Tayakadin to ISTANBUL!!! 20 July

Not the best night's sleep with heavy tricks going by nearby, dogs barking and the heat. We packed up tent and left after breakfast. There were no fewer than 15 dogs on the road back through Tayakadin. We were on Highway 20 which went through a range of roads. We rode through a new housing development where the road was really rough and the air foul, then onto a piece of new six-lane motorway which seemed to start and stop in the middle of nowhere. Turned off and rode through industrial area and then through forest. It also appeared to be used as the local unofficial rubbish dump, all sorts of stuff on the roadsides. It was fairly hilly all day. Stopped for a cold drink after 35 ks at a go-kart track. Then we had a steep 17% gradient climb
for 150 metres in a small town and rode through more forest up and down till the Bosphorus. Rode under a couple of restored Roman aqueducts. The road was good, and the last 4ks were downhill. We rode along beside the Bosphorus till we got to our ferry. The official finish line was at this point. We had successfully crossed the continent!!

We had a cup of chai while waiting for everyone to arrive. There were hugs and congratulations all round before we boarded the ferry and had a lovely one hour trip down the river to our hotel. It was a relaxing way to ginish our ride without having to deal with traffic. Saw some beautiful homes. Landed at Orkatoy, then we had a five minute walk to our hotel, where we showered and changed out of cycling lycra for the near future.
Packed up our bikes into boxes ready for their trip home.
At 7 got a taxi to the restaurant for our final dinner and slide presentation. Theresa had assembled a collage of photos which reminded us of all the places we had been in the last seven weeks. We have come a long way and spent a lot of time together. Had a wonderful time and
met some really lovely people.

So farewell from Istanbul!!!

Saray to Tayakadin. 19 July.

After a night of traffic and dogs and people noise, louder because we slept with the window open, we were woken at 4.48 by the Call to Prayer. Lovely fresh bread for breakfast, as well as meusli and meat, cheese, olives, etc.
We left at seven and immediately hit the rolling hills with fields of sunflowers (again) and wheat, then a long time riding through scrub which appeared to be cut for firewood. At 9am it was 27 degrees. The route was on Highway 20 for the day, but traffic was light and the road surface good.
We stopped at for chai at a little village. The men were all sitting out - it was not even 9am. There was a man there who was German and said to Rita he spends summer in Turkey and winter in Germany. He asked about our adventure and after we left would have told the locals
the story.
The lunch stop was at 50ks, slightly fresher bread than usual! The scenery was steeper rolling hill country, then up and down along a long ridge to the camp site. We saw the Black Sea again, and rode slowly towards it. The signs showed we were getting closer to Istanbul.
There were a number of lovely, large houses in some of the villages, complete with swimming pools - they and many other houses were surrounded by high razor-wire topped fences. We arrived at the little town of Tayakadin at 2.30. It was bustling with men, dogs and large trucks. There is major road construction nearby and there were endless numbers of trucks going back and forth.
We stopped at a petrol station and has a cold drink. There were about eight of us, and the staff got out a table and chairs for us so we had a picnic in the forecourt! When we left the young lad there said "busy road, very dangerous, be careful" Camp was on the outskirts of the town. It was a picnic area, so had toilets - squat with a bucket to flush. There was a bucket shower rigged up. So we put up our tent for the last time, freshened up and sat at the little shop under a large umbrella. After dinner, which was chicken kebabs and salads, we had baklava. Then we received our Tour cycling shirts, to wear on our final day. It was a lovely warm evening, and we sat around admiring the red sunset.
Distance was 90ks in 4hours 56. Ave. 18.

Kirklareli to Saray

We breakfasted in the hotel, with meusli supplied by the tour company, and all left on a group ride out of town at 7.30. There were lots of waves from friendly locals as we rode by. At the outskirts of town there was a big military base with soldiers everywhere. John had a puncture after only 3ks on his back wheel which had had two flats on Wednesday, our last riding day. So he changed both new tyre and tube,which seemed to do the job. It was a short riding day, so lunch was at10.30 after 45ks. We stopped after 30ks for a cold drink of limonata,a local drink which tasted a bit like a cold lemsip! The scenery was really lovely, at first through grasslands with the occasional shepherd or goatherd out watching his flock, then lots of sunflowers and wheat fields. The terrain was rolling hills, so was a pleasant variety of ups and downs to cycle on. It was 27 degrees at 10am.
After lunch we cycled on through a few towns. When we go through we certainly attrach attention - it is school holidays so there are children out and about and lots of men sitting around. We stopped at Chakala where we had a cold drink. The market was on so we wandered

through, creating a lot of interest, especially from the children. We bought a bag of sweets and gave them a lolly scramble. They all said "hello" and "what's your name" without really knowing what it meant! Many of the women were dressed in black from headscarf to toe. We certainly stood out as being different, but people were friendly, many saying "welcome to our country" The locals then gave us fresh honey melon and chocolates. John had a young lady say hello to him, then introduce him to her mother and grandmother. Liz was waiting on her to propose! However that was probably the only English she knew.

We cycled with Manom, Graeme and Nicole. Then it was only 10ks till our overnight stop in Saray, where we arrived at 12.30. We are getting closer now to our destination, with the signs for Istanbul counting down every 10ks or so from 170 to 120 today. Our hotel, the Sezen Otel, is very nice and clean. We are in one of the refurbished rooms. It has wireless but no air conditioning.

As the afternoon progressed it got warmer and warmer. We spent a while watching the Tour de France, trying to find somewhere to stay cool. Dinner was at 7pm in the carpark, nicely cooked steak, chickpeas and tabouleh. Then a large group of us wandered down to the nearby park to eat baklavah and drink chai. It was a lovely, warm, still evening. We were back at the hotel by our usual nine o'clock bedtime. Our room is on the third floor, there are no lifts. It is very noisy outside with trucks going past on the highway, dogs barking, people talking. The mosque is nearby so we will hear the early morning call. As it is so warm we have our windows wide open and have sprayed ourselves with insect repellant.

None of the windows anywhere in hotels in Europe that we have stayed at have had any type of safety device/lock/barrier to stop them from being opened and people from falling out, no matter what floor you are on. We constantly see things that would never be permitted under our Health and safety regulations.
It is now 9.30 and starting to get dark. Tomorrow we have a hilly 90ks of riding and a bush camp, before we reach Istanbul.
Today we covered 76ks in 3 hours 47 mins. Average was 19.9km. It hardly felt like a day's worth of riding!

Kirklareli. Rest day. 17 July.

Woken at 4.39 by the call to prayer broadcast from the local mosque. Breakfast in the hotel restaurant was the usual fare of fresh bread, goats cheese, tomato, olives, cucumber and sliced meat.
We went for a wander at 9.30 to an Internet cafe then had morning tea of Turkish coffee and baklava at one of the many cafes. There are a lot of men sitting around everywhere, in cafes or on the street outside shops, lots of barber shops - a real man's world! Lots of young guys on scooters, dogs lying in the sun, horse or donkey drawn carts trundling through the streets among the cars. A large number of cellphone shops, but no evidence of young people with iPods at all. Dogs roam around the streets but know how to keep out of trouble. The hotel is right beside the main pedestrian shopping area so is very close and handy. John cleaned the bikes, then we went for lunch with Alan to one of the nearby restaurants. We had fresh bread served with a stiff yoghurt, tomato salad, and meat balls. Meat balls are a speciality of this region.
It was a very pleasant temperate of around 30 today.
After lunch we had a siesta for a couple of hours, then went for another wander around the streets. Bought about a kilo of fresh Turkish delight and returned to the hotel to share it with others while sitting on the balcony having a beer. At 6.30 we went to dinner nearby with Jos, Carl and Rita, and Alan. Similiar fare as to lunch, with different meat. A request for duck saw chicken wings delivered to some! It is a bit of a lucky dip to ask for specific foods sometimes!
Meals are all accompanied with large slices of very fresh crusty white bread and greasy french fries. A beautiful evening, we sat up on the third floor with large opening windows. Returned to the hotel at 9 and headed for bed. Our room has orange walls and carpet which might have been the same colour once but now is a dirty dull pink, with many stains and cigarette burns. Feet go
straight into jandals to avoid touching the floor! We are one of the lucky rooms with airconditioning, so don't have to sleep with the windows open - it is very noisy outside.
Only 220 kilometers to Istanbul, we are nearly at the end of our journey.

