Tag Archives: Bike

15 September 2015 – to Istanbul

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Istanbul. A city I’ve been thinking about visiting for years, and now I’m here. I’m finding it slightly surreal after 4.5 months on the road, and nearly 7,800 miles pedalled. Reaching Istanbul completes my second major objective of the tour, and is a great sense of achievement after being pretty nervous about the route; just goes to show that getting out of your comfort zone, and overcoming your fears, is a good thing, leading to some great experiences.

Here the link to my final leg:

I’m now on holiday for a few days before starting my journey back to the UK; a distance of about 2,100 miles to pedal, all the way back to Norwich. I’m intending to ride alongside the Danube for some of it – here’s my expected route:

Intended route from Istanbul to Norwich

Intended route from Istanbul to Norwich

If you fancy flying or catching a train out to join me pedalling for a few days, drop me an email. It should be a fun ride back through Europe, especially the bit alongside the Danube, pedalling literally through castles, and through more countries I haven’t been to before.

I haven’t done a stats update for a while, so here’s one:

  • Distance pedalled: 7,790 miles or 12,464km
  • Number of days: 135
  • Average distance per day (including rest days): approx 92km or 58 miles
  • Number of rest days: maybe 11, need to check, I lost track a bit when staying with friends in France. If I exclude rest days I’ve pedalled about 100km a day.
  • Number of punctures: 7
  • Number of new tyres: 2 – Schwalbe Marathon Plus finally wore out near Toulon. Got some Malamut tyres to replace them which seem to be working okay, but think they’ll wear out a lot quicker.
  • Number of new spokes: 6 (all at once due to chain slippage spoke mangling incident in Sweden)
  • Number of new chains and rear cassettes: 1 of each. Might need to replace again in Germany
  • Number of new saddles: 1 – the Brooks saddle has been a wonderful replacement
  • Min temperature: 0 degrees Celsius, although might’ve dipped below that some nights in Norway
  • Max temperatures: About 42 degrees Celsius in Spain
  • Windiest conditions: Denmark – about 5 hellish days of headwind
  • Favourite stop: With friends in France (Ardeche, Provence, Marseille), followed closely by Tarifa. Istanbul may yet rival.
  • Next target: Danube river then back to the UK in time for the Norwich beer festival
  • Most useful gadget: SP Dynamo Hub, for recharging my phone and Garmin
  • Friendliest country: Not had an unfriendly one, however Albania is winning at the moment; can’t count France as was with good friends there anyway!

–> 15 September – to Istanbul (140km)
I’ve heard the expression ‘the city that never sleeps’ applied to lots of places, however I think it truly fits Istanbul. I have rarely been to anywhere quite so vibrant; a bustling metropolis with so much to experience. I wasn’t sure if I make it all the way today, after a few long days in the saddle, and 90 miles left to pedal before reaching objective 2 of my tour, however once I got going I knew I wouldn’t stop before I’d made it; barring mechanical failure.

After a very good night’s sleep, and consuming a buffet breakfast included in the price, I felt ready for the ride ahead, and the good news was my legs didn’t feel to achy after the previous few day’s efforts.

My conscientious application of suncream of course summoned the clouds, however little could dampen my spirits as I approached Istanbul. I rejoined the D110 after leaving crazy Tekirdag behind, and started the long ride East. The road got steadily busier as I got closer to my destination, and I had to tackle a series of big ascents, climbing a total of 1285m during the course of the day.

The D110 turned into the D100, passing Silivri, and several other large towns on the way, all merging into a constant metropolis along the coast to Istanbul. The traffic got crazier and crazier, meaning I was on high alert, with a two lane road turning into 3 lanes, and roads merging or diverging at regular intervals; I used the service road running next to the main road quite a lot, however it was just as busy. Before it got really busy I paused at a garage for an ice cream break, preparing myself for the last 50km to Istanbul; the ‘suburbs’ really do go on for a long way!

After a final long climb, passing a high tower that’d been on the horizon for ages, things got really exciting. It’s not that it’s particularly dangerous, as although the driving is madness everyone seems very alert and conscious of what’s going on around them. There was a lot of beeping, and I had to move quickly on a number of occasions to cross slip roads, or move around traffic. City riding, although mentally tiring, can be good fun as long as you’re careful and cycle ‘defensively’; which basically means be a bit aggressive and make sure people know you’re there.

Istanbul is awash with buses and yellow taxis, and I started to encounter more and more of these as I made it past the airport and into the city proper, letting out an involuntary ‘yabbadabbado’ as I got closer to finishing objective 2.

I crossed over a final bridge (Unkapani I think), which moved about a lot, then rode up a last hill to Taksim Square, where I paused to locate a hostel on my phone. There was a promising looking one about 500m away, right in the centre, so I made my way there. My luck held out as they had space, so I booked in for 3 nights; may change that to 4 depending on how I feel.

Often when entering a city I get a feeling within the first hour as to whether I’m going to like it. With Istanbul the feeling was pretty immediate, especially after a warm greeting from Esme at the hostel; the city has a buzz to it, and I immediately felt at home, and excited about having a proper explore. It was nice to check in knowing I had a few day’s rest coming up, with no need to worry about where I’ll be sleeping, or whether there’s going to be a pack of wild dogs around the next corner!

After a shower I went out for a wander around the Beyoglu district, which is the main shopping area, and separated from the old city by the bridge I’d crossed earlier. I’ll probably visit the old city the day after tomorrow, as tomorrow is going to be dedicated to rest and relaxation. The streets were packed with people; a diverse range of nationalities and appearances. I enjoyed listening to the street musicians who appear regular intervals, and generally taking in the sights and sounds. I wasn’t particularly surprised to find an Irish Bar, and thought it providence that I stop there for a cold beer to celebrate my arrival.

Despite the buzz of the city I was feeling pretty tired after 4 serious cycling days, so I retreated to the hostel for the rest of the evening, and enjoyed chilling out with the staff and a few of the other guests; Australian, Turkish, US, Israeli, German – you always meet other interesting travellers.

As always any sponsorship in the form of donations to the Big C, Norfolk’s Cancer Charity, are greatly appreciated and keep me motivated – here’s a link to my charity page: www.virginmoneygiving.com/james

Thank you to all recent donors; you’re all fabulous!

12, 13 & 14 September – 300 miles in 3 days, to Turkey

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Three big days – routes and stats below:

–> 12 September – to Nea Iraklitsa (Kavala – 152 km)
I was sad to leave Jorn, Clara and Tom, however it was time to set out solo again, on my way to Istanbul before turning North towards home. Team Thessaloniki were up to see me off, before they went in search of boxes to pack their bikes into for flying home; not something I’ll need to worry about, touch wood, as I’ll be pedalling home. I bid them au revoir and cycled off, with a big climb ahead of me to get out of the city and on the road towards Turkey.

My emotions were a bit mixed on setting out solo cycling again. I was sad to be leaving good company, but also excited to be setting out on the road to Istanbul, to complete the second major objective of my tour. I planned a few big legs to get there with enough time for a few days off, before turning my wheels back towards the UK; it’s going to be weird heading for home.

The climb up over the hills from Thessaloniki was taxing on several fronts. The ascent I could handle, however I wasn’t quite prepared for the number of stray/wild dogs. The small road wound up through pretty forest, however I didn’t really have time to enjoy it or take photos, and would recommend other cyclists take the main road instead. The dogs are a complete menace, with packs of them lounging by the roadside. A few just looked at me, however more often than not they’d get excited, start barking and chase after the bike. My nerves were jangling as I pedalled up the steep gradient, alert for ‘mans best friend’ making an appearance. Unfortunately I couldn’t pedal fast due to the hill, and was pretty terrified when at one point I was surrounded by 7 or 8 snarling hounds. The advice is to get off your bike and walk, as then they’ll lose interest, however I wasn’t sure that was the best option for a pack of wild dogs. I snarled and shouted back, and carried on, mindful of any of them sneaking up behind me as they are want to do; they start off at the side or in front, then circle around to come at you from behind, much like velociraptors I reckon. They didn’t bite me, and I’m not sure they would have done had I stopped, but I didn’t want to risk it. Dogs continued to be a menace throughout the day however that was the worst ambush I encountered; Greece really needs to do something about their stray dog problem.

Lots of people waved and shouted greetings or good luck as I pedalled East, passing two big lakes as I followed the main road, then along the coast in the afternoon. I stopped for a lunch break at Lidl; always reliable and cheap wherever you are in Europe.

It was nice riding next to the sea, and mostly flat, however I still managed to climb over 940m in total today; the headwind was a bit of a pain too however I haven’t had to endure one for a while. I bumped into a French touring couple and their young son near a large lion statue, and stopped for a chat in the shade.  They are touring Europe for a year, and are from Marseille; they live next to Luminy, where I lived for a year, and where I was a few weeks ago – small world! It was good to speak French again, and to meet more tourers and hear about their experiences and plans; we compared route notes before I carried on. It’s pretty amazing to be touring for a year, especially with a young son (maybe 5 to 6). I hope they get on alright in Scandinavia where it’s likely to get a little chilly!

With a while to go before I reached a campsite, but with the option to just sleep on the beach, I pedalled on. As I was on my own I really wanted to make a campsite, as I was still nervous about dogs causing a problem. After a long day I made it to Paradiso camping in Nea Iraklistsa, or Eleftheres, not far from Kavala; for €10 a night and peace of mind it had been worth the long ride.

