//Day 1 /12-03-22 /Ghent - Passau

It was with little sleep I got out of bed this morning. From 2 o’clock in the morning I was a in semi-awake state only to fall back asleep again 5 minutes before I had the set alarm clock. Today, I would finally leave my home and family to start my long planned cycle tour though the Balkans.

With a heavy heart I said goodbye to Jo and the kids and to Eric and Katrien (who came to wave me goodbye, real friends Jan) and stepped into the car of Wim which would bring me to Koln to take the direct train to Passau. Thanks to  Germany’s efficient and  modern train infrastructure I was soon waiting on the platform to board the train to Vienna. The train was 6 minutes late so not sure if german efficiency is still a thing. 

I’m writing this blog whilst riding a comfortable train through sunny Germany looking at a landscape slowly changing from hilly to flat to hilly again. Besides the changing landscape I’m observing the other travellers typing on their smartphones,  listening to a Belgian radio station on my own smartphone, answering a whatsapp message from a friend when I suddenly  hear 2 rows behind me a Russian speaking lady uttering the word “Ukraine” in a phone conversation. The word “Ukraine”  brings me back to the reality of today that although our world has never been more connected  through internet and scientific progress in general it is still possible for Putin to start a war in Ukraine, have an increasing  East-West tension, make only slow progress addressing global warming, politicians and civilians who seems no longer able to connect….. just at that moment James Taylor starts singing “You’ve got a friend” on the radio as to remind  me that not all is lost and that I’m lucky to have a great wife, kids, a grandchild and lot of friends. Restoring (at least for now) my believe in humanity.

The train moves forward, the landscape continues to change, castles pass by,  the train conductor announces and apologies that we have arrived 11 minutes to early in the next train station. Not only my believe in humanity is restored but also German efficiency. Tomorrow I will cycle. A sunny day is expected. This evening I will eat a Wiener Schnitzel. Not all seems lost indeed.

Song of today : You’ve got a friend - Live at the troubadours 2007 /Carole King and James Taylor (No need to choose between the Carole King and James Taylor version).

Lessons leaned today : 

1. Zeppelins are no longer the big airships of the past. 
2. Wim is at heart a Bulgarian taxi driver.
3. If you ever take the train from Koln to Vienna best to sit at the left side of the compartment if you want to see the Rhine.