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brodie.mcculloch
adventures of a rogue thinker.
I live and work in the most isolated city in the world. I am passionate about social innovation, entrepreneurship, marketing, travel, technology, government 2.0, sustainability, design, photography and have been known to have entrepreneurial tendencies.
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So after 6 nights not sleeping in a bed we caught the train to Belgrade and then onto Zagreb in Croatia.
We checked into a hotel for the night and all five of us slept. The next day everyone slept in but I needed to get my medical completed for the ship, this is harder than you might think as I was told there were only 3 or so doctors in Croatia who were licensed to do it. I was lucky to get some help from an emergency doctor who made some calls and found one of these doctors. The next day I had my medical done and off to Holland America Line.
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We then planned to continue traveling with our English friends to Split and spend some time there in an apartment. Here is another thing to remember, high speed trains everywhere don't take bikes. So we missed another train from Zagreb to Split; they got it and Ryan and I cycled to the bus station and managed to get transport that way. easy.
We then spent an awesome five days in Split overlooking the water and a walk to the beach. It was a really good time and I think what was needed after EXIT.
It was time to say good bye to our English friends and get the bus to Dubrovnik where we would spend sometime before I flew to the Baltic for training on the ms Eurodam.
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Four days of fun at EXIT
EXIT festival was big. It was held in a castle on the shore of the Danube and there were a lot of people there.
EXIT
It was far to hot to camp but thats what we had tickets for. We stayed with the English kids that we met on the train and then Dan and Jess from home were there so they stayed with us as well.
Camp site
EXIT was 4 nights; this is far to long for a festival but was really good fun. Below are some generic photos because mine did not come out to well.
In there somewhere
EXIT
It was far to hot to camp but thats what we had tickets for. We stayed with the English kids that we met on the train and then Dan and Jess from home were there so they stayed with us as well.
Camp site
EXIT was 4 nights; this is far to long for a festival but was really good fun. Below are some generic photos because mine did not come out to well.
In there somewhere
A painful train ride
We had many issues on the train from Bratislava to Hungary and then onto Novi Sad in Serbia.
We were refused entry to about 4 trains, then rode to the outskirts of Bratislava to buy a car....we were frustrated.
Bratislava has a rule that you need to have a local license to purchase a car so that was out. We then sprinted back to the train station and got the 11pm train (the first train we missed was at 8am). The 11pm train was coming from Germany and had a bike section so we were saved.
not looking good for the bikes
We got into Budapest, Hungary at some point (it is a but fuzzy) and then there were many backpackers all heading to Novi Sad, Serbia for the Exit Festival.....we were worried about the train and getting our bikes on. So when the train finally arrived we ran past the guards and threw our bikes on. Then we chained them to the train so they could not be thrown off.
still smiling somehow...
The bikes stayed on and we were lucky to meet some English people who let us in their booth thing.
locked to the train
Ryan got hauled off by the Serbian Army at the boarder crossing as they took one look at him and instantly came to the conclusion he was running drugs.....forgivable mistake. We finally made it to Novi Sad for a four day music festival in a castle on the Danube.
not looking good for the bikes
We got into Budapest, Hungary at some point (it is a but fuzzy) and then there were many backpackers all heading to Novi Sad, Serbia for the Exit Festival.....we were worried about the train and getting our bikes on. So when the train finally arrived we ran past the guards and threw our bikes on. Then we chained them to the train so they could not be thrown off.
still smiling somehow...
The bikes stayed on and we were lucky to meet some English people who let us in their booth thing.
locked to the train
Ryan got hauled off by the Serbian Army at the boarder crossing as they took one look at him and instantly came to the conclusion he was running drugs.....forgivable mistake. We finally made it to Novi Sad for a four day music festival in a castle on the Danube.
Onwards to Bratislava
I think Vienna may have been the city that I spent the most time in, I would have been there a total of about 7 days which was about 3 days longer than anywhere else. So I was ready to move on to the next place.
We headed off and managed to get out of the city more easily than we were expecting however this is where it got fun. The cycle way from Vienna to Bratislava was nothing like what we had been used to from Passau to Vienna along the Danube.
So we made a few wrong turns and ended up on an island in the middle of the Danube, then had to turn around, climb some steps to get onto a bridge and then continue to make our way up the river. There were also a few points where the cycle way disappeared, but appeared further down the road, it was not as well signed ether which made it more difficult. Either way we managed to make it to Bratislava which was quite different to Austria even though it was right on the boarder.
It was a bit longer ride than we thought it would be but this was ok as we left early in the morning and our hostel was in the center of town which was handy.
