Should be leaving, or have left! Debenam to Harwich via Shortley ferry. Cold and rain at end. Dist 47 ODO 47.

Hoek van Holland to Kattwijk aan Zee. V cold into a strong NE wind through sand dunes. Dist 39 ODO 85.9

Wijk aan Zee. V strong NE wind with driving rain - challenging day. Dist 51.96 ODO 137.9

Callentsoog Weather better but still very cold and a northerly wind. ODO 59.52 ODO 197.4

Hi Ho Yer All, We are just south of Den Helder having battled into very cold and strong north and North Easterely winds - leaving our hotel yesterday into driving rain was challenging - however we are still smiling. Gilly had a nursing reunion in London last weekend and we stayed with some friends in Barnet. It was great to see lots of folk but I drank too much red wine and when we started pedalling on Monday my body was still hung over. We left our car in Debbanham with a friend who works for Dragoman - one of the last remaining overland trucking holiday companies - if you fancy 6 weeks in the backof a lorry across Africa these are the people tosee!!  The weather was good with gentle northerly blowing us toward Ipswich where we stopped for coffee.  Outside were a couple of local lads about 20ish in age - they asked where we had come from, when we replyed Debenam there were awe struck - only about 20km - but this guy had a £1000 bike and he said he could not get that far. Easy to impress some folk. Down to Harwich (about 47 km) and over a small ferry to Harwich. Arrived at the terminal at about 16:00 only to find the cafe did not open until 18:30 and our ferry to Holland was not til 23:45. Well the cafe never did open and we were kept waiting in to queue to board and it was so cold that icicles were forming on my nose. Fun or what?
The first day from Hoek van Holland was hard into a northeaster but we managed a creditable 40 km and then the day from hell. We were very cold drowned rats when we arrived in Wijk ann Zee and as this is a coastal route we were exposed to the full blasts right along the coast and thro' the dunes. Today much easier - gentler wind and we are in Callentsoog. Total distance so far 197 km.
When I did 200miles or so with Mike from London to Sandringham, Mike was reluctant to stop early and we tended to be cycling on and on just trying to find accommodation. Gilly has a bit of that tendancy. Today we were standing by a hotel at about 14:00 but let's just go to the next town - 8 km - we get there and the hotel is shut so on for another 9 km to this place and we have just got the last room in town- we could have camped but it is very cold.
Unfortunately we had an enforced stay in Cyprus coutesy of the volcano which cut our training short and I have a tender bum! Nothing that Sudacream and vasaline will not cure in a day or so. I took leasons from Pat on my last trip so Iam well v ersed in the art of crutch rubbing!
Gilly  wants to vet this so I have not put anything controversal in - however watch this space!! 

By Gilly - Not quuite sure about my tendency to move on as`it was Sandy's idea to go to Pletten where the only hotel was closed. Apart from that, reasonably accurate-my LMF (lack of moraql fibre) was up and down like a yo-yo today. Also sore bum.

Den Burg on Texel Island. Sunshine at last a very pleasant day. Ferry from Den Helder to Texel Dist 34.98 ODO 232.4

Still at Den Burg explored some of the island. XSunshine but cold. Wind backing westerly at last. Dist 15.9 ODO 248.3

What a difference a day makes - sunshine and dry clothes. A great days pedalling through woods and dunes and nearly flat all the way to Den Helder. On previous journeys it has always been my ambition to overtake other cyclists. On the trip round Scandinavia 2 years a go with Pat, in the 2000 odd KM I pedalled I managed it once and that was a couple with rented bikes and no gears - still a scalp is a scalp - to date in Holland we have probable seen a thousand cyclists and been overtaken by hundreds however the other day we had our chance. Ahead was a cyclist and we were catching - my spirits were high and we caught him and flew past - I was a proud man and explained to Gilly what a great achievement it was to overtake a Dutchman on a bike. But she said - the back wheel was catching and the bike was making a terrible noise plus he was about 80 and seemmed to be carrying his own coffin. No matter said I but she did take the shine off what was a joyous moment.
Near Den Helder we passed a man in blue uniform walking as if he had a purpose. I stopped and chatted - it turned out he was a Chief Petty Office in the Navy and on minesweepers. He was training for an annual walk they do - 40km in 40 hours - he looked a bit like me so he needed to get in training. In Den Helder we stopped by the ferry terminal for coffee and not long afterwards our naval friend came in (he did not see us) and sat down and ordered coffer plus apple cake and cream - a reward for his training! For my naval collegues as we parted he mumbled bloody FOST I hate it!!
We are now on Texel an Island off the coast and is a great place - built on sand and has miles and miles of golden sandy beaches. We have enforced stay so are here for two nights as we want to island hop to Vlieland - the next island north. Unforetunately there are no ferries on Saturdays and the next ferry is 17.15 on Sunday. We have booked our passage as the landing on Vlieland is on the beach and we are then loaded into the back of a truck for a 7km trek over the dunes to the far end of the island. No cars are allowed on the island and we hope we can find accommodation.
The crotch rubbing seems to be working and with an easy day today and for the nexk two days I am sure all will be well.
Just out of interest we have not met any other English folk in this neck of the woods and the people we speak to do not meet many either - mainly Dutch and German visitors. That's all for now folks.