There were lots of Bulgarians staying at the campsite and making merry (they drink…a lot); I guess they travel down to the coast for their holidays. I settled in the for evening, eating dinner from supplies I bought at Lidl, and amusing myself with the kitten roaming the campsite.

Long day planned again tomorrow, to Alexandroupoli, which should be my last stop in Greece.

–> 13 September – to Alexandroupoli (185km)
Today turned out to be the longest ride of the tour to date, covering 185km in about 9.5 hours; a good time for me, especially as I still climbed nearly 1,000m in total. As a result I was pretty tired when I stopped for the evening, so I’ll keep this brief.

So today turned out to be mostly a cycling day, with the usual dog avoidance tactics. I set off in good time from Paradiso camping, and pedalled to Kavala, a large port town with boats going out to the islands, including Samothrace.  Samothrace would be an interesting place to visit another time; it’s the site of the Sanctuary of the Great Gods, the ancient city of Palaeopoli, and was home to several mysterious cults, each with their own rituals an practices in ancient times. Kavala itself is a bustling town, with lots of fishing by the looks of it, and several interesting features including a hilltop fortress and viaduct.

The road led me inland to Xanthi, then back down to the coast on my way to Komotini. These were pretty long stretches of riding, passing numerous signs for archaeological attractions, thermal baths, and through a nature reserve. I soon passed the 100km mark, with another 85km still to go if I wanted to reach Alexandroupoli.

The dogs today were in no way as bad as yesterday, however I still had to be on the look out and got barked at or chased a few times. During one pause I encountered a friendly hound who just wanted to say hello, with a whole body tail wag thing going on; a nice change!

To finish the day and get to Alexandroupoli I had to get over the hill from Sapes, and down to the coast, a long climb alongside the Via Egnatia. This old Roman road was constructed in the 2nd century BC, to link various colonies all the way from Albania to Constantinople; I think I’ve been following its rough route for some time now, as it passes by Lake Ohrid, then through  Macedonia, Greece and on into Turkey. Needless to say I passed yet more signs for more holes in the ground interesting ancient archaeological sites. I also passed a lot of farmers harvesting sunflowers on my way through the countryside, with mounds of seeds being shovelled into sacks.

Sorry about the finger intruding on those photos; the hazard of taking a photo whilst pedalling!

You could spend a lot of time exploring this corner of Greece (Macedonia and Thrace), however I haven’t got a few weeks to spare right now, but might come back at some point; I find the historical period around Alexander the Great pretty fascinating.

I eventually made it to Alexandroupoli, and found the Municipal Campsite close to the city centre, and next to the beach; a comfortable and non-crowded site, with its own restaurant and decent bathrooms. There were a couple of German motorcycle tourers I chatted to for a bit, however mostly I just wanted to rest after a long day, and do some last-minute preparation for Turkey; already had the Visa but wanted to learn a few basic phrases and check the route to Istanbul. After a basic meal and trying to learn the Turkish for ‘hello’, ‘please’, ‘thank you’ etc, I nodded off in my tent, not waking up until about 03.00 in the morning, having failed to brush my teeth.

Beach at Municipal Camping, Alexandroupoli

Beach at Municipal Camping, Alexandroupoli

–> 14 September – to Tekirdag (Turkey – 155km)
Today’s ride means I’ve covered 300 miles in 3 days, which is another record for me. I’m still feeling fit, however am looking forward to a break in Istanbul now; only 2 or 3 days away! I had wanted to challenge myself and see just how far I could get, however I don’t think I’ll continue doing 100 mile days on the way back to the UK, as it turns into an exercise in just pedalling, with little time for much else. If I aim for 70 or 80 miles a day that’ll see back to Norwich in plenty of time for the Beer Festival, provided I don’t get distracted along the way, for example by the Munich October Fest 😉

I’d also been motivated by wanting to get to Istanbul and out of ‘bad dog’ territory, however I have the feeling it’ll be similar in Turkey, and perhaps with even less in the way of campsites; not too worried about that as they’ll be cheap hotels along the route, and wild camping is always an option. Whatever happens it’ll feel good to be pedalling towards home, rather than further away from it; looking forward to boring friends and family with my tales from the road.

I pedalled out of Alexandroupoli, and on to the border with Turkey, passing quite a few Greek military vehicles along the way, and dealing with several hills and a headwind which woke my legs up. I had to take the motorway on the last stretch to the  border, as there wasn’t another option, however there were hardly any cars on it, and a wide harder shoulder and no dogs meant it felt like the safest bit of road for a while. It took a little while to get over the border, due to a slight queue, however once they’d stamped my passport and checked the photo of my Visa on my phone they waved me through, past all the waiting cars and lorries. I’d half expected to see queues of migrants/refugees a the border, trying to get into Greece, however none were evident; the border guards were checking car boots pretty carefully though.

It’s quite a long border crossing from Greece to Turkey, over a river, and passing armed soldiers at regular intervals on both sides; they all waved or said hello, but don’t think they get on with each other very well still. There were lots of flags flying on both sides, however I think the Turks win on the who has the largest flag front!

There followed a very long ride, down a pretty boring and at times bumpy main road, to Tekirdag. I passed Ipsala, Kesan, Malkara and Inecik, as well as several smaller towns, as I cycled down the D110, which proved to be quite busy, with traffic ranging from dilapidated but still functioning tractors, to modern and expensive looking cars, as well as a lot of lorries.

The road also passes over one hill after another, meaning I climbed a total of 1360m today, resulting in very tired legs by the end; first time my legs have really ached in a while. There are a lot of garages along the way, providing ample opportunities for drinks or toilet breaks, and the people are all really friendly; only got barked at by a few dogs too. I benefitted from a mostly cloudy day, so didn’t get too hot, despite the hills, however the headwind made things tough going at times; inconsistent too, which is just irritating.

There’s a campsite about 14km on from Tekirdag, however my legs were just too tired to pedal any further, and besides, it was getting late with the sunset just an hour away. I stopped in Tekirdag and found a hotel right on the seafront for the equivalent of £20 a night, including breakfast; this felt like a bargain, with an en suite bathroom, and what to me is a luxury room (air con etc). I’d recommend the Hotel Rodosto to anyone passing through; friendly, cheap, and convenient.

I was quite excited about my ensuite bathroom; also washed cycling gear, much needed!

I was quite excited about my en suite bathroom; also washed cycling gear, much-needed!

After settling in I headed into town to withdraw some Turkish Lira, and visit a supermarket for dinner. I was really hungry after another long day, and my legs were in serious need of refueling, so I returned to the hotel with a lot of food, spending the evening eating, phoning home, and checking the route for tomorrow.

Depending on how my legs feel in the morning the plan is to cycle all the way to Istanbul tomorrow, which’ll get me there a day sooner than expected, with more time for a mini holiday before heading for home. Bonus!

10 & 11 September 2015 – rest day and Thessaloniki

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I decided to pause in Edessa for a day’s rest, seeing as the weather forecast was rain and storms all day, and I was in good company. Route and stats for the following day below:

–> 10 September – rest day in Edessa
As already mentioned the weather forecast was pretty foul, so we decided discretion was the better part of valour and had a rest day in Edessa. A day off would also give Jorn a chance to get over his stomach bug, which had been hanging around for too long and was making cycling very uncomfortable for him.

Alen decided to brave the weather and carry on to Thessaloniki, before making his way to Istanbul. I doubt I’ll catch him up, as he does some pretty big distances each day, however we might meet again in Istanbul, or in Vienna when I pass through; where Alen lives.

Tom and I grabbed breakfast from a bakery, where we found some fantastic pastry based sustenance including sausage rolls, cheesy thingamys, spinach triangle pasty type products, and doughnuts. We weren’t sure what we were buying but they were all very nice, especially the doughnuts. The police also pulled up whilst we were eating, to buy breakfast; you can always tell a food establishment is good if the police or fire service stop to buy food there!

We met up with the others back at the hotel, and spent a few hours chilling whilst Jorn went in search of pharmaceutical cures for his stomach bug. He returned with various remedies, and an invite for coffee from people he’d met at the pharmacy. We joined Achilleas and several of his friends in a local cafe for coffee (they did decaf) and a chat; they were all exceptionally welcoming and friendly, and as always locals bring a place to life. We decided to grab lunch at a local restaurant, recommended by Achilleas; good to have some traditional Greek food rather than jut another kebab (Gyros).

Lunch with some new friends in Edessa - locals very welcoming

Lunch with some new friends in Edessa – locals very welcoming

After lunch Achilleas, who lives in Bristol at the moment but is back here for the holidays, took us on a tour of Edessa, to see the old town and waterfalls. The old town (Varosi) was destroyed by the Nazis during the war, as it was a centre for the Resistance. It was good to have a local show you around, thanks Achilleas!

The waterfalls give Edessa its nickname, the City of Waters, and are pretty impressive, once powering a big waterwheel, as well as other machinery; there are various channels leading to buildings, but most are now defunct.

After a bit more wandering, passing quite a few establishments closed due to the recession, we retreated to the hotel for a nap, keen to get out of the wet for a bit. We also arranged with Achilleas to meet up in the evening for a few drinks; it was an R&R day after all.

After a bit of blog updating, and feeling justified about taking a day off when the rain got really heavy, we headed out to meet with Achilleas and his friends at about 21.00. As with a lot of southern Europe things get going later, and it’s not uncommon to eat about 22.00. The small bar, recommended by Achilleas, is a great little venue, although unfortunately I’ve forgotten its name! We spent a very pleasant evening chatting with him and his friends, over a few beers, or in their case a few Mojitos; great bunch of people and really nice of them to give us such a warm welcome, and spend the evening with us.

