Growing up?

Just about to ride out Vienna,as always reluctant to leave the comfort of City life: cosy beds, Lifts and fridges to be replaced by Camping mattrasses, uphills and track Food. Staying at my friend Heinrich's wonderful place, with ist magnificent views over the City and enjoying his warm welcome is really not making it any easier to get back on the bike. What is helping, however, is that for the first time in my bicycle travels, I have now decided to take the slower Option, covering the remaining 336 km to Budapest in 4 days instead of the 3 that was the initial plan. The reasons for this revolutionary decision are related to both my knee Problems (that fortunately seem to have lessened during this break from cycling), but also a certain Revelation that really, I am not as fit as I once was, nor do I really gain anything by pushing myself to the furthest Limit every time I get on that bike. So, Instead, I will take it easy, even booked a hostel for tonight in Bratislava that is the first Destination. It is quite interesting how one only accepts certain Things about oneself when one absolutely has to. For me, never really having had to deal with physical pain apart from the occasional migrane, this issue with the knees has been the turning Point. Although it is most probably caused by not training a lot (well, let's be honest, not Training *at all*)before the trip, it is also a healthy reminder that the kindness I so willingly extent towards others should also be my attitude towards myself. Contrary to what some People have told me, I am actually not a very competitive Person. I don't strive to outdo others, and I have absolutely no interest for being the fastest, the best, the strongest. However, all my life I have been expecting myself to perform at my best possible Level at all times and occasions, and even a momentarily lapse of Focus and the resulting weak Performance have left me Feeling totally worthless. Coming to recognise this and deciding that I really don't want to live this way anymore is probably one of my biggest discoveries this year. So, I will be heading out of the door for the final Stretch of this route with a new attitude: trying to be a Little Kinder and more compassionate towards myself. Like a much-circulated Quote of the Buddha says: "Be Kind. Always."

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