Malko Tarnovo to Kirklareli. 16 July.

Slept well, John on his super firm wire base bed and Liz on her's with the hollow sag. The dormitory building is used by construction workers in the summer and school children in the winter. A good night's sleep until 4am when the skies were brilliantly lit up and we had sound effects to accompany! The wind had started around ten pm and it had got cloudier, so we knew there was a storm brewing and hoped it would happen before morning. Torrential rain, and the temperature dropped. So hope that is all for the next five days.
Began to get light at 5am, accompanied by roosters crowing and dogs barking. Got up at six, breakfast was at 6.30. John mended his first flat tyre. We set off at 7am, with the temperature a cool 13 degrees. It was up and up and up, straight into a 11km climb on a rough road to the border, through forested hill country. For the first time in weeks we had jackets on, it was 13 degree when we started.
We were checked out of Bulgaria and moved through the Green Zone to the Turkish Customs. Australians paid €15 to get their visa, Canadians €45 but NZers are free. So we waited in line for a stamp on our passport for 1\2 hour, then we were all processed and ready to go.
One more stop to have the passport checked, and up hill again for a few more ks before descending. There were major roadworks underway and the road was very muddy so we had to take care. Once out of the forest area we rode up and down through scrubby hill country, with lots of rocks and scrub. It was a easamt view over the hill tops. There were a lot of places where roadworks were underway.
The first town after the border provided us with Turkish coffee, Turkish delight, and baklava. The shop owner came over to be in the photo, then produced his business card with email address to send a photo to. John had another flat tyre to change. There was a food stop after 35ks, at which four young police turned up to sit and watch us. The temperature climbed up to reach a pleasant 27 by lunchtime.
Then it was up and down hill all the way. There was one 3.5km downhill on an excellent road surface. We arrived in town at 1.20 and easily found our hotel. John had one local say "welcome to our country" as he cycled past. There was a policeman waiting at the street corner to show us the hotel. Showered and changed, we went for a stroll. The hotel is in the centre of town, there are about 80000 people here. It is mostly pedestrian area with narrow streets. Full range of clothing from latest Western fashion to women wearing burkas. A huge number of stores selling gold jewellery. Lots of Turkish food outlets, selling pastries and wraps and other traditional foods. Came back for a siesta, then went for a drink with Alan. At seven we were all collected by bus to go to a municipal reception. We were shown a number of restored Greek wine merchants homes from the early 1900s. This is a local tourism initiative. Then we went to a restaurant for a meal and reception provided by the mayor and deputy mayor. It was a delicious meal, soup and main course of chicken and rice with vegetables, in a very nice restaurant, with gypsy music for entertainment. It was very much appreciated that the city put on a civic reception and dinner for us all. They are working very hard to get more tourism here. Then we all walked back to our hotel, and retired to bed at 10.30.

The hotel is very tired. The lifts are interesting, they have only an outside door so you need to keep back off the wall as you move through the floors. We are on the fifth floor and have an air con unit,which most people do not have. Though double glazed, there is a lot of noise through the windows.

It was a short ride today of 50ks in 2 hours 42 mins, at an average of 18.3.

Aheloy to Malko Tarnovo. 15th July.

We left Aheloy at 7.15am and headed along the Highway 9 towards Burgas. It was cool at the beginning, but soon started to warm up. The highway was busy, but it was a good road. There was not much to see along the way, although we were near the coast, and the air was very dirty. There are so many developments underway, must be a lot of money being invested in tourism in Bulgaria. It was a flat ride for the first 30 ks.
Burgas was a busy city, with very little to recomend it. It was dusty, noisy and the air was very dirty. We rode straight through the city. We turned off to Highway 98 and at 50ks met the lunch truck. This part of the journey was undulating, through grasslands with not much to see but grassland, and a nice view back to the city. Then we hit the real hills! The road was through forested area, with some long climbs, and the temperature reaching 38 degrees with little wind. We certainly drank a lot of water, (John finished off over six bottles) which by this time was getting warm. We only found one place to buy more water, a tiny little petrol station shop which didn't sell much at all.
During the day we saw some road kill - a number of snakes and a hedgehog, as well as live critters - including a small black turtle and locusts. We do not see or hear many birds in the forest areas.
We rode with Manon, Graeme, Alan, Garis and Nicole. Graeme was not feeling very well so we were happy to go slowly and wait for him to catch us up.
We were very pleased to reach our destination at 1.30pm, staying in a dormitory block, which would have been worn-out when it was built in the 1950s! We have a toilet with leaking cistern which is up high so it drips over the seat, the toilet is so close to the wall you have to sit sideways on it, a shower without rose head so you get a 20mm flow of not quite freezing cold water.... The beds are clean, fortunately. However 200 metres up the road is a pool and bar complex at which we sat for a few hours in the afternoon. John also had a snooze for an hour. Dinner was chicken, potato salad and cabbage, then back to the bar for a coffee and iceceeam.
A long day in the hot sun. We started at sea level, and did 900 metres of vertical climbing. We finished at 300 metres above sea level, and there were only three steep descents during the day, so most of the day was spent on long, gradual climbs.
Travelled 103km in 5 hours 28 mins. Average at lunchtime was 20.5, but average for the whole day was 18.6.

Varna to Aheloy. 14 July.

We breakfasted in our room, having purchased muesli and milk yesterday. Though included in the room rate, hotel breakfasts of meat and cheese do not do the job of setting us up for a day of cycling.Less than a week to go; 5 cycling days and one more rest day. The end is in sight! It will be strange to get back into normal life again after weeks of being in our own community. We will miss some of the people whom we have come to know really well, spending all day every day for seven weeks together with them. Sun up as usual nice and early, light by 5am. Yet another sunny day with cloudless sky.

We left Varna at 7.45 in convoy. Over a large bridge then up a 12k hill for starters. Rejoined Highway 9 on which we then stayed all day. It was a lovely road surface to ride on. A hilly day, lunch was at 60ks and then a 26km climb! We climbed a total of 1400 metres today. Most of the day was through forest area. There was an accident between two cars before lunch which we came upon.We went into Nessebar which is an up and coming tourist area with huge numbers of new developments. It is also the site of a 5th century Roman and Greek port, but gelato stalls have taken over. However we had a lovely break sitting on a floating dock at a restaurant having a cold drink and sharing a pizza. We were with Manon and Graeme and Nicole all day.

The whole coastline is being developed with hundreds of apartment blocks as tourism increases to Bulgaria and the Black Sea. We then travelled on to our hotel about 11ks up the highway. We were very happy to find a pool at the hotel at which we could swim and relax. Then after dinner a musical entertainment began. So there was dancing and singing until late. The music was excellent and we had a great time, John and Jos even sang a number or two. All in all a great day. We travelled 111ks in 5hours 57 mins, averaging 18.8.

Varna. Rest day.

