Hi all,

Just in Munich and after the comforts of the few days at Martin's felt a bit lonely again, but luckily met a great chap called Fred from Netherlands on a push bike who fed me spicy sausage and beers and said "it's on me, it's always nice when someone buys you something if you are on a long journey!", it was but the company in the bitter cold was better, it hit -1ºC and a pair of dutch motorcyclists asked me if I was expecting it to be THIS cold, "hell no!". Still it makes it super easy peasy to pack as I'm wearing absolutely all my clothes., remember I have a 50mph wind to contend with all day too!

So from Martins I visited the Eifel forest (great riding, hairpins etc and where I met Fred), Bastogne (scene of epic WWII battle), someplace near Karlsrhue in Germany and some more great riding in some wine district of Germany, who knows where? and now in a tiny place near Munich. Apparently I turned up for the time of the Oktoberfest so it is heaving with folks and I even got to see the massive parade this morning - talk about luck!! On the unlucky side, the ADAC was closed for me to obtain a vital piece of paperwork (a carnet), so that has to wait until tomorrow so I might be pushed for time to get to Lyon for the grape picking!

TI have just been lost for about an hour as I didn't actually know where I was staying, it has since become apparent it is called Seefeld, if only I'd known! Met a British colonel whose wife made me coffee here too, and some Germans have commented how far I have come! Little do they know....

Also, rode a road which had 12 petrol stations in a row, one after the other, which I found highly bizarre.

There is probably more I have forgotten, but for now....(no more photos as I don't carry a USB).

I can't believe it's only been nine or ten days since I left home, it feels like months and not without tribulations!

I really cannot describe how difficult the first few days were, I thought about throwing it all in and hit depths of loneliness that I never knew were possible, knowing each day further I travelled I'd have to travel an extra day back!

I dreamt I was in my own bed and when I woke to find that actually I was in a cold wet tent I was less than amused! But then, one day something clicked, my tent appeared to be huge instead of small, my bags could Carry more and the seat had more room....and things have changed and now I really feel I am in the trip now and it is superb! I really just can't believe I am doing it!

Though, I was told by another motorcyclist who'd "done" Africa, that the trip won't begin until then..Africa that is.

Already having suffered a puncture, dropped the bike twice and had the rear brake seize into a locked on position and now the bike making a noise it really shouldn't be making...but at least it drowns out my singing....I'm starting to think that things can be done to overcome these problems, and better: I can do (some of) them myself!

Best Moment: German family bringing me tea and cakes, "Schollettes" I think whilst I waited for quite some time for Martin to complete his monster commute from work!

Worst Moment: Dropping my cooked pasta everywhere at the campsite in Bayeux.

To get a good idea of what has been happening so far then the best bet is to check out the photos, I don't want to blabber, click the one in this post to open up the new album in the gallery!

I have a job starting on the 26th September (*shocked gasps*), picking wine grapes near Lyon France, lasting about 10 days (that#s enough work for me!) so that's my next main stop, going via Bastogne and the Ardennes Forest.

I'll try and update the map soon, but it's a right caper, though I have diligently GPS points from each night...

I meant to say some thank yous before I left, but I was too busy being terrified to complete the task, so you can see these in a new post below.

And also, more recent thank yous to Martin who has been extremely terrific in letting me stay in his lovely apartment and being so helpful and kind!! and also Yamaha Dortmund who serviced my bike (within minutes of me arriving!), letting me watch them in the workshop and teaching me a few things AND giving me coffee, it is the best motorcycle shop I have ever seen!

I could write reams already, but that would never do...