It was great to have had a rest day in good company, with no cycling whatsoever, however tomorrow it’s back on the bike to pedal to Thessaloniki; the last leg of the tour for Tom, Jorn and Clara, and a step closer to Istanbul for me!

–> 11 September – to Thessaloniki
We were on the road in good time, leaving Edessa on a slightly chilly and damp morning, however the weather was set to improve as we approached Thessaloniki.

After a brief climb we flew down a long hill, and enjoyed relatively flat riding, covering something like 70km in 3 hours; very fast for me – I think a slight tailwind might have provided some assistance. The road was a little tedious, and the traffic got steadily busier as we approached Thessaloniki.

After a brief pause for Jorn to fix a puncture, hopefully the last one of their tour, we found a spot for lunch next to a garage, on a well-tended grassy patch next to the main road; it was noisy but comfy.

Lunch break on a nice grassy patch, next the busy road

Lunch break on a nice grassy patch, next the busy road

Aside from Tom’s panniers falling off due to a somewhat bumpy road, and the occasional dog deciding to bark/chase us, it was ‘smooth’ riding the rest of the way, although the traffic got quite exciting at the outskirts of the city, and as we made out way to the centre. We had to dodge around a lot of cars ad buses before making it to the sea, where we stopped to celebrate the end of Jorn, Clara and Tom’s tour, a great achievement!

Clara had found somewhere for us to stay on the Airbnb app, an apartment not far from the centre which we managed to find after stopping for an ice-cream. The Airbnd app is quite handy, giving you access to accommodation in loads of places, from single rooms to whole houses depending on your requirements. In this case the woman renting out the apartment for a few days was vacating it whilst we stayed there; me for just one night, the others for a bit longer before flying home. We had to lock our bikes up in the street, which worried me slightly, however anyone trying to steal them would have had to deal with several locks first.

After a rest, another ice-cream and some rehydration, we headed into the city for dinner, taking a stroll along the waterfront to find a restaurant for a celebratory meal. There were lots of people out either walking or cycling next to the sea, as well as several buskers, a few living statues, and stalls selling corn on the cob, nuts or candy floss.

Thessaloniki is a vibrant city, with loads of bars and restaurants, and a good atmosphere, however I wasn’t too keen on the dead rats floating just off the promenade; don’t think I’ll be going for a swim. There wasn’t much sign of a Greek recession, with lots of people out enjoying the nightlife. We found a nice little restaurant and enjoyed a last meal together before I left in the morning; the meatballs were very good.

It was lovely to have a last night out with my cycling companions for the last few days, and I know that I’ll miss them as I pedal onwards, however I’m really looking forward to getting to Istanbul now, and to seeing what the return journey to the UK alongside the Danube has in store.

Could be a big day tomorrow, with a steep climb to get out of Thessaloniki, then perhaps 150km to near Kavala; back to solo cycling again.

Many thanks to Clara, Tom and Jorn for a great few days riding, and some much-needed company before my next leg. Hope to see you all again in the future, for perhaps more adventures! Good luck with everything 🙂

08 & 09 September 2015 – to Greece; Florina and Edessa

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Routes and stats for the 8th and 9th September below. I’m still finding it a little hard to believe it’s September already!

After ascending nearly 1,500m again on 07 September, I was hoping for something a little flatter over the next couple of days, however I needed to get into Greece first, and knew there’d be a big climb involved there; highest point on my tour around Europe I think.

–> 08 September – to Greece and Florina
It was vaguely chilly first thing in the morning, and raining slightly; a bit of a change from the last few weeks, but nice to have a break from the heat. After a good wild camp I planned to cycle with Jorn, Clara and Tom again, over the border to Greece and on to the town of Florina, a distance of 85km, but with the highest point of the tour to tackle on the way at just over 1,500m.

After a yoghurt and long life croissant filled with jam for breakfast, we packed up an were on the road by 08.30, post pushing our bikes out of the field and past a horse and cart making their way down the track to collect hay. There were already a lot of people out in the fields, mostly working by hand, collecting fruit, sweetcorn, or cutting hay. Before pedalling off we paused to watch the sun come over the mountain.

We continued on yesterday’s pleasant road through the countryside, to Pojan, then Zvezde, before joining the main road again (SH3) to Billshit and the border with Greece. We met a German cycle touring couple on the way, also on their way to Istanbul; I guess I might cross paths with them a few times. I get the feeling I’ll run into a few more cycle tourers on my way through Greece and Turkey.

Despite Albania losing 1-0 to Portugal in the football; a very close result with Portugal scoring in the 93rd minute, the people of Albania were once again friendly, smiling and waving as we pedalled along, or coming over to chat when we paused for a break; one gentleman offered us the use of his toilet and water if we needed it. Upon reaching the border I was a little sad to be leaving this perhaps misunderstood country behind, and would have no qualms about coming back for a return visit; good luck Albania, thanks for having me, and maybe see you again soon.

To get into Greece we first had to cross the border. The queue of cars and buses was significant, however one of the guards beckoned us to the front and we were through in about 15 minutes, after a cursory check of our passports and some final smiles. One driver did get a little irritated with us being beckoned to the front, and nudged Jorn with his car, however we were only following instructions!

Shortly after the border we paused for a cold drink and snacks to build up our energy for the long climb ahead, over the pass and down to Florina.

We were already pretty high after yesterday’s efforts, so thankfully didn’t have to climb the full 1,500m to the top of the pass, however it still took a significant amount of effort to get up the mountain. I cycled with Tom for a bit, chatting about this and that; nice to pedal with someone else and it takes your mind off the effort you legs are putting in.

We paused for lunch in a nice meadow half way up, where Tom found a large Pelvic bone; we’re not sure what animal it comes from, maybe a bear! We thought about taking it with us but it was a little bulky, and I’m not sure customs would have approved.

It’s a bit odd to think of Greece as having ski resorts, however on the way up we passed a few ski runs and lifts, and Clara and I paused at the ski resort at the top for a cold drink; Jorn had already completed the ascent and was on his way down to Florina, and Tom was delayed by a puncture.

The view from the top down to Florina was pretty amazing, however it must be spectacular in winter when it snows. It was a lot colder up at the top compared with further down, and I’d go so far as to say chilly as we zoomed down the hill to Florina, a descent of about 800m, and lots of fun.

After a 10km descent we all eventually rendezvoused in the town centre, then found a cheap hotel to spend the night; €15 a head a good deal, and great to have a shower and a real bed for the night. After a thorough wash we headed into town for dinner, finding a great family run taverna for a meal. Again it was great to have good company and conversation, talking about past adventures and ideas for the future, from kayacking the Danube to cycling in South America and Asia.

Dinner out in Florina with Tom, Clara and Jorn

Dinner out in Florina with Tom, Clara and Jorn

After some free ice-cream at the restaurant, we wandered back to the hotel, stopping for an additional ice-cream because it’s important to ensure you maintain energy levels, and to check ice-cream quality in each country you travel through.

The plan for tomorrow is to head towards Edessa, possibly via a wolf/bear sanctuary. Not long until Thessaloniki now, then on to Istanbul; I might need to find some new tyres again in Istanbul as I think these ones are going to wear out pretty quickly, but they’ll do for the time being.

–> 09 September – to Edessa
I slept very well in my hotel bed, although I still woke up early as if in my tent. We walked to the bakery for breakfast, then stopped at the town market to buy supplies for the day; great market with lots of fresh fruit.

Breakfast bakery in Florina

Breakfast bakery in Florina

A chicken sandwich and cheese croissant set me up for the day, and we pedalled off about 09.30 on the road to Edessa; a bit of a cloudy day however it was quite nice to have cooler weather for a change.

We made good progress despite the drizzle setting in, turning off towards Nymfaio after a couple of hours to head to the wolf and bear sanctuary. We found the wolf sanctuary in Agrapidies, however the wolves were asleep, it being day time, and a driver told us the bears had a day off on Wednesday so it wasn’t worth cycling up the hill to Nymfaio. It was a nice spot for a picnic anyway, and we were all in high spirits with many a laugh being had.

After lunch we pedalled back to the main road to Edessa, which proved quite tough going with several long climbs, a headwind, and drizzle; it actually felt vaguely cold for a while. Jorn was unfortunately still feeling a bit under the weather, so we paused for several breaks as we rode along; nothing worse than pedalling with an upset stomach – I speak from experience! At one particularly ramshackle garage we met a very friendly puppy and his mother.

Along the way we bumped into another cycle tourer; Alen from Austria, who is also going to Istanbul. Alen had to abandon a ride to Istanbul a couple of years ago, after being hit by a car, so it’s great to see him back on his bike and trying again. Apart from Alen and a few cars, the road was mainly full of lorries transporting peaches, which smelt very appetising as they passed, or in one case as I passed a particularly slow lorry on the way down a hill.

We finally made it to Edessa at about 18.00, and found a cheap hotel right in the centre for €15 a night, bargain. On the way into town I made a new friend; a stray dog followed me down the hill, running alongside my bike, and then decided to sit beside me as we paused for breath. Unfortunately he wasn’t allowed in the hotel (Hotel Elena), which was probably for the best as I’m not sure it’d be practical him travelling with me; lovely chap though.