The hotel beds were comfy, but with only two sheets and no under blankets, any rolling over revealed the mattress below! Usual hotel breakfast, then went for a coffee and email check, and a wander through the shops. Bought a silver pendant, there are some lovely pieces around. We bought some fruit from the market for lunch, came back and had a rest for a couple of hours. Then went for an iced coffee and sent yesterday's blog. There was a clarinet player in the mall playing lovely relaxing music. An elderly chap with a repertoire of about six songs, he was there all afternoon yesterday also. We could also hear him from our hotel room. At 4pm we went to Alan's room to watch the Tour de France. Then Liz had a massage at five, after which we went for dinner at a little cafe nearby -one of many - with Jos and Alan. Following a short walk to the beach, it was time for bed. Yet another warm, sunny day! Apart from the thunderstorm shower we have not had any rain since leaving Germany. Certainly makes for a different lifestyle, with hundreds of people of all ages out promenading in the very pleasant evening air.

Shumen to Varna. 12 July.

We had the usual hotel breakfast, lots of cheese, cold meats, sausages and scrambled eggs, along with pastries. No muesli or cereal though. The hotel was clean, a bit tired, but had a lovely pair of circular staircases leading to the restaurant. We saw little of Shumen itself except on arrival and departure. Lots of grey concrete buildings, many apartment blocks. Left in convoy at 7.40am. We went to the Highway 2 and carried on from where we had turned off yesterday. It was a pleasant ride through fields on rolling hills. Mainly open countryside with endless sunflower and wheat fields. Road surfaces generally good, but some patches of rough with very big potholes.

Went through a few little villages, people out doing their chores. Some wheat harvesting being done by large harvesters with the donkey and cart going along nearby - one cart even had the genuine steel-belted wooden wheels. Just before lunch at 52ks we started our first real hill, with lunch stop being near the top. Lunch was shrimp with crab meat for on our usual dry white bread. The filling was tasty. After lunch we met a few real hills. One was 4 kilometers and quite a rough surface up and down. By then it was getting quite hot, but we had a sea breeze in our faces i.e. A headwind. We rode with Manon and Graeme. The road had a few large hills, one long steep one just approaching Varna. The last 20ks were hard work up hill in the heat and wind. Only glimpsed the Black Sea with 10ks to go, and that was downhill.

Arriving in Varna we travelled in to the Centrum along 4lane roads. Our hotel is right at the edge of the pedestrian shopping area, a 5 minute walk to the beach. We are in the 6th floor with views of sea and city. Friends are on the 13th floor with wonderful views of the sea. It was hot (36) by now so we unpacked and walked to the beach, which was crowded with all sorts of shapes and sizes lying in the sun. Then strolled along the streets to look at the shops. Had some food at a Happy Restaurant, where they also had wireless Internet. So caught up on emails there.

Varna is a resort on the Black Sea, it was used by the elite early in the last century. There are lots of shops for tourists, fake up-market goods and all. The water in the sea is warm, and clean once you get past the rubbish on the shore. Jos and I lay on the beach for a while and then had a dip.We went in a group for dinner, to a Bulgarian restaurant. Had a delicious meal, the waiter took control and brought us various dishes to share. Great company and great food! Travelled 102ks in 4.45 hours. Averaged 21.5kms.

Ruce to Shumen. 11 July.

Left our camp at 7.30am. Delightful ride for the first 60ks through sunflower and wheat fields. The views were really lovely, the roads reasonably good with patches of potholes, to which we have become accustomed! Reasonably easy gradient today, over undulating hills, we still climbed 1450metres. Found a coffee shop at 40ks, a cost of .60 cents NZ per cup!

Lunch at 60ks, then a long climb of about 4ks through beautiful countryside. It went up and up and up!It got hotter, until it reached around 34 degrees. We rode with Graeme and Manon. In the Bulgarian countryside agriculture is mechanized and so there are not the peasant farmers in the fields. It was a lovely view over large fields to the mountains in the distance. The people were all very friendly, waving and calling encouragement to us. There were still a number of farmers transporting hay by horse or donkey and cart. Bulgaria is tidier than Romania, though there is still a lot of rubbish on the sides of the road. Houses seem to have tidier yards. We passed through a number of small villages, there were not a lot of shops on the streets though. We arrived in Shumen at 4.30pm, and when we asked a taxi driver for directions to the hotel he said he would show us. He put on his hazard lights and led us through the streets. We gave him a donation for his services!

Showered for the first time in two days! Did our washing in the bath as usual and strung the line across the bedroom. Then we relaxed before dinner and watched the Tour de France. Dinner was at 7.30 in the car park. Relaxed in the hotel before heading to bed at 10pm. Distance today was 130ks, 6hours 43 mins. 19.3 average.

Bucharest to Ruce. 10 July.

Early start as breakfast was at 6.30. Then we assembled at 7.30 outside the front of the hotel. We left with the same police escort as we arrived. So the first ten ks were through the city with traffic being stopped to let us through. We were travelling at 14km per hour through areas of apartment blocks which slowly gave way to countryside. Once out of the city the pace improved. The road was narrow and bumpy for the first ten ks, then it turned into a lovely four-lane highway with a wide shoulder on which to ride. We rode along until lunch stop beside a field of sunflowers at 55ks, around 10.30 am. The route was through corn and wheat and sunflower fields. It was in the low 30s.After lunch it was 10ks to the border. We changed our remaining leis and passed through into Bulgaria. Leaving Romania we went into the Green Zone across the Danube on a very long high bridge. The Danube is the border between Romania and Bulgaria. So we had a customs stop - again EU passport holders are waved through while NZ passport holders have to be checked and stamped.

Took photos at the Welcome to Bulgaria sign, then rode into the country. The road was still rough for the first few ks, past the city of Ruce. The Bulgarian language is cryllic, so not very easy to follow the road signs. From the road, Ruce was a city of ugly apartment blocks. We rode up a newly constructed, not yet in use road and went on a bit too far so after crossing an almost completed bridge we had to to over to the existing road and go back to the turnoff. That achieved, we carried on to our destination. At a petrol station we used the replacement ATM card and got out cash - it was sent to Bucharest by Luus to replace the card Jos had stolen when he had his wallet pickpocketed in Vienna.

So we have some lev currency - 1 lev = NZ$1.10. We carried on to where we had been told our campsite was, only to find that it was changed due to there being truck drivers and construction workers staying there; the owner said it would be too rough tonight!! So we all waited for around an hour until we got word of a new campsite. We then had to cycle about 15ks to the site; it is beside a murky lake with a fresh spring water tap about 500m from the tent site. We were able to use the ice-cold water to clean ourselves in. There is one toilet - a disgusting squat one- and again the episode shows the lack of real planning by the tour company. We are told that this is an expedition, but there is a difference between having an adventure and having inadequate facilities for 45 people. There is, fortunately, a lovely restaurant nearby which serves food, coffee and ice cream. We went there after dinner for some desert. Dinner was meat, beans and cabbage.
Finished off the evening with the second talent show, starring Janice, John, Philip, Lady Al and Bill, Garis, Kurt and Stewart. Like the first show, it was a very enjoyable concert in a very pleasant evening. Bed at 10 to the sound of barking dogs and locals sitting in their cars near the lake listening to music. Thought we might have left the dogs behind in Romania, but they continued to bark near and far for most of the night. Today's distance was 104ks in 5 hours 11, ave. 20.1.

Bucharest. Rest day. 9 July.

We had a wonderful sleep, very quiet - no barking dogs or roaring lions or snoring humans or plumbing noises! Breakfasted and ready, assembled in the hotel with others to go to the Palace of the People, the Romanian Parliament building. It is the second largest building in the works, after the Pentagon. When we came out there was a thunderstorm happening, so had to stay undercover until the torrential rain stopped.

