At home again

Back in Pfäffikon after two days of rain..... I did cheat on the way back - must admit ... took the train home from Geneva :-))) ...
It was a great trip and I had a lot of good experiences and met some good people. And as Yogi Berra said: "If you come to a fork in the road, take it." - Well I sure did and it was fun!!
Thank you all for your support and the numerous e-mails, comments sms.
Can't wait to see you soon!

200 km from the swiss border

well after a great nights sleep (some of the gites are pretty bad) this one is beautiful - with swimming pool and all. Unfortunately its raining cats and dogs; but whos complaining. I should have been on the road an hour ago (like a good pilgrim :-)). Having a great time cycling throuth french country sides up and down valleys and mountains :-o, enjoying the interesting conversation with other pilgrims and the very friendly french. p.s::: I am trying to write this blog on a french keyboard - what a hastle - belive it or not I would rather be cycling in the pooring rain :-)).



P.S Hallo Dominique, gerne mache ich beim "gruempi" mit!!!! bitte zuerst reto (its) fragen ob sie nun auch eine manschaft gegruendet haben, weil ich dort mal vor langer zeit angefragt worden bin - oder ist pfaeffikon ein team? freue mich!!!

It's time to turn around

I arrived in le puis 780 km and it's been great! It's really noot easy to stop and turn around but if I cycle any further I won't catch a train back in time, so I've decided to cycle back, but on the country roads an not on pilgrim path

Hello from ...

beautiful France, it's been 25 every day and the time is going by quickly... I'm peddling and peddling up and down hills, rincky paths, over lush fields and in the evenig I fall dead tired into a bed (been lucky enough to find one untill now) I don't have internet only sms so I can't write more. I'm in Chavagnay. Total km 632

km 533 reached, french alpes

Just a quick note because there is no internet in the 'gite' from last night or the convent from tonight but after getting lost and peddling 90km incl. a mountain of 720 meters, today i was thrilled to arriue in Yenne at the convent and get a wonderfull hot shower, a 4 course meal (incl. An amazing selection of french cheese, red wine), cold tap beer and a clean bed! Now that's Life! :-)

km533 Sil

Monday, May 5. 2008 Romont

Slept really well in Fribourg's youth hostel (can only recommend it) and after a nice chat with Sonja we walked back through town and onto the Jakobs - Route. After saying good – bye, I peddled in direction Romont. Mh…. Well I don’t really want to write this but…this blog is supposed to be my travelling diary so the truth is I got lost again and added about another two hours of mostly up hill before I realized that I was going in the wrong direction :-)….. well I did notice that there were not so many signs as in the past days and maybe that’s why ;-). Seriously now…. Pierre told me that usually the third day on the bike is the worst… well for me it’s today…. And I’m in Romont now… have a nice room at the xxxxx (don’t even know the name… across the street from the Hotel du Lion d’or) and will be going to bed after my shower….. I can’t believe it because it’s 22 (can’t find the “degrees” sign on this keyboardL) and sunny … well maybe I’ll go and have a coffee at an outdoor café…. J. Xxx, Silvana

Sunday May 4. 2008 - Fribourg

Just a quick note today....the internet at the youth hostel is really slow :-(. Where should I begin....the past 2 days have been a bit much adventure - yesterday after biking for 7 hours I couldn't find a place to sleep and at 07 00 in the evening, dead tired (had to push my bike up hill for 2 hours) they sent me up another hill (by that time it was a mountain) 5 KM with a 270 meter climb..... to find a closed hotel - due to a wedding..... Before the next climb and at the end with my physical reserves....... I asked two men standing on the street in front of their house if they new where there were any rooms for rent ...the one guy very spontaneous offered me the guest room in his house….. I was so relieved!! Until I found out that he lived alone and then I got a panic attack (I know it’s silly but it’s me ;-). So what did I do I had a quick shower (he told me that he was going to be away for an hour and I could shower and watch tv If I wanted) and then I immediately locked myself into the room….. I literally woke up about 4 times during the night so scared…..yes yes I know that’s silly but… what can I say. Finally it was morning and I left the guy a thank-you letter and 30 franks for the room (he said he didn’t want anything but I felt that I should leave him something because he was so very kind. As I was leaving at 06:45 in the morning the man was already awake and we had a nice chat…. :-0. Today I was going direction Fribourg. The journey was pretty long and hard, considering that the Jakobsweg is not always meant for bicycles. I can only say… the beautiful scenery makes up for all the pushing and walking beside my bike – I guess ;-). Oh yes I nearly forgot – just before entering Fribourg I saw a sigh which said 45 minutes to go. Well I got lost and ended up circling around Fribourg in a vita parcours for 2 hours plus then another 45 minutes to get into the city itself … Fribourg is very special… I arrived in the old town which seemed pretty deserted, not too much going on. So I took the “little train” up to the city and the streets were filled with happy people because of the beautiful temperature. I then plopped myself into a chair in a café and enjoyed the hustle of the city. At the youth hostel; really nice one by the way I met a girl named Sonja. And get this she started off in Einsiedeln and was heading to Spain. She recons that it will take her three months…wow what a tough girl!!.

Good luck Sonja. It was nice meeting you!