Distance travelled 53.98km in 3hours 15min
Average 16.5kmph
max 36.5
odometer 2791km
Up with the larks, for once after a good nights sleep on a perfect mattress and down we trot for a hearty breakfast. Worryingly, although we had all agreed prior to the meal that we did not need many more supplies, we found on our return to our room that we had 'liberated' a total of 18 bread rolls from the establishment. We check out and Im surprised to see the same receptionist whom checked us in with a smile at 10.45pm last night, despite a our tramp like appearance. She's still as cheerful as ever and perfectly turned out. Remarkable. We are quite the opposite, if anything we look more dishevelled after shower and sleep. We have to hand it to the Hotel Karnan, they are the nicest hotel staff we've come across, including Florence in Kautokeino. So if you are ever in Helsingborg (also a lovely town) then do check in to the Karnan, its a cooperative, owned by the staff, who will do anything for you, even if you do as ever want to fit three people in a double room!
We bowl over to the ferry port over the road, ready to wave goodbye to Sweden and are checked in by a delightful Swede who gives us free haribo after hearing of our adventure! We are ushered to a lane just for two wheels, and are delighted to be the first to drive onto the car deck. Disappointingly the journey lasts less than half an hour so there's time only for a few snaps and a dirty coffee and before we know it we are back in the saddle. The ferry is basically part of the European motorway so as soon as we drive off we are on a three lane highway. This being Denmark however, we are swiftly directed to the nearest cycle path, which already shows our destination of Kobenhavn, some 45 km away! It's disgustingly easy, a singular signposted route will take us all the way there, Cykelsparet and Sverigeledens tortuous lanes are a distant but fond memory. There's sea to our left, civilazation (ie coffee shops) all around and delightful thatched cottages on our right. We may as well be in England to be honest. But with better cycle provisions. There's a definite European rather than Scandinavian feel in the air, pines are replaced by oaks, lakes by seaside harbours and isolation by suburbanisation. We basically cycle through 20miles of commuter belt all the way to the capital. It's pleasant enough, but after the wilds of the arctic it all feels, well, a bit too easy. Perhaps owing to this we begin to see a great deal more cycletourists on the road.
Before we now it we are in Wonderful Kobenhavn as they call it, and wonderful it is. The little mermaid has been shipped off to China for the summer, but theres bike paths and bikes everywhere! The cyclist is king of the roads, and cars stop, wait and part in waves so we can ride through blissfully. We are the ubiquitous lost tourists, getting in everyone's way, and beautifully stylish women on dutch bikes (sorry danish bikes) are soon over taking us in tight skirts and high heels. Alas our 'hotel' for the night is not quite so glamourous. Euro Globe is not nice enough to be a hostel so its provided towels and sheets and somehow qualifies as a Hotel. Its only redeeming feature, should you wish to take opportunity of it, is that you can smoke absolutely anwywhere within its walls. This includes the undesirable toilet, where an ashtray is positioned for your convenience next to the throne. We dine on bread rolls and head straight out to sample the nightlife which has been somewhat lacking in our Scandinavian experience so far. Often in Sweden we wondered if everybody was under some sort of secret curfew, as restaurants were closed by nine and streets deserted. Maybe they were just sleeping, in order to look so fresh for the next day. They are very healthy looking after all.
Anyway we sample an array of drinking spots and end up in Nyhavn, drinking Carlsberg, at probably the most expensive pub in the city. We manage to seat ourselves betwixt two Sicilian gentlemen and two Danish nurses. Understandably the Sicilians are initally more interested in the glamourous Danes than some slightly dishevelled looking cycle tourists, but imagine their delight when they realise our Philippa can act as a translator! Before we know it she's in full I talien flow, and we've invites to beach houses in Sicily. Hopefully we will make it there! The Danes were also most impressed with our trip. After a final trip into an Irish bar, where to our delight, the live musicians play peloton favourite 'the chirpy chirpy cheep cheep song' we retire to Euro Globe, our latest night ever.
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