Afterwards, with Jos, caught a taxi to "Revolution Square". Finally, after being declined at many banks, we found one which would exchange our American Express traveller's cheques. It was a branch of the bank in Timisoara where we were also successful, the UniCredit Tiriac Bank. The young tellers in both branches spoke perfect English and were very friendly. Note if travelling through Europe that travellers cheques are not easiest to use!

Had a coffee at a cafe with free wifi, so caught up on emails, then dodged the rain in another thunderstorm to find somewhere for lunch. It was 3pm when we found a pizza restaurant, where we shared a large pizza. We went back to the hotel and watched the Tour de France. Jos, Carl and Rita, Janice and Allan joined us. Then we went for dinner at the hotel restaurant. Bucharest is a city undergoing change. There is a lot of EU money being poured onto Romania, for a wide variety of projects. There are a lot of buildings built during the time of Chachescue, when he had half the central city demolished to build his administration buildings.

There are also large numbers of apartment blocks. Lots of park areas and squares, grass is not well maintained though. Many water fountains in the central city. In another decade the whole of Romania will be much improved.

Dragodana to Bucharest. 8 July.

Slept in as we did not have to pack tents. We both slept well, especially considering our unusual bedroom. There were dogs barking during the night, and usual night time sounds from 20 people in one space. The couches we slept on were very comfortable. Breakfast was at 6.30 but there was no hurry to get on the road as we did not have far to go (70ks) before lunch. It was 17 degrees when we set out.

Rejoined Highway 7 by returning to Gaesti over the very rough road. Then it was all day on this relatively straight and very flat road. Once out of Gaesti the trucks disappeared, and the road was much quieter. It became a pleasure to ride again. Passed the usual Romanian sights; horses, cows, hens and ducks on the side if the road, horse-drawn carts in the road. People waved and called out to us. We stopped for a drink at a cafe-type place after 25ks. Then we continued on to Chitilla at 70ks where we had lunch and then all the group waited until noon to carry on a further 2ks to a tram stop where we waited for a policeman on a motorcycle to arrive a few minutes later.

It was now 36 degrees. It is Day 9 in Romania and we have reached the capital. We arrived in
style - an eight kilometre police-escorted ride to our hotel!! We were led in by the police motorcycle, and with our cyclist "outriders" to assist stopping traffic we rode slowly through the ventral city streets with people looking at us to try and see why we were so special. Anyway, it was a very easy trip through what is considered a crazy city.


We arrived at the Hotel Ibis by the Peoples Palace around 1.30pm. Usual showering and washing clothes routine, the caught a taxi to the centre of town to go to a bank and supermarket, and wander around. Came back to the hotel for a rest, then went with Jos, Carl and Rita, Maureen and Glen by taxi to a game restaurant. The menu was interesting - choices of hare, wild boar, venison and bear stew - there was even bear paw available. We stayed traditional with hare and beef stew, which were very tasty. Back to the hotel and bed.

Todays ride was 80kms in 3hours 38 averaging 22kph. We have also passed the 3000 kilometre mark!

Trâmnicu Vâlcea to Dragodana. 7 July.

Up bright and early to the sound of roaring lions. Breakfast was at 6.30 and we set off at seven. We started along Highway 7 with a couple of long climbs of about 7-8 kms each. The road was very busy with hundreds of truck and trailer units going past. It was hard going, no chance to look at the view or what there was of it. Crazy overtaking by Romanian truck drivers, peasant farmers with horse and carts, pedestrians walking along the road edges, the road was very busy and required utmost concentration to stay alive. It was probably the most difficult and unpleasant ride we have ever done.

We had lunch at Bascov on the forecourt of a disused garage. There was a queue of a couple of kilometers of traffic to get past, it was waiting to get past roadworks. We carried on through Pitesti - row after row of 10 story apartment buildings in Communist style. We did not stop but rode through the chaotic traffic as fast as possible. Stopped at Gaesti for an ice cream. It was like Pitesti but on a smaller scale.

Throughout the day we took only one photograph. Certainly not much to take photos of. We rode with Manon, Graeme and Mike C in the morning, and were joined by other Mike, Nicole and Dan in the afternoon. Arrived at our campsite at Dragodana around 2.30pm. There was only a small area to pitch tents in, so many of us are having a slumber party on the foyer of the Motel/Hotel. The manager will not allow is to pitch tents on the front lawn, so after much discussion we were allocated floor space and sofas in the large foyer. We showered and went for a drink at the adjoining restaurant to celebrate Manon's birthday.

Dinner was pasta and chicken, prepared and eaten in the car park. Today's trip was 111ks, in 5 hours 22 mins. Average was 20.6.

Targu Jui to Râmnicu Vâlcea. 6 July.

We slept with our earplugs in to try to counteract the noise from sirens, plumbing, people and dogs. There was a truck emptying a large rubbish container at 2am. Hotel breakfast was from 6.30am so we were ready to leave by 7. We rode today with Jos, Manon and Graeme. Leaving town we travelled on Highway 67. After 8ks we turned onto Highway 655A. The first hour was on new chip seal over steep hills. Passed through a number of villages and had many dogs to contend with along the way. There were hens, ducks, and geese along the road, lots of locals on the sides of the road waving, cows and horses grazing on the roadsides. Carts of hay being moved. Again some brand new beautiful homes set amongst decrepit houses.

Lunch was at Baia de Fier, at 53ks. This was after we had ridden for 3 hours 45 mins, average 15kph. It was a hard ride on a very rough road surface. Total climb for the day was 1400 meters, most of which was climbed in the morning. It was through the rolling of the Carpathians. We rejoined the main highway (67) about half an hour after lunch. The road was excellent. Very smooth and wide. So the speed was easily improved! There were some amazing examples of bad overtaking that we witnessed. Romanian drivers are appalling at overtaking in a dangerous manner.

We stopped at 75ks for an icecream and cold drink. The temperature had risen to mid 30s. At 90ks we has a snack stop with fresh fruit on offer. The last ten ks were onto a head wind. Our camp is at Râmnicu Vâlcea. We arrived around three, set up the tent, showered and then relaxed in the shade. Camp is at a Pensione with a bar and restaurant attached, about 2ks from town. It is set in grasslands, with a local man-made lake and swimming pool about 1k up the road. When we arrived and cycled past the pool there were hundreds of cars and thousands of people there enjoying a day at the beach.

The shower was retrofitted to a large bedroom, just a small circular shower stuck in the corner with one edge of tiles to ring the carpet, certainly not a good waterproof addition to a second story. It was hot and clean though. Dinner was fried chicken and sausages, and corn on the cob. We are also camping beside a zoo. One thing we have noticed since entering Romania is the amount of rubbish along t he sides of the road. Plastic bottles mostly, and occasionally places where it looks like a non-official site for everyone to drop their household refuse. Unlike NZ there is hardly any broken glass though - only about two patches in the last week. We zipped up our tent at 9pm. It was a lovely evening. There was noise until ten when the other campers and patrons left the restaurant and bar area at the camp ground, locals by taxi. Then it started ... There were dogs barking for miles around. An unorchestrated "symphony" of barking which carried in all night, with the occasional roar of lions thrown in. It was unbelievable. Again we resorted to earplugs which helped to muffle the sound a little.

Today was a slow trip. First 53ks took 3hours 44 mins. Total day trip was 126ks in 6hours 28 mins. Ave. was 19.5.

