Hi Ho Yer all 

I casnnot keep Gilly off the computer - as soon as wse were esconced in the Hotel (Best Western) the computer was out.  

You will be please to hear that this will be my last email for this leg of the trip. We are in Copenhagen and catch a train to Esbjerg tomorrow and then a ferry arriving in Harwich at about 2.pm on Saturday.  

Well what a trip - the last leg across Denmark with Jo, Ian, Evie and Ewan has gone realy well. There were some doubts whether it would work but Evie has taken to cycle touring without any trouble. With a total of nealy 400km in 10 days cycling with a couple of rest days Jo & Ian done good (that's football speak for have done very well - or are we not talking about football!). The centre of Denmark is different from the coast - more undulating - and certainly more populated with some big cities namely Odense, Middlefart and of course Copenhagen. You can immagine the childish humour from the less sophisticated ones amongst us when we stayed in Middlefart - I won't repeat any of it as I stood well above the comments.  

The Danes have been their normal friendly and helpful selves - one man leading us thro' part of Odense to the campsite which was difficult to find - and people always willing to speak English and offer directions. Jo and Ian had done some training - Ian refused to do any crutch rubbing although he suffered a little - Jo did some public crutching which did put me off my lunch on one or two occaisions. Bogense on the north coast of Fyn was a great little sesside/fishing town - well worth a visit - and we had a great camping spot in Soro in Zealand overlooking a lake which was great. It was a great acheivement for Jo & Ian - their first cycle tour and something they can be justly proud.  

We had a couple of moments - the breaking trailer with sparks flying and the Danish Flag which we flew proudly in support of their football teram (we somehow knew that it was not worth buying the Flag of St. George) torn and shredded in the catastrophy. A few minor brake repairs to their bikes (I have come to the conclusion that disc brakes are far better for touring) and the last thing that the country threw at us just 10km out of Copenhagen was another puncture to Gilly's bike which was the last actof her back tyre which is now in a bin somewhere in Denmark! 

Some thoughts on the last 2 weeks - the city campsite in Vegen (pronounced Wine - how you get that pronuciation beats me) where ther was a obviously something going down - there was a lookout - some a Polish family (only ones we have seen) and what we think was a hit man who was off to see the 'family' in the north - make of it what you will! The lack of pig smell in the centre - sorry the lack of the smell od money in the centre. At last the use of credit cards where ever and for as little as you like - helps my overdraft! The sight of errotic tights in Copenhagen. This is the first hotel we have been in for weeks - and it was too hot, the bed too soft and I missed the sunset (and the midges) 

I have completed the European section of the North Sea Cycle rout and have just the English and Scotish sections now to do - next year prbably. It has been fun doing it with Gilly - once she was used to the camping and the not stopping in the cafes for lunch I do believe she enjoyed it (no doubt she will tell you differently) and she is also proud of her achievement and justifiably - these long trips are not for the faint hearted because when you have to mend your 3rd punture in driving rain on a wind swept dyke it could be too easy to pack it in. Just as we met Jo and Ian outside Esbjerg we camped with a brother and sister (she was the adventurous one) cycling from Belgium to Oslo and they were definately suffering from LMF (Lack of Moral Fibre) they had difficulty with their bikes and with mending pounctures and they were talking of  sending their bikes back to UKandjust packing it all in - I showed them how to sort out the punctures etc and we have just had an email from them and they have cycled up thro' the centre of Denmark and crossed over to Sweden and and are nearly in Oslo - LMF has gone and PMA has set in. I am sure had they packed it in they would have regretted it. (They call me the Vulcanizer King!). If you read this Kate - well done and I wish you the very best.  

I think I have prattled on long enough - one last thought - Gilly and I do not normally cycling to raise money or for any sponsorship - however this trip we have done in support of Martin. Martin would have loved to have done this trip - he is more adventuous than most peopleI know - but he cannot - he sis trying to raise money for a Boma - this will change his life - he has help others all his life so perhaps some of the more abled of us can spare a little to help him. Please visit his website. 

Finally - thanks to Colin for the website - please hve a last look at that - the last pictures will be up in a day or so and thanks to Gilly for putting up with my sence of humour over the last 2 months.  

Odo 1960.5KM J & I Odo 392.4 

Regards Sandy