Day 15 - New friends in Næstred

Ohhh it's a bit chilly in here this morning I thought as I wriggled around in my damp slepping bag. I had to force the frozen zip of the tent open, 'Bloody hell - there's frost everywhere Hana!' The whole tent was totally forzen. Oh god, here we go, I thought today was going to be better...

Frosty tent!

After another tyre change (yep!) and a bit of slow start (we couldn't quite pull ourselves out of the warm kitchen) we pootled on in search of a town called Næstred. The ride was fine, mostly on cycle paths next to the main road and once the sun was fully up in the sky it was a lovely clear day. Denmark is pretty!

I got another puncture (is there something SERIOUSLY wring with my tyres?) really close to the town so we kept stopping to fill the tyre and eventually the valve fell off. Ugh. I cycled in to town on a flatty and we looked around pretty aimlessly for either a campsite or a hostel (the map said the town had both) but no luck.

Hana stopped a passing cyclist who was so lovely and quickly got on his phone to ring round and see if anyone knew of a campsite. In the meantime, another woman apporached us and seemed almost unable to beleive what she was reading on the back of our ever-chic hi-vis jackets. 'You're riding for MS? I have MS!' Her name was Gitte and after a quick chat about what we were doing she insisted we stayed at her appartment........YES! Thank you thank you thank you!

Us with the lovely Gitte!

Gitte and her beautiful collie Martel showed us to her amazing flat (she had studied hotel management and this was clear from her immaculate place!). We spent the evening chatting and eating pizza - bliss. Gitte told us about a MS centre in  nearby town called Haslev and suggested we visit tomorrow on our way to our next stop at Viby as it was on the way. The centre is run by the Danish equivalent to the MS Society, and offers all kinds of services to people with MS and their families. So, we looked at the map and realised it would definately be possible to swing by...

Finally, after a few days of annoying setbacks we felt our luck was beginning to change. Gitte (and Martel!) was so kind and the opportunity to meet her and find out about her experience of MS and the Danish approach was really facinating - I think the UK has a lot to learn.

Both looking slighty mad outside 'The Castle' - I think the sun was in our eyes...

About 50 miles today (Hana's mileometer has intermittently given up the ghost so it's appromimations from here on in!)