Day 56 - Chisinau

My night in Edinet was just terrible. I was bugged the whole time by mosquitos in my hotel room and it was too hot. I would have slept uncovered but had to have a sheet to keep the mossies off, but then I just sweated buckets and couldnt stand it so left myself a bit uncovered, then they just helped themselves and that was making me sore. I kept getting up to kill few more, but it never seemed to make any difference. I put a buff over my head and ears and wrapped myself in the sheet so that only my nose and mouth were visible and they still hassled me. I swore at them alot, but they still didnt get the message. I even tried to find another room to sleep in but all the doors were shut. I know I didnt get any sleep before 3am but I must have got some after that.

It was 200k to Chisinau, 2 days riding, but the only place likely to have a hotel was Balti after just 70k, and so I stopped there. It was the hotest day so far at 42 degrees and to be honest that was about as much as I wanted to do in that heat as I was already beginning to hurt, especially my right foot, the left being more shaded. You are right Brian, I would have been better off going to Birmingham for a Balti as the place I chose wasnt really up to it. The waitress sat down beside me and recommended a meal, at least I think that is what she was doing, and all I got was the usual steak and chips, steak being any old bit of fried meat and is nothing particulary appertising.

Yesterday started well but declined rapidly in the afternoon. No mossies, so I had a good nights sleep and set off at about 7:45 when it was 27 degrees, but it had been all night. First 60k was easy and comfortable and temp rose to mid 30s. Stopped at a well to refill bottles and put socks on. I soaked my socks before I set off and that really seemed to do the trick as my feet were beginning to hurt and I expected an afternoon of pain, but there was none, problem solved.

The next bit was reasonable too, but getting much hotter, up to 45 and over 40 the whole time, but I was still going well, when I stopped at another well for a bite to eat in the shade and pour nice cold water over my head. From then on it was just tough as it started to roll the whole time and with 20k to go I started feeling unwell and I really wasnt enjoying it and just wanted to get out of the sun and into the cool. It was just a slog and a very slow one to Chisinau and then finding a hotel was challenging when I didnt need it to be. The one I am in is by default (photo) really as I felt really bad and couldnt be bothered to look for any other hotels.

Today has been spent doing my washing and wandering around Chisinau, which is nothing special. The is one main drag and a couple of nice churches (photo) and that is about it, but it has been enough to keep me entertained for one day, although this afternoon was really too hot even for just wandering around slowing so I returned to the hotel at 3:30pm and just rested.

To be honest I am not looking for to cycling at the moment as this heat is really too much for me. Tomorrow will be about 100k and I will hopefully set off at about 6am as it is defineately more managable in the morning, after that I will see what happens.

Dont worry I have plenty of photos of doors and windows as you might expect after 8 weeks on the road, but I am trying not to bore you all too much, so a small selection is all you are going to get.

And that another thing, I have been going 8 weeks and where has the time gone? I dont feel as though I have got very far, but I have taken a few diversions so it has hardly been the shortest route. Having said that Places like Switzerland seem as long time ago and a long way off. After this trip a 2 or 3 week holiday wont seem worth the effort!

Day 53 - Edinet (Moldova)

Blimey, another post! Anybody would think I have nothing better to do with my time, well here that is the case.

The less said about Friday the better. I had a downer, the first of the trip and as I was getting ready to leave I was overcome by apathy and went back to bed and didnt get up until 13:00. I slept through to 11:30 and then on and off, so I probably needed it.

I felt better in mind and body yesterday and saw not a single signpost heading out on Vinnytsia but my compass seemed to think I was on the right road, until it unexpectedly turned east. I was on the only other road going south but it joined my intended route, but I just has to go a little further than intended. The weather was good and it wasnt too hilly and I made good progress. There was only one town that had the slightest chance of a hotel, but as soon as I got there I realised there was no chance at all. On my 1:1,000,000 it shows as a number of road meeting in the centre, but that is never the case and I was soon on the wrong road out and returning. The second attempt was also wrong but I kept going as the only other likely road was gravel, again it just made it longer. I was going to have to camp wild, but I needed water first and I filled up from a well (Photo). I was hot and thirsty and the wonderful clear, cool water that came up reminded what a precious and life saving commodity water is that we all take so much for granted being on tap at home. I felt a bit guilty filtering the water that is drinking water to the locals, but felt better one a guy from the house next door came and gave me a hand. I was now carrying 4.5 litres of water a 1 litre of fruit juice. A few kilometres further on I found a small gap through the trees that led to the edge of wheat field and enough room to put up a tent. As I set up the tent the wind dropped and it was a wonderful evening. Its amazing how clean you can make yourself feel by "showering" with about 1 pint of water. As it got dark the sky was totally clear and the stars were amazing. Dawn was clear and lovely and warm and it nights like that, that can make wild camping so rewarding.


Before I leave Ukraine I have to say that the first impressions I had of the women were slightly wrong. What I said really only applies to the women out in the country where life is a little tougher, the women in the cities are very good looking and well presented, not that I noticed! Most people in the cities made me feel a real scruff, but some might argue that that is not difficult.

