In this issue: The 'short' run to the Serbian Border. Angry Gypsys. Getting Hungry and finally getting to Belgrad
I had camped on the Tisza river with the intention of following it all the way down to Belgrad. Alas it wasnt to be! When i arrived at the border i was kindly informed by the rather burly guard that this crossing was only for EU and Serbian citizens. She pointed in the vauge gernal direction of where the next border crossing would be. Clearly she thought i could fly! The crossing she pointed to meant a 110km circuit into Romainia and then into Serbia. One cannot aruge with such things so it was a scowl and a curse ( she couldnt speak english so she couldnt understand) and it was back on the bike.
On the upside i did get to visit Romainia. After a murderous run on the Hungarian side- Chasing the while line with trucks going at blinding speed in both dircetions. Not much fun at all. For the most part though everyone was pretty friendly. I certainly got some funny looks in some of the villages.Clearly there is not a huge influx of crazy cyclsits going through northern Romaina.
I made the mistke of trying to take a photo of one of the really cool looking Roma caravan. Pans on the roofs etc. I got an angry finger from the man and a women jumped off and demanded money for the privallage. Which i didnt have ( as i hadnt planned on being in Romainia for Very long). Someone embarressed i put the camera away and hopped back on the bike.
While the traffic and roads in Hungary were pretty average to say the least the condtions in Serbia proved a breeze in comparison. Trucks tooting some distance behind you to warn of thier approach and then, where possible, pulling into the other lane to give you room. Despite the rather damp conditions yesterday i mannaged to do around 130km and get into Belgrad late in the afternoon. I have lashed out someone and am having a rest day in Belgrad. I had a great night sleep in a bed ( the first in a while) last night after disscussing Serbian and Australian life with Marco the night manager in the hostel to the wee small hours.
After a rest day today i plan to tackkle one of the hilly roads the lead to Bulgaria. Have been more or less on the flat since leaving Germany and figure i am up to the challange.
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
In this issue: Nearly getting shot.
Well i guess it had to happen sometime. Was bush camping last night and was just cooking dinner when i heard shots in the distance. They got progessivly closer and i got a little more nevous. I began reading though my hungarian pharsebook for 'stop, please dont shoot'. Eventually all went quiet and i was ableto set up the tent. Made the mistake of not putting the fly on however. Murphays law says that that is when i will rain and sure enough it did! Lesson learned.
Am now moving towards the Serbian border. Hope to make it there today so as i dont have to change any more Hungarian money. Bike going ok though a little damp and a little gritty after a hard run on the sand this morning. Giddy Up.
Well i guess it had to happen sometime. Was bush camping last night and was just cooking dinner when i heard shots in the distance. They got progessivly closer and i got a little more nevous. I began reading though my hungarian pharsebook for 'stop, please dont shoot'. Eventually all went quiet and i was ableto set up the tent. Made the mistake of not putting the fly on however. Murphays law says that that is when i will rain and sure enough it did! Lesson learned.
Am now moving towards the Serbian border. Hope to make it there today so as i dont have to change any more Hungarian money. Bike going ok though a little damp and a little gritty after a hard run on the sand this morning. Giddy Up.
Monday, 3 August 2009
Still on the banks of the Danube
In this issue.
Austrians and nudity, Slovakians and Sex, Dirt Roads
As mentioned in the previous edition the Austrian attitude to nudiny it up was rather refreshing. And i cant say that i may not have enjoyed several episodes of skinny dipping in the Danube while i was there! The Slovakian attitude to shameless loud public sex was perhaps not so refershing. In a rather seedy campground on a lake on the outskirts of Bratislave i had the plesure of being woken by such activity next to my tent at 3 in the morning. Perhaps you can put a few things down to the dark but going for it at at 8 in the morning......
That aside Bratislava, the old down anyway was rather nice. It was an afternoon bolt to get thier after having a wonderful time but blowing my daily budget on musems and the like in Vienna for the previous 5 days.
Dirt Roads.
Igor, as i have called the bike and bob (the trailer) have been copping a bit of a pasting since leaving Vienna. For the most part they have formed a somewhat uneasy tri-patriate alliance ( Spot the historical anolgy). The trailer tends to catch a little so you have to wait for the bump when you go over anything. I have been following some cycle paths and some roads as well as dirt tracks Both the Hungarian and Slovkian Roads makers have a dislike for sloping the gutters when you are crossing the roads however. This is not really a problem going down but trying to mount the kerb with close to 50 kgs on the top is no easy task.
