Segelschiffhafen

Whenever you first set out in an unfamiliar city, especially one as large as Hamburg, everything seems alien and confusing. This is exactly how I felt yesterday afternoon, when I attempted my first walk outside the hotel. Of course I was not exactly in my most astute mental state. After about 40 hours of transit I was in that zombie state where even the simplest tasks take on gargantuan proportions.

This morning, after about 8 hours of sleep, I thought I would venture out into the unknown again, hopefully with more purpose. Since the weather forecast was for a warm day, with a top temperature of 28C, I thought I would give my feet a break by wearing sandals, instead of shoes. To quote the streaker's defense "It seemed like a good idea at the time".

So equipped with my wallet, mobile phone and GPS, I headed out the hotel door and into the unknown. I thought that a good place to begin my exploration of Hamburg would be to follow the track we will be following on the first day of our ride. It would have been simple enough in normal conditions, after all Hamburg is a flat city, so walking and navigation cannot be that hard - or can it ?

My problem is that, about a month ago, I developed a very painful left heel. Whenever I put pressure on the heel, it hurts. In case you were not aware, it is very hard to walk without putting pressure alternately on both heels. Of course, I am not one to let a little pain get in the way of living, so off I walked (actually hobbled).

I discovered that the route was pretty easy to follow, but the city seemed determined to tear up every street with ongoing massive roadworks. I thought that Melbourne was the only city to simultaneously start construction works everywhere, without ever actually finishing any of them, I was wrong. Everywhere I walked I was confronted by barriers, bollards and blocked roads. I found myself crossing back and forth across the road, trying to keep to my planned route.

After about 45 minutes I saw the large bridge that told me I had reached the Elbe River. From there I could see the beginning of the cycle path that we would be following all the to Czechia. By that time the heat was getting tiresome, and my foot was complaining loudly. It was time to start heading back to the hotel.

Rather than follow the same route I had come out on, I decided to deviate a little. It turned out to be a fortunate decision as it led me to the Holy Grail of all travelers - a street with cafes, coffee shops and a huge supermarket. I knew that I would not go hungry over the next few days.

Enlightened by the new knowledge I had acquired, I headed back to the familiar Marriott Hotel. Just as I was almost back at the hotel door, a momentary lapse of concentration almost had catastrophic consequences. I had just crossed the final road when I somehow managed to trip on a piece of uneven footpath and almost fell forwards onto the road. It was a bit embarrassing, but I was grateful that I managed to stay upright.

A few minutes later I was back in the familiar sanctuary of my hotel room. I could not wait to take the sandals off and have a rest in the chair. Just as I sat down, I noticed something alarming on the floor. It was a clear set of bloody footprints leading all the way to the chair I was sitting in !

I wondered what sort of crime might have been committed in the room while I was out, so I decided to take a closer look at the blood. Somehow it looked familiar. It should be familiar as it was my own blood. When I examined my body to determine the source of the flow, I discovered that the end of my big toe was cut. Apparently, the stumble I had made outside the hotel had inflicted a bodily wound. So much for the wisdom of wearing sandals. The next walk I make will be in shoes.

After a few minutes on my hands and knees, most of the blood was cleaned up and the room was almost back to normal. According to the GPS I had walked around 10 km, so I had not entirely wasted my time. But now it is time for a rest.Read more