0310 Through Germany to Hamburg

Wait a minute – Haven’t I been here recently ???

Well at least today I didn’t find any countries lurking where they were supposed to be, like yesterday !   Today was all Germany, as I had expected – Almost boring, one might say !

I set off across NE Germany, basically travelling from SE of Cologne, through countryside that wasn’t that different from the Eiffel mountains, down near the Nurburgring.  As before I stayed off the motorways, and was winding through little country roads and villages  - Quite delightful.  I was still not in a hurry so the frequent speed restrictions, as well as several road works detours, were not a problem.  But it is hard finding your way round detours when the signs are in German !!  Several times I wasn’t quite sure where I was going to end up. 

I don’t think it is an official holiday, but there was no one around – It really felt like everyone had left !  No one on the streets, no little ships in the villages, all very deserted.  Then I found a little bakery that was open – And it was superb.  I bought some bread and a couple of rolls, and this time couldn’t help myself from buying a strawberry tart that looked so good.  Once I was back on the road, it tasted even better than it looked – Excellent decision !

From there I wound through the countryside at an altitude of about 400 metres, passing

NE between Osnabruck and Hanover.  I saw Scottish Highland cattle in one area, (???) and a lot of deer in another.  By about 1 pm I decided I had had enough of these country lanes – My Garmin was starting to take me on some REALLY narrow roads, and I just decided I had had enough !  So I went back onto autobahns and headed towards Hamburg.  I found a parking area to test the German bread rolls I had bought – Very good, but I think the French baguette still wins !!

By now it was 4 pm, and with Hamburg still an hour away, and the camping site I had planned being just north of Hamburg, I kept moving – And the autobahn was busy busy – You really have to concentrate because you have trucks doing 80 kmh on the right, and a lot of people doing 130 kmh + plus in the left lane, so you need to keep an eye on what is coming up both in front and behind.  Needless to say, I really enjoyed it – Most people know how to drive over here, and have good lane discipline, which is refreshing to see, and fun to be a part of. 

Then we got off the autobahn and had to get around Hamburg !  5 pm, so lots of traffic !   It was funny seeing the cranes of Hamburg docks again – I was only here some 6 weeks ago, seeing the docks from the marine aspect, so to drive past them again was fun.  Eventually I got to the camp site, and a nice little spot just N or Hamburg.  I chatted to some Swedish people and asked them about routes to Copenhagen, and a few other people stopped to ask me about my car and where I had come from.  First time people have been quite chatty – So far in Europe people aren’t nearly as chatty as people in S America, which I find a bit disappointing. 

Haven’t decided yet whether I will stay here one night or two – I will see what the weather is like tomorrow and make a decision then.  But I am glad that I left Normandy when I did, and did not try to rush across in 3 or 4 days. Ambling through the countryside has been a most enjoyable way to do it. 

Photos are here :-  https://picasaweb.google.com/110185357936043625130/0310GermanyToHamburg?authkey=Gv1sRgCPOMqcD43Jq20QE