At present i am in Budapest in a rather overcrowed and expensive campsite. A little dissapoiting as i have had some great camps up to now. I plan to get some maps here as the bike path is apprently less maked and there is nothing once i head into Bulgaria.
Austrians and nudity, Slovakians and Sex, Dirt Roads
As mentioned in the previous edition the Austrian attitude to nudiny it up was rather refreshing. And i cant say that i may not have enjoyed several episodes of skinny dipping in the Danube while i was there! The Slovakian attitude to shameless loud public sex was perhaps not so refershing. In a rather seedy campground on a lake on the outskirts of Bratislave i had the plesure of being woken by such activity next to my tent at 3 in the morning. Perhaps you can put a few things down to the dark but going for it at at 8 in the morning......
That aside Bratislava, the old down anyway was rather nice. It was an afternoon bolt to get thier after having a wonderful time but blowing my daily budget on musems and the like in Vienna for the previous 5 days.
Dirt Roads.
Igor, as i have called the bike and bob (the trailer) have been copping a bit of a pasting since leaving Vienna. For the most part they have formed a somewhat uneasy tri-patriate alliance ( Spot the historical anolgy). The trailer tends to catch a little so you have to wait for the bump when you go over anything. I have been following some cycle paths and some roads as well as dirt tracks Both the Hungarian and Slovkian Roads makers have a dislike for sloping the gutters when you are crossing the roads however. This is not really a problem going down but trying to mount the kerb with close to 50 kgs on the top is no easy task.
At present i am in Budapest in a rather overcrowed and expensive campsite. A little dissapoiting as i have had some great camps up to now. I plan to get some maps here as the bike path is apprently less maked and there is nothing once i head into Bulgaria.
Saturday, 25 July 2009
On the banks of the Rather murky Danube
New in this edition of the Adventures of Emrys.... Musings on Germany and Austria, Technical Issues, The Scenary.
As i leave the first country and have about 19 or there abouts left to go it is perhaps time for a little refelction. The pseudu hippy in me couldn´t help notice the difference between parks in Australia and those in Germany (and Austria too for the most part). Here it is not possible to walk for more than an hour or so even in a park and not be within easy reach of other people. As a somewhat nomadic person who likes people but also likes to get away from them this is a somewhat strange concepet to grasp.
Austrians, i think, must have a rather diferent attitude to getting thier kit off. Adelaide has Maslins beach but it seems that anywhere there is water here people love to get naked. I did wonder at the comfort factor of a bloke riding a bike in his birthday suit however. Likwise for the rather portly old bloke who was rollerblading in a g string ( and nothing else). Whatever chokes your chicken i guess.
I am greatful for the generosity i have been shown by the people i have met so far too. I think i am still to burn off the kilos i put on while in Nehaus but it has served me greatly in the last few days. I can´t thank Sybilla, Martin and Georg for all they have done. And to Christoph too for help in building the bike.
And on the concept of group travel.... I met a young Australian lad in his gap year who had embarked on the kontiki experience. He confided in me they had more or less been drinking for the entire 9 days of the trip ( with another 8 or so to go). Thiers was a zig zag city tour taking in all the sites. It struck me as a rather strange way to experience a country and culture. In a semi permanent haze and surrounded by people from your own country? I know all the arguments for such tours, not having the expeince or confidence to do it on your own, safe etc and a good bit of tiking boxes too. Sometimes though life has to be grabbed by the bits. Perhaps i am a little cynical but i am feeling glad i have chosen the method of travel i have.
Technical issues:
So far they have been minimal. I think i may have shagged a crank bearing already. I has started clicking rather a bit but i shall let it turn into soup beofre i try and pull it out.
I bought some fuel which i though was stove mix. Alas it is primer for wood fires. I burns, just. Instead of my nice qucik starting stove i now have a black smoke billowing machine that takes a good 5 mins to prime. I shall be more carefull with the nex lot of fuel i buy.
I thought i had met my end when i corssed a railway line the other day. The bike when over just fine but there was an almighty crash as the trailer went over. I looked back to see my wheel in the middle of the road and the trailer ( rather like a brake drum on a certain Nt Gov vehicle) dragging on the ground. It turned out to be nothing more than the bolts working loose ( same as before on with less consiquences!) and a nice police man helped me put it back together.