After about 30k today the road dropped sharply into a valley, quite a shock to see after there has been so little change in scenery over the last week. The border town was like no other I had seen in Ukraine and there was a real buzz about the place. It felt a bit like a seaside resort, but without the sea and, well, anything nice really! I could see the border control, but just couldnt get to it and it took me about 10 minutes to find the way through. I was sent through with the people on foot and as most were waved through I got the full treatment that took about 20 minutes, then it was a walk across a bridge to the Moldovan control. Here I got the same treatment, only more of it. There were a constant flow of people on foot and I was the only one stopped. I was there over one hour as my passport was handed around to all and sundry and I wondered just how many times they could marvel at the blank pages. I got a bit confused by the proceeding especially as through the whole thing the only word I could understand were John and near London. Still I was soon on first name terms with the guard, Alexandus. The flow of people continued and somebody walked off with my passport, so I made myself at home in the office and they didnt seem bothered. I kept asking if there was a problem and they always said no. Alexandus shoke my hand, still in a sweaty mit. I could tell he regretted it by the way he held his hand up whilst looking for something to wipe it on whilst all I could do was laugh. My passport returned and they brought a girl who could speak English. I again asked what the problem was and she said there was none, its just they dont see many passports other than Ukrainian or Moldovan. So was it that it was just fascinating to them, or did they not know what to do with it. At last I was allowed to go. The whole time I was there only one lorry crossed the bridge all the other when Moldovans on foot returning with goods bought in the Ukrainian town across the river. I changed my Ukrainian Hrynvia for Moldovan Lei and what lovely little notes thay are too, just like monopoly money. The temperature was now in the 30s as I climed out of the valley. I had a stretch of main road which I was dreading as it looked like a motorway on the map. It was great, like one of the smaller tarmaced Ukrainian roads, but with little traffic, about one vehicle every 5 minutes. I was aiming for Balti, but I saw a signpost saying 80k and it was already 3pm, so I went off in a different direction to Edinet as it was only 28k and it paid off as it has a hotel. Place names on signposts now match those on the map and it is so much easier.

Tomorrow I will set off for the capital, which should take a couple of days to get to all being well.

I have at last been able to add some photos, starting with a few more of Hungary.

Pete, glad to hear you are still alive and reading this drivle, now get back to work!

Day 50 - Vinnytia

Oops, another one I am not sure how you spell it, but the Vinn bit is right.

Having used the internet yesterday, there was confusion when I left as they would not accept any money from me. I did my best to give them some money but they just laughed, still it would only have been about 40p as that is the hourly rate here, better than the 9 pounds in Switzerland. When I left it made me wonder if I had just walked into an office and used one of their machines, but they did give me permission.

There is not much to report as I only updated yesterday, but as today was another short day and this place isnt over exciting I thought I would catch up on emails etc.

I was glad to be in a hotel last night as the weather turned bad again in the afternoon and seemed to be raining most of the night and was still raining when I got up. The hotel didnt do breakfast so I stopped at a bar down the road (yes, Harpo they did have them) where even my pointing could not be interpretted by the girl serving. There wasnt much to point at and I thought I made a pretty good job of it, but the poor girl didnt have a clue and had to go and get her boss, who could understand what I was pointing at the the problem was resolved. Hmm, lovely stale bread and manky meat, good choice, may be she just couldnt believe that I wanted to eat that, but it looked reasonable before I bit into it!

The route was easy and once I had translated the place name navigation was a doddle as it was well signposted, added to that the road rolled but much more gently than of late. I got here at around 2pm and found that 2 hotels were full, frankly I dont think they liked the look of a sweaty old cyclist, well one was the Savoy! Another seemed to double the price to the printed one, probably for the same reason, so once again I am in the big concrete Soviet style hotel with the service to match.

I think I needed a couple of short days for both body and soul. I would ideally like to finish no later than 18:30 but since I have been here it has been 19:30 - 21:00, due to the lack of places to stay and limited camping places. I do feel better for the last two days, but another early night is in order. Actually, one of the problems with hotels is that I seem to get away later than if I were camping, so the day is always off to a bad start, apart from the fact that I like the lie in and the breakfast.

Other than the above, my spirits have been pretty good. I thought I might struggle being alone for so long, but that hasnt been a problem, helped by the better communications that are available these days.

So what now. I did toy with the idea of going to Kiev, but it is still a couple of days away, so I will probably turn south tomorrow and make my way to Moldova. Looking at the map for tomorrow there seems very little chance of a hotel, so it will be wild camping again, but I will make sure I find a place earlier and the same goes for water supplies.

Day 49 - Bar

Well the temperature has gone up again and that makes it much harder work for me.

The day out of Lviv was a long one, longer than intended. I managed to find more gravel roads, which although were fairly flat still managed to slow me down. It is noticable that when I am on gravel there is literally no other traffic about. I reached my intended destination at about 18:00 and it looked big enough to have a hotel, but it didnt. I was told that the nearest was 35k away. To start with I couldnt be bothered to go there as I was so hot and bothered, but after a rest and a litre of Fanta and an icecream I decided to go there. It was straight down the main road and I reached the hotel by 20:15. The welcoming committee was out in the form of a receptionist and you are right Aoiffee the service in the hotel at Lviv was great compared with this one. To start with she shouted and me in good English but each time I asked a question she shouted back the same answer louder, a habit caught from us Brits no doubt. This brought out the devil in me and I asked all sorts of questions to see just how loud she would go. A little later as I went down from my 10th floor room to pay she bellowed across the large reception "GIVE ME YOUR PASSPORT". She softened up a bit later and I told her to be careful as I was warming to her.

Yesterday I wanted a short day after the extra distance to Ternopil meant I had ridden 146k the day before. My destination was 112k down the main road, so I opted for a longer quieter route, a mistake! It was hilly and slow going, then I spotted a short cut on the map and went for it and needless to say it soon turned to gravel, but you get so far you dont want to backtrack. I took a wrong turning in a village and at a junction of very narrow roads I asked the way and was put right, but the gravel became quite deep in places, the sort of stuff you try and keep as straight as possible and dare not steer in. Added to that the heat was 36 degrees and no shelter, I was not best pleased. The I fell off the edge of the good map and I now only have the 1:1,000,000 with English place names, so navigation is really tricky and if there are signposts I have to stop to try and work out the place names and if they are on the map or not. At one village I climbed out on the wrong road and had to return, then some guys tried to assist, but with English place names it was difficult. They told me that my chosen direction was wrong and after another climb I agreed with them and returned again, so it was third time lucky. I was at last back on the right route, but my intended turn off was back on to gravel and it was still a long way to go, so I decided to stick to the tarmac and see where I ended up. I eventually reached the main road by about 19:00 and my intended destination was 30k to the north. The weather was worsening rapidly and a strong wind was blowing from the north and a storm brewing. I didnt fancy the head wind in the storm, so I went south. It just got darker and darker ands I had to turn my lights on, oh joy I have taken the front one off. The heavens opened and I sheltered under a tree and continued once is eased a bit, but the next downpour was never far away. I stopped at a petrol station to ask for some drinking water, but they had nothing on tap but let me fill up from a bucket they had. There are lots of roadside wells, but I hadnt used them in the hope I wouldnt need them, but when I eventually decided that is what I would do, there were none, typical. After 14k I took the first turning east again and started looking for a place to camp. It was another 7k before I found a suitable spot down a small track and tucked behind some trees. It continued to rain as I set up the tent, but I was in there by 21:00, just in time for the arrival of the next downpour and the thunder was right overhead, not much fun. Still, once I was in the dry I felt better, but my shorter day had turned out to be another 140k. At 23:15 a vehicle came down the track and the headlights shone on the tent. I guess it stopped 20-30m short of me and somebody got out, so all I could do was wait and see what happened. They soon got back in the vehicle, probably because of the weather, but I remained on edge as there was silence from them. My tension must have eased as I fell asleep and was awoken at 00:45 as they left.