We went to a local kebab shop for dinner, then had a couple of beers in the Irish bar to relax. Yes, Edessa has an Irish bar, another town where I wouldn’t expect to see one, yet there it is. Alen also decided to stay the night with us, and it was great to have more company, however we’re going to have a day off tomorrow as heavy rain is forecast, whilst he intends to continue; maybe I’ll catch him up on the way to Istanbul, we’ll see. Alen lives in Vienna in any case, so I might bump into him again as I follow the Danube up into Europe; passes through Vienna.

After a good day cycling, with some different conditions for a change, we were all ready for bed fairly early on. Looking forward to a rest day tomorrow!

06 & 07 September 2015 – Albania; Elbasan and Lake Ohrid

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I didn’t know what to expect from Albania, however it has proven an unexpected delight, with very friendly and welcoming people, and some great scenery, especially latterly.

Routes and stats for the 06 and 07 below:

–> 06 September – to Elbasan
It was a bit stormy overnight, with the odd rain shower, however I slept pretty well until 05.30. Then the dawn ‘chorus’ began, with donkey’s braying, dogs barking, and cocks crowing; the full works, no sleeping after that.

Seeing as I was awake I got up early and was on the road by 08.00 after bidding goodbye to the Dutch campers, and settling up with the campsite. It looked like it had been a good wedding party last night, despite the power cuts, with a solitary member of staff trying to make a start on cleaning up.

I rode South East from Barbullush, following the road I thought would take me back to the main route and Lezhe. It didn’t. The road got a bit bumpy, then stopped, with one branch ending in a river, and the other in a fence and earthen bank; I may have missed a turning, or more likely my map and Garmin weren’t in sync with Albania. My choices were to retreat, ford the river, or push my bike over the earthen bank on to the road which appeared to continue; I chose the latter.

This proved to be an ‘interesting’ decision, as the road didn’t strictly speaking continue, but rather enter the back of a military base. I thought it all appeared a bit army-like, however everything looked unused and decaying, so I thought it was probably a relic of the communist era, and there weren’t any warning signs. I pedalled on, before noticing a casually dressed bloke drinking water for a hose pipe next to one of the barrack shaped buildings. I stopped and asked if this was the right way to Lezhe, and he pointed around the corner and said gate, smiling slightly. Around aforesaid corner I arrived at a steel gate complete with soldier armed with a Kalashnikov; he looked very bored. Another couple of soldiers arrived on a moped, and after a brief discussion during which they laughed when I said I must have taken a wrong turning (they had rudimentary English), I was ushered through the gate and on my way, turning down what I hoped was the right road to Lezhe; I was somewhat relieved to get away from the guns.

There followed a rather uneventful ride to Tirana, during which I tried to stay off the main road which was exceedingly busy with cars and trucks. Unfortunately the side roads were very pot-holed, or un-surfaced, so it was bumpy and slow going, and a bit depressing with all the rubbish piled up.

I passed a lot of weddings; either convoys of cars going down the road with horns beeping, or big parties at people houses, with enthusiastic dancing going on to Albanian music; looked like a lot of fun was being had. I also passed, or had to dodge, a variety of from animals on the road, which just seems normal for Albania, along with the house/donkey drawn carts and fantastic old tractors. At one point I was startled when a snake slithered out from under a bush by the roadside and wriggled across the road, narrowly missing my front tyre; it made it safely but made me jump – must have been nearly a metre long.

The outskirts of Tirana were challenging to navigate, with lots of random and erratic driving, some of which was on a 3 lane road with no real order to it; anything goes apparently. I paused in the centre of the capital for a banana break, but didn’t stop long, as I still had a way to pedal to make it to Elbasan for the night, and several hills to vanquish.

I followed the SH3 to Elbasan, which proved a longer ride than it looked to be on the map; the road wiggled about a lot due to a long climb; another 1,000m plus day in ascent. I stopped in a small town called Petrele to grab some more water and a few snacks, and had a great chat with a young lad minding the shop. As with all Albanians I’ve met so far he was friendly, smiling, and interested in what I was doing and where I was going; he was fascinated by my bike and gadgets.

The road up the mountain was quite challenging, coming at the end of a fairly long day, with lots of switchbacks and three ambushes by roadside dogs; they barked a lot, chased me for a bit, but I either out-pedalled them, or they stopped when I got off my bike – quite good motivation for getting up the hill. I also received quite a few motivational high 5’s from kids by the roadside, on my way up the 750m ascent. The views on the way up and from the top were great, with an unexpected monument to a local cyclist right near the top.

Being up in the mountains, and with a bit of cloud cover, made for much cooler temperatures, which came as a welcome change and made the climb a lot easier, however it was still a relief to make it to the top and begin a great descent down toward Elbasan. The day’s trend for passing animals on the road continued, as I dodged around a herd of goats, several turkeys, and the odd donkey.

Elbasan is a fairly large city, but not quite as bonkers traffic wise when compared with Tirana. I made my way to Hostel/Restaurant Edlido, and despite not having booked received a very warm welcome. Edlido has a dormitory room with kitchen/lounge and bathroom, and is a perfect stopping point when cycling through the country; I could house Smaug in the kitchen area too. It cost €10 for the night, including breakfast, however I also chose to eat in the restaurant, and to enjoy a couple of cold beers after a long day cycling; 115km. I had a great chat with one of the owners, and I think it was his mother than cooked me up a simple dinner of chicken, cheese and chips, perfect. All the staff were really friendly, and the locals all said hello; big football match tomorrow between Albania and Portugal, so it was lucky I arrived today as hostel booked out tomorrow.

One other traveller turned up a bit later on, a Greek man travelling North. I think he may have been travelling up to Croatia or Italy in search of work; nice chap but language barrier prevented communication slightly, plus he looked shattered (think he was walking/hitching). After a great dinner and some planning I had an early night, keen to see more of Albania and make it to Lake Ohrid tomorrow.

–> 07 September – Lake Ohrid (112km)
Breakfast at Edlido, Elbasan, proved a treat; omelette, cheese, bread, butter and jam, and some warm milk because I don’t drink coffee. It was raining a bit when I got up, however it stopped shortly after I pedalled away, post bidding goodbye to my excellent hosts.

Leaving Hostel Edlido - sun coming out

Leaving Hostel Edlido – sun coming out

Thus started a long climb up the valley, following the river over the mountains to Lake Ohrid. The road continues rising for about 40km, a gentle ascent at first, with a few flat or downhill bits, before getting a lot steeper. The countryside was lovely, with verdant tree covered mountainsides, and lots of orchards and farmland.

I passed a lot of people waiting by the roadside for the regular minibuses that trundle up and down the road either way; I think demand outstrips supply, especially today – wondered if lots of people were heading to Elbasan for the football, or maybe I was seeing migrants making their way through the country to the EU. I passed through several small towns, stopping at one before the climb got a lot steeper, for a cold drink and ice-cream.

The last bit of the climb, completing a 1,000m ascent, was pretty gruelling, with lots of switchbacks and some heavy traffic in the form of lorries. Industrious car/lorry washing pull-ins were set up at regular intervals along the road, with water spouting from hose-pipes to advertise their presence; tempting to ride through them. They obviously do good business as lots of lorries had stopped to get the dust cleaned off their windscreens after the big climb over from Lake Ohrid.

At the top of the climb I paused for breath, and noticed three other cycle tourers doing the same in the shade of a restaurant. Tom, Jorn and Clara (English, Dutch, Swedish) are also on their way to Greece, and had been pedalling through Albania like me, with very similar experiences as far as the friendly populace goes. After introductions I decided it would be fun to travel with them for a bit; brilliant to have some company after quite a long solo stretch, during which I was starting to get slightly lonely. They are on their way to Thessaloniki, so I may well travel with them up until then, before continuing on to Istanbul.

After zooming down the hill we stopped for a swim in Lake Ohrid, a very refreshing experience. I’ve discovered I’m much more likely to do things like stop for a swim if I’m with company, and I think it’s the same for a lot of other people; shared experiences are often better, and if you’re on your own you just tend to keep on pedalling.

After cooling off we continued on to Pogradec, a largish town at the Southern end to the Lake, still on the Albanian side of the border, passing people selling fish by the side of the road. I could have opted to go through Macedonia, however the route down to Greece through Albania is shorter, and I was really enjoying the country; plus I had company now 🙂

 

We stopped to buy supplies in Progradec, which looks like it’s developing into a tourist spot. A few cool drinks, some crisps and an ice-cream restored energy levels, and we hard-boiled some eggs for later; they wouldn’t have survived transit. I’m going to have Albanian Leke left over I think, as it’s very cheap to live here, however I’ll just save it until next time I visit!

The road South took is up another steep climb, and with the sun beating down it was pretty hot.  Thankfully the climb wasn’t too long and we were able to turn off the main road and on to a smooth side road down towards the border with Greece. This road proved to be a highlight of the day (aside from the swim), with some beautiful scenery, several small farming communities and towns, and more high 5’s, smiles and waves.

We eventually found a spot to wild camp, in a fallow field about 100m from the road, and out of sight of the nearby village. It was also suitably far away from the barking dogs, of which there are many. To be honest people are so friendly here you’re more likely to be asked in to their homes to stay, and given food, than turfed off a wild camping spot; have heard this from several people. I think they are just happy to see other people visiting their country, and interested in who you are and what you’re doing.

After pitching the tents we settled down for the night, feasting on hard-boiled eggs, bread, cheese and ham; I added a few condiments to the mix to spice things up a little – can’t beat a bit of mustard of chilli sauce to liven things up. It’s fantastic to have some company again, and was very pleasant to spend the evening chatting, laughing, watching the stars, and swapping stories. There was also a small wild-fire up in the mountains, which we decided must have been started by a dragon as not sure how anyone else would have got up there; will have to keep an eye on Smaug! Saw a greta shooting star too.