One or two people have asked to go on the list of recipients so they may not be aware that Gilly and I are cycling to help a severely disabled friend of our to raise money for a 'Boma'. Please have a look at Martins appeal website and also at his main website where you will find out all about Martin. Many thanks. http://www.martinsbomaappeal.webs.com/

On Vlieland Island

Ferry to mainland at Harlingen and pedalled 25 km up the coast to Sint Jacobiparochie

Lauwersoog which is on the dam over the Lauwermeer

In a big town Delfzijl Dist 66.52 ODO 418.9

Weather has been OK but strong N or NW wind. Turn the corner uptowards Emden in a day or so hoping for a wind shift then.

I guess as you had not heard from me you thought I had forgotten you - afraid not. On the last leg with Pat we saw many Scandanvaians Viking training - running around naked and jumping into the icy northsea - well on the very wet day with a biting north wind there were a couple of bikes parked up by an entry to the dunes from the cycleway and there, standing naked, was a young man (30ish) with his girl partner, wropped to the nines, taking pictures - I guess he will eventually move north and start proper viking training in a year or two.
Texel was an interesting island - all sand and sheep - typical meal was sheep with asparagus - very nice. After our enforced stop over due to lack of ferries we turned up at the east end of the Island having booked ourselves onto the only ferry of the day at 17.15. There was another couple cycling who also got the ferry. They were a Swiss couple - about our age who said they were also cycling to Copenahgen - I thought great we could have a race - when do you plan to arrive there I asked - early June - phew we do not plan to get there until early July - the race was cancelled! What doyou do after that Gilly asked (silly question) cycle onto Stockholm and then to Oslo and then to Berlin and than home to Berne (they had already cycled 1400km to get to Texel) - just when we thought we were doing something special you meet someone else who realy deflates your ego. Still backto the ferry - we got our bikes oboard a small converted fishing boat and off we set - over to a seal colony and there resting next to a sand bank was a pontoon and comming over the sand bank was a lorry with lots of tyres and many gears - we transfered to this and were driven 10km over the sand to the main town on Vlieland. Vlieland is another town built on sand. On Monday Ferry to the mainland at Harlingen and an overnight in Sint Jacobiparochie - before we got there we were stopped by a guy in a car asking if we were cycling to Santiago de Compestella - apparentlyhis brother had just done that and was on TV. On looking around the village we found that it is the start to the Dutch route to Santiago - 2700km - some of you may recall that a few years ago I cycled about 900km of the Camino as part of my ride to Gibraltar. The next moring after about 15 minutes we were stopped by another car to be told that we were going the wrong way as this guys brother had just set of for Santiago and he was going the other way - a big thing in these parts.
A major breakthough in the journey - we camped last night - we had a good days cycling with the wind almost behind but probably on our side most of the day and had come over a major dam across the Lauwermeer - the sun was shining and all was well with the world so I dropped the question - shall we camp here tonight - as we were passing a campsite with a restaurant - well OK came the reply - so we did and it was great - however tonight we are in a hotel in Delfzijl - but it is on stilts over the sea - with a northerly blowing staight at us as we look out over our balcony toward Germany.
We are less that 30km from the German border so it's specken de Deusch as of tomorrow lunchtime and big german sausages for tea.
Things seem to be going well - spending too much money - the Dutch do not like credit cards in these parts - they like to feel the money - hopfully the Germans will like credit cards better or we will have to start doing the washing up. This is a forgotten part of Europe as far as the British are concerned - we have met no Brits and they do seem a rare breed to the locals - however we have enjoyed Friesland - sparsely populated - flat - sandy and extremely windy.
You will be pleases to hear that I am no longer doing much crotch rubbing as things seem to have got better so all I am doing is plenty of greasing up before setting off. Gilly has a bruised BTM I am sure that will be OK in a day or two.
Had a couple of good days and 66 km today - our total ODO' is 418.9