Vienna for a few days of quiet
I had a few days in Vienna on my own after flying back from Rotterdam. I managed to look around the city and see some sights, Vienna is a nice city but by this stage I was starting to get a bit cultured out.
one of the many old buildings in Vienna
I stayed in the Wombat hostel, guess what he primary nationality was there? Australians. But it was good fun, a defiantly think that hostels need a bar, it makes them far better.
random jazz festival
We had left our bikes at the Palace hostel that was quite far out of town on a hill, so after I had finished at the Wombat hostel I headed to the Palace hostel to make sure our bikes were still there. Lucky for us they were there and we will be able to continue our trip to Bratislava. Ryan returned the night before we were cycling to Bratislava he had spent a long time waiting for ferries and flights from Greece to get back to Vienna. Fun times.
one of the many old buildings in Vienna
I stayed in the Wombat hostel, guess what he primary nationality was there? Australians. But it was good fun, a defiantly think that hostels need a bar, it makes them far better.
random jazz festival
We had left our bikes at the Palace hostel that was quite far out of town on a hill, so after I had finished at the Wombat hostel I headed to the Palace hostel to make sure our bikes were still there. Lucky for us they were there and we will be able to continue our trip to Bratislava. Ryan returned the night before we were cycling to Bratislava he had spent a long time waiting for ferries and flights from Greece to get back to Vienna. Fun times.
Vienna to Rotterdam to see the ms Eurodam
So luck came by way when I got an email from Holland America Lines wanting to interview me for the position of Manager On-Board Marketing. So I had a phone interview which went well and they asked me to fly from Vienna to Rotterdam to visit their new ship the ms Eurodam.
While I flew to Rotterdam Ryan flew to Greece, Eos to party down for a week.
ms Eurodam
I flew to Amsterdam and got the train to Rotterdam. I staid where I was a month before when we were cycling through Rotterdam, it was just across the river from where the ms Eurodam was docked. That day I went and watched the opening ceremony (it was a long day) then the next day I went on board for a tour and interview with the existing On-Board Marketing Manager and the Seattle Office Manager. So I looked around the ship which is shiny and new talked about the position.
the ms Eurodam opening
Anyway all went well and a few days later I got an email saying I got the job and they wanted me to start immediately. This was a problem as my medical was not valid and I still had another month of traveling to do with Ryan. But once I have got all this stuff I will be boarding the ms Eurodam for 20 days training in the North Sea and then will be flying back to the Mediterranean to board the ms Noordam where I will be until I cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean. Not sure when I will be home. Maybe February.
ms Eurodam
I flew to Amsterdam and got the train to Rotterdam. I staid where I was a month before when we were cycling through Rotterdam, it was just across the river from where the ms Eurodam was docked. That day I went and watched the opening ceremony (it was a long day) then the next day I went on board for a tour and interview with the existing On-Board Marketing Manager and the Seattle Office Manager. So I looked around the ship which is shiny and new talked about the position.
the ms Eurodam opening
Anyway all went well and a few days later I got an email saying I got the job and they wanted me to start immediately. This was a problem as my medical was not valid and I still had another month of traveling to do with Ryan. But once I have got all this stuff I will be boarding the ms Eurodam for 20 days training in the North Sea and then will be flying back to the Mediterranean to board the ms Noordam where I will be until I cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean. Not sure when I will be home. Maybe February.
Vienna for the Euro 08 finals
So even though we were a day early to Vienna because it turned out we had no idea what the date was we did get a chance to sleep in a bed and be a bit fresher for the Euro 08 finals.
Big day out for the city
The city was going crazy, people were selling the Euro 08 tickets for 2500 euro each, a little pricey for us. There were big screens set up everywhere and the shops had cleared food out of the refrigerator space so they could fit more beer in.
into the game
We started the day finding internet as we had been out of contact for the last week. We needed to organise the next part of our trip into eastern Europe, although we have started to wing it a bit more.
the game
After the interneting and watching the city go crazy we went for a walk to where everyone was watching the finals, there were buses full of Germans and many Spanish people all over the place. The venue for watching the game was huge and I am not sure how many people would have been there. So Spain won and they had a concert until the early hours of the morning. Good night though.
Big day out for the city
The city was going crazy, people were selling the Euro 08 tickets for 2500 euro each, a little pricey for us. There were big screens set up everywhere and the shops had cleared food out of the refrigerator space so they could fit more beer in.
into the game
We started the day finding internet as we had been out of contact for the last week. We needed to organise the next part of our trip into eastern Europe, although we have started to wing it a bit more.
the game
After the interneting and watching the city go crazy we went for a walk to where everyone was watching the finals, there were buses full of Germans and many Spanish people all over the place. The venue for watching the game was huge and I am not sure how many people would have been there. So Spain won and they had a concert until the early hours of the morning. Good night though.
