big bustling city with a huge port. A lot of Hamburg was destroyed in WWII so it is a mix of new and old buildings.

Highlights in Hamburg:

The tunnel built in the early 1900´s which goes right under the large river and has car elevators to get to it.
Beautiful Botanical gardens
so much water. canals and two large lakes.
having fish and chips! (first time since NZ)
sleeping on a bed (well, a large blow up mattress, but close enough)
sampling the beers (they have girly beers here - flavoured shandys etc)
delicious german bread

Meanwhile my new bike and I haven´t been on agreeable terms. We got off to a bad start with a large piece of glass in the back tyre on day 2 of owning it. Manage to track a new spacer for the back axle in Hamburg at a shop full of bikes just like mine (and quite a bit cheaper too. damnit).

But then the back wheel kept moving off place and rubbing on the mudguard, acting like a brake. the front brake pads kept rubbing. the gear cable went all loose. The pedals teeth have cut my ankles. It threw off the front pannier bag in to the wheel which chewed it up into a few pieces. (oops. Byrdies NZ made bags too). This was all in one day. It seems to be a bit more behaved now... fingers crossed.