The Scenary:
This has been diverse to say the least. I have been following the danube river for the most part all the way along with a few diversions into farmland. On crossing the German border the river passes into a narrow valley that was very beutiful with high mountains on either side. After this there were a few less savoury excursions into the industraial land on the edge of the river epsically on the outskirts of Linz.
And next:
I have about 5 days or so in Vienna. A chance to try and do some free stuff and not blow the budget too much . After that it is on to Hungary, Slovakia and then Bulgaria. Guolash, Pickled cabbage with rice and meat and cheap wine coming up!
Ciao
Sunday, 19 July 2009
The journy finallay Begins!
After a very shakey start in Regensburg the trip is slowly taking shape. The initial ride was from the top of the hill down to the danube river. Given i had only a tenious hold on the bike it was a bit of a terrifingy experience.
Once out of Regenburg however it was a relitivly straight ride along the river in mostly nice sunshine. A few rounds of getting lost and more than a few trailer upsets and it was a bit of tiring day.
I had an awesome camp in the forest but the wins and rain picked up in the night. The next morning i was greated but heavy rain that didnt let up for most tof the day.
I eventaully made it to Passau and then the mother of all hill climbs out of the town up to Nehaus. Not what you want after an 80km ride but made it none the less
Have done some serious repacking and hope to get the weight sitting lower so as it is more stable ( unlike me!) Tommrrow i will start out once more following the danube to Liz and then Vienna. One country down- 19 to go!
After a very shakey start in Regensburg the trip is slowly taking shape. The initial ride was from the top of the hill down to the danube river. Given i had only a tenious hold on the bike it was a bit of a terrifingy experience.
Once out of Regenburg however it was a relitivly straight ride along the river in mostly nice sunshine. A few rounds of getting lost and more than a few trailer upsets and it was a bit of tiring day.
I had an awesome camp in the forest but the wins and rain picked up in the night. The next morning i was greated but heavy rain that didnt let up for most tof the day.
I eventaully made it to Passau and then the mother of all hill climbs out of the town up to Nehaus. Not what you want after an 80km ride but made it none the less
Have done some serious repacking and hope to get the weight sitting lower so as it is more stable ( unlike me!) Tommrrow i will start out once more following the danube to Liz and then Vienna. One country down- 19 to go!
Monday, 13 July 2009
In this edition.... trips to france, cheese, sleeping in ditches and walking tough dope fields.
Whatq crazy week or so i has been. After spending a wonderful afternoon in Regensburg with Georg i jumped on the midnight train to Paris. I had the fortune of sharing a cabin with a group of yagermeister swilling hippy americans. They were harless enough i guess and were kind enought put p with the smell when i took my boots off! I arrived to find my jet lagged mother sleeping true hobo style in the train station. What suprised me more was the blokes in army kit walking around. I thought i had arrived in Bahgdad wheni saw three blokes with assult rifles wandering around the platform- apprently its normal! Add to this the fighter jets that were flying low above us for mch of the hike and you start to wonder about the place!
I learnt a few other things about France too. First rule- nothing happens on a sunday. So in a town with 5 hotels- none of them will be open.
The view from our hotel- yes that is the road from underneath the rose bushes that we slept under!
Second the make some damn fine cheese. In a toen called Chource we had the local speciality which is some kind of soft cheese. It was like the biscuits and the cheese all in one! Our diiner that nightconsisted of said cheese on top of Carmens muselie bars- bon appetite.
On our way down to tonnere i came across a strange site. I thought mmmm 'that kinda look lke a dope plant' 'Oh that is a dope plant' 'Oh that is a field of the things' Alas it was only hemp but was good for the smell at least.
A day in Paris ( which was mnore than enough). I think i may have appreciated it less due to having walked for the previous 8 days but the hoards of American and Aussie tourists was a bit f a turn off. The que for Notre damn was about 200m long! Hence i didnt bother to go in!
And lastly i learnt about strage pictures in French Churches. This one was my fave. What i want to know is why is the bloke about to get his tesitcles cut off with a sword???? Thats a bit harsh even by biblical standards.
And since when did the 12 apostles ( i assume thats what these blokes are meant to be) take on the look of the seven dwarves????
Now i am back in Germany, first in Leipzing and then back to Regensburg to pick up the bike and start the journy! Giddy up!