Today was again hilly and hot and within 2 hrs I realised I wasnt going to reach my intended destination and it was going to be another long hard day with wild camping at the end of it. After 62k I reached Bar and I saw a sign advertising a hotel, so after a bit of thought and after 2 late finishes I decided to make the most of it and have a well earned short day. Its only a small town, but I rode another 10k looking for the hotel and began to wish I had continued. Each time I asked somebody, if I could make them understand what I wanted as they didnt understand the word hotel, I was pointed in a different direction. Eventually a guy on a motor bike led me there. The word hotel in Ukrainian was very small and well disguised.

So with a couple of hours to spare and having been all around the town 3 times already here I am, but sadly still hook up for cameras.

Day 46 - Lviv

I came here as it is a nice easy place name to remember!

Well the night at the stadium was pretty uneventful apart from the very loud noises from the other rooms that made it clear that they excell in more than just the one physical dicipline.

Friday was about as different from any day in Hungary as an apple is to a my big toe. After I have got used to temperatures being in the 30s it comes as a bit of a shock when it suddenly plummets to just 13. You at home will also be please to know that there was wind and rain thrown in that made it feel even colder. Still, the sandals stayed on as there was no point getting wet sock as well. It was back into the hills as well, and a complete change to culture.

The route started with a bit of a main road bash for 20k or so, then I picked a nice looking road on the map the went through the mountains. It was a great road too, to start with anyway. The road climbed gently and it was nice to be amongst the hills and a bit of scenery. There was always a river nearby and I could have camped wild just about anywhere, only it was about 100k to soon. The villages werent exactly picturesque, but the individual dwellings were wonderful, so long as I never have to live in one that is. There were all wooden and pretty tiny and the wood piles outside reminded me just how tough it must be in the winter. Most houses had livestock, all be it just a single cow of a few geese. There was little traffic and the further I went it got even quieter and the tarmac deteriated from lumpy to a patchwork of years of repairs, but with so little traffic I could weave my way around them. I was always very aware that the people stopped and looked at me, but I guess I was a pretty rare sight. There were one or two lovely little wooden churches in the villages. Soon the road turned to gravel, only temporarily, or so I tought. I was wrong, it went on for about 25k and was rough and with the rain, mucky. The track was now climbing sharply, getting narrower and totally devoid of any traffic and I was never totally convinced that it wouldnt lead to a dead end, but my now number one luxury item, the compass, gave me the confidence to continue as I knew I was going in the right direction. Things got worse, I was already feeling unwell and feeling pretty sorry for myself (that a polite way of saying pissed off) when my dynamo switch decided to finally give up the ghost and kept switching itself on. Repairs in the wet isnt what was needed, but it was really hacking me off, so I stopped and took it off. At last I made it to the top off the pass and the descent started, but what a waste heading downhill slowing with the brakes on and in the wet wearing the brakes blocks in no time. One particular bend saw me at the days low point as the road was awash in mud the whole way across and I had to wheel the bike through it, wonderful! At last I reached the village and junction with a tarmac road and I couldnt be bothered to turn the map over but pretty sure I needed to go right. Joy of joys another long climb, but so much easier even on rough tarmac. A couple of motorcycle tourists passed the other way and gave a toot and a wave, a little gesture that can lift the spirits a bit. Next up was a road checkpoint with gates across, a couple a cars were let straight through, but I got the passport treatment and a few questions, at least I assume they were questions as I didnt understand a word so I just babbled away in English and confused them too. The road rolled along nicely now and I was enjoying myself again despite the rain but I was glad to reach Tupka, me destintion. Well I was until I started entering town, then emphasis was on the Tip! There was nothing nice about the place at all and people there all looked a little menacing, let alone the dogs which chased me. I somehow felt I wouldnt find a hotel here and I was right, and somewhat pleased about it too. As I passed a bus stop I could feel a dozen pair of eyes boring into me, but they were probably only thinking "what is a tourist doing in this dump" or more likely "if there werent so many people about I would mug him". I stopped at a shop and bought some food for a night camping and they told me of a hotel 10k further on, anything was better than staying here. Another checkpoint was negotiated and then I reached the hotel, brand new and very posh and too much at 15 pounds a night but after today I couldnt be bothered to carry on. A 2 course meal with 0.5l of beer and a coffee came to 2.50. The waitress helped me with the menu as I didnt understand a word of it, but I was none the wiser as she just read it out in Ukranian. I could tell the beers as there was one there called 1715 and the bottles of wine were the only thing over a pound.

