It’s green next to the railway linesInteresting location for a coffee.Debenhams demolition in the distance The worst cycle infrastructure on Epsom Road in Guildford.
The cycle lanes marked out in Guildford are beyond useless. No segregation, suggesting a totally inappropriate position for the cyclists to take on the road. I would cycle at least at the line. I actually cycled in the mostly in the middle of the lane to take the decision away from the drivers, so they did not attempt to overtake at the frequent traffic islands. Of course I was hooted at, but ironically I was going faster than the motorised vehicles. Guildford suffers from pollution,
Clandon
There are plenty of stations in the commuter belt.
Delays
Someone had pulled a communication alarm on a train causing all the trains to be delayed.
Heading into Guildford.
Two days later headed back to Oxfordshire. Dodged the rail replacement buses by travelling from Farnborough.
Farnborough Change at Basingstoke Church spire Mortimer Approaching Reading from the south Boats at GoringBoats on the Thames at GoringThames near Cholsey.Bromptons Didcot – another change CholseyThe Thames at Wallingford – The Boat House.
Early- looks promising Rooftop gardens on a disused building.
A local’s tip was the Dachgarten at Rosenheimer Platz. Lots of little bars and food stalls.
The street below.St Lukas & the Isar
Fish in the IsarGeese and fish snoozing Marienplatz is mobbed
Lots of people, lots happening. Lots of footy fans attending the Bayern München vs Borussia Mönchengladbach match. München won 2-0 clinching the title.
The Cathedral Bretzel und bier – the mini Hofbrauhaus in the EnglishergartenLooking down the IsarSwarm of flies
Catching the sunlight
I used the Tageskarte and a lot of walking. Due to work on the S Bahn, I had to find different routes to get around, using a tram and bus as well as the U Bahn.
Near South MortonReadingDistrict & Circle line tube station Paddington
Arrived at Paddington and to the closest tube station with a branch of the circle line. No trains running. Backtracked to the other circle line branch and finally caught the tube. It’s far simpler and quicker on the bike.
St PancrasPremier Inn room And viewCanal near London Zoo
The map taken from the Interrail app shows just how far the journey was, but misses the far north line and the detour to Oxfordshire.
From the Interrail app: 5784 km distance
15 trains on the Interrail ticket, 20 in total.
Seven countries.
Weather
Sunny almost throughout, but a big variation in temperature. Highest ,around 14 centigrade in Augsburg, lowest -10 in Bucharest.
Food
The food was good, but had to get creative in the meat centric countries. I had my first experience of a Lebanese restaurant in Bucharest, the very good Coin-Vert Libanez.
I had to fight through the snow and ice to get to it. A week later I had my second Lebanese restaurant experience in Paris.
Plenty of good food on this trip.
Hotels
I stayed in three Premier Inn plus rooms, three varieties of Ibis: budget, styles and no moniker, a Radisdon Individuals Schiller Park in Linz and Ramada by Wyndham in Bucharest.
Best bed:Premier Inn plus
Best shower: Premier Inn plus
Best view: Ramada by Wyndham
Best location: Hotel Schiller Park- in central location near the railway station.
Best breakfast: Ramada by Wyndham
Best rooms: Premier Inn plus
Most expensive: Premier Inn St Pancras
Best check out times: Ibis / check out by noon.
I like the simplicity of the Ibis Budget.
Locations
Both Augsburg and Linz were amazing places to visit. Smaller and not as busy as Vienna but interesting buildings and history. Bucharest lacked the beautiful buildings but the lake was beautiful.
Travelling by train emphasised the change in landscape and buildings. Farmhouses are tiny and ramshackled in Romanian but huge and well maintained in Austria and Germany.
People
As well as meeting the natives of each country that I visited I was surprised to meet people from so many other countries. I had conversations with Qataris, Russians, Albanians, Norwegians, New Zealanders, Moldovans, Canadians, Taiwanese and probably more. Talking to Austrians in German with their local accents was a joy, including a woman in her 90s from Vienna,
Cycling
Cycling was awful in Bucharest, but faster than cars. Driving in Bucharest also looks awful. Paris cycle way provision is good in Paris, but blocked by vehicles on the Sunday. Vienna was busy, Augsburg pleasant. I heard a tram hitting a car in Vienna and saw the massive crumpled side of the car, the tram just drove off. The closest I came to an accident was Inverness, where a car was being driven at 60 mph in a 30 zone, as I was turning right. The bike gave a good way to cross cities between stations and to get to hotels. It was also a great luggage trolley.
I start the visit to Linz with some food at a nearby Korean restaurant.
SoupWarm Bowl for main
The next day I explore.
Die DonauNibelungbrückeNibelungbrückeThe cloud is clearingRechtebrückestraße
Back to the hotel for breakfast.
View from hotel room
And then more exploration.
Linzer Landstraße There are plenty of impressive buildings Martin Luther church
More tram action Neuer Dom
I think I can see the top of the steeple from my hotel window.
Buildings nearby – interesting mix
The bellsLandhaus Landshaus Platz
Interesting courtyards and passages off streets
LichtbrunnenHauptplatz Hauptplatz Looking away from the Hauptplatz to the Landstraße Old cathedral Ursuline church of st Michael Ok platzKarmiltenkircheAm SchloßView from the Schloß
More views
Looking into the distance Archways around the SchloßThe semi ruined Schloß had been developed This building is notable because…
Time for refreshment.
Linzer Torte mit Kaffee
And then have a trip on the Pöstlingbergzug. This heads from the Hauptplatz to the Pöstlingbergkirche. Which appears in my earlier photos on the other side of the valley.
Going up.
Passing place.
Endstation 519m PöstlingbergkircheThe view
Filmed to try to catch the view.Close to Linz‘s city boundary
Returning
And then out for dinner at a pasta restaurant which makes food to order-no waiters.
I have a bed booked for the train. I have no idea of the quality of the accommodation.
Here’s my ride- the actual carriage that I am going to be sleeping on.The cabin
Three of us sharing the cabin. So there followed a game of Jenga to fit everything in.
Bike space, later becoming my shoe rack.The sinkToilet The connecting door looks ominous The corridor
The train set off, crossing the border into Hungary just after half past nine, Austrian time. I slept through most of Hungary, but was woken up by shouting, possibly in Budapest.
We crossed in Romania at around 3:45.
Train station Simeria at seven in the morning.
It’s a long journey from the border to Bucharest, under bright blue almost cloudless skies.
SighisoraAlbestiHouses AlbestiHouses Vinatori
Many of the houses are small but colourful.
Cata
It’s cold outside but looks dry with the grass parched.
House at CataCataHorsesCows at Cata
I didn’t see any livestock, apart from close to houses. Presumably due to the grazing being poor at this time of year.
HumorodRacoș
We start seeing snow.
Augustin Dickson a partially frozen riverBraşovPredeal
The snow is getting thicker and the buildings have the look of a resort.
Near BraşovMountains PredealPredealRiver near Poiana CâmpinaFloreştiFlorişti – it’s gone flat.
Near BrasiMogosoaiaComing into BucharestBucharest Nord
The journey flew past in a flash. I slept well, much to my surprise. I shared the cabin with an Austrian and a Romanian who works in Austria, but barely speaks German. They were good company.
Cycle to hotel.
Slightly uncomfortable ride across to the hotel, trying to use the smaller roads.
It’s always unnerving cycling in a country for the first time. What is available in terms of cycle paths, how do the motorists behave. There are lots of good cycle ways in Vienna but I ended up on one road with no cycle path which was uncomfortable.
Ibis Budget – simple but effective.Dinner
Looked for a restaurant close to the hotel and found..
The Shiyu
Lovely food.
Desert Next to the Donau at night.
And next day..,
Sun shine to start the day DonauturmCrossing the Donau In the Augarten looking at the FlacktürmeWiener Rathaus HerrengasseThe horses pulling the tourists have their own poo catchers.MichaelertraktMaria Theresia from the back in the sunFront in shadow Next to the Natural History Museum Karls Kirche St Stephen‘s cathedral SchönlatterngasseAustrian Institute of science
Having never been to Augsburg previously but having heard a lot about Augsburg and particularly the Fuggerei I had high expectations. I set off on foot as check out time was noon.
Some interesting nooks and crannies Breakfast
Stopped for breakfast at the local market.
There are trams. Anti-antisemitism poster in the background.
I
The Main Street of the Fuggerei
8 Euros to explore the Fuggerei. The place is fascinating.
One of the key requirements of the Fuggerei is the Catholic faith.
There was a victim of the National Socialist even in the Fuggerei.Stolperstein
The Fuggerei was flattened by British bombing towards the end of the Second World War. Augsburg was a major centre for manufacturing weapons including fighter planes, and therefore a prime target. The Fuggerei was rebuilt.
Lech
On the way back to the hotel I discovered that the river is channelled through the city next to roads and houses.
I also walked along a street with loads of school children playing in the road. I asked the policeman what was happening. The police had blocked the street in preparation for a demonstration. An enterprising sports teacher used the moment to get the children out for a bit of fun.
Police blockade
After checking out I went back to the Augsburg Altstadt
Ausburger WasserfahrradKaffee und KüchenIt’s warm- eating outside in February Time to head to the station
Augsburg exceeded expectations, beautiful city, but substantially rebuilt after the war.
Change at München
Leaving München Mountains in the distance Bernau am ChiemseeTraunstein
What is interesting is that the German regional train runs from München to Salzburg, requiring cross border cooperation. This happens quite frequently on this trip.
Change at Salzburg Near Salzburg Full luggage rackSun setting Wien HBF
Insight 