Whatq crazy week or so i has been. After spending a wonderful afternoon in Regensburg with Georg i jumped on the midnight train to Paris. I had the fortune of sharing a cabin with a group of yagermeister swilling hippy americans. They were harless enough i guess and were kind enought put p with the smell when i took my boots off! I arrived to find my jet lagged mother sleeping true hobo style in the train station. What suprised me more was the blokes in army kit walking around. I thought i had arrived in Bahgdad wheni saw three blokes with assult rifles wandering around the platform- apprently its normal! Add to this the fighter jets that were flying low above us for mch of the hike and you start to wonder about the place!
I learnt a few other things about France too. First rule- nothing happens on a sunday. So in a town with 5 hotels- none of them will be open.
The view from our hotel- yes that is the road from underneath the rose bushes that we slept under!
Second the make some damn fine cheese. In a toen called Chource we had the local speciality which is some kind of soft cheese. It was like the biscuits and the cheese all in one! Our diiner that nightconsisted of said cheese on top of Carmens muselie bars- bon appetite.
On our way down to tonnere i came across a strange site. I thought mmmm 'that kinda look lke a dope plant' 'Oh that is a dope plant' 'Oh that is a field of the things' Alas it was only hemp but was good for the smell at least.
A day in Paris ( which was mnore than enough). I think i may have appreciated it less due to having walked for the previous 8 days but the hoards of American and Aussie tourists was a bit f a turn off. The que for Notre damn was about 200m long! Hence i didnt bother to go in!
And lastly i learnt about strage pictures in French Churches. This one was my fave. What i want to know is why is the bloke about to get his tesitcles cut off with a sword???? Thats a bit harsh even by biblical standards.
And since when did the 12 apostles ( i assume thats what these blokes are meant to be) take on the look of the seven dwarves????
Now i am back in Germany, first in Leipzing and then back to Regensburg to pick up the bike and start the journy! Giddy up!
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Another edition to the random adventures of emrys....
The Bike is progressing.....slowly. I am now waiting on a few key parts ( like tyres and tubes) to arrive but this may not happen for a few days. In the meantime i have been enjoying the fine city of Regensburg.
Yesterday i made it to the botanic gardens. Being the plant geek that i am i figured i would see if there were any Aussies growing there. A bit of searching and i eventaully found one- a trusty bull rush growing in a display of waterplants
I also had another wander around the old town and went to the regensburg history musem which is housed in a disused church. It was very interesting though none of it was in English so i had to take a bit of a punt as to waht was going on. Regensburg has been a city since Roman times and in fact still has sections of the Roman Wall surounding the old town. It was also one of the few German cities to escape anihilation at the hands of the Allies in WWII- even though it had an aircraft factory nearby.
Can someone tell me that this picture doesn't bear a creepy resembelence to a certain well know terrorist????
Oh and everyone here rides bikes!!! This was the bike stand for one of the shopping centres- a pretty small one.
Last night i went to an outdoor cinema. A rather genours farmer had donated his barn and a good section of his barley crop to the exercise. The movie was a French one which had been overdubbed into German. This takes a bit of getting used to when you are used to seeing peoples lips move in time with thier speech. It was a comedy which was just as well as i dont think my barnyard german would have been up to a complex legal thriller.
In the next adventure..... to Paris by train!
The Bike is progressing.....slowly. I am now waiting on a few key parts ( like tyres and tubes) to arrive but this may not happen for a few days. In the meantime i have been enjoying the fine city of Regensburg.
Yesterday i made it to the botanic gardens. Being the plant geek that i am i figured i would see if there were any Aussies growing there. A bit of searching and i eventaully found one- a trusty bull rush growing in a display of waterplants
I also had another wander around the old town and went to the regensburg history musem which is housed in a disused church. It was very interesting though none of it was in English so i had to take a bit of a punt as to waht was going on. Regensburg has been a city since Roman times and in fact still has sections of the Roman Wall surounding the old town. It was also one of the few German cities to escape anihilation at the hands of the Allies in WWII- even though it had an aircraft factory nearby.
Can someone tell me that this picture doesn't bear a creepy resembelence to a certain well know terrorist????
Oh and everyone here rides bikes!!! This was the bike stand for one of the shopping centres- a pretty small one.
Last night i went to an outdoor cinema. A rather genours farmer had donated his barn and a good section of his barley crop to the exercise. The movie was a French one which had been overdubbed into German. This takes a bit of getting used to when you are used to seeing peoples lips move in time with thier speech. It was a comedy which was just as well as i dont think my barnyard german would have been up to a complex legal thriller.
In the next adventure..... to Paris by train!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)