Saturday started off badly but at least the sun was shining. At 8:30 the place was dead and my bike and passport were both locked up. At 9 a cleaner turned up and told me the were all asleep and seemed surprised that I wanted them woken and wouldnt do it. I discovered which rooms they were in and did it myself. At last I was off, but into a headish wind. People in the villages were either out walking there cows on a lead, giving them a weekend treat of munching on the verges, or they were in the Saturday best and heading for the churches. After about 40k I was out of the hills and on a flat, dead straight road with the wind behind me and I was off like a rocket, well relatively speaking that is as I was still going slower than if I was on an Audax ride. I made it to Lviv in good time but had no map of the place. 30 minutes cycling around still failed to show even a sign for a hotel, so I stopped and asked and soon found one. And what a cracking hotel it is too, I just love it. Its a massive old Soviet type concrete built structure and everything is shabby, inside and out. The entrance hall is massive with nothing in it and there are booth for reception. Staff are clearing trained at not smiling or being helpful and are brilliant at it. It is also still run in the old Soviet style and there is a "matron" on each floor. There are also staff by the stairs and lifts, armed guards in the evening, and you have to show a pass before they will let you through. Its a working museum and at 7:50 a night cheaper than I was camping in Western Europe. Returning in the evening I used the lift to get to my 4th floor room and got stuck in it. I could just force the door enough to call the guards and between us we forced the doors open. I was only in there 5 minutes or so, but my mind was already getting ready to spend the night there.

Today has been a rest day and I have been wandering around the city. At breakfast there was a brochure about the hotel with a bit written in English. The picture of the outside is this place but they describe posh rooms and happy helpful staff. Where are they then? Anyway, Lviv is a nice little city with a long main street lined with trees and a pedestrian area up the middle that it a real social area where groups of people just walking, talking or are playing chess and kids driving little electric cars. Some of the churches are pretty good too, but being Sunday there are services and they are packed, some with people listening to speakers outside.

Now that things are so cheap there is not much point in camping. A night in a reasonable hotel and eating out is still costing me far less than camping in Switzerland and Austria, besides some of the places have such charachter they are worth a look in there own right.

This is the 2nd internet place I have used in Ukraine and neither of them can handle digital cameras, so you might not see any photos for a while, besides it give me a bit more time to waffle on a bit doesnt it!

From here on in I am going to head east a bit, but dont no how far or where too, your guess is as good as mine. This isnt exactly on route to Australia anyway, but who cares!

Day 43 Mykucebe (Ukraine)

Dont go looking for this place name on the map as I cant remember it and it is just a guess!

Well the 3 days from Budapest were ok, but other than Budapest itself I was disappointed with Hungary, That is probably due to the route I chose, a flat one to give my legs a rest from the mountains, but it was SO flat is was a bore. One of the day I rode 103k with just 27m of climbing, that makes the Fens look hilly. It was too hot for hills anyway, up to 38 degress, so the flat was appreciated from that point of view,

The camps sites were much better than I expected but I was generally on my own apart from the second night when I was with a Dutch group, but there was so many mossies about that I retreat to the comfort of my tent for protection.

Today has been a total change in weather. Hard rain when I woke up persuaded me to go back to bed and I was not on the road until 10:30 and the temperature only made 19 degrees and more rain came this afternoon.

Well today I crossed into Ukraine, a man made border but it felt like I had moved into a different continent. I know so little about the Ukraine that it is embarrasing. Passport control asked me where I was going, so I said Kiev as it is the only place I know, but I also know I wont be going there. The I had to change my Hungarian Forints to Ukrainian things what ever they are (I still dont know) and for 17000 forints I was offered 204. I wasnt sure so went to the next and was offered 440, so still not sure I left it and went to a bank in the first town and got 459. The first things I noticed, apart from all the petrol stations was all the dogs, many of the stray.
The roads are far rougher and the main vehicle seem to be the Lada. Road side house had tables with vegetables for sale and the women were chunky and wrinkled and dressed in a way that made me look smart. The next challenge was to find a decent map and to the end I was advised to go 30k up the road to the next town, which is where I am now. Well I found one, but it only covers a small area and is in their language with a different alphabet, but at least it should match the roadsigns. I also bought a 1:1,000,000 road map of the entire country with names in English, but at least it gives me the lie of the land but would be useless on the road.

Finding a hotel was challenging I didnt know what the word would be. The only one that said Hotel was 4 star and as I was about to enquire some Czechs told me of a cheap place. I found it, I think, at the stadium, at one pound 50 a night, but as dives go it is ok.

Well I would write more but I am being thrown out. I passed through a time zone today so I am now 2 hours ahead, but 21:00 still seems early for closing.

Day 41 - Some place east of Budapest

Well I hadnt intended to post so soon after the last one but it is too hot for cycling all day, so this is my chance to get out of the sun for a little while, consequently there is not much to report.

Yesterday was a bit of a downer, being on my own again, plus the pleasures of cycling out of a big city in the heat. At least it was flat for a change as climbs as well as busy roads would all have been too much. Actually it was just down right boring, but the kilometres passed by fairly quickly and I end up at a campsite with a spa bath, not that I used it mind.

Today has been a bit better, still outrageously flat and still around 35 degrees, but not too much traffic and a few lakes and rivers to ride along side and its been quite enjoyable. I have ridden about 67k so far today and there is another campsite 30k further on but I might just carry on a camp wild somewhere as it seems too early to stop.

Thanks for the advice on the sausages Aoiffe, they sound disgusting. I did eat one in Budapest but it was nothing to write home about so I wont. I am still without a map of Ukraine, so it should be a bit of fun to start with.

The photos havent been taken with a tripod Cath, but I will use it for self taken photos, not that I take too many of those. The roof was just taken with a very steady hand and a little help for a camera with a anti shake detection thingy.

The for the offer of another bed Harpo, but as stated in my previous post the bed is an over rated luxury. I am actually getting used to sitting outside without a seat and I realised last night that I was enjoyed just sitting on the ground. Its amazing how few luxuries you need in life, but I am sure once I get back I will slip back in to the old habits, like sitting on chairs etc.

Nik Windle sent me an email and said he had been tracking my progress on Autoroute and that he thought I had done about 3000k. Very impressive as at the time I had just topped 3200k, just over 2000 of those old fashioned things. Progress does seem to have been remarkably slow, but I am in no real rush and I havent exactly taken the shortest route, and nor will I do so in the coming weeks. I would guess that through Turkey and Iran I will start to take a more direct route as the countries start to get much bigger.

