Day 25: Stuck in Bodo
0 km and 0 m climbing
Despite all big ambitions, I got ill past night. A real bummer. However no other option than accepting the situation. Cycling in this condition is not wise at all, things could derail fast if i would push myself into the remote area of the Polar circle while weather is turning bad as well.
I booked another night in the hotel to take a day of rest, as i was cycling for 7 days in a row. And to make a new plan.
While trying to schede the train trips back home, i discovered a lot of limitations and problems. Like fully booked trains, or at least the bike compartments. And a railway bridge which was destroyed by the storm Hans a month ago, resulting in replacing bus connections which don’t allow for bikes as luggage. And bugs in the reservation apps of the German long distance trains, lacking the option to add a bike reservation to an interrail seat reservation.
All together, it kept me really busy the whole day to get it all worked out and booked. And in the end I required the full support of my wife to find a solution for the German train issue as i completely got stuck on that one. She went into pitbull-modus, for two hours and many phone calls later, she found a solution with the support of someone at NS international. What a relief!
Train travel in combination with cycling may be promoted, in reality the bike places are limited, the reservations time consuming and the rules sometimes unclear or very different in the different countries. Very curious how the reality of travelling by train with my bike will be.
To close the route back home I have to cycle 168 km through the zone were storm Hans destroyed part of the railway. Luckily, the weather forecast for that region is good this week. I hope i will be recovered by then.
In the late afternoon i made a walk through Bodo, as it is the last sunny day here. Allthough every street corner is announcing that Bodo will be the cultural capital of Europe in 2024, the options for a cultural experience are for the time being very limited.
A tour is available passing a handful of murals https://www.lifeinnorway.net/exploring-the-street-art-of-bodo/
Probably because I am ill, but the best thing i could do in Bodo was sitting in the harbour to watch the sea, the people and the sun.
The most famous building of Bodo is the Cathedral, with a detached tower. It looks like a ghost which is running away while screaming. Or is it my ill mind of today.
Tomorrow i will cross the Polar circle by train, curious how it will feel. As of now, I am going home.