Dragon in the mountains

Dragon in the mountains

It looked like it might be a bit wet and windy overnight, so we battered down the hatches, and hoped Clara’s tent didn’t leak (it’s slightly broken), before having an earlyish night. On to Greece tomorrow; the border is only 30km away.

04 & 05 September 2015 – a brief stop in Montenegro, then on to Albania

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The country total is starting to mount up for this tour; Albania is number 17!

Routes and stats for the last 2 days below:

–> 04 September – to Montenegro (121km)
I’ve climbed over 1,000m on each of the last 3 days, and regularly well over 500m for the last 9, with one day exceeding 1,500m; the Croatian Coast is not for the faint-hearted, but it’s worth it.

Today I left Dubrovnik behind, after a good day off, and pedalled South East. On my way to the border with Montenegro I tried to use up my remaining Croatian Kuna; I did quite well, buying food and replacement toothpaste shampoo etc, but then found another 100 Kuna stashed in my panniers, so I’ve got about £20 worth left for next time I visit!

There was quite a queue of traffic waiting at the border, but I bypassed most of, pulling in beside some Austrian motorcyclists just before the checkpoint; hello’s duly exchanged.

Once in Montenegro the roads seemed to get a lot busier, and the driving more erratic. I don’t know in which countries it’s illegal to drive whilst on your mobile phone, but people have been using them all along the Dalmatian coast; makes me nervous. I’m also getting irritated with coach drivers, who all pass far to close for comfort. I know they could give me more room as I don’t have the same issue with lorries.

I cycled along the coastline around to Kamenari, where I could have got the ferry across the narrow stretch of water to the other side of the bay, and avoided an additional 25km haul, however I decided it would be for more pleasant to take the scenic route around to Kotor. It proved a good decision, with lots of small villages and some fantastic scenery. It looks like a lot of it has been redeveloped for the tourist industry, but it’s all been tastefully done, and hasn’t spoilt the bay. I loved Perast, where there were quite a few English people on holiday. I stopped for a break and an ice cream.

Once I reached Kotor I had to pedal through a long tunnel (1.6km), which was a nasty experience due to the traffic, fumes and dust. It did however cut out a long climb, and I made it through unscathed, joining the road to Budva.

Budva is a big tourist town on the Montenegrin coast, and is supposed to have a ‘kicking’ nightlife, not that I was likely or wanted to see it. I stopped at the tourist info on the way in and asked about campsites; they directed me to an open one, rather than the one I had intended to go to which was closed. I found Avala camping, which was a bargain at €6 a night, and set up. It’s a bit of a noisy campsite, as it’s next to the main road, but has a supermarket just next door, decent wifi, and a friendly owner. The only drawback was there were no convenient trees for my hammock, however I can’t be lucky all the time.

I grabbed some food and a few cold beers from the supermarket, then relaxed. Convincing Lobster to pose for a still life with the beer and cycle tour festival bottle was tricky, however bribery with chocolate always works. The Niksicko beer, although sounding unappealing, was very refreshing, and pretty similar to the others beers I’ve been sampling down the coast from Slovenia. I do miss a pint of ale though, and am looking forward to visiting the Fat Cat pub in Norwich when I get back, for several; think it just won an award for good beer again, brill.

–> 05 September 2015 – to Barbullush, Albania (111km)
One night only in Montenegro, then it was on to country number 17, Albania. I was keen to lay my fears to rest over what awaited, having been quite anxious about the route and where I’d be staying. Things almost always work out one way or another, with camping, wild camping, hostel or hotel opportunities, and people seem to live successfully in all these places, so what exactly am I worrying about?!

From Budva to the border wasn’t a particularly long way, however the road decided to go up & down all available hills along the coast, which proved pretty taxing. I stopped to buy a few supplies, and to get some more Euros out just in case ATMs aren’t working in Greece; could be handy in Albania too. To get to the border I had to turn inland, and climb up a fairly long pass, through some picturesque Olive groves and farmland, before descending to Albania; I stopped for an ice cream before crossing, just to keep energy levels up.

My sat nav and phone kept changing their mind as to what time it was as I pedalled along. I thought it was early afternoon, then it was before midday, however when I got over the border it was early afternoon again and seemed to stabilise; not sure what all that was about. No stamp in my passport for Albania; got one for Montenegro though – the only one of the tour so far 😦

I had the best greeting of the tour to date as I entered Albania; high fives from two children on the other side, waiting by the roadside. Pretty neat and something that would repeat itself several times over the next day or two. As I cycled along I noticed the cars were all a lot less expensive looking, aside from the tourist ones (Italian, Dutch and German mostly). There were also quite a few mopeds with large trailers attached to their fronts, transporting all sorts of things from whole families to farm goods, and in one case a bed; they looked a bit rickety to me. There are more modes of transport on the roads in Albania; cars, lorries, motorbikes, bicycles, combinations thereof, horses & donkeys, with or without carts etc. Everyone appeared really friendly, with lots of smiles and hellos; I lost count of the number of people who shouted hello today. Could Albania be the friendliest country so far?

 

I briefly diverted to Shkodër, a big town not far from the border, to withdraw some Albanian Leke, then continued South to Bushat, turning off the main road and heading for Camping Albania in Barbullush. I ended up missing the turning as I was too busy looking at Albania life going on, so had to back track, adding about 6 km on to my ride. Camping Albania is a good set up, with a large restaurant and swimming pool, and decent toilet block, and a grassy field to pitch in, bliss! Unfortunately the restaurant was closed due to a wedding, however that gave me the opportunity to visit the village and grab a few supplies; basic stuff but fine for dinner – bread, cheese, jam, crisps and a couple of cold beers, with sardines and a tinned couscous salad added from my panniers, a veritable feast.

Four Dutch camper vans turned up around the same time as me, so I spent some time chatting with them, before doing some planning; campsite has wifi, but it’s a bit intermittent, especially with the power cuts that kept happening. I think I’m heading for a hostel tomorrow, after what’ll be a long ride to Ebalsan. There aren’t any campsites on route until I get to Lake Ohrid, the day after tomorrow, and there don’t appear to be that many in Greece either, so there may be some wild camping coming up, however I’m more likely to go for a cheap hotel or hostel as I really value a shower at the end of the day, and that extra bit of peace of mind.

As I closed shop for the night the sky was being illuminated by flashes of lightning, quite along way to the North, and the wind was getting up. Could be in for a rough night so I deployed the guy ropes. Next update could be a few days away, depending on wifi.

02 & 03 September 2015 – Dubrovnik

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Route and stats for 02 September below:

Nothing for the 03 September as had a day off in Dubrovnik, a fine city!

–> 02 September – to Dubrovnik, with a brief stint in Bosnia Herzegovina
My legs felt tired this morning, for the first time in a while, so it must be rest day time. I decided that once I got to Dubrovnik I’d have a day off, for sightseeing purposes, but mainly just some R&R before the stretch to Istanbul. I still had 121km to pedal today, so I left Uvula Borovic in good time, riding over the hills to Ploce. I passed some beautiful lakes as the road curved inland to go around a river estuary; nice change of scenery.

Then, wonder of wonders, I had a flat section for at least 10km, through a flood plain, before a long climb over to Bosnia and Herzegovina. A lot more farming activity was evident on the flood plain, with lots of roadside stalls selling fruit, veg, Fig jam and olive oil.

I had to get my passport out again at the border crossing, however they weren’t particularly interested in me or Smaug. I was only in Bosnia and Herzegovina for about 10km, passing through the town of Neum before the border crossing back into Croatia, via another arduous climb; it’d be easier if it wasn’t so hot again. The border guard going back into Croatia were a lot friendlier, waving me through and interested in where I was pedalling to; not sure if it was professional or personal curiosity. I rejoined route 8 heading South towards Dubrovnik.

There were islands to my right as I rode down the coast, past Ston, then up a long climb at the top of which was a small market. There were a couple of cycle tourers taking a break there, so I paused for an ice cream and cold drink too. They turned out to be from Slovenia, and were on their way back there after cycling to Montenegro. They confirmed there were more hills to come, and we all agreed the heat was a little too much; more people saying it’s hotter than it should be for the time of year. I passed several cycle tourers going the other way today; good wave/hello count!

Continuing down the coast I passed through Trsteno, where there are two enormous Plane Trees, both about 450 years old and providing some lovely shade. After sweating profusely I finally made it to the outskirts of Dubrovnik, and stopped for another cold drink; I chatted to two mad Austrians and a couple of motor-cyclists – I met the latter again at the campsite later on.

I had to cross the bridge then pedal up another big hill, before looping back around the harbour and on to Camping Solitudo, on the peninsula to the North West of Dubrovnik. The campsite is conveniently situated for visiting the city, being only 4km away, and whilst not brilliant was perfectly adequate for my needs; had free wifi, trees for my hammock, and the bathrooms were good, so I could forgive the litter and hard pitches.

To put it bluntly I was knackered when I arrived, and after setting up fell asleep in my hammock for 2 hours; after an ice-cream. I decided I’d stay at the campsite for two nights, rather than try to find a hostel in Dubrovnik for tomorrow night, which would be more expensive, crowded, and more hassle than worth. So tomorrow would be a rest day, with a bit of sightseeing for good measure.