Day 39 - Budapest

Well as Cathy has pointed out, Caroline has been out to Budapest for the weekend. Having heard what the weather has been like at home I was desperate for some of the good weather that I have been having recently, so was somewhat disappointed that it was overcast on Saturday morning, but the sun came through in the afternoon and was pretty warm. Today has been a scorcher and the forecast is for more of the same so I am a bit concerned for the cycling over the next few days.

Saturday we spent most of the time in Buda, the old bit. The best thing for me were the constant and varied views across to Pest and along the Danube. The main church was closed by the time we got there at about 2pm, but that may have been due to the constant procession of weddings. One couple went passed in a horse drawn cart and the bride had a lovely dress, headress and white gloves to the elbow, but the tatoos up the rest of the arm didnt do the outfit justice. The main bridge, Chain Bridge, was shut to traffic for the weekend and turn into a craft fair and was packed. Back in Pest we visited the impressive main church of St I Forgotten The Name, but another service was in progress, but we saw enough to warrant a return. Caroline wanted to return to Chain Bridge at dusk and I am really glad we did as it was lit up and looking across to Buda was a wonderful sight. I would have returned if I had been on my own.

Today we strolled along the Danube and passed the wonderful Parliament biulding.We pottered in Pest and revisited the churches we couldnt get into yesterday and they we both worth the effort.

Well Caroline has returned now and I am pretty sure she enjoyed the weekend. It was good to have some company and conversation for a couple of days and I havent thought about cycling at all, so tomorrow I am in for a bit of a shock.

Tomorrow also will be the return to camping after 3 nights in a hotel and a bed. I can confirm that beds are over rated, but the breakfasts arent. Caroline was astonished that I effectively had 2 breakfast on Saturday, but today I was a bit more discreet about it, but still had two, she just didnt notice. Being as I will have breakfast on my own tomorrow I will do my best to have three and go out in style.

I have no idea where I am heading for tomorrow other than in the vague direction of Ukraine, which I hope to be in by the end of the week. When I get back to the hotel I will have a look at the map. Ukraine will be interesting as I have no imformation, guide book or map and I dont even know the currency or the exchange rate. I could look it up here on the web, but by the time I have finished this I will have had enough.

Changing the subject a bit, I cut my hair the other day and did it without a mirror. All was going well until I removed the length gauge and the blade to clean it out and forgot to put the length gauge back on before I continued. I now have an extra bald patch on the side of the head.

Hello Andy, I am glad to hear you too are tuned into my waffle pages. Harpo, where are you, you have gone a bit quiet.


A few more Slovakia photos have been added and a whole host from Budapest.

Day 37 - Budapest

Thanks Mr Barlow, I am glad to see that even when I am over 1000 miles away from you that you can still take the piss, mind you I would have thought you could have been a little more up to date that 20 years ago.

Well its only 3 days since the last post and I dont have much time so this one will be quite short.

Thursday was about 110k to Banska Bystrica and a good ride with a few climbs and a lovely town square to end the day with, well almost end the day and I then found that the campsite no longer exists and I had to go another 7k uphill in the wrong direction to find another campsite, I wasnt best pleased and didnt enjoy it especially as I douted it would even be there.

Well at least it meant a downhill start to yesterday which was needed at it was a long day of 147k, the longest so far and longer than I would rather do in a day. There was a tricky bit in the middle where I could only see major roads but I decided to chance getting through. The little road I was on came to an end at a cafe beside a major road and I asked a couple leaving the cafe the way to Budca and they pointed down the dual carriageway and indicated that bikes could use it, so I went across a bit of rough ground and joined it. After a couple of k there was another small road to my right so again I went across a bit of rough ground and was on the small road. This passed through another village and then joined what looked like a motorway, not that the map indicated it. I wasnt sure if I could go on it and flagged down a motorist who confirmed that I couldnt....sod it, my luck had run out. Looking at the map I could retace about 12k and take a different route down another main road, or about a 25k diversion through the hills to a point where I was still unsure if I could get to the road I wanted, which from here was only 2.5k away. Then a van passed and went down a tiny lane which I hadnt spotted. Well it worth a go and it paid off and once back on the road I wanted and the foreseen problems out of the way I felt really good. The rest of the day was pretty straight forward although once in Hungary it was nothing but main roads. They were newly surfaced and a delight to ride on and not too much traffic apart from Polish lorries. I arrived at the campsite in Diosjen and it looked really posh, a nice bar, lots of covered seating, a large house with a big pond in front of it and lots of good grass to camp on. It seemed a bit odd that I was the only one there then. It was so nice I had a little wander around first, then for some reason I checked the shower block. The were full of dirt and leaves and looked as though they hadnt seen use in years. I turned on the shower and not a drop came out, so I tried the hand basins, nothing, the washing up area, nothing, and the taps on the lawns and still nothing. I checked at the reception about this and they pointed to the road works outside and I can only assume that they too have been there for years. Thankfully there was another site in the village another 2k away, uphill again. This place looked really run down, but at least there were people staying in the huts. I checked the water supply and water came out, so thats good enough for me. There were no caravans and I was the only tent. When I went for a shower thay looked really old and knacked but at least water came out. I turned it on and left it a few minutes and amazingly hot water came out to my surprise. I thinks this standard will be about as good as it gets from now on.

Today I made an early start for Budapest, another main road bash, but at least with a tailwind. It was only about 60k and I made for the information office and picked up some maps and then wandered around a few hotels before selecting the Queen Mary Hotel, very Hungarian. The room is big and it will be the first time I havent camped for 4 weeks, yet it doesnt feel strange when I had expected it to. I cant say I am even bothered about sleeping in a bed for a change, but I wont miss the bugs, especially the mosquitos.

Day 34 - Zilina - Slovakia

Now I hadnt intended to visit Slovakia, but that is the good thing about not having a route planned. I had always wanted to visit Bratilava for some reason and bieng so close to Vienna I thought I might as well.

