The temperature has climbed but it’s foggy in Bucharest
The blue skies have gone.
Leaving Fastest way to travel?
Cycling in Bucharest is awful, but faster than driving, bus or walking. Could the tram be faster?
Needs must for food at the station.Bucharest Gara de Nord is dingy
Leaving Bucharest NorthMy accommodation for the next 18 hoursBike goes under the couchetteI am alone in the cabin for the night.
I am told that I will be joined in the cabin at Timisoara, where we are due to arrive at 0716. I set the alarm for 0700.
Bed made up.It’s a bit wet for the first time.Recaș
The train is late at Timisoara, so could have had a longer lay in. I am joined by three Iranian students.
TimisoaraVinga
There’s a check before the border. The Iranians of course attract attention and my passport is checked.
Just over the border in Hungary there is a bit of a wait.
It seems that the rail operator has built in a big pause at the border, longer than our wait, so we are back on time.
Delay – confused by time change at border.
They took the back end of the trai off.
A wait just across the border.River TiszaSzolznok – so many tracks!Very flat near Újszász
Near GyömrőThe train Coming into Budapest Puskas arena Arrived in Budapest on time!Bucharest to Budapest Outside the station
Unfortunately no time to explore- on to the next leg.
This time it’s an OBB train direct to Linz.Budapest to LinzLeaving Budapest KeltiCrossing the DanubeHills near Budapest Donau further west Hegyshalom near the border Turbines
There loads of wind turbines near the border on the Austrian side.
Bruck an der LeithaSarasdorfTrainmansdorf an der Leitha
Don’t fly Mountains Coming into Vienna
The sun has gone.Arrived
The train was 45 mins late to Linz. I managed to complete the journey within 24 hours, just. The total time on the train 23 hours.
Hamburg combines a massive port, industry with a beautiful city including two large lakes, Binnen Alster and the Außen Alster. Lots of history, lots of culture, lots to see. And the there is the Elbe, used by ships to reach Hamburg, which is inland. The container port is built on the Elbe.
Hamburg has a really good public transport system including the S Bahn.
Hamburg has a number of impressive churches.
View from the St Michaelis , including the Hamburger Dom.St MichaelisClose upSt Nicolai KircheSt. Katharinen KirchePetrikirche- the oldest site for a church.Altona Kirche
Not as old as the churches is the Elbtunnel opened 1911. You can cycle or walk through it, free of charge.
View down the tunnel from the north side.Looking up on the south side.
And then there is the Spiecherstadt. A complex of old warehouses next to canals. Now mainly repurposed.
A view of the warehouses next to a canal.
Some of the bridges have two levels.
Warehouses, picture taken from above the previous picture.
There are other interesting buildings.
Schanzenturm- now a hotel. Formerly the biggest water tower in Europe.FC St Pauli stadium, Grüner Bunker and Fernsehturm.
The former bunker now has a garden on top.
Hamburger Rathaus
Every year the Hamburger Dom takes place in Winter. It has its origins in the 11th century.
There is a lot of culture in Hamburg, with the Elbphilharmonie standing out as a landmark, built on top of some warehouses.
Elbphilharmonie partially hidden by the bridge to the Spiecherstadt. St Katharinen Kirche in the background.
The Elbphilharmonie is a good place to view Hamburg and the Hafenstadt.
A view from the Elbharmonie.
The Elbharmonie has a long curved escalator.
The port is huge, the third largest in Europe. The Elbe gives an advantage, bringing goods inland reducing costs, but the downside is as the ships are getting bigger they can no longer travel up the river.
A view from the Köhlbrandbrücke.Also from the Köhlbrandbrücke Cranes for moving containers
Vehicles for moving the containers.
On a bus tour
There is of course the Reeperbahn
The Davidwache-the famous police station.Just off Davidstraße is Herbertstaße. No men under 18 and no women allowed.
A few more Elbe related pictures.
Lock at Moorfleet.Flood control barriers at Moorfleet.Neue Elbbrücke.
Near Hammerbrook
Hamburg is a a beautiful city but like many cities it suffers from the dominance of cars. The roads are crowded with cars and the seems to be little observance of the 50km/h speed limit. Unpleasant!
There is good provision for cyclists, but could be better. Occasionally the routes are not clear and there are frequent road works which particularly seem to affect the cycle paths. Touring Hamburg on the bike was fun.
And a tip for rainy days. Buy a HVV day ticket and travel on the U3 , which does a loop, mostly above ground, sometimes elevated.
A journey to the south which almost didn’t happen. It’s Monday 5th February. The last train of the day from the far north already cancelled the previous day, in anticipation of bad weather. The early afternoon train also gets cancelled on the day, due to landslides on the Far North line. No trains from Inverness to Edinburgh due to flooding near Kingussie. All looking bleak for a journey south.
This is the result of the rain forecast, the first yellow weather warning of the trip.
A lift to Inverness followed by a replacement bus to Edinburgh means I get to board the sleeper just before midnight. I am then woken up for breakfast at 0415 ready to get off at Crewe. Sleep deprivation!
More weather warnings: rain in South England, snow in mid to North England, snow in North Scotland, ready for the return trip.
Wet! At Didcot.
The cycle to Didcot on Thursday is wet, as is the ride across London from Paddington to Euston. My feet are soaked.
Outside the new Caledonian Sleeper guest lounge.
This is my first time in the Caledonian Sleeper guest lounge. Limited choice of food, but some is complimentary. A chance to change to dry footwear and use the toilet. There is also speedy boarding passes, making getting on the sleeper far easier. A big plus.
I wake up to have breakfast in the snowy Highlands.
Carrbridge Arrived on time in Inverness.
On with the journey on the far north line, which appears to be running. There are more snowy views.
LairgRogart The sea near Helmsdale is wild.Snowy flow country Thurso River
Despite the multiple weather warnings the trip back is without issue.
Insight 