Hairraising Highlights of Hamburg.

JORK.

Despite overnight rain and grey clouds, we risk the open air pool before breakfast. The water temperature is 24 degrees so it's not too great a risk.

Call for diesel on the way out of town. We noticed last night that the price changed between arriving at 2pm and the walk at 4pm. Carlsten tells us later that the price can change up to three times a day. And, It's always cheaper in the evening.

We arrive in Hamburg a little early so call for coffee at McDonald's. An ambulance blocks one possible exit. An irate woman harangues us for going the wrong way despite the absence of any such signs.

We transfer to Carlsten's van. Gabi's Parkinson's has worsened since we first met on the ferry from Harwich. Carlsten has a list of sites he wants show us. Unfortunately, he wants to go through the old tunnel but can't find the entrance. We go through a series of u-turns and scary turns in front of container wagons. He takes us through the various shipyards and harbours. It is incredibly busy. Multi-level portacabin type buildings have been constructed for the 30,000 immigrants allocated to Hamburg. He finds the far end of the old tunnel and parks illegally on the pavement. Then, we leave by the wrong way down a one-way street before he takes on a large coach. Still, in a strange way it is fun.

He suggests a coffee so we expect to visit a coffee shop. Instead, we end up at their apartment and he plies us with ginger cake and coffee.

Unfortunately, I leave Rosie's rainjacket on the back seat of his van.

Our site for the night is at Jork. Call at LIDL just before the village. The store is full of single foreign men buying loaves of bread, cheese and lots of beer. They must be working on the fields nearby.

Euro 7 pays for parking and a toilet until 8pm. It being Germany, it closes right on time. It's a pretty village with coloured buildings and cobble-stoned streets.