The ride from Vienna was a doddle and almost totally flat along on near the Danube, with only 75m of climbing in 77k. I thought my altimeter was having a day off. For part of it I found a cycle track, but is was along an old railway line and so flat and straight with trees to either side that I wished I was still on the main road. Bratislava was a nice little city but a bit of an anticlimax so soon after Vienna. The campsite was beside a large lake and was more like a beech resort, especially being a hot Sunday.

Yestaday started of flat with hills and vineyards to the left and a plain to the right, but the afternoon made of for it and was very hilly and stinking hot and it was just hard work with hill after hill and sweat pouring off me again. I was pretty tired by the time I got to Stara Tura only to find the campsite had closed down long ago. I decided to camp there anyway and took a shower in the lake and dried off in the sun. I had a beer in the evening, well it seemed rude not to at 50p for a half litre.

Today has been heading north with a tailwind and pretty flat with mountains on each side, so progress has been pretty swift. Zilina is a nice town, but another place where the campsite no longer exists, so I have another 12k when I leave here to see if the next one exists otherwise it will be wild camping tonight.

Slovakia is typical Eastern European and quite a contrast coming after Austria. Towns are pretty dull with plenty of ugly concrete tower blocks. Supermarkets are about as uninviting as they could make them and many look more like prisons from the outside, in fact I didnt realise what they were until I saw a trolley outside one. Most things are unapatising, even by my low standards. The choice of bread is either stale rolls or stale loaves. In Austria there was a huge choice of cheeses but here there no more than 3 big slabs. Its cheap though, so I shouldnt complain too much. Tesco are taking over the world and there are a number here, but having seen the competion they can hardly fail although I have refused to use them and support the little crappy shops instead, beside if the bread is stale you eat less.

The best thing so far about this place is that the cyclists are all slower than me and for once I feel as though I am going fast.

Those LED bug things is nothing to do with drink I promise you, although I did see far more last night when I went back to the tent after a beer.

From here I am heading south for 3 days and will spend the weekend in Budapest, then its east again and into Ukraine.

Day 31 - Vienna

Blimey, is it really 6 days since my last post?

It rained the morning I left Saltzburg, so I stayed in bed until I decided I could wait no longer and it stopped as soon as I got up. I had only planned a short day so I still made it to Hallstatt (See photo) by 16:30. Its a cracking little village going up the hillside and right on a big lake and the population is just about doubled with us tourists.

The next day was another hilly 130 odd k that was up and down the whole way. It was far too hot for such a route at 33 degrees and on the slightest of hills I was sweating buckets. The last 15k was generally upwards and Wildalpen couldnt come soon enough. The campsite was crammed with tents, but I found another area that was totally free, until 10 mins after I had set up my tent and then I was surrounded by Czech boat people, canoes and rafts that is, not refugees, at least I assume they werent. One was covered from head to foot in camoflague, but his yellow canoe gave the game away a bit! His tent was also camoflagued but he didnt have any tent pegs so he hacked a branch off a tree with a machete and made some pegs.

Wednesday was also hilly. By the last climb I was sweating buckets again and just about run out of water when I found clean water coming out of a pipe by the roadside. I stopped and washed my face and it was wonderfully cold. I ended up filling my cap with water and tipping it over me and by the time I left I had just about had a shower whilst fully dressed, boy was it good. The nights stop was at Melk where there is a large monastry that dominated the town.

Thursday was another stinking hot day with the temperature up to 34 but a flatish ride into Vienna. I was aiming for the information place but couldnt get my bearings, then realised I stopped literally right beside it, so somebody was smiling on me. They gave me a great cycling route out to the campsite, along the Danube, through a park, across canals and rivers and with only about 200m of road riding. When I checked in the reception area was even hotter and sweat was oozing from my arms. As I started to put the tent up I saw an enormous black cloud coming over so the race was on to get the tent up before the rain, but within just a couple of minutes a fierce wind had whipped up that was demolishing tents with ease, so the race was on to get the tent packed away before the rain. I just made it back to reception as the rain arrived and I sat around for a couple of hours for the storm to pass over. When I returned there was debris all over the place, rubbish, branches, tents and awnings, so I think I made the right decision.

Yesterday I rode back into Vienna and it is such a great ride that I dont mind being about 10k from the centre. Through the parks branches and felled trees were everywhere and the clean up operation had already begun. Once in the centre I realised I had left my spare camera battery in the tent so I spent the day at the out of town sites, the best of which was the Schonbrunn Palace. I have always wanted to visit Vienna and Caroline recommended it too and I can say that I have not been disapointed, it is just fantastic. Back at the campsite it is seriously packed, tent peg to tent peg as there is a music festival nearby and it is full of bear drinking teenagers, but they are harmless enough and even they cant keep me awake.

Today has been spent walking about in the centre and at every turn there seems to be another photo to be taken, it really is that good and all within such a short walking distance. I also went out to the cemetry were the composers are grouped together, Beethoven, Strauss, Shubert and Brahms and a monument to Mozart.

Ok, on to matters of food. Well since Lomotte Beauvron in France where I met Caroline, her brother Stephan and sister in law Tewy (I hope I have spelt that right) who were travelling from Barcelona to Reading, where we had a great meal which blew about 2 days of budget for me, I havent even used a knife and fork, so you could say it has not been posh. I generally have a 3 course meal, so I am not going hungry. Starter is normally a soup, sometimes its green, normally it is brown and usually has bits in, but tonights is white! The good thing about self catering is that you dont even have to point, you can just look at the pictures, but I still cant tell what it is! Main course is either rice or pasta or very occasionally cous-cous, with a tin of something thrown in and sometimes a tin of veg as well. The sweet menu consists of either fresh or tinned fruit. Now if any of that gets your taste buds going let me know and I can send you the recipe. Breakfast varies, but my favourite is crunchy type cereal with a tin of fruit cocktail thrown in. The fruit cocktail is amazing. I can see I am eating a cherry of a piece of pineapple, but it all tastes the same, of fruit cocktail. Lunch is normally bread and cheese which I never seem to tire of, but today, yes I did have sausage for the first time and the wish I had bought cheese!

