Snippets 4
The first 1000 Kim's.
Even thought my Odo is generous, we have done the first 1000.
This has taken us from Warsaw and into Czeck Republic in the area known as Ceska Raj/ Paradise in the North East. Amazing geology , lovely scenery and good biking but sadly for the locals few tourists in the nice little camp grounds and villages.

We biked to Prague and stayed in an inner city camp ground. We probably did not do the lovely place justice, staying only 2 nights, but the heat and vicious thunder storms made us restless.

We are now heading south towards Austria, or Germany, depending on the height of the mountains. We are loosely following the Vitara river cycle way. The river is well damed, so seems more like a series of lakes, often in deep gorges. But we have enjoyed lots of god biking, on well made cycle tracks.
The heat has definitely been to main challenge, well into the 30,s most days. Money goes a long way, beer is almost free. Falls, two for Don and one for me. Punctuates one, (amazing really). Friendly helpful people... heaps.

Colourful swims.
My dear Aunt Wigs loved to swim, and when she came to NZ was found at every opportunity in the water. She was even tempted by the waste water pond at The Chateau. I too need to swim, so why am I in central Europe in  high summer about a far from the sea as could be. I have managed some "Wigs style dips". The first was very green, water full of bits like a lightly blended pea soup. Another was toffe coloured, my body totally invisible beneath the water, and yesterday I had a more refreshing cool of in well brewed tea. Maybe the mountains will offer something crisp and sparkling.. Pic ton friends, please remind me to swim earlier, later and more often in our crystal, crispy sea this summer.

How come a piping hot cup of peppermint tea can be so refreshing on a hot hot day???

The body
Before I came away my Doc told me to get over it...... how could I not have some arthritis at my age. One knee was quite sore, kneeling and squatting a bit of a chore. And now???? Almost no trouble at all. When I get home how can I possibly find time to bike six hours a day and live on the ground. Likewise in the first week it seemed that the bones in my pelvis were determined to burrow through my bottom and connect with the saddle. They too have have given up the fight and accepted the biking life.

Today a young cyclist stopped for a chat, and looking round our bikes asked if we had electric assist.... , wash your mouth out ...maybe when we are eighty I said. Maybe. We are lucky our bodies are doing so well