–> 03 September – rest day and sightseeing in Dubrovnik
I still ended up cycling about 10km today, however it’s amazing how much easier it is to go up hills without all my luggage on the bike. I think I was due a rest day, it having been two weeks since my last one in Marseille; seems like longer ago than two weeks, having seen so much since. I very happy with my progress though, and pleased that it’s less than 1,000 miles to go to Istanbul.

My planned lie in failed, despite several beers the previous evening; I’m just hard-coded to get up and out of my tent by 07.00, or earlier. It’ll be interesting to see if I can keep this routine when I get back the UK; without the sleeping in the tent bit too often though. It would be handy to have some time before work to do a bit of writing, or just do something different instead of rushing straight to the office; maybe a run.

After a few chores I pedalled the 4km to Dubrovnik Old Town, over the hill, and spent a few hours looking around. It’s an amazing walled city, with so much history, and loads of fantastic architecture to gawk at; there were crowds of other tourists also doing a lot of gawking. I can see why it was chosen as the location for King’s Landing, for the TV adaptation of the Game of Thrones books; very fitting. If you want a bit of history check Wikipedia – might have been founded by the Greeks, was allied Ancona (Italian city) versus the domination of Venice in the Adriatic, part of the Ottoman Empire for ages, had famous merchant fleet, and was put under siege and shelled by the Serbians and Montenegrins in 1991. I wonder if the Croatians get on with Serbs and Montenegrins now, as the shelling looked pretty destructive from the maps I saw, despite the city having been demilitarised and listed as a UNESCO work heritage site. I took a lot of photos.

I found a bookshop and managed to buy a map that will get me as far as Greece, which is a relief. I could have probably managed with my Garmin device and my phone, but they could always break or run out of power, and I prefer a paper map in many ways; good confidence boost to have one. I probably don’t need one once I’m in Greece, as I’ll just follow the coast, roughly, all the way into Turkey and on to Istanbul. Post bookshop I continued my meanderings, with an ice-cream stop for refreshment purposes.

I am developing a theory about Irish pubs/bars; I think they must be magic, with a way of insinuating themselves into a street in any given city and appearing quite in place, and not strange. It’s a bit odd when you think about it; why are there Irish bars/pubs nearly everywhere? I think they can probably move about if they want to, but no-one will think it odd or even recall it being there, or having moved, because they’re magic…obviously.

Having done enough sightseeing, and in need of some serious R&R, I retreated to the campsite after lunch, and had a very pleasant siesta in my hammock. The rest of the day was occupied by reading my book, route planning, acquiring a VISA for Turkey, a visit to the beach near the campsite, eating, and contemplating the route ahead; but not too much, as that just leads to increased nerves and over thinking things.

Tomorrow it’s back on the road to Montenegro. Blog posts might get a bit intermittent prior to Istanbul, depending on Wifi, campsites, and opportunities to charge my laptop. I can’t use my phone in some of the countries I’m passing through, as it’ll cost far too much, however I’ll try and Tweet my location whenever possible.

Have a good weekend everyone 🙂 (and good luck with the house move Norman and Sheila)

P.S. Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors – had to rewrite this twice due to crashes (Wifi cut out)

31 August & 01 September 2015 – Trogir, Split and Podaca

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I don’t mind admitting the last few days have been quite tricky. It’s not so much the cycling, which whilst demanding is still very enjoyable, it’s more the thought of what is yet to come. I’m slightly anxious about the route to Istanbul, through Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, then into Greece and Turkey. I know it will be fine, as loads of people have cycled it and I keep reading blogs about how great it is, however I won’t be 100% happy until I’m there and pedalling it. In fact I can’t wait to get to Albania etc and lay my fears to rest. I’ve just made it to Dubrovnik and am going to have a day off to do some prep work, and have a rest, before the ride to Istanbul which will take another 12 to 14 days. Getting out of your comfort zone is a great thing, but can be challenging when a bit of fear sets in, and you have too much time pedalling to dwell on risks that aren’t going to materialise! I think this is one of the challenges of cycling solo; if you’re pedalling with someone else you have a companion to mull things over with, and to share responsibilities on route, risks, food, accommodation, money etc. Anyway, as I get closer to Montenegro I’m getting happier about what is yet to come, and am looking forward to more adventures.

Routes and stats for last day of August, and 1st day of September below. It seems amazing it’s September already, however thinking back it does feel like a long time ago that I set off from my house in Norwich.

–> 31 August – to Trogir
102km pedalled today, and it’s definitely getting warmer again; it’s especially hot where the road cuts through a canyon, or an artificial cut through with rock on either side, and no breeze – can get sweltering!

Breakfast on a Croatian beach, as the sun comes up, is definitely something I can recommend, with a few early morning swimmers getting the day off to a good start, and people readying their boats. Very peaceful and beautiful. I consumed the dinner I’d bought from Lidyl, but not eaten due to Nordsee camping offering better fare; ham, cheese, baguette and fruit set me up nicely for the ride ahead.

Nordsee camping - great campsite for a stop

Nordsee camping – great campsite for a stop

I rode off towards Split after bidding Nordsee Autocamp a fond farewell, looking forward to seeing what the coast had to offer today; it just seems to get better, even if it is almost constantly hilly.

My first stop was in Sibenik, a moderately sized and old town about 20km away, where I paused for a wander about, and to buy a new charging cable for my iPhone; I ended up buying two just in case, as they only cost a fiver each, which is about a third of the UK cost. Sibenik proved a picturesque town, full of German, Austrian and Italian tourists, as well a narrow streets, charming bars and restaurants, and medieval looking buildings; not sure how old they actually are.

As it was already really hot, it would have been rude not to stop for an ice-cream too. I think ice-creams are going to replace my tarte du jour feature, at least for a bit.

Gelato - vanilla and strawberry, very fine

Gelato – vanilla and strawberry, very fine

Re-energised thanks to the well-timed Gelato I cycled onwards, staying on the coast road despite what looked like a short cut inland; would have involved a mega climb so I avoided it. The scenery on the coastline is better than it is inland in any case, with clear turquoise water, yachts sailing slowly about (not a lot of wind), small towns and villages, and beaches with lots of folk enjoying a swim.

After a few more hills I made it to the aptly named Marina, where there were lots of Sunsail yachts moored; think it must be the start/end point for flotilla holidays. I stopped for another ice-cream, then at a market to get a few supplies; Croatia is so much cheaper than France and Italy!

My destination for the day was a campsite next to Trogir, a largish town with more old medieval buildings, which I forgot to take photos of. The ride down the coast had been wonderful, and I was glad to see it isn’t as yet overly spoilt; there are lots of small towns, and apartments to rent, but no massive hotels and not a lot of building activity I could see. Hope it stays that way. I turned right to the peninsula next to Trogir, and made it to Rozac camping. The campsite was pretty full but they had small spot where I could pitch my tent. I set up and promptly fell asleep in my hammock for two hours; so comfy, how did I manage without one?!

After watching the sun go down (it’s getting dark earlier) I had dinner at the campsite restaurant, choosing to enjoy another mixed grill rather than bread and cheese; might not be such opportunities in the wilds of Macedonia.

Oh, and I had one of those moments today, when I forgot my towel when taking a shower; realised halfway through. Thankfully, although small, a buff also makes quite a good towel!

On to Split tomorrow, and another webcam opportunity, then the road to Dubrovnik.

Well done to my boss (TLK) on starting his own UK mini cycle tour; hope the weather improves for you!

–> 01 September – Split and Podaca; touring month 5 begins
I didn’t have the best night’s sleep, as my camping spot was next to a road with speed bumps, and consequently quite noisy. It was a nice view of the sea to wake up to though, and I’d been comfy, even if I was a little grumpy due to lack of shuteye.

Morning at Rozac camping, nice sea view

Morning at Rozac camping, nice sea view

Although tired I had a long way to go today if I wanted to keep to my rolling 200 miles every 3 days target, so I pedalled off from Trogir in good time, deftly making my way through queueing traffic, whilst being careful not to catch any cars with my panniers. I cycled 127km in 7 hours and 11 minutes, with just over 1,000m in climbing, so not bad going.

I paused for a break in Split, after only about 30km, riding down to the waterfront to look for the webcam, and to enjoy an ice-cream, which I think I’m getting addicted to; strange as don’t really eat them in the UK, however I guess it’s the right climate for such things here.

After waving hello to GCHQ Norwich, and accidentally withdrawing 100 Kuna rather than 1,000 from an ATM, d’oh, I continued on passing through various small towns, and some great scenery.

By the time I reached Makarska I was feeling very hot, and pretty tired, so turned off the main road and down into the town for a break. It proved to be a good choice for a pause, with a lovely quayside, lots of expensive boats, and a choice of ice-cream vendors. I reckon it’s a bit of a pricey tourist town, but very pleasant-looking.

A park provided a good spot for a sit down in the shade for 30 minutes, to cool off and re-hydrate. Several backpackers were doing the same; a popular spot. I’ve started seeing more backpackers in the last few days, with a lot of people hitch-hiking, or attempting to flag down a lift by the roadside. Hitch hiking seems to be a popular and accepted method of travel in Croatia; I even spotted a sign for an official hitch-hiking waiting spot today! In general hitching a lift is far more common in mainland Europe compared with the UK.

After a welcome rest I pedalled on to Dreverik, then Podaca, over a few final hills before reaching a campsite for the night; Uvala Borova camping near Gradac.

Uvala Borova proved to be a much quieter campsite, with lots of space and right next to the sea, so a swim was possible again. I pitched my tent and slung my hammock, then relaxed, easing tired legs over dinner and a few beers from the small campsite market. As usual everyone was really friendly, and although I didn’t have any long conversations, lots of people said hello, and the campsite dog decided to keep me company for a bit; may have been the smell of salami.

It as good to have a chat with my brother Will, Louisa and their kids via FaceTime, even if the connection was a bit intermittent. Seb, my nephew, tried to tell me his new joke, about bees, however I kept missing the punchline; he wanted to make me laugh and fall out of my hammock, although that might have been more of his mother’s idea!

I did a  bit more route research reading up on Albania etc, and stumbled upon the blog of a couple of other cycle tourers who’ve just make it to Albania: http://longhaultrekkers.com/ . I might try to meet up with them if we follow the same route; they’re head of me but travelling more slowly, with a dog in tow; email sent.

On to Dubrovnik tomorrow, then probably a rest day; need to do some shopping and have a day off the bike, plus Dubrovnik will be a good place to visit. Wasn’t it the setting for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones?

29 & 30 August 2015 – Pag, and the Adriatic coast

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Routes and stats for the 29th and 30th below. Cycling down the coast of Croatia is proving delightful, if a little hilly. I’m really enjoying a swim in the Adriatic at the end of each day.

–> 29 August 2015 – a short ferry crossing to Pag
At the moment I’m attempting to pedal 200 miles every 3 days, which works out about 110km a day; today was a moderate day, covering 106km, a few of which were on a ferry to the island of Pag.

Packed and ready in Selce

Packed and ready in Selce

It’s definitely warm in Croatia, with temperatures reminding me of cycling in Spain. I’m used it now, however it makes sleeping in my tent a bit uncomfortable, especially as it’s humid as well. Thankfully I now have my hammock to lounge in, as long as there are adequate trees and no threat of storms; would be a bit inconvenient if a thunderstorm broke halfway through the night! Mosquitoes also seem to have reduced in number, which is a relief, however that could change at any moment so I’m keeping the super-strength repellent handy.

I made a good start to the day, waking up early and pedalling off down the coast on the D8 to Novi Vinodolski. The road followed the coastline pretty tightly, with some lovely scenery. The downsides were the traffic and hills, however the first was tolerable and the latter good for the legs. The hills also break up the route a bit, although I don’t want to take on too many big climbs in this heat.

After a few bananas, passing through Senj and Lukovo, and past the turning to Jablanac (love these town names), I rode down a steep hill to the ferry terminal at Prizna, to get the boat over to the island of Pag. A lot of tourist traffic had the same idea, with a long queue of waiting cars and a few groups of motorcyclists. The majority of the tourist traffic seemed to originate from Germany, certainly all the motorcyclists, however I also spotted lots of cars from Austria, Slovenia, Poland, the Czek Republic, Hungary, Italy, a few from France, and one from the UK. Seeing what other nationalities you can spot is quite a good way of passing the time, and in this case demonstrates just how many people are descending on the Croatian coastline nowadays. It’s certainly very popular, and I can see why with a beautiful coastline, relatively cheap prices, friendly people and interesting towns. One cautionary note; I’ve nearly been short-changed twice so far, which would have cost me about £20 in total, so worth checking your change carefully if you visit.

The more I read about Eastern Europe the more I realise how much it has to offer. There’s so much history, and so many interesting places to visit. If you’re into your water sports the coast has loads to offer, and there is no doubt good climbing and walking to be had further inland. I could spend a few months just touring around the Balkans; think I’ll have to come back!

Anyway, being on a push-bike I skipped to the front of the queue, along with the motorcyclists, and had an ice-cream whilst waiting for the ferry, followed by a cold beer just to ensure I was properly hydrated. A road cyclist had the same idea as me, and we both used the cold beer bottle to sooth our hot heads.

Once on board I chatted to a few Germain motorcyclists on their way to Montenegro. I seem to run into German motorcyclists everywhere when cycling, from the North of Scotland and all throughout Europe, and now down towards Turkey. They are always good to talk too, and were complimentary, and a little taken-aback, of my pedalling efforts; though I agreed it would be easier on a motorbike. I sometimes have to remind myself that I’ve pedalled a long way, having covered over 6,500 miles so far on this tour, and having seen such a variety of landscapes and weather, from ice and snow up in Scandinavia, to the heat of Spain and Southern Europe. It’s starting to get darker earlier now, so I’m wondering just when it’ll begin to get cooler.

The ferry couldn’t take all the waiting traffic, so I was glad I was on a bike for the short 15 minute crossing to Pag; must’ve been about 2km.

Pag looked a bit desolate when I arrived, with lots of dirt and rocks, and not much vegetation. There was no shade on the climb over to the other side of the island; man it was hot. I pedalled down to Simuni where I’d spotted a campsite on the ACSI app; it turned out to be more of a resort, and mostly for camper vans or people staying in the chalets, but it had a small if hard area for people to pitch tents on. Thankfully there were a few trees so the hammock was once again a win.

I set up, then headed straight for the sea for a swim in the Adriatic; much-needed after a very hot cycle, and good fun diving off the floating platform. The resort was busy, but had a good atmosphere, with several small bars, a few restaurants, food stalls (bought a hot-dog, it was nice) and small markets/tourist shops. I bought dinner from one of the small supermarkets then relaxed in my hammock for the evening, doing a bit of reading up on the countries to come; route looks fairly straightforward but I do need to get a few more maps, hopefully in Dubrovnik, so I’m not reliant on Garmin or my phone. Also need to apply for a VISA for Turkey, but that’s a 5 minute job at some point in the next week.

Nearly a full moon tonight; I wonder if they have werewolves in Croatia, seems likely…

–> 30 August – to Pakostane (autocorrect trying to hard to change that to somewhere a lot further away)
As far as I’m aware…I didn’t get bitten by any werewolves during the night, however I believe I’ll have to wait until the next full moon to be sure.

Full moon over Pag, Croatia

Full moon over Pag, Croatia

One thing I was sure about was my washing hadn’t dried overnight, in fact it felt wetter; it’s pretty humid at the moment and I think damp washing just absorbs more water. I’m looking forward to it getting a little cooler, and less humid, and to freshening up some of my more smelly bits of kit and clothes; heat + damp + panniers aren’t a good combination; everything just festers a bit during the course of a day pedalling.

I left Simuni camping in good time, pedalling up and over to the town of Pag, then  down the island towards the mainland. I passed what I think were fish farms, as well as several restaurants with pigs being spit-roasted by the roadside, in big ovens; smelt pretty good. There’s a bridge connecting the island to the mainland at the Southern end, with a nice looking small castle down near the water’s edge.

After Pag I turned right toward Zadar, and had to tackle a series of hills before making it to the coast again. I think there are still a lot less hills than if I took an inland route, but I’m not really sure what’s over the coastal mountain range; maybe it’s flat! I need to get hold of some maps detailing Albania, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey, so I can get to Istanbul via the most efficient route, not get lost, and hopefully avoid too many unnecessary mountains.

Unfortunately I noticed my back tyre starting to go flat near Zadar, after the bike starting skewing about a bit when going downhill. I pumped it up, but needed to change the inner tube; it could wait until the evening as only a slowish puncture. I continued down the coast, past many an inviting beach with people swimming and snorkelling, or yachts drifting lazily in an idle wind. My next stop was at Lidyl, for a late lunch and to pick up a few supplies. Lidyl has proven a boon whilst touring in Europe; it crops up everywhere, is good value, and has everything food wise you need. It may not have had a good Tarte du Jour option, but I did pick up a few nice pastries, and an ice cream for good measure.

I suspect the supermarkets around here, including Lidyl, are catering for Germain and Austrian clientelle, hence the great Frankfurter sausage roll; seen so many German cars.

After a shorter day, covering 97km, I made it to Autocamp Nordsee near Pakostane. I didn’t mind a shorter day, as it’s good to give the legs a break, however I’m trying to pedal 200 miles every 3 days, keeping the total rolling, so I’ll need to put in a longer day at some point.

The campsite owner, who I think was probably German, found me a small corner to pitch my tent, and only charged me 50 Kuna, bargain; thoroughly nice bloke. The campsite seemed to be hosting mostly Germans, with a few Croatians thrown in for good measure. Needless to say there was a lot of beer being consumed, and a fair amount of food from the campsite restaurant; I thought I’d better join in.

After a cold beer I set about mending the puncture in my rear tyre. I hate mending punctures, and this one was particularly hard work in the heat; sweat was running off me in streams by the time I finished. Unfortunately I couldn’t patch the inner tube, so replaced it with a new one. The puncture was actually on the inner side of the tube, and had resulted from what looked like wear and tear, and a bit of stretch; or maybe the shop pinched it when they fitted it, not sure. Either way it’s mended now and touch wood seems to be staying inflated. The thing I hate most about mending punctures is the doubt that sets in as to whether I’ve mended it properly? Did I pinch the tube, or miss the pin that caused the puncture? Is it going to go flat again immediately? I suspect a lot of cyclists have exactly the same concerns! Hopefully that’ll be it puncture wise for the next 1,000 miles or so. I also adjusted my brakes, then thought I’d better have a shower and least rinse my cycling gear; everything pretty manky after the ride and repairs, including me.

I managed to squeeze in a swim prior to the shower, but had to take care to avoid Sea Urchins, which were present in numbers, and a bit like mini mines on the sea bed. Stepping on one is bad news, as the spines tent to break off and are hard to remove. I hadn’t noticed them at first, and don’t have any sea shoes for swimming in, but froze when my big toe clipped one and I noticed I was surrounded. I made it out, still having enjoyed a cooling swim, but had to remove a few splinters from my toe; think I got it all out, but I’ll have to keep an eye and employ vinegar treatment if any of the spine is still embedded; really don’t want an infection to take hold!

