So it's about time I had a bash at this trip report malarkey, especially as it's wet and grisly out there at the moment. First time doing this so have at it 
I had some time this summer, and had a ferry ticket booked and had no real plan as usually there is a group of 3 or 4 of us that head off, with me doing a chunk of admin along with the routes etc, but on this occasion I was flying solo. This time I hopped on the ferry at Hull on 21st July without any real plans, the only thing I had booked was the Berghotel Franzishohe on the Stelvio as I like it, and like the location, great for early morning starts on and around the Stelvio area.
So headed off the ferry, and just crunched some miles to get down towards Bamburg in Germany. Started to get a bit fatigued after the 300 mile mark so ended up staying the night at the Euro Hotel at Wertheim, which is your standard sort of Premier Inn type place in Germany, near a decent Italian restaurant and fuel station.
They do a lot of this upside house thing over here as well
Anyway, while waiting for food at the Italian, they gave me a complimentary beer, which was nice
So in the hotel, I hashed out a route to take me over to Czech republic and Plzen so I could push east a bit and then just see where the road takes me.
Day 2 Wertheim to Plzen
Bright eyed and bushy tailed I head off the next morning, going via Bamburg to head into the Czech republic. The reason for heading via Bamburg is I'm a big fan of the black metal band Kanonenfieber and they are from Bamburg, so I stuck on of my band T-Shirts on and went for a selfie under one of the city signs. My inner 12 year old always forces it's way to the front.
While in Bamberg, I have a VERY bizarre experience, one of those sort of "restores your faith in humanity" type things. I am at the sign, trying to take the selfie, when a German lady stops in her car, I speak enough German to get me by, and I explain all is well, I'm just wanting to take the photograph. She has popped her hazards on and offers to take a picture for me.
Exhibit A
I then ask this lovely lady if she knows where I can find a public toilet, she says "Come to my house, I only live 1KM away" I am thinking, Steady on lass, we hardly know each other while I mull it over, she phones her husband who says bring him over. OK, so I decide to go, I am either going to have a good time, or end up in a basement, wearing a gimp suit and gag of some type......hmmm, ok, there are positives either way I guess
I follow her, go into the flat and meet her husband Joachim, he's making home made Frikadellen and I'm asked to stay for lunch, so I accept. The lady is Irene, and it turns out she is an English teacher at one of the local junior schools. I have a beer, then decline a second, so they send their teenage son Vincent out for an alcohol free Weizen for their English traveller. Cut a long story short I spend most of the afternoon with them, and we are now friends bouncing regular emails around to one another and they are coming over in Spring as they want to visit Liverpool and Manchester so I will return the favour.
A quick selfie on Joachim and Irene's balcony, with my big sunburned melon Complete strangers, but some of the friendliest and most hospitable people you could ever hope to meet. Irene got regular updates on my trip, and plotted things for her class on a map, and she got the kids to research, in English, facts about the towns or cities I was visiting enroute.
Anyway, back on the road and heading to Czech republic
Find a decent hotel for the night, the Hotel Primavera in Plzen, the room had a decent view, and the toilet came equipped with what I can only assume was a parts washer or foot bath of some description next to the loo.
Anyway, time to chill out, relax and put something together for the following day.
Day 3 Plzen to Brno
Decided to head to Brno as a Slovakian friends brother lives there, we've chatted over facebook for years but never met, so her brother says he'd like to meet up and we can have a beer and a chat. I hash a route together to Brno as I'm not wanting to use any motorways unless absolutely necessary, and this is what I end up with.
Crossing over the Vltava river gave some great views
To be continued ...............
I had some time this summer, and had a ferry ticket booked and had no real plan as usually there is a group of 3 or 4 of us that head off, with me doing a chunk of admin along with the routes etc, but on this occasion I was flying solo. This time I hopped on the ferry at Hull on 21st July without any real plans, the only thing I had booked was the Berghotel Franzishohe on the Stelvio as I like it, and like the location, great for early morning starts on and around the Stelvio area.
So headed off the ferry, and just crunched some miles to get down towards Bamburg in Germany. Started to get a bit fatigued after the 300 mile mark so ended up staying the night at the Euro Hotel at Wertheim, which is your standard sort of Premier Inn type place in Germany, near a decent Italian restaurant and fuel station.
They do a lot of this upside house thing over here as well
Anyway, while waiting for food at the Italian, they gave me a complimentary beer, which was nice
So in the hotel, I hashed out a route to take me over to Czech republic and Plzen so I could push east a bit and then just see where the road takes me.
Day 2 Wertheim to Plzen
Bright eyed and bushy tailed I head off the next morning, going via Bamburg to head into the Czech republic. The reason for heading via Bamburg is I'm a big fan of the black metal band Kanonenfieber and they are from Bamburg, so I stuck on of my band T-Shirts on and went for a selfie under one of the city signs. My inner 12 year old always forces it's way to the front.
While in Bamberg, I have a VERY bizarre experience, one of those sort of "restores your faith in humanity" type things. I am at the sign, trying to take the selfie, when a German lady stops in her car, I speak enough German to get me by, and I explain all is well, I'm just wanting to take the photograph. She has popped her hazards on and offers to take a picture for me.
Exhibit A
I then ask this lovely lady if she knows where I can find a public toilet, she says "Come to my house, I only live 1KM away" I am thinking, Steady on lass, we hardly know each other
while I mull it over, she phones her husband who says bring him over. OK, so I decide to go, I am either going to have a good time, or end up in a basement, wearing a gimp suit and gag of some type......hmmm, ok, there are positives either way I guess I follow her, go into the flat and meet her husband Joachim, he's making home made Frikadellen and I'm asked to stay for lunch, so I accept. The lady is Irene, and it turns out she is an English teacher at one of the local junior schools. I have a beer, then decline a second, so they send their teenage son Vincent out for an alcohol free Weizen for their English traveller. Cut a long story short I spend most of the afternoon with them, and we are now friends bouncing regular emails around to one another and they are coming over in Spring as they want to visit Liverpool and Manchester so I will return the favour.
A quick selfie on Joachim and Irene's balcony, with my big sunburned melon
Complete strangers, but some of the friendliest and most hospitable people you could ever hope to meet. Irene got regular updates on my trip, and plotted things for her class on a map, and she got the kids to research, in English, facts about the towns or cities I was visiting enroute.Anyway, back on the road and heading to Czech republic
Find a decent hotel for the night, the Hotel Primavera in Plzen, the room had a decent view, and the toilet came equipped with what I can only assume was a parts washer or foot bath of some description next to the loo.
Anyway, time to chill out, relax and put something together for the following day.
Day 3 Plzen to Brno
Decided to head to Brno as a Slovakian friends brother lives there, we've chatted over facebook for years but never met, so her brother says he'd like to meet up and we can have a beer and a chat. I hash a route together to Brno as I'm not wanting to use any motorways unless absolutely necessary, and this is what I end up with.
Crossing over the Vltava river gave some great views
To be continued ...............