The Danube in four days
So we rode down the Danube to Vienna in 4 days, it was going to be five but we wanted to get to Vienna for the Euro 08 Finals between Germany and Spain.
The sights were all really good and we got to see some amazing stuff so here are some photos below. There was a hard day with flat tires (3 in total between us).
Ryan on a Hydrodam
flat tire day :( .........testing
Almost at the next stop
good riding weather
View from castle ruins
One of the many towns
Ryan on a Hydrodam
flat tire day :( .........testing
Almost at the next stop
good riding weather
View from castle ruins
One of the many towns
Munich to Passau by train and the Danube day one
The train from Munich to Passau was no problem, there were other cyclists on board who were doing the same thing so it was a good sign.
Riding out of Passau, Germany
When we got there we rode into the tourist information center and asked for a cycling map of the Danube, here is another tip, they give detailed books on how to ride down the Danube for free, they have everything in them from maps, to bike repair to food to camp grounds, all good stuff.
One of the many bike ferrys for crossing the Danube
So we set off, it was a hotter day but that is fine, I liked it better when it was hot than raining anyway. The plan was to make as much ground on the first day so that we can take our time for the other days. There was some really amazing terrain and castles around which was great to see.
The Danube
So we rode 80km through towns and villages along the Danube, there were many other riders however they were a fair bit older than we were.
Our tent on the first night
The first night or camping there was thunderstorms, the weather could change really quickly, I had read about June / July thunderstorms but I figured it would not be a problem. It was not a problem because we were sleeping when it all happened. It was a big day so we went to bed early so we could get a good start in the morning.
Riding out of Passau, Germany
When we got there we rode into the tourist information center and asked for a cycling map of the Danube, here is another tip, they give detailed books on how to ride down the Danube for free, they have everything in them from maps, to bike repair to food to camp grounds, all good stuff.
One of the many bike ferrys for crossing the Danube
So we set off, it was a hotter day but that is fine, I liked it better when it was hot than raining anyway. The plan was to make as much ground on the first day so that we can take our time for the other days. There was some really amazing terrain and castles around which was great to see.
The Danube
So we rode 80km through towns and villages along the Danube, there were many other riders however they were a fair bit older than we were.
Our tent on the first night
The first night or camping there was thunderstorms, the weather could change really quickly, I had read about June / July thunderstorms but I figured it would not be a problem. It was not a problem because we were sleeping when it all happened. It was a big day so we went to bed early so we could get a good start in the morning.
Day out in Munich…..organising for the Danube ride
On our one day we had in Munich we had what at the time seemed like a lot to do. When in fact it was only three things.
1) buy a tent
2) find a map of the Danube
3) organise trains to Passau (where we were starting the ride down the Danube through Austria and into Bratislava).
We rode from the tent into the city and looked around for a bit, the train was easy, the other two took some time. Lucky for us we went to the city information centre in the middle of town and they showed us where a bike shop was (for a map) and where we should be able to get a tent. Things were looking good.
The Danube
Well we found the tent place, it was sort of a mountain design outdoors type store and had prices to match. Ryan wanted a thomas the tank engine tent but unfortunately no one in Germany knew of Kmart or thomas the tank engine so that was out. We did end up buying a proper tent because we needed it for the ride down the Danube and EXIT festival in Serbia, so we figured it would be a good investment, also we bought cooking stuff because we wanted to cook the whole way to save some cash. We then rode onto the bike shop which was not as much help, they did have a thick book on cycling the Danube but it was in German, not so good. So after another look around we could not find anything and decided that we would just wing it when we get to Passau, as that is where a bulk of people ride from. That night we went back to the tent, interneted it up and had some of their hippy food.
The Danube
Well we found the tent place, it was sort of a mountain design outdoors type store and had prices to match. Ryan wanted a thomas the tank engine tent but unfortunately no one in Germany knew of Kmart or thomas the tank engine so that was out. We did end up buying a proper tent because we needed it for the ride down the Danube and EXIT festival in Serbia, so we figured it would be a good investment, also we bought cooking stuff because we wanted to cook the whole way to save some cash. We then rode onto the bike shop which was not as much help, they did have a thick book on cycling the Danube but it was in German, not so good. So after another look around we could not find anything and decided that we would just wing it when we get to Passau, as that is where a bulk of people ride from. That night we went back to the tent, interneted it up and had some of their hippy food.
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