Very excited as I am off to Stuttgart for a few days to meet up with my good friend Irina, another Blue Badge Guide. She has moved back to Germany for the duration of the Pandemic to be with her family.
Up early, as per usual and down to Ulm where I cycled around, checking out Ulm Minster with its 530 ft high steeple which makes it the tallest in the world. You can't miss it and no need to check out the route as you can see if from miles away.
I stop off for some breakfast, take out some cash and take a tone of photos of the church and send a short video to my friend Helen who I met on the Camino. As you can imagine, there were a lot of churches on that walk, so figured she would be impressed to see the humungous spire.
However I have to say the city of Ulm itself was not terrifically inspiring, although not entirely sure how much inspiration one would expect at 9.00am in the morning.
I have decided to take the train to Stuttgart rather than cycle, not least as we are just about to have a heatwave for the next few days. A train strike has been announced but everything should be OK, apparently. Found the station, asked at the info desk where, of course, bikes go free and took the slow train. So happy to see Irina standing at the train platform and I am really going to enjoy the next few days.
Even though I am super happy to see her, there is no denying that I am in a weird state of mind myself at the moment, very tired as not sleeping well and just all over the place. We immediately set off for a spot of lunch, Irina with her electric bike which was well suited to the hills, but I was kind of pleased to see that they didn't present any major issues to me; I am already getting fitter obviously.
On the way we pass by a cycle shop and I decide that this might be a good time to get the bike checked over. I am conscious that my spokes have taken quite a battering over the past few weeks so good to get them checked over. There was a long queue but once Irina had explained that I was cycling to Istanbul, the cycle mechanic took me under her wing and told me to come back later and drop the bike off. I asked again about betting some low rider racks for my front tyres, but as usual there weren't any.
After a delicious and healthy lunch, so good to be with a familiar face, I cycled back to the apartment that a friend of hers had lent to me, as she was away on a trip to Europe somewhere. It was such a beautiful space, large and importantly, very cool with a stunning outside space full of greenery. After all this time in my tent, I couldn't believe my luck. Perfect timing as I was also feeling a bit out of sorts, not sure if it is the travel, the not sleeping well, perhaps diet, perhaps a bit alone. Whatever the reason, it made such a difference knowing I would be here for the next 3 nights and a great way to just organise, get my stuff together and recharge. Not just myself but also my batteries
I washed my stuff, lay down and rested until Irina came around a bit later and we went out for dinner at a restaurant called Trollinger overlooking the Feuresee lake and St John's Church which was a local landmark that was bombed in the war. Which of course meant by us, but I didn't say anything.
I eat some maultaschen, a local dish which was essentially a meaty ravioli which is massively filling on top of my two huge salads earlier that day. But at least I am eating super healthily and will be on top form when I leave on Sunday. It was a lovely night though; we had a few laughs and the weather was so balmy that it was a real joy to be outside.
I didn't sleep well, of course, but I am feeling a bit better as I type this at 8.00AM in the morning. Great to know I will be back to normal in a couple of days, this will be a very well-timed break. Irina is so keen to show me Stuttgart and I am keen to see. She is bringing a hearty breakfast around and we will sit in the front garden. Not sure what the plan is, but happy to chill. I have shopping to do and more body recovery time to focus on.
Due to lack of concentration, the Elemnt Bolt ran out of battery, but at least I now have an internet connection, I am able to update the software and hopefully upload my rides so far.
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