Baile Herculane

A relaxing night's sleep, as it was cooler we had the window open with the net curtain closed to keep out mosquitoes. Worked better than the air conditioning unit. There was a hose on all night in the hotel terrace garden, so slept to the pleasant sound of water being sprinkled. Awake at 5.30 by the light of the new day. After our hotel breakfast we set off, around 7.40am. First 1k was heading up the valley on the flat, then it was a 36k climb up through the mountains. Bit hard straight after breakfast! Baile Herculane is at the bottom of a mountain chain, and we were heading up the side of Muntii Mehedintulului on the 67D.

It was a good climb, in some places the road was extremely rough but the gradient was OK. Occasionally it had a sign 7% or 10% gradient. So it was up and up and up, at first alongside the river. As we got higher the views became more expansive. We went from forest, like Arthur's Pass, to large views through to the background mountains which still had some snow on them. The scenery was spectacular, absolutely magnificent. There were only a few settlements, some horse drawn carts, a few wild dogs - only one group which showed any interest. We rode with Manon and Graeme. The climb was up to 1100m. The temperature was cool and it was overcast with a bit of a breeze - excellent conditions for riding up a mountain. Once we reached the summit it was a 5k ride down to lunch. Just before lunch we passed through the town of Obitsia Closani.

On the outskirts was a flock of sheep being moved along the road. Around the corner Liz had an up close encounter with a large dog, but proved she could yell and bark better! Lunch was at 45ks, with lots of fresh fruit. There were lots of little settlements along the way down, with people going about their business. The fields on the mountainsides were all planted, and there were many workers scything and raking hay. Often they called out and waved to us. A number of horse drawn carts and cows were on the road.

There were plenty of hens on the sided of the roads, haystacks, some corn crops and lots of grassland. There was another fruit snack stop at 80ks, and from there it was gently undulating into Targu Jui. Traffic was light, roads reasonable. In the last 20ks the temperature rose, and it was 37 degrees when we reached the hotel. Another 2 star hotel, bathrooms are decrepit but clean. We have a view from our 6th floor over apartment blocks which are of a very functional design to say the least. Like many places there is a drop straight down outside the window! Dinner was pizza on the terrace, with ice cream for desert. They had been out to get new glasses as obviously did not have enough. It is an extra hotel night as not a rest day tomorrow. Instead we are looking forward to our longest and toughest day! It is a lovely evening, doves cooing, children playing on the streets, older folks sitting on the benches chatting, dogs roaming. We have been to the supermarket to get fresh water for tomorrow, and are heading to bed early (9pm). Today we travelled 102km on 5 hours & 4 mins. Average was 20.3.

Baile Herculane. Rest day. 4 June.

We had a lovely sleep in - luxury, hot up at 8am. After the hotel breakfast Liz went down to the hotel spa, smells just like Rotorua! There were a few other cyclists enjoying a relaxing soak. Then we walked the 2km back along the river road into town. There are a large number of once grand and now derelict buildings, some undergoing renovation and others the subject of disputes regarding ownership in the courts following the collapse of Communism. Some are substantial structures, 3-4 stories high with about 1000 m2 per floor. They have crumbling grand staircases and concrete statues at their entrances. A sign of what was once a vibrant, trendy society.There were a number of stalls selling swimwear and clothing, fur coats and hats, and other tourist products. Also a large number of beer garden/outdoor cafes. Not much else! We walked up and down the (only) main street. The town sits along both sides of a deep ravine. There is a relatively clear river running through, fed by hot spa waters. A few bridges cross the river. There are a number of 1960s style apartments and hotel complexes. After exploring the few shops and stalls, we had a coffee with Jos, Garis, Manon and Graeme.

Wandering around in towns and cities on our non-cycling days we always meet fellow tour cyclists!Manon is Dutch, works in Sydney, and she is carrying on from Istanbul to Beijing - a journey of 11000 ks over 110 days. Graeme is British, works with Manon in Sydney, and is also carrying on to Beijing. Others on the trip who are doing the extra mileage to Beijing are Stewart, Nicole, Dan, Young Al and Mike. Stewart has done Paris to Istanbul two years ago so is using it as a warm up for the bigger and more demanding ride to Beijing.

There are some other lovely people on our trip whom we have been fortunate to meet. Janice and Garis are from Melbourne, Jim, Lady Al, Win and Bill from USA, Maureen and Glen, Karen, Mike, Philip, Terry and John Ross from Canada, Carl and Rita and Jaco from South Africa, Jorg from Switzerland to mention a few. Some have done the most amazing adventures previously. A collection of forty randomly mixed individuals when we set out, who have joined together over the last month and shared every day and night together to become good mates. After coffee it was almost lunchtime, so we purchased bread, cheese and salami and cold drinks and headed for a park bench in the shade. Then back to the hotel for a siesta. It was too hot to sit outside!

At 5 Liz went with Janice, Lady Al and Karen for a ladies dinner. We walked down the river to the spot where Liz and Karen had dined last night. Liz had a delicious grilled chicken breast with boiled potatoes, something we have not had a lot of on this trip. Then we caught a taxi back to the hotel for a grand total of 4lei, or about NZ $2, to be in time for our massage. The hotel has a massage and therapeutic unit at one end, and Liz and Lady Al had booked a massage for seven pm. It was wonderful to have tired old muscles given a firm but relaxing workover! Then back into the hot pool for twenty minutes before having a shower and preparing for the morning. Meanwhile John went out with the boys for dinner. He joined Philip, Garis and Allan for dinner in the hotel restaurant for a pork and bacon roll. Then later we joined Graeme and Manon for desert on the hotel terrace. It was a lovely, still evening, a little cooler than last night. Went to bed at ten.

Resita to Baile Herculane. 3 July.

Hotel breakfast was at 6.30am. It was laid out waiting for us on individual plates - slices of cheese and ham, tomato, and fresh bread as well as coffee or tea. The Tour organisers came to the rescue with some muesli. Set off just before seven am with Jos, Manon and Graeme. It was 17 degrees. From the hotel it was 1k through town, then up for 20 ks to the summit of the hill. These were the Carparthian Mountains. It was through forested land in the lower slopes and then through open grassland. We climbed up 800 metres, and had the most amazing views over the beautiful rolling countryside at the top. It was pleasantly cool, often into a headwind Passed the town of Carasova near the top, built into a hollow among slopes of olive trees and forest. There were hobbled cows grazing alongside the road.

Just past the summit was the town of Anima, a sprawling town which was once a coal mining town. The collery had closed two years ago and the town was looking a bit worse for wear. While it looked pretty from afar, it would be a bleak place in the winter. The roads were all very good, smooth tar sealed two lanes. Offroads to the side were all just dirt and gravel. Locals were all very friendly, giving us a wave as we biked past. In Anina the rubbish man said "Bon voyage" and another road worker "Have a good trip". One man stood at a crossroad and pointed out the way for those who were checking maps. Many older locals in all the villages sat in the shade outside their houses, women dressed in heavy skirts and socks with a scarf on. Lunch stop was at 10am in a forest clearing just before Bozovici, after 45ks. We had lots of fresh fruit with lunch, delicious sliced pineapple, watermelon, nectarines and bananas. Well replenished we set off again. From lunch to Bozovici the road became increasingly rough and even though it was downhill it was hard to maintain a decent speed. There were a number of roadwork sites along the way - and plenty of future work for them!

We stopped in Bozovici for a cold drink. Since leaving the forested area and coming into the open grassland the temperature had risen to about 34degrees. There was nothing much redeeming about Bozovici, apartment blocks which would be condemned at home were still fully occupied. Dirt side roads were well used, making the air dusty. Lots of cars driving through, and dogs on the road, young men scooting around on motorbikes. We knew other shop patrons were talking about us as they said "Paris" - we have Paris to Istanbul signs on our bikes. From here on the landscape became increasingly pretty, with mountains in the background. There were lots of people working in the fields taking and scything and turning hay, most waved at us. Dozens and dozens of handmade haystacks, people carting hay by horse and cart, often with the family all sitting on top.

At 80ks we started another climb over a low pass of about 200metres - again on a very rough surface. There was a snack stop at 82ks where we could refill drink bottles and again have some tasty fresh fruit. It was getting warmer, heading to 36 degrees. We drink at least 3-4 sports bottles of water and electrolyte solution during the day, and need to keep replenishing fluid levels in the evening - hence the 'need' to have a beer at our camp or hotel. Plenty of liquids and sunscreen are important. We also stop every 10ks or so just to stretch legs. At the one road town of Iablanita we stopped for an ice cream. A young boy went past on horse and cart collecting metal, and some gypsies walked along calling out to see if anyone wanted to buy pots and pans. From there we turned onto a side road- at one stage would have been a lovely concrete road, but was a very rough broken surface, partially overgrown with vegetation at the sides. It was uphill for 3 ks then downhill, surprisingly still used by local cars and heavy trucks. Tiger country for pushbikes!

At its end we went onto the E70 which was a newly sealed road. New roads here have no verge, just a sharp edge and the bitumen can be up to a foot thick. So care is required. Fortunately where we joined the road there were roadwork and so traffic as restricted to one lane. This allowed us to get through and not have any traffic passing us for a few kilometers by which time we were on a wider piece of road. After 7.5 ks we turned onto the road to Baile Herculane. (Baths of Hercules) and soon could smell the sulphur in the air! Alexander the Great is said to have visited here.


It was 5ks to the hotel, at the end of the town which is situated between two very high, steep bluffs with a river running along the bottom. There are many thermal and "spa" pools, and buildings which would suggest that it was a trendy place to visit in its heyday, but now they stand empty and derelict.


The people we seeks our travels now are not of Hungarian descent, as they were in Timisoara, but of Romanish descent. Much darker skinned and more "solid" build. The Romanian language is a Romance language, so easier than Hungarian to try and decipher. Arrived at the hotel and showered. After a rest we met with a group of others and headed to a local restaurant. Had a delicious meal with Maureen and Glen, Graeme and Manon. Liz had steak and John had pork schnitzel. We were sitting beside the river. On the opposite bank a man came down in his underwear to have a bath in the warm water flowing into his man-made "pool" from a pipe! Probably his daily ritual.

Returned to the hotel, saw a firefly buzzing through the forest, its "tail-light" flicking every 3 seconds. There were some wild dogs around but they scampered when someone shouted at them. Off to bed for a good nights rest. It was a long ride today at 125 ks with lots of hills, 6 hours 25, average 19.6. We had a really pleasant day, riding not too tough and scenery very pleasant.

Timisoara to Resita. 2 July.

We were all ready to leave the hotel by 7.30am in a big group. As it was a busy city we left all together with "outriders" - some of the cyclists rode along ahead to stop the traffic to allow the group to pass safely through intersections and roundabouts. The group ride was only for 5ks, then we carried on by ourselves. Timisoara was a city in good heart, and in a few years will be a lovely place. The ride started in the new time zone, so was an hour earlier than we had been starting in terms of light and sunrise. So it was relatively cool at 24 degrees when we set out. We carried on along a local highway through Cheveresu Mare, Bacova and Buzias. The road was in good condition, a busy narrow two-lane flat road. There were two dead dogs along the side of the road in various stages of decomposition. The road was the only way to get out of town, but was really too busy for safe riding. However all managed it safely. After about 20kms we could see in the distance the outline of the foothills of the Carparthian Mountains, which we will be climbing through in the next few days.

Turned off after 32ks at Buzias onto a quiet country road towards Berzovia and lunch. It was market day in Buzias. This road was a great ride through rolling hill country with lovely scenic views over the route we had just come over. There was a young lad standing beside the road herding his cows, to prevent them wandering onto the road- no fences here. There was open grassland on the sides of the road. Peasants were hand raking hay into bales with pitchforks, then loading it onto 4wheeled rubber tyred trailers to tow with their horses back to the farm for storage.

Stopped at Izgar at a small store to buy a cold drink. It was a small she'd in the middle of nowhere, with one petrol pump and LPG bottles for exchange. Had a broken down tractor in the yard, and a ramshackle house over the road with a TV satellite dish - not uncommon despite the poverty. The chap at the shop seemed mildly bemused to have a number of foreign cyclists descend on his shop.

From here the road became worse, with large potholes and patches of broken or completely unsealed road. We passed through some forested areas and immediately in the shade were assaulted by clouds of midges. It was 26 degrees, and so pleasant when in the shadier areas. Just before lunch a car stopped in front of us and the driver, a man dressed in crisp white shirt and dress trousers, signalled us to stop. He gave Liz a map especially produced for riders (motor and push bikers) for the area, and talked about our expedition. Said he would like us to send an email once we arrived in Istanbul. We are constantly amazed at the friendly locals along the way, many waving hello as we pass.

Lunch was in a clearing in the forest just before Berzovia, at 63kms. There were fresh rolls, plenty of cheese, tomatoes, meat and lettuce. Fresh fruit also. After a short break we continued in a little group with Manon, Graeme and Allan. We carried on till the road joined Highway 58B where it was busier again, then through Bocsa to Resita. There was some pleasant bush to travel through, a number of gypsies with carts full of hay or firewood. The road was a good one, curving around through forested hills. Resita is not a pretty town. We are staying in the Hotel Semenic right on the square in the centre of town. It is a six story, two star hotel. Everything is in the original Russian gulag style of the 1950s. It has a standard a bit like some of the THC hotels of the early 1960s! We arrived at 1.30 and had a very cold shower. No hot water before 4pm, and the water was was particularly cold. We have sprayed our beds with insect repellent to ensure that we are the only things sleeping in them tonight - though the sheets smell relatively clean!

John particularly likes the coal conveyor belt which dominates the skyline outside the hotel window, and the number of 11 story concrete apartment blocks. The city is comprised of these grey concrete apartment blocks. There is a rail track almost completely obscured by grass, along which a very noisy rail car ran. However, the little stream running along outside looks relatively clean, the cleanest stream/river we have seem in Europe. As we can't drink the water here, we went along with a group to a local bar for a cold need and an ice cream. The cost 5Lei each, about NZ $2.60. Then we retired to our very shabby, worn hotel room to snooze for a few hours. Reader briefing was at 6.30, followed by a brief history of Romania presented by Sebastian, our local guide. Dinner was at 7 in the hotel dining room, spaghetti bolognaise, then we were entertained by a local four-piece band. Three of the band looked very 'Roman' and they pales very well. The other chap played the trumpet and played the Slaves Chorus by Verdi. We were certainly well entertained for the evening. Went for a stroll around the square on the lovely evening air, then early to bed.

Timosoira Rest Day. 1 July

After a good night's sleep we woke at 8am - a luxury to have a sleep- in! Another hot sunny day. Hotel breakfast, then to the bank to change more money and to the laundromat. It cost 12.75 lei(NZ$3.50) for a load to be washed and dried, ready in 4 hours. We walked there with Jos, and by the time we got back to the hotel it was midday. Retired to our air-conditioned room to do emails and rest for an hour. Then spent 1/2 hour cashing a travellers cheque - it took a visit to six banks before we found one which would cash the cheque. We went with Jos to a local fast food restaurant for lunch at 2pm. It was a set meal- vegetable soup and a fresh roll, chips and chicken pieces. All for NZ$3 each, about 10lei.

There are a few groups of street urchins around, aged from 5 to 10, trying to get us to buy flowers from them. We saw them come into the restaurant and one took the plate with the leftover food someone had left behind and went outside to share the remaining chips with the others. We have seen a few beggars, but no more than anywhere else. Also a few disabled people begging. But generally a lot of well dressed, attractive young women, and a mixture of smartly dressed and sloppily dressed men, generally not so handsome! Most of the young people we dealt with all seem to speak English. After lunch we walked down to look inside the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, built in the 1940s. It is fairly dark inside, not too many windows. A lot of gold embellishment, gold candelabra, and icon paintings.

Sat in the shade at a cafe for a coffee and to watch the world go by. Many cafes have a fine mist spraying from the umbrellas, which has the effect of dropping the temperature about 5 degrees. After a walk to the supermarket to stock up on energy bars, we took a taxi, along with Janice, to the laundromat to collect washing for a number of people. This was a good move as saved an hour of walking in the heat and cost relatively little when divided up. Then out to dinner with Janice, Stewart, Mike, Karen and Garris to a restaurant a few minutes walk from the hotel. A beautiful calm evening, lots of people out walking and eating. Nice food - pasta dishes, broiled (=grilled) meats, etc.

Back to repack and off to bed.

Szeged to Timosoira. 30 July.

Sun up was 4am. A relatively quiet night except for people walking past the tents talking and sirens blaring at 4.30. We found a critter (gopher, sand snake?) had burrowed under our tent from one side to the other during the night and left a pile of sand! Everyone was up early, packed and ready for breakfast. Set off at 7.30 when it was already 25 degrees to ride through the city to the outskirts, where we waited in a large group for the ferry to carry us across the Tisza River. It was a five minute crossing. Then it was 29kms along a very straight tarsealed one land road which resembled a goat track! Along the road there were many fields of sunflowers, some crop fields and lots of scruffy scrub areas. It was all very flat all day. The soil was very sandy. We headed to the town of Mako, our last Hungarian town. Through the town and another 11 kms on we reached the border with Romania. Empty sentry boxes on the Hungarian side but we had to produce passports for entry into Romania. Liz showed her European passport and was waved through. John had his NZ passport taken off and checked and stamped before he could proceed.

So we were in Romania. Immediately there were differences visible, with poorer roads and more dilapidated buildings. There were many abandoned commune buildings, but evidence also of many lovely new homes and others being done up. All day we were on long straight roads, by 11am it was 36 degrees. Only passed through Cenad at the border where we changed our money into Lei, Sannicolau Mare, Lovrin, Sandra (where we stopped for an icecream, served in a little glass dish), and Biled before reaching Timisoara. We were on Highway 6 which was obviously fairly new (EU money) but all the side roads in towns and country were dirt tracks. There were no footpaths, and unmown grass outside houses. Not a lot of livestock - the odd tethered cow, mangy looking flock of sheep, a flock of geese, and a few hens. Many houses had large barking dogs, fortunately behind high fences. We had been warned about the dogs in Romania, and had ammunition in the form of sticks, stones and hard bits to throw if necessary, tucked into the legs of our cycling shorts. People were very friendly, and many waved to us. The highway was very busy so we kept hard to the right and travelled in single file. Carl and Rita took a tumble on their tandem, as did Philip on his bike. There was usually a big drop off at the side of the road off the tarseal into dirt, so we had to take care. At the border we changed time zones, our first change since Paris, so clocks went forward an hour. Many new appartment blocks are being built on the city outskirts, as well as some areas of new standalone houses which are obviously very
expensive.

We rode the last 5ks into town in small groups, and arrived at the Hotel Timisoara about 5pm local time, hot and tired after 8 & 1/2 hours on the road. Lovely to have a shower and freshen up. At 6pm we heard church bells ringing out "Immaculate Mother" tune. We are in a
lovely hotel, with Internet wifi available downstairs. Walked through the local streets, very impressed with the mostly 3story buildings, which had some lovely architecture. There are lovely gardens and squares in the centre of the city and it is a very Westernised city. Many people speak English. First impressions are of a city which is fast becoming a modern city. There are a lot of young people, the girls are very beautiful. Still some less well-off people around, but most are very well dressed. There is a Masserati and a few other new BMWs and Audis in the hotel carpark - but there are also still many old Skodas and Ladas on the roads though! Went for dinner at a nearby restaurant and had a lovely meal, with Jos, Manon, Graeme, Garis, Allan, Nicole, Dan, Carl and Rita. Sat outside in the mild evening air beside the gardens in the centre of town.

Travelled 120ks on 5hours 40 mins of cycling, ave. 21.2.

Kecskemét to Szeged. 29 June.

It was a noisy night. Camp "neighbours" - the young guys in the cabins nearby, decided to party up all Saturday night. So until 4am there was music and merriment, not appreciated by us cyclists nearby. The sun starts to come up at 4am also! We packed up and gathered for breakfast. It was cornflakes, boiled eggs and the leftover fried fat from last nights pork chops for dinner. So we stood and looked in disappointed amazement at what was presented. Henry, the company owner, is with us for a few days and he went and organized some meusli. So we departed for the days ride feeling a little more satisfied.

From camp we headed out of town and along country roads. We passed areas of fruit trees, more scrubby forest areas, hay being harvested, a thatched roof house under construction, areas of new houses alongside rundown places. At Jakabszállás we passed the church - Sunday morning Mass was on and there were lots of bikes parked outside. There was a memorial outside to all the locals who died in the '56 Hungarian revolution. Then it was on through Bugac, Móricgát and Jászszentlaszlo, (where we stopped for a cold drink) to lunch about 11am just after Kiskunmajsa. We had covered 65ks and it was 32 degrees. The towns were all strung out along the main road, and there was no central shopping centre. The shops were interspersed with the houses all along the way.

There were a number of little bars. Quite a few houses had For Sale signs on them. After lunch it was a ride through similiar country to Szeged. It was hot and after setting up camp we had a swim in the camp pool which cost 600HUFs each. However it was very refreshing. It was 35 degrees by then. Then we relaxed for a few hours until dinner. Again the camp grounds are not of a very high standard. We have only seen one camp with full kitchen and laundry facilities. Some do not have a place to wash dishes, or if they do it is only in cold water. Ablution blocks are poorly designed and maintained. John and I, together with Fred, were on dishes so had to do the cooks dishes - we all get 1-2 turns during the tour.

After that there was a camp talent show organized by Lady Al. The stage was the canopy used for lunch stops, and Jos was the MC. We had a lecture on bridge structures by Carl, a ballad by Philip, a skit by Win and Dan, song by Lady Al accompanied by Bill, cautionary tale by John, tango by Rita and Carl. Jos sang "If I were a rich man", Stewart and George updated us on the news, and Janice and Lady Al did a name song. Duncan finished with a joke. It was a great evening of entertainment and there was much applause, including standing ovations! Some people then went to watch the final of the European soccer cup between Germany and Spain. The rest of us headed to bed, covered in insect repellant as there were mosquitos around. It was still very warm and humid. It was dark at 9pm, much earlier than a few weeks ago, because we have travelled south. Tomorrow we up into Romania, another country, currency, language. However our first two nights will be in a hotel as the following day is a rest day.

Today we rode 102kms in 4hours, 22 mins. Average 23.4.

Budapest to Kecskemet. 28 June.

After a lovely hotel breakfast we assembled for a group ride out of Budapest. Because it was a convoluted route both Olivier and Duncan led groups out of the city. It took 25 mins to leave the city behind. We passed large apartment blocks, then stand-alone houses in an upmarket area.Once out of the city we passed through villages with people on horse and carts. The roads were very bumpy in parts. We passed through Taksony, Bugyi, and had lunch after 50ks at Debas. Then we went through Tatarszentgyorgy and Ladanybene and Mentelek. There were long straight roads, heading south-east all day with a strong tail wind. We rode through long patches of scrubby forest, and some crop areas, and past many unused tunnel houses. We saw a number of horse breeding farms. There is evidence of new money with new houses being built, alongside of old shacks. Business class people walking alongside of peasant farmers.

We arrived at camp about 1pm. After setting up the tent we rode into the central city; a large number of Eastern European apartment blocks, late 19th century churches, and one of the biggest mosques in Eastern Europe. Saw a bride going to the Town Hall for her wedding - accompanied by blaring car horns. Returned to camp and went to the pool complex next door. Sat in a large group and enjoyed a beer. Watched the lovely young Hungarian girls and the large number of overweight ugly men. There are a couple of new people who have joined the trip - Alan and Mike, and a new staff member Randy.

After dinner (rice, pork chops and cabbage) we sat around talking in the very still, warm evening air. It was getting dark around 9 when people drifted off to bed. The temperature was in the low 30s, with a lovely cooling breeze. We travelled 99 ks today, at an average speed of 22.5, which took 4 hours 22 mins.

Budapest. Rest day. 27 June.

Slept in - breakfast at 8.30 in hotel. At ten am joined with Janice, Jos and Karen to go on the hop on hop off sightseeing bus. We went through over to Buda and right up the hill to the citadel, from where there were great views over Buda and Pest. There was a commentary all along the journey, and so all the interesting buildings and statues were pointed out. A number of souvenir stalls around the tourist places. Down back over the river into Pest we wandered around the shopping area, then visited the church (St. Stephens) - another Baroque cathedral. Lunch was a smorgasbord of Hungarian food. Then the boys returned to the hotel and the girls walked to the famous Gellert thermal baths. There we bathed for a while in the different temperature pools. Afterwards we walked back through the market, a very clean and tidy place with foodstuffs on the ground floor and souvenirs on the upper level.

We then headed back to the hotel, but were soon hit with heavy rain as a thunderstorm passed over. So we passed the time at a coffee shop until it passed, then caught the tram back to the hotel. Dined at a Lenanese restaurant with Janice, Karen, Stewart and Garis. Back to finish packing to be ready for an early start tomorrow. Budapest is a city undergoing many makeovers and in another ten years or so will be a beautiful city. There are many lovely buildings from the mid-late nineteenth century showing signs of wear after years of communist rule. There is quite a lot of graffiti around. Unfortunately we did not get to see any of the 233 museums!
It was 32 degrees until the rain fell, when it dropped to 27.

Esztergom to Budapest. 26 June.

The day dawned bright and sunny. We were up at 6 to pack the tent and have breakfast at 7. Phoned Matthew at home before breakfast, he is on holiday for a few days. It was great to talk to him after six weeks. Left camp about 7.30 and headed for the hills. The day started with a short (less than 1 k) trip through town and then a 15km hill climbing 500m. It was through open forest on a narrow sealed road and was followed by gradual but fast descent over 20ks through villages and crop fields.

Lunch was at 35ks, which we reached at 9.10am!! After lunch -at brunch time- we relaxed and waited on all the others to arrive. About 11am we headed off in two groups with a leader each. It was 24kms to the hotel from lunch, and we went with Olivier. There were a good number of potholes on the roads into Budapest - it has been quite noticeable since leaving Western Europe that the condition of the roads is much poorer.

We were on and off the bike path, through the traffic, and over the Danube into Pest. Budapest is comprised of Buda on one side of the Danube, and Pest on the other. We are staying in the Mecure Hotel, as tomorrow is a rest day. Once showered and organized, tent hung up to dry, we headed for the laundromat. It was a half hour walk, and once we dropped off the laundry we found others from our tour having a beer at a cafe around the corner so joined them. Well deserved with the temperature still at 35 degrees!

The laundromat charge was 2500HUFs, or $22NZ. Some things are not cheap! We usually do washing at camps or in the hotel and string a line across the room but decided the clothes needed a proper clean this time. We have reached the halfway stage of the trip. Almost 2000ks on the clock, and at the half way stage in days. On Saturday we leave the Danube. We returned to the hotel for a rest before meeting a group of others in the lobby at 7. Walked to a restaurant about 500m away for dinner. The menu was in both Hungarian and English, and the waiter was very helpful as he spoke English also. We had a selection of Hungarian foods, pork loin, steaks, goulash, and they were all very delicious. Payment could be made in Hungarian florins or Euros. It was a farewell dinner for Charles and Leslie, as they finish their ride now and return to South Africa.

Returned to the hotel at 10pm and ready for bed. We are all very early nighters due to being up so early in the mornings. It was still very warm outside. Travels today were only 56ks in 2 hours 52, ave. 19.4.

Györ to Esztergom. 25 June.

The morning dawned bright and clear. We breakfasted and left camp at 7.30am with Jos, Carl and Rita. The route was through the industrial area of the city, and Olivier, our mechanic, had been through the day previously and flagged the route with pink tape. After the taped route finished we carried on and at a roundabout turned left. There were no road signs anywhere. So we travelled on and crossed a new railway line and eventually hit the end of the tarseal. We asked the chaps doing the road works which way to go. One pointed ahead, the other back the way we had come. It was impossible to have any type of discussion with them. So we retraced the last 2.5ks to the roundabout and turned right instead of left. Eventually we found a sign which informed us we were on the correct route, so we carried on to lunch at Tata.

Once outside the city, the countryside opened out to rolling corn/wheat/barley fields and fields of sunflowers. About 9.30 we stopped for a drink at Babolna, coke being the best solution. From there it was on roads, increasingly picturesque. There were some rough patches on the roads, bit generally good and the traffic was very considerate. The country was becoming obviously drier and hotter. At morning tea time it was 25 degrees, rising to 37 this afternoon.

Lunch was at 55ks at Tata. The bread was stale, only tuna filling which did not appeal to John. From there we headed for Szomod, climbing a 200m hill towards a hilltop winery. At the bottom of the hill were two lots of army sentries, as there was obviously an army exercise in the nearby bush. We heard machine guns and small arms fire. We rode with another group to camp, and after a steep descent on a somewhat rough road stopped for an iced coffee at Labatlan. There appears to be some problems with the charging regime. Some paid 400HUFs (Hungarian florins) - about $1.60, for their iced coffees. John paid 450 for two- so they were really tasty. From there it was a quick ride on a well sealed bike path to camp at Esztergon.

The Danube runs by the camp and forms the border between Hungary and Slovakia. It is an open border. Once camp was set up we had a very refreshing swim in the free camp pool. Then a group of us walked into town. Had a stop at a supermarket, then at a cafe for a cold Austrian beer. The city is reasonably neat and tidy, there were flowers in the gardens and it was busy with shoppers. Later, we walked up a short hill to the castle and the Cathedral sitting at the top of the hill overlooking the Danube and the city, with views into Slovakia.

It is the main Catholic Cathedral in Hungary, and is a beautiful building dating from 1862. While we were there someone was playing the organ, a magnificent sound from a large organ. The sound filled the very large dome. There were frescoes on the walls of the church. Back to camp for dinner at 7.30. We were served a tasty pasta with plives and lots of veges. After dinner John cleaned the bikes. A very humid evening, not a breath of wind. Still 30 degrees at ten pm. Through our tent door we have a view of the Cathedral, all lit up with lights. Around 12.30am we woke up. There were a few flashes of lightning, then very strong wind. The storm came on very quckly, with the thunder