Poster at Soltau train station
Tosca in the bus after 24 km. walking. Because the train didn’t come a bus transferred us to another station.
Today is the day of the Homecoming. Homeward bound. 24 Km. walk to Soltau. There I reached the major European international E1 hiking trail from Southern Italy to Norwegian Cape North, as I described yesterday. Gives me the idea having reached another mile pole. I did not not really so, but yes, you have to keep motivating yourself someway. From Soltau by train, 5 hours, to Aachen in Germany, which is 15 min. from my home. The later in the day I go, the later I’m home and the more expensive the Fahrkarte (train ticket). After some calculations, I decided to leave the hostel at 8.30 a.m. No pausing, no more looking for a nicer way but straight heading for Soltau at top speed. So that worked out well. IThe weather was dry, a little sunny, the wind was not too crazy and we constantly followed the cycle path along the way. Not even a chicken in the street the first few hours. “Karfreitag” Good Friday. Apparently a German holliday. That day is not used for bikeriding etc., but for sleeping, apparently. I finished my 24 km. in 4.5 h. I ordered my Fahrkarte at a complicated machine, snuggled on the platform in the sun on a bench and began to open the food packets for Tosca and for me. From another platform I hear an official of Deutsche Bahn, according to her suit, calling in German to the man with dog (that’s me): The present train does not come, you need the special bus to go to another station ! Definitely because of a suicide, I thought! Anyway the bus took us the same 24 km back that I had walked this morning? The entire stretch that I this morning finished in a race pace. Rather demotivating. At the station I saw a poster ” der Weg ist das Ziel”. Photo. I do not quite agree. This applies particularly in case you do not reach your goal. “the road is the goal” is true, if you are roaming with only a vague target in mind . I do not stray around and my goals are clear: Cape North before winter, ping ping for Mama Alice. I am curious whatever the road will bring or will teach me. That’s fascinating, exciting, sometimes annoying, but always worthwhile. But it’s the goal that I want to reach.
I also had to think of the text message on my cellphone yesterday when Funds told me, that a pathologist, friend whom he had walked with a lot, told him, never trust your doctor. Even so my 1-April announcement that I chucked it. The pathologist is always right. Doctors diagnoses are not the definite truth but are probabilities. The pathologist usually has the last say regarding the diagnosis. But he necessaraly needs tissue: thus cutting, puncturing, material to check under the microscope. And because cutting usually not is very pleasant, gp’s keep going on stating probability diagnoses, and fortunately often those are right Never trust a lawyer. To advocate BS was asked the question what to write on his tomb stone after his death. He replied: “an honest lawyer is resting here.” Then everyone will say: that’s BS! So every profession has its jokes. And this way I entertain myself during my walk
I also noticed the masses signs for salvation bringers: oriental movement techniques, buddha’s, Indian gods, heilpraktikers, crackers, strings, massages of all kinds, heilgymnastik. Apparently there is a large market for all those good therapists. Whether their qualifications exist, if those are nationally recognized, whether they are subject to standards like a possible disciplinary action remains to be seen? No idea. Maybe I should even consider hammering such a shelf against my front door. There seems to be much demand for salvation.
Yesterday on facebook ponyanddogtrip I watched the broadcast of Broadcasting Krijtland on Mama Alice and my journey. I hope Mama Alice ‘s street children in Peru will benefit from it.
Tomorrow we will celebrate Easter with the family: grandchildren, looking in the garden for hidden eggs, hidden by the Easter bunny, you know. Monday night family reunion of Sonja’s side in Nijmegen. Burglars who read my blog must first pass the of course raging bull bison in my garden, a group of Scottish highlanders with terrible horns and then our hungry shepherd dog. He loves you! That’s not worth a few brass utensils, right?
And then Tuesday I’ll from Dutch Nijmegen back to German Soltau, where two friends with their bikes wil join me for a week. Will be great fun again.
Because there are dog people reading my blog, just a few comments about Tosca: she was actually intended by her previous owner to be a police dog. She is very watchful, barks quickly, but unfortunately also to crowded, screaming or playing children. Balls make her extremely enthusiastic. In particular, the combination of the previous situations. That provides adverse reactions. She eats everything that is dirty and no greater pleasure than wallow in manure or rather in a stinking cadaver. That’s difficult when you arrive at a guest house or in the bus. Fortunately, she is housebroken and also learnable. In recent weeks several trips by bus she behaved well. Today in the train also, exept for a few barks. It is still remarkable that the first conductor told me that I had to buy a children’s ticket for Tosca, but he didn’t impose. Just before Aachen control again, now by another conductor. He looked at Tosca, but said nothing. You see, everywhere just nice people. Or do I look by now like a poor pilgrim? Tsjuus.