I decided to eat at the campsite restaurant, and enjoyed a lovely sea view for my meal, with a couple of cold beers to wash everything down. It was a nice atmosphere, and very friendly at the campsite; one to recommend if you’re passing through. Being right next to a beach is also a big win. Needless to say I slept pretty well, despite it being hot still.

Tomorrow I continue on towards Trogir and Split.

27 & 28 August 2015 – Trieste, one night in Slovenia, and on to Croatia

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Couple of fairly big cycling days as I bid arrivederci to Italy, spent a night in Slovenia, and then pedalled over some significant hills into Croatia. Routes and stats below.

–> 27 August – to Trieste and into Slovenia
Today was  long day; 134km km pedalled in about 8 hours, so pretty quick for me. After a good night’s sleep at Altanea Camping in Duna Verde, I was ready to try to pedal to Slovenia, albeit with potential campsites identified before the border should I be delayed for any reason; ice-cream stops, beer, beaches etc.

I was a bit slow packing up, but got on the road by 09.00 and cycled to Caorle. I’ll have to think about starting earlier again soon as the daylight hours get shorter, especially on my way back to the UK post Istanbul. After Caorle I had to head North to circumvent an estuary. I ignored some signs for the Eurovelo route, which hasn’t really been very helpful for the tour so far. In this case I think it would have taken me down to the coast and then back up again, adding miles on to the day’s ride. The EV routes will be great once they’re properly realised, but they stop and start too much, and for the most part I don’t see signs for them at all. I’m finding it easier just to make my own way, choosing routes that are efficient, and diverting when tempted by something.

I joined the SP42, then the SS14 which would take me all the way to Slovenia, with a few quieter country roads thrown in for good measure, just to keep things interesting and avoid the traffic for a bit. Thankfully, although the roads are busy, Italian drivers are for the most part polite and considerate around cyclists, with a few exceptions; one van driver did nearly clip me going through a town, however that can happen in any country, and is probably more likely in the UK.

After passing through low-lying marsh and farmland, I made it to Cervignano del Friuli for lunch, and managed to find a Tarte du Jour equivalent. It looks like the ‘Tarte du Jour’ feature might become an infrequent one, depending on availability, however I shall attempt to persevere; need the calories!

Tarte du Jour, acquired in Cervignano

Tarte du Jour, acquired in Cervignano

Today’s tarte was more go a sponge cake, loaded with cream, and alcohol of some description, but lacking a bit in flavour. The alcohol did do wondrous things for easing aching limbs, and made for a relaxed start to the afternoon’s ride.

On my approach to Trieste I passed another cycle tourer, emerging from I assume a siesta amongst the grapevines. I’m sure I’ve seen him before, near Nice; he’s pedalling in jeans without a lot of stuff, but making good progress. If I see him again I’ll have to stop for a chat; we waved at each other in any case. Always interesting to hear other people’s stories.

As I got closer to Trieste I started to encounter hills again, which actually made for a nice change after the route being flat for the last few days. I started up a big climb and noticed two wolf-like creatures standing guard at the top of a cut through beside the road; they had me going for a few seconds but turned out just to be wolf statues near a war memorial. I’m still worried about danger from dogs when I get into Albania, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey, but have been told by loads of people that as soon as you get off your bike they stop chasing you – think that’ll be pretty hard to do the first time, rather than just pedal faster, might get a big stick just in case!

After a nice long descent into Trieste I paused for a break, stopping in the Piazza Unita d’Italia where a webcam opportunity presented itself; I waved to the stalkers at home who duly spotted me. Trieste is a bustling city and port, and there were loads of tourists wandering about, randomly walking out in front of me. I’m sure there’s a lot I could say about the city, however you’ll have to look it up on Wikipedia for more info. One thing – think Trieste used to be part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and some might still feel it shouldn’t be part of Italy at all, not sure.

After cooling down a bit, and drinking lots of water (it was very hot), I pedalled to the Slovenian border tackling a very steep 150m climb over from Muggia in the process. There was no official border crossing building, but I did find a sign to tell me I’d left Italy and entered Slovenia.

For some reason I immediately felt more relaxed in Slovenia. I’m not sure why, maybe the roads were quieter, or the atmosphere a bit sleepier, or perhaps it was because I’d made good progress and passed another milestone. The scenery was certainly picturesque, with the hills very much continuing, lots of grapevines, and a pretty coastline.

I stopped for the night at Adria camping (Ankaran), at the  bottom of the descent over from Muggia. It’s a big campsite but was very welcoming, and relatively cheap too at €15; long may that continue. After setting up I had dinner a the campsite restaurant, feeling in need of a big meal and a sit down somewhere comfortable; the mixed grill was excellent, as was the sunset.

I also met up with a Hungarian family spending a few days in Slovenia; Árpád spoke great English, and had recently returned from working in Ireland. I loved his bright red German van, converted for touring purposes, and it was great to have chat. He mentioned how much he enjoys watching programmes like Coast, Country File, and other BBC productions; made me realise the BBC must do very well out of selling programmes aboard – I guess Top Gear is a great example of that.

Tomorrow it’s off to Croatia; I think there might be a few hills in the way first though.

–> 28 August – to Croatia and Selce
I rode 115km today, and whilst the total distance was less than yesterday it felt like more, due to the hills; over 1,500m ascent, which is like climbing Ben Nevis.

I left Adria Camping in Ankaran in good time, after saying goodbye to Árpád and family; they were off to see a castle and caves before travelling to Lublianja. Árpád reckons Slovenia beats Croatia from a scenery point of view, however I’ll have to check for myself. I’ve been skiing in Kranjska Gora and it’s definitely a stunning country, and the people very friendly; good for cycling in too as the hobby is very popular, and excellent cycle lane coverage. After a chat about genealogy and how closely related we all are, and about the origins of the Hungarian people (gonna have to read more on that one – they were nomadic originally but settled in what is now Hungary, in the Carpathian basin, as it was the land of Attila the Hun), I pedalled off and up into the hills. Hope the rest of your holiday goes well Árpád, and maybe see you in Hungary!

It was a slightly complicated route to get to the right road to the Croatian border, avoiding motorways and the busier roads. After an initial warm up climb, and saying hello to a lot of road cyclists, I made it to the route up into the mountains, and to a climb that rose to about 800m over perghaps 30km, with a few flat bits providing some respite. It was tough going, however the scenery was amazing. I pedalled up to the border surrounded by mountains, valleys and forest, with hardly any traffic on the road. I think encountered about 4 cars before the border; there were more birds of prey than vehicles.

At the border I had to show my passport to get out of Slovenia, the first time I’ve used it for border crossing purposes since Gibraltar, however there was no-one stationed at the Croatian post and I pedalled straight into country number 13 (I think it’s number 13 anyway). The climb continued for several more kilometres, through more thick forest, however there were more villages to look at, plus slightly more in the way of people around and farming activity. At one point I passed what looks like a war memorial from the Soviet era, reminding me that this all used to be behind the iron curtain.

I finally started to descend down towards the coast again, albeit with the occasional upwards jaunt over more hills as I followed narrow twisty roads, avoiding the main roads. At one point I was slightly startled by the approach of a very noisy engine, as a large and slightly antiquated farm truck appeared and roared past; looked like it might be soviet era itself.

I made it to Rijeka and immediately sought at ATM to get hold of some Croatian Kuna; they don’t use the Euro here. Getting cash out was easy as there is no shortage of ATMs, however it’s a shame I had to use my Lloyds debit card rather than my Caxton FX prepaid card; this is the first country I’ve passed through where the currency isn’t available to load onto the card, however they’ll a few more like it shortly. I’m going to withdraw some back up Euro in Montenegro, before entering Albania and Macedonia, just so I have something to exchange or use in case I can’t find a handy ATM. Hopefully the cash machines will be working in Greece!

After grabbing a sandwich and a brief chat with 2 German cycle tourers going the other way, I continued down the coast to Crikvenica, through various small towns and ports, and the occasional beach with people enjoying a cooling swim; the water looked very inviting. The hills weren’t done with me yet, with the road continuously rising or falling, hence the 1,500 metres worth of climbing today, and sore legs.

I stopped for the day in Selce, just past Crikvenica, at the town’s campsite. Selce is a small and pretty town, and another tourist hotspot, but tastefully put together. The campsite is decent, with free wifi near reception, and a small supermarket that sufficed for dinner. There’s an on-site bar and restaurant too however all I really wanted to do was lie in my hammock.

Hammock time in Selce

Hammock time in Selce

I could have walked down to the beach for a swim, but there was a risk I might not make it back up again, so I relaxed, read my book, and ate a simple dinner of bread, cheese, ham and fruit with a few beers and some biscuits. It was still hot, reminding me of the conditions in Spain, however the hammock and shade helps a lot; you get a nice draft underneath you in a hammock, which is good when it’s hot, but won’t be so good when cold.

Tomorrow’s plan is to continue down the coast and hop on a ferry for the short crossing to the island of Pag, which runs parallel to the mainland and should be interesting. I also need to find a new charging cable for my iPhone, as the my backup cable is now fracturing; the first one went in France somewhere. iPhone charging cables definitely aren’t built to last, however I guess I do stress them a bit when charging my phone from my dynamo; moves cable around a bit.

Got to get into the sea tomorrow too!