Petkum very close to Emden 53.20N 07.16E Warm and sunny lighter northerly and pleasant cycling Dist 45.7 odo 464.6

Greetseil - warm & sunny hard at times into a northertly. 53.30N 07.07 E Dist 50.96 ODO 515.6

Dear all. Gilly here to make a change, tho' can't send this as we can't get a connectivity, as our laptop calls it. As the whole world and his dog seem to have descended on Greetsiel and the surrounding areas of East Friesland, no doubt cos' of the lovely weather, blue sky and sun (tho' we have still been cycling into cold winds as we go north) and it is a weekend to boot, after today we shall be likely camping for couple of nights so you'll get this when we can send it.
Despite the continual winds, leg muscles challenged, we have had a great cycle through North Holland. Not a Brit to be heard or seen since we left Hoek of Holland, fantastic! This northern area is beautiful in an understated way, fields as far as the eye can see, Dutch barns, windmills both old and modern, late tulips causing a splash of colour, sheeeeeep and more sheep, the occasional herd of cows, hares lollopping over the neatly ploughed fields, so many water birds as there are canals, lakes  and waterdikes everywhere, pretty little villages, all so neat and tidy as is everything in Holland. Musn't forget the polders ( as Sandy says, they are huge piles of grass covered earth, sand and rubble) that border virtually the whole area between ocean and land. Polders have been built since the 1500s, in a never ending battle to keep out the North sea, both in Holland and Germany. On one polder just outside Delfzjil, there were loads of gravestones, commemorating the site of a church and village wiped out in the late 1800s by the sea.
We did have a puzzle when camping, talking of wildlife, as to why all the rabbits chasing each other round the tent should pinch our packet of scrummy stroopwafel. Of course it wasn't them as they don't eat biccies do they? Must have been the crow.
So, we zipped over the border into Germany yesterday, having stayed the previous night in a Delftzjil hotel built on concrete stilts, with the sea under our balcony, tho' not the gorgeous blue waters of the tropics, rather the grey waters of the Emm's estuary with mud flats underneath. This part of Germany  isn't that much different from Holland of course, not quite so neat and the cycle paths not kept quite so well. Thousands of freesian cattle-yes, the black and white type, instead of so many sheep. The amazing use of solar panels on agricultural barns and industrial buildings is very impressive-UK could learn a thing or two! Our route has taken us through the suburbs of Emden, really pretty, green, loads of canals and locks, missing out all the horrible industrial bits, then into the countryside again.
I am digging deep into the recesses of my brain for my long forgotten, very rusty German ( last used about 45 years ago in Switzerland), but we are having fun with it as well. Unlike in Holland, few round these parts can speak English. luv Gilly and Sandy

Dornumerseil 53.41N 07.29E Hard morning into a strong head wind but a good afternoon. Cloud all day but no rain. CampingDist 48.18 ODO 563.8

Langegoog - an island off the north coast. 53.44 N 07.30E Ferry to the island then camped at a youth hostle site. Windy Dist 28.32 ODO 592.1

Jerver - 53.34N 07.54E - ferry from Island at lunchtime then a good cycle with wind behind. Dist 50.54 ODO 646.6