The stove I am using it great, but it is either on full or off, but I have just about mastered the technique of cooking without burning the pots. Its an MSR Whipserlite and can burn any fuel. I am using unleaded petrol which is great as I know that everyday when I need a refill I am going to find what I need. I also love to see their faces when I stop for petrol, perhaps I should stop making out that I am really thirsty! I fill up about once a week and a tank full cost about 50p, so it cheaper to run than a car.

And more about bugs and things. At the start of a climb early on Thursday I was overtaken by a snail (see photo). It was massive and you cant really see that from the photo, so perhaps I should have leant my bike against it to give a sense of scale. A question for you all now. Every now and then I see strange flying bug things that have bright green LEDs on the front. Does anybody know what they are. Its a bit odd when you see an LED heading straight for you.


Lots more photos added too and Mally, can you spot the one that was taken for you?

Richard, I am still probably not cycling fast enough for you to reclaim your dining room table. I didnt go to that place you mentioned so no danger of me putting a photo on the web for you. Give my regards to all the Woodstock bellringers and to those that arent able to read this. I still think of you on a Thursday night (well thats if I can work out what day of the week it is!)

Day 25 - Saltzburg

Well I was going to put the date in Harpo, but as Lorna has pointed out it is already there.

Its not long since my last post but as this is a day off I thought I would put in an update.

I left Innsbruck a bit late, well 9am, due to bumping into Beryl and Bob, a couple from Sydney who are touring Europe in a UK registered camper van. I met them in Leichtenstein and hadnt realised that there van was just 50m from where I was camped. There was a good cycle path through Innsbruck along the river so the first 20k was a doddle, then the main road was flat and fast between the mountains and I was going so well I didnt bother turning the map over and over shot my turning. Once back on the right road it was busier than expected and blooming hot. I had lunch and then there was another 1000m climb ahead, only I felt really rough in the afternoon and all the way up the climb. I felt dizzy at one point and stopped for a rest in the shade in a village and a German voice said something to me which I translated as "stop lounging around and get up the hill you wimp", so I got up felt dizzy and sat down again. Well I eventually made it to the top of the climb, but it was slow and hard going, but worth it for some views down the valley and views of Ausrias largest waterfall. The campsite I found was tiny and very basic, just as I like them.

Yesterday started with another 450m climb staight out of Mittersill where I was staying, but it was so much better than the previous day and I felt great and dare I say it I was even enjoying going up hill. I cut through the corner of Germany to get to Salzburg which meant that I had to get off route 3 times to avoid long tunnels, but otherwise the day was pretty uneventful. I was thinking the scenery was pretty average until I stopped to think about it. If I have been at home I would have thought it was amazing, but having been in the mountains a while now I have become a bit blase about it.

I stopped off a a supermarket to top up on stocks and bought some Clever biscuits. Now I am no expert, but from what I could make out they were no brighter than your average biscuit.

The supermarket was at the edge of Saltzburg, Mozarts city where everything has his name on so I also bought Mozart Golden Delicious apples!

Today has been spent wandering around the city and a very pleasant city it is too. It is pretty small and compact, so I rode around the sight the other side of the river then parked up and walked around the sights on this side. As David and Lyndsey pointed out, when you are on a long trip you tend to watch you budget so I didnt bother going into the castle as the best thing seemed to be the views from the ramparts and I had already had views for free elsewhere. Talking of watching budgets, being as am basically heading east I only bother to put sun lotion on my right hand side to save on costs!

Teri, my sister said she could never do a trip like this as she couldnt spend a year when nothing was ever familiar. Well so far I have loved it, but it may explain why I am enjoying camping as it offers a home that has familiarity, all be it in a different place each night. Each evening it rain, sometimes with a thunder storm and I just love it so long as the tent is already set up. It is so nice and cosy to listen to the rain whilst in the tent with a mug of coffee.

By the way, just because I have been wearing the same shirt for 3 weeks doesnt mean to say it hasnt been washed and the photo goes some way to prove it.

To some people camping isnt fun, as the other photo illustrates, but what do I hate about it. The only thing I really dislike is setting up the tent in the rain, oh, and the bugs that always seem to get into the tent and I really didnt like waking up to be nose to nose to a slug that was on my pillow.

Well tomorrow I head in the vague direction of Vienna which will be my next stopover. I still havent decided a route as I need to turn the map over and that is a job for tonight. I am in no rush to get there so it is unlikely to be a straight route.


Oh, and I have heard a rumour that Woodstock won the branch striking competion. Well done, you wouldnt have done that if I had been in the band.


A few more photos have been added.

Day 22 - Innsbruck

Well this place is a bit cheaper so I dont have too rush so much, 130p hr instead of 900p hr!

By the way there is one thing I miss and that is a chair. Most of the time I am not bothered but when it comes to writing the diary I really miss it.

Liechtenstein was ok, wet, but not over exciting. Where I was camped I was surrounded by a group of Dutch motor cyclists. There are hundreds around me all day so it is only fitting that I should be surrounded by them during the night as well.

The following day started off wet and got wetter, but it only lasted a couple of hours. I was heading up a main road, the only real option for the direction I was heading and I was stopped by the police. Apparently I shouldnt have been cycling on it, although it was nowhere near a busy as the roads at home. I guessed that was why I was being stopped but I just put on a dumb foreigner look, you know, my normal look, and spoke to him in English and that did the trick. I managed to follow little roads up hill and down dale through the villages until a cycle route pointed back down the main road, so I rejoined it. Soon the guys from the campsite passed and gave me a wave. I had to leave it again to avoid a very long tunnel but soon I was at the top of Wolfgangpass at 1650m and dropping down into Davos.

