Würzburg is a bit of a strange town for us. We first stayed overnight after our first season of #JetLagTheGame. We stayed literally opposite the station, and it was a bit pricey and a bit meh.

The second time we stayed overnight during the #ICEAgeChallenge. We discovered that there were actual trams in the town. We also stayed about a 5 minute walk from the station, in another hotel that was… also a bit pricey and a bit meh.

This third time, we came because I wanted to do some sightseeing, as I’d discovered there was a UNESCO World Heritage site there - the Würzburg Residence. This time our hotel was a 13 minute walk from the station, and followed the general theme of priceyness and mehness that seems endemic to this town.

@darkphoenix doesn't want to return again.

However, I note that the town has at least a castle and a cathedral that I have yet to visit…

There is a lot of lore and superstition on the choice of numbers. For some people, they have to end or contain a certain number, or they play the same number each year. Tickets start to go on sale in July, and people have the tradition of buying a ticket in whatever location they travel to during the holidays, as the numbers are not equally distributed in the country.

This year, I picked 01020 in honour of the train number of the  ICE 1 I took at the start of the #ICEAgeChallenge, and 01055 in honour of ICE L - the last train. Today’s maximum prize went to 79432, so I haven’t won my money back on either of them, but there are a lot of minor prizes I won’t know about til later, and I’ll check against the official list, or rather, the app I bought them on will tell me.

And tonight, I am flop. I have a lot more yet to write as an epilogue. But, for now, all I have to say is: #ICEAgeChallenge Completed

However, tomorrow I head off again, in search of more context. Whilst the challenge itself is over, I still have plenty to say on the ICE itself. Some anecdotes, some history, and some philosophy of the service. I also want to complete my write up on the ICE L.

There’s still plenty to go - slightly over half of the journey is over, but I still have another 12 stops and 4,500km to cover.

See you tomorrow, Fedi! Goodnight!

On the rails again… #ICEL #ICEAgeChallenge #Interrail

We are now on the first ever commercial service of the ICE L from Köln to Berlin.

I am joined by @darkphoenix, and Wendy the DBJUNGLESKOG is sitting in for @MagicLike who’s operating the camera here.

First impressions are great…

(CW: eye contact)