It's going well - well it is as far as I am concerned. I think Gilly is enjoying it but after 50km or so I hear various tones of moaning and when the wind is ahead there is sighing and when it rains when we are camping there's just an UH! I won't comment on any of Sandy's grunts and groans! Still we are making good progress. On our first night in Germany Gilly was accosted by an old guy with a big beard who told her I was going the wrong way - how did he know where I wanted to go? Still he scrambled up the hill and sat down next to me panting away - he said it was his legs that were tired not the wiskey! He did point us towards a local hotel - we had just crossed the river Ems (Eems) and we were going into Emden - too expensive he told us - so we took his recommendation. Not a bad choise but in the morning when it came to paying I was sumoned into the private kitchen (no pleases or thankyous just comenzihere) I handed over more than the required notes but that was not good enough - why have you not the correct money? I rustled around in my wallet and got pretty close - the lady gave me a little change and dismissed me with a wave of the hand. Welcome to Germany I thought!!
We zipped up the coast to a great town - Greetseil - a working fishing town but pretty and as it was a holiday weekend here almost full. The north coast around here is a holiday destination and therefore has campsites - so to Dornumseil and what looked like the largest campsite in the world with caravans and canpervans so close to each other there was no rooms for cars. The tent area by the beach was almost empty so we had a great night. This was a sort of jumping off point for the East Freisisn/German Islands and we wished to see one so we caught a ferry with our bikes to Langeoog - a car free island about 20km long and 2km wide - made of sand . Our route guide said there was camping on the island but not true there is just a Youth Hostel with a camping area. The warden took pity on us and we camped but on a full board basis. So we joined the other happy campers for the evening meal - what a scrum - queue - you gest - still we got some food but all the extras went before we could get a look in. We sat at a table with a very pleasant man and his son and his son's friend. There spoke good English and Iwas suprised that he actually had a good sence of humour. I haven't seen much smiling yet - I think the locals take themselves too seriously.
Next to the hostel was a youth camp and there was much singing and banging and everyone was very ordered - the singing went on into the evening and Gilly thought it much like a Hitler youth camp - and I must say I sort od agree. On the ferries we have been ordered about quite agressively - I must say I am not used to this. I speak no German not having been here since a rugby tour against the British Army on the Rhine (BOAR) nearly 41 years ago however Gilly has a good grasp of the basics from her oupair days  so when things get a bit agressive and tense I hide behind Gilly.
It is going well and in a few days we will be inamongst the bigger cities - it will be a contrast to the sparsley populated  area we have cycled thro' over the last couple of weeks.  Regards Sandy

[Duhnen] - Dear all, Sitting on my thermarest chair in campsite to west of Cuxhaven, musn't move as we have plugged into an electric connection on a very rusty pole and the computer flashes nasty messages at me if I move (we are delighted that we can get power and recharge this bit of technology). The campsites are mainly packed with caravans so not the most beautiful, most of them waiting for their owners to come down for the w/e or hols. Each one is surrounded by canvas fences (wind protection) and many have sheds, bikes, bbqs, patio furniture etc inside this fencing. We look rather insignificant in all this, but all sites have great facilities, just a shame we don't have little tree surrounded areas to camp in.
With the blue sky, we still have cold winds-it is the coldest May up here for 28 years. Luckily very little rain and Sandy has promised hotels if it tips it down.
Despite this the cycling is going really well, we have passed the 500 mile mark (814 km) and are doing so well that we need to take 8 rest days before meeting Jo and Ian in Esbjerg-more resting than cycling, me thinks!
Germany has been great so far, really friendly people and I am having great fun with the re-awakening German as up here there are few who speak English. After all these years my vocab. is shot to pieces and forgotten, so you could call it stilted. My hearing of the language is appalling. We often get people asking about our bikes, as we are rather obviuos with all our kit, half of it German. Often as we stop to map read locals will ask if we are ok. Amazingly, one lovely couple who were thrilled to practice their excellent English, have a son who has signed up for Kelly College summer camp in Tavistock this summer. We swapped names as Sandy knows the guy who runs the camps. Small world.
Our route continues with our friend the polder-every so often there is a mast giving an indication of previous heights of the polder, any floods that have topped that and the subsequent new height-often up to 30ft in places. Mind you most of our camp sites are on the sea side of the polder, on flat lands gained from the sea. In this area, from Wilhamshaven round to Bremerhaven and on to the Elbe, the tides go out incredibly far, for many kilometres over mudflats, but shipping can be seen in the deep channels of the Elbe and Wesser rivers. Most bizarre seeing a huge container ship sailing in the distance in what looks like mud.
We have seen some lovely towns, stayed in some great little seaside resorts, little being the operative word, which is how we prefer it. Yesterday took us to Bremerhaven-actually got Sandy into the Museum of Ships. On the ferry over the Wesser River, which goes down to Bremen, we met a couple of Dutch doing roughly our route at 120 kms per day. That is head down and don't stop or see anything.
Coming out of Bremerhaven, we cycled for miles through the container port. Cars, cars and more cars, on trains, transporters, multi-story carparks. All waiting, no doubt, for the recession to end and a home to be found for them. Today it was up the coast to Duden, just outside Cuxhaven, which has turned out to be a pretty big seaside resort, but it is good to have a spare day for bike maintenance and washing. We still haven't met any Brits since Hoek of Holland. This is such a lovely, gentle part of Germany and it is strange seeing the familiar names like Bremen, Hamburg, Wilhamshaven, which i know of, but could never put a finger on the map-till now!
Auf wiedersehen. luv Gilly
PS Sandy thought his moment had come. There in the chilly waters of the Jadenbussen was a blonde, leggy swimmer. Sooo excited, thinking she was topless! No, as this venus arose from the sea, all we could see was the cossie, with very icey-blue splodgey legs and puce face cos' of the freezing water. They make them tough up here.

[Part 2!] Well Gilly has relnquished the computer at last!! I think she has told you most things so I am guessing this will be quite short.
A quick update on things that have gone well and not so well. I have brought on this trip some braces for my cycling shorts - for some intimate details I wear some padded undershorts (which I am carrying 2 pairs) and one outer shorts. The outershorst on previous trips have tended to slip down when cycling and have at times become uncomfortable so the braces - these have worked a treat and the shorts remain in the right place whilst cycling and whilst not cycling with the added bonus that when I need a P The shorts remain in place even when undone - magic. We have a couple of great thermal mugs with lids - hard to tip over and keeps the tea warm. We have click bike stands which are about cross bar high and you lean the bike against them and it holds the bike even when heavily loaded. I am sure there will be a pic on the website in due course.  Not so good is that we have a couple holes in the tent - small but in heavy rain could let in smoe water - unfortunately they are on my side of the tent! We are not sure where they came from - possibly from a small falling twig or possibly from rabits - in a site in Holland we were inundated with rabits and we camped under trees in high winds. The bikes are going well - a bit of maintenance today to get 2 weeks of sand from the chain and the gear mechs. The crutch rubbing has completely stopped - but Gilly still has a bruised BT.
My encounters with the locals is interesting as I speak no German. My initial impessions were of people who are serious. However a few days back I had a good day when we met a Bavarian couple who spoke to us for hours on a cold and windy point - great fun and they were as interested in us as we were in them - and then to the campsite and most sites are shut from 1pm to 3 pm so you have to wait. We arrived at 2.45 and Gilly and I were playing the game of spot the warden i.e. trying to spot him before he got to the reception box. He came from behind and I said to him that it was unfair to sneak up on us from behind - he did not understand however he said that we could camp but pay in the4 morning and if we left before 09.00 just leave the toilet key in a box. He was offering us a free nights camping if we left early - very kind. Then came the camp grupenfurer - Gilly had put her sleeping bag to air over the windbreak to the adjoining caravan - Gilly was not there to translate however I did not need it - I was up liker a shot taking the sleeping bag from the offending position and cowering in fear. The grupenfurer smiled and moved on. Had my first impressions changed - overall probably not.
In the site we are in the warden does not speak any English and we had a great time booking in especially when he discovered our name was Simpson - Home and Lisa  - he though this funny. I went back later to take about internet and he had a beam all over his face - so did I and had a great laugh - althought he spoke to me in German and me in  to him in English we just thought it so funny that we could actually understand each other - he has realy made me laugh!!
In our household some of you may know that we have mans work and womens work - well washing and washing machines definately comes under womens work. In the womens section of the toilet facilities is a washing machine and a dryer and Gilly was having dificulty understanding the instructions so I went in and Gilly was convinced she had it sussed so in went the washing and the soap, 3 x €0.50 coins and it started - immediately it was obvious to mew this was the dryer - women eh!!
I have enjoyed this northern part of Germany - quite remote - rural and many small fishing/holiday towns. As`we now head down the Elbe to Hamburg it looks more industrialises already - will be interesting to see the contrast. Just our luck as the wind for the first time had a bit of south in it today - and yes we head south tomorrow.
Regards Sandy