Heading out of Davos up the Fluelapass I passed a couple of guys with mountain bikes and rucksacs. They were Germans and on a 6 day tour. We kept passing each other when we stopped for breaks or to take photos. The top of the pass was at 2383m and the high passes are defineately the best as you get well above the treeline and the scenery is far more open and spectacular and you can see the road way up above you and soon enough you are looking back to where you where hundred of calories ago. We stopped for a chat at the top and they changed their tops and I put a jacket on. They were suprised that I did not change my top but they probably didnt realise that I have only been wearing it for 3 weeks so it obviously doesnt need changing yet. They both picked up my bike to feel the weight and then patted me on the back and shook my hand. It was then a hair raising steep descent and I had to stop to let my rims cool down form the breaking. At the bottom was the pretty village of Susch where I stopped the night on an odd little campsite with perfect grass and a shower 300m away and a little cabin with the rest of the facilities. There were just 2 tents there, the other one had another 2 German cyclists in.

Yesterday I had a bad morning and just lacked energy, but progress was at about the same rate and thankfully not too much climbing. I entered Austria and went to Landeck. I was relying on getting a map here as I only had about 10k of map beyond it. I did get one and it is quite exciting looking at the new map and deciding where to go. I carried on about another 20k to Imst where I just beat the thunder storm that was creaping up behind me unawares. I sheltered at the campsite office whilst it blew over and I quized the guy in the office as to the best route to Saltzburg, so it was time well spent. He also gave me some ideas for the route to Vienna and it looks good, but far from a straight line.

Today has been a short ride of 55k to Innsbruck. I started off on cycle routes to avoid the main road but it turned into a mountain bike route with steep gravel hills and far from fun on a heavily laden bike, so I went in search of the main road and used that instead. I saw lots of other cyclists on the main road, so may be they knew better too. I got to the campsite at 11:30 and the sorted myself out and got the bus into the city. It took 2 buses with a total waiting time of less than 3 minutes. I am sure more people would use public transport in the UK if was clean and efficient as it seems to be here.

The city is a pleasure to be in and it has been a good afternoon wandering about. The architecture is a delight and its a colourful place too, and with the backdrop of the mountains what more could you ask for. The churches are pretty amazing too and totally different to those in France. They are intricately decorated and clear glass windows throughout. Stained glass would just have been too much. Seeing this place has really made me look forward to Saltzburg and Vienna.

I shall probably take 2 or 3 days to get to Saltzburg where I will have a rest day to give me time to do my washing etc, but tomorrow has another pass over 2000m, so there is a long way to go through the mountains yet.


I am still finding it hard to take in that this is a new way of life and not just a holiday, at least a temporary way of life anyway. 3 weeks I have been on the road now and normally that is as long a holiday as I could have, but this feels as though it has only just started.

I few more photos have been uploaded as well. The photos of Innsbruck are hot off the press!

Day 19 - Vaduz (Liechtenstien)

Its all way too expensive around here so it is short and sweet again. I expect it to be pricey in Austia so you will have to wait until after the for more details.

The last to days from Interlaken has been through the Alps with some serious climbs, but the scenery has been spectacular. On Saturday I passed glaciers and as the road rose above them you could look down and see tiny specs that were people walking on it. I am just about the slowest bike on the climbs, but with a bike weighing in at around 70kg that is hardly surprising. Most are racing cyclists carrying nothing at all. The worst bit of it is all the motorbikes. There is a constant flow of them and they outnumber cars by about 10:1. Having said that it has been the weekend so it might calm down during the week. Some days I have ridden less than 100k and still done over 2300m of climb. Audaxers reading this will realise that means lots of climbing.

Today has been a flat day, well as flat as it can be in the Alps. Liechtenstien is only about 30k from north to south (less east to west). I had a look around Vaduz which is nothing special before going for a tour around the north and I was back with 2 hours.

I have settled nicely into a camping way of life and I am really enjoying it. I am sure it will change in time but I have no desire to find a bed at the moment. The hissing sound of the stove as you start the first brew of the evening is just wonderful. Ok cooking has to be kept simple, but it is just great being outside. I am using campsites at the moment even though camping wild at times has been an option, but I do enjoy a shower and I will save the wild camping for when I need to.

Camping the couple of nights with Martin was good (see photo) and that has kept me going for a few days. Martin is another person I could happily ridden with for a period of time and was very easy to get on with. As with Simon and Danni, I felt as though we had been travelling together for ages.

Do I miss anything from home? Well I am missing Caroline and that is about it. Ok, ok, I am missing my family too, but the home comforts, television, football, etc, no I havent missed them at all, I dont even think about them, but I am sure time will change.

I have added a few more piccies of France and some for Switzerland, but time is money.

Day 16 - Interlaken

This place is outrageous expensive, so I will keep it short and sweet and photos will have to wait for another day. Also now on German keyboard which is different again.

Left Orleans in sunshine only to have hailstones thrown at me, but I was called over to shelter in a warehouse and was give excellent alternative route which I followed.

The few days across France were pretty uneventful apart from 3 punctures in one day caused by a slipping rim tape that I couldnt keep in place and I did not carry a spare. Got a spare on Lons, different to the old one and is plastic but at least it is doing the job and the problems are over.

The was a good climb up over the Jura mountains in Switzerland giving excellent views of Lake Geneva. Met the Swiss army in the campsite shower block at Rolle. Thay are not staying there just using the showers. Aparently they have excellent knives but no showers.

Also met Martin from Plymouth at the same campsite who is cycling from Paris to Rome. We stuck together the following day for a fantastic ride along the banks of Lake Geneva. We managed to fiind a great cycle route through the towns of Luasanne and Montreax and the rest of the roads were bedside impossibly steep vineyards and the lake.

We split up yesterday as we are taking different routes through the Alps as I head across towards Vienna. The climb was once again tremendous with fantastic view of Alpine villages, lovely wooden churches and endless Swiss chalets.

I have acquired a bad cough which I hope wont get any worse and slow me down.

I had intended making comments on your posts, but that too will have to wait for another day, but keep them coming, I enjoyed reading them.