Into the North (M&S explore Scandanavia)

Our big breakfast sustained us through the day as we visited the city of Malmø, just over the Øresund Bridge into Sweden. We emerged at the impressive Triangeln station and then walked through this attractive university city to the Modern Art Museum. Got a glimpse of the Turning Torso apartment building down at the waterfront and then returned to Copenhagen. Made initial use of our 24 hour train ticket to get to the Danish Design Museum, with its fabulous mid century furniture and objects, Bauhaus design and the history of Danish chair design.  Arriving at Triangeln station Malmo Bike and ride Bike parking at Triangeln opposite University The Turning Torso (Malmo) Museum of modern art Malmo Design Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen Plenty of space for bikes on Danish trains

Cycling seems to be the most common form of transport here so we hired a couple of bikes from our hotel and used them to explore the city for a day. This enabled us to get a few km out of town to Orestad to see things like the VM mountain appartments built in 2005 - an experiment designed to give everyone a nice outlook with fresh air and sun. They look like gardens from the front as you can see below. We also managed to follow the canals to the spectacular Opera House and UN building. Biking was such a great way to get round as the drivers were all very accommodating and there didn't seem to be that much traffic and cargo bikes with families and shopping were very common. We even managed to visit a lego store with life size constructions. VM Mountain apartments (front), Orestad VM Mountain apartments (side) Opera House Copenhagen UN City, Nordhavn Home of Lego recovering at La Glace

First Danish beer Fish for tea Thirsty after a long wait at the luggage carousel at Copenhagen Airport we had a well deserved beer at our hotel - it was 29 degrees! After unpacking and doing some washing we explored the Vesterbro area. We ate dinner at a traditional Danish restaurant, enjoying the company of a mother and daughter from Mulhouse - part of the Tour de France this year, so we had plenty to talk about. Then back to hotel where we slept for 9 hours - catching up!

At Melbourne Airport Fortunately our plane from Wellington to Melbourne did not leave until 5 pm as it took me most of the morning to extract pedals, lights, garmin fittings and seats for all the bikes we will be riding over the next couple of months, not to mention all the other clothes etc. Fortunately the Wellington Airport Flyer bus turned up and was on time - first hurdle overcome! Four hours later we were in Melbourne where airport security quizzed us thoroughly about the two small CO2 gas canisters (for quick tyre inflation) we were carrying. Wellington security had passed them with no problems - pity the same rules didn't apply at each end of the flight! Arriving in Dubai after the 14 hour leg from Melbourne it was 35 degrees at 5 am - rivalling European temperatures!

Now I am retired we have time for a longer vacation than usual so Stephanie and I are off on a 7 week break. This includes: Three weeks in Scandinavia including two weeks biking from Tromso down the NW coast of Norway taking in the Arctic tour of Norway; two weeks in the UK with one in the Lakes District with friends Ken and Ros and a week with my sister Phillippa in London; finally 10 days in Colorado, USA, gravel biking in the foothills of the Rockies round Salida with friends Fleck and Johanna.