The starting point

We landed in Amsterdam, where we would change planes to Vienna, and then proceed by rail to Passau in Germany, the starting point of our adventure. Providentially, Charo and I had decided to spend 2 days to discover Amsterdam, so we had time to get over jet lag, and I had time to get over my scratchy throat and nausea from the Tamiflu!

After 2 sun-filled days in Amsterdam, we rendez-voused with Myrna, the third member of our group, in Schipol, on our way to Vienna. This airport is vast and has some surprisingly luxurious outlets and eateries. The one we went to had chocolate in all its forms, with accompanying wine and little snacks. Beside it was one called Bubbles, that had a wall of niches containing champagne and other wines, all available by the glass; to go with it, of course, nothing but caviar, smoked salmon, sashimi and other pricey delectables. All very classy and unexpected in an airport.

The Austrian train was impressively clean .. the toilets were not just clean but huge and had self-opening doors. The countryside on the way to Passau was very neat but not particularly breathtaking. Passau itself was a beautiful medieval town, with narrow winding cobblestoned streets and, surprisingly, many religious icons, very Catholic. It was the biggest diocese in medieval Germany and administered many dioceses along the Danube. There was a reference somewhere to “prince bishops”. Apparently, the bishops and abbots were usually aristocratic and would donate land to their monasteries or dioceses, and would rule them like princes. Passau was a tourist center but there were hardly any foreign tourists, many German ones … Mercedeses and BMWs all over, not a Toyota in sight!

Val, the fourth member of our group, flew in from London and met up with us here. She was the only one of us who had had some previous bike tour experience, and – very important! – knew how to change a flat tire. She knew a lot of other titbits of biking information, as well, and proved to be a great team-member: always helpful, accommodating and flexible, unfailingly cheerful, physically strong, and just great company.

We were disappointed that the tour company didn’t have the maps and bikes ready for us that afternoon, as they had promised. We had been hoping to familiarize ourselves with them. Our blissful ignorance would have to be extended a day longer...