Zurich - Switzerland: SECOND REST DAY

I don't think I'm ever going to catch up! I'm afraid that this entry can't be long as they charge 1 Fr. for 5 minutes!!! That's a small fortune!!!

Next week we begin the Alps part of our journey - the extreme of our physical exercise! I'm not quite coming into it in peak form as I hurt my knee last weak, but I've been resting it at every opportunity and spent thursday in the van, not cycling. Actually, on the day that I was in the van there were 5 injuries among the cyclist all up! Some days we have such a tight schedule that people's bodies just can't hold out!!

This week we travelled through Luxembourg, France, Germany and into Switzerland. The French were quite responsive to us, but the Germans and Swiss were much more silent. They don't seem to like loud demonstrations. Though one thing I've noticed about the Germans is that they're not good at cheering you on (or even smiling at you) if you address them as a group (they prefer to pretend that there is no group of 25 cyclists in dazzling green zooming past them singing), however, as far as they're concerned individually, they're excellent. There was one moment where we were unknowingly riding on the Autobahn on our way to Freibourg to meet the mayor (I was in the van, not cycling) and a man came right up to my window, his car parallel to us, and told us we were on the Autobahn, that it was very dangerous and that we should follow him off it! He took us off and then asked us where we were going, we told him and he then opted to take us there (he knew his way around)! And so this lovely German man led the prossesion of front van, 25 cyclists and back van! I think he was quite chuffed!


We've been quite cut off from the news while cycling, so I am not completely up to date, but it seems that Israel continues to make less friends than enemies. I wish that we had a larger Jewish presence on the Peace Cycle, but that is very hard to get. I am afraid that our obvious Palestinian emphasis is alienating the Israeli side even more, but how do we solve that? The fact is that within the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, Israelis are in the stronger position and therefore, in my opinion, have more power (and responsibility) to make a push towards peace. The Palestinians are severly disempowered, and Israel is responsible for this.

I understand that Israelis feel they are surrounded by enemies and therefore under constant threat, but occupying the Palestinian territories and subjecting them to humiliations such as checkpoints and constant raids will never lead Israel to a safe and peaceful future. The occupation must end. The philosophy that one Israeli life is somehow worth several times more Palestinian or Arab lives needs to end. Give the people their liberty back. Yes, some extremists would use an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian territory to their advantage, but Israel is an extremely militarily powerful nation with the backing of the West.

I don't think that Israel has any excuse for the abuse it gives to people.

I would love to know what others think.


PS - Thank you thank you thank you for your wonderful comments!!! They are positively fantastic!!! Please keep it up! Oh, and Houston, as I have only just read your post about Belgium beer, I'm afraid it is not possible. :)

Bastogne - Belgium: FIRST REST DAY

Hello again after a week's absense! And what a week!!! I don't know quite where to begin! I am in a Belgium Interent Cafe which has really bad key boards - the key says it does one thing and then it does another, so please excuse any mistakes!

Thank you so much for your comments, they are wonderful to receive! The ride thus far has been tough, but I think I am getting into the swing of things now. Fortunately, my fears that I would have to ride in the support van (which follows behind the train of cyclists) has not been realised! I've managed to keep well out of that van!

We've covered more distance thean we were meant to - mostly due to the occassional wrong turn.

On Sunday we left London from the Embankment Gardens at about 3pm and rode about 34 kilometres to Dartford. Many other London cyclists accompanied us until Greenwich, then only we continued. We all had to get to know each other on the go, which was great, because it gave us something to do while cycling. We're all wearing emerald green vests over our T)Shirts and with one green van just in front of us and the red van behind us, we look like a family of birds flying across Europe.

Monday(Dartford to Dunkirk) was only meant to be about 96 km, but turned into 118.06! This was due to wrong information about where the ferry from, Dover would drop us off in Dunkirk. We ended up being much further out of the city than we thought. It began to rain on this day, and I'm afraid it has not stopped. The Peace Cycle brought the rain from England and are carrying it across Belgium. All my instincts tell me to take a rain check on cycling, but the ride must go on! And let me assure you - it is as cold, if not colder, here than in Brisbane right now! I am wearing thermals! The 'heat wave' left as I came to Europe (if it ever even existed!).

Tuesday (Dunkirk to Gent) was about 123 km. We stayed in a Formula One Hotel - very appropriate - and ate Japanese food which was prepared by a local group in remebrance of Hiroshema and Nagasaki.

Wednesday (Gent to Brussels) was shorter - 75.27 km - though we had to ride quickly due to a media event in Brussels. That night I stayed in a nun's congregation with three other girls on the Cycle. It was very peaceful and lovely - we each had a room of our own on the fourth floor of this old building. There were nuns from the Congo, Rwanda and India, as well as the locals. They were all very kind, and altogether I think this was the best accommodation so far! :)

Thusday (Brussels to Namur) was also fairly short - 71.06km. I was interviewed on this day - having an Australian on the Cycle seems to be very exciting for journalists! I've been interviewed a few times now and so I'm slowly consolidating what I say to them! It was quite awkward at first!

Yikes! I must go! Cafe closing!!

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...

And so it all begins in less than 24 hours! I'm writing this entry because it is the last sure time that I can get onto this blog. I'm sure I will find time on my rest days, but that only comes around every seventh day.

To sum up how I'm feeling right now: I'm quite frightened! I think that by the time that tomorrow is here I will have withdrawn and I will be working on automatic until I get into the swing of things! I'm sure that won't take too long!!

And so off I go!!

Ciao for now, and will write again soon!

THE ROUTE

The Peace Cycle 2006 Complete Routing 10.5.2006
NUMBER DISTANCES IN KILOMETRES

Sun 6th London - Dartford 35 UK (Morning activity tbc. Rally 1pm Dept 3pm)
Mon 7th Dartford - Dover 96 UK (Ferry)
Tues 8th Dunkirk - Gent 106 Fr/Be
Wed 9th Gent - Brussels 65 Be (Media event)
Thu 10th Brussels - Namur 71 Be (Ardenees)
Fri 11th Namur Bastogne 117 Be (Ardennes)
Sat 12th REST DAY Be
Sun 13th Bastogne - Luxembourg 67 Be/Lux (Media event)
Mon 14 Luxembourg - Metz 65
Tues 15 Metz - Saverne 121 Fr
Wed 16 Saverne - Strasbourg 39 Fr (Media event)
Thur17th Strasbourg - Basel 102? Fr/Ger
Fri 18th Basel - Zurich 107 Swit (Media event)
Sat 19th REST DAY
Sun 20th Zurich - Erstfeld 90 Ch (Alps)
Mon 21s Erstfeld - Hospental 35 Ch (Very steep)
Tue 22nd Hospental - Lugano 105 Ch (Steep then down)
Wed 23r Lugano - Milan 55 Ch/It (Media event)
Thur 24 Milan - Parma 114 It
Fri 25th Parma - Bologne 112
Sat 26th Bologne - Florence 118 It (Media event)
Sun 27th REST DAY It
Mon 28 Florence - Sienna 76
Tue 29th Sienna - Bolzena 115 It
Wed 30 Bolzena - Rome 115 It (Media Event)


This is where I will be ending my part of the ride.

Countdown: Two more days to go!

I went for the practice ride on Wednesday with two of the cyclists: Irshad and Arif. Riding through London streets is exhausting! You really have to keep your wits about you! As a general rule here, cyclists don't wear helmuts and they don't stop at red lights - so it was quite a new experience for me! I felt like a country girl, though I've lived in cities all my life!

We went to Alexandra hill (?), which seems to be the only hill in London! The first ride up was harder than the second, which was because the second time I did it I knew how long (or short) it was. For Brisbane people, it is maybe a third (or a fourth) of the size of Mt Cootha, and much more gradual - no steep parts. For people from Canberra - this hill had nothing on Mt Ainslie as far as steepness is concerned!!

Though I must admit, I was quite tired by the end of it all. We only rode 40 km, but a combination of the London traffic, the last dregs of jet lag and the gap I've had since last riding in Brisbane left me ready for bed!

This Sunday it all begins! We ride out from the Embankment Gardens at about 3pm (after a rally which begins at 12 noon) and travel about 35km to Dartford. This is a nice short ride to give us a taste of the group!

Luggage is quite a hassle! My bag can hardly fit my necessities, and now I learn that there is even more to add - a plastic plate and bowl and a knife, fork and spoon! I have to do a complete overhaul and see what can stay and what can go!

I will sign off here. Ciao for now! Micaela