Dresden

Posted on 19th Oct 202618th Oct 2026 by insightndes

On arrival I have a little walk around Dresden, to get a flavour in the dark.

Next day I explored in daylight making use of the bike. Tour by bike is the most pleasant way to see a city.

Immediately I can see there are beautiful buildings in Dresden. But also the communist era Kulturpalast.

There are hoards of tourists in guided tours.

Many of these beautiful buildings were flattened during the war.

Next a visit to the Zwingerpalast. I think I may have cycled in some areas where I should not have cycled.

I then started wandering further afield.

Rode along the river Elbe to escape the crowds and the traffic. it very soon becomes very green.

I headed back.

After all the sightseeing it’s time for Kaffee und Küchen.

Then it’s off to the Großer Garten to see:

And then head back to the hotel.

Avoiding being ran over by the trams.

And in the evening it’s a 8km round trip to Neu Dresden for a meal.

Tasty food particularly the homemade lightly spiced raspberry sauce .

Well worth the bike ride.

Tourism, Travel

Woking to Fulda

Posted on 15th Oct 2026 by insightndes

Setting off early Sunday morning means the trains are a bit spass. No trains from Farnham early enough so I am dropped off to get the first train of the day from Woking.

Lots of runners get on the train on the way to a half marathon.

The Brompton is essential for me to make it to St Pancras on time. The Interrail App does not even provide a connecting route from Woking to the Eurostar train that I am catching. It turns out that this is due to a number of underground trains not running due to maintenance work.

A quiet cycle ride gets me to St Pancras well in time.

The Eurostar leaves 14 minutes late due to a technical issue with the train. We get underway.

We are still ten minutes behind schedule when we arrive in Brussels but somehow I make a very tight change on to the train to Frankfurt Am Main. I did not expect to make this connection so I am two hours ahead of schedule.

I conveniently have chosen a hotel 200m from the station.

There are plenty of pretty buildings in Fulda.

Environment, Travel

Far North to the South

Posted on 8th Oct 2026 by insightndes

The Flow Country is an area of blanket peat bog. I saw a lot of deer.

Got up for breakfast near Birmingham International.

Arrived ten minutes early in Euston.

The cycle across London was slowed up by the traffic, first time in a while. Does this mean that more less polluting cars are coming in to London ?

It demonstrates that cars slow up the traffic, including the other cars, delivery vehicles, emergency vehicles, buses and cycles.

The speed profile shows the waiting for traffic lights and the slower speeds are when the traffic got in the way.

The bus lanes enable buses and cyclists to avoid most of the traffic, but there are some points with no bus lane. Cycling is the fastest way to get from Euston to Paddington.

Managed to make the 0832 train from Paddington.

It’s raining on arrival in Didcot.

Environment, Travel

Meeting down south – two nights on the sleeper

Posted on 3rd Sep 2026 by insightndes

Cheapest, most time effective and least stressful way to attend a meeting near Manchester in the south is using the Caledonian Sleeper. Travel while you sleep and no hotel needed.

I go to sleep in the Highlands.

And I wake up near Birmingham.

I get off the sleeper at 0620 at Birmingham International.

The only time a train was late on the trip was the train from Birmingham International to Birmingham New Street. I did not miss my next connection so no harm done. I eat my sleeper breakfast while waiting.

Glad I had the bike with me.

On to my destination.

After a day of work I catch the train to Manchester, with a stop for food.

The train that I am on takes me down to Birmingham International where I wait for the sleeper which comes in at 2240. Then to bed and sleep.

I grab breakfast in Inverness.

Then it’s back to the north.

I chose to get off and on to the sleeper at Birmingham international rather than Crewe as I got an hours more sleep in both directions. I did have to travel further but this was preferable to getting off the sleeper really early and getting on really late.

Why is this cheaper than other methods of travel? I saved two hotel nights, no airport parking no miles in the car, no flights. Easy win.

My carbon footprint was far lower than if I had taken a flight.

And I was relaxed. I had an Ok sleep on the way down and a really good sleep on the way back.

Travel

Bristol to the far north

Posted on 26th Jun 2026 by insightndes

The longest leg of the journey.

The trains became a bit chaotic as demonstrated by this notice.

The 2006 to Milton Keynes , which I had planned to take, was eventually cancelled. I caught the slower, local train to Birmingham International, but not before its platform was changed.

The Birmingham International station is clean and modern. I had an extended wait due to delays caused by a lorry damaging a bridge near Bedford. This is probably why the Milton Keynes train had been delayed. This was the first time that I caught the sleeper service from Birmingham International.

The notice boards showed the chaos caused by lorry.

I went down to the platform and worked out that my carriage was near the front of the train, so I moved to the correct end, having found out the direction of travel.

The arrival of the sleeper.

When I boarded, I was asked by a trainee Caledonian Sleeper host how I knew to be in the right place.

Straight to bed.

Waked up to breakfast in the Highlands.

I had to wait for the rail replacement bus north. No trains due to work on the far north line. I took some photos from the bus.

Travel

Didcot to Bristol

Posted on 25th Jun 202624th Jun 2026 by insightndes

This was the shortest leg of my journey.

The cycle to the hotel of about a mile took an age due to traffic lights and traffic. Cars really hold cyclists up but not as much as they hold each other up.

Resisted the urge to cycle down the corridor.

Travel

Liverpool to Didcot

Posted on 24th Jun 2026 by insightndes

While I was packing I had some visitors.

Packing

Tourism

Liverpool

Posted on 10th Jun 202610th Jun 2026 by insightndes

I am staying at the Premier Inn at the Albert Docks, a brilliant location,

An amazing view of the Albert Docks, the Mersey and the nearby iconic buildings. The hotel is in a re-purposed warehouse.

I didn’t just stay in my room, as wonderful as it was.

They’re sculptures and monuments near the Tide Dock.

The propeller from the Lusitania, torpedoed in the First World War.

For a day of sight seeing it is worth while getting a day saver ticket. Travel on trains, buses and the ferry.

Looking from the train towards the Tabaco Warehouse.

Had a look around Crosby.

Turbines and Anthony Gormley Sculptures.

Back to the city centre and it’s time to take the Ferry Across the Mersey. With bike.

The ferry is a bit smoky.

Crossed the Mersey and cycled to New Brighton.

Liverpool Docks from the other side of the Mersey.

Cycled towards Birkenhead.

Departing cruise ship.

The ferry.

And it’s back across on the ferry. A band boarded with their instruments, I assume to do a show on the ferry later.

Albert dock with the Anglican cathedral behind.

Cycled a bit around Liverpool on return to the shore.

Visiting the largest Anglican cathedral, anywhere, I believe.

And then visited the Catholic cathedral.

Sunlight being caught on the uni buildings.

Liverpool is a vibrant, interesting city.

Environment, Tourism, Travel

Glasgow

Posted on 1st Jun 2026 by insightndes

I cycled in Glasgow and tried out the buses. Glasgow has some proper cycle lanes, separated from traffic. The drivers are polite and the cyclists obey the traffic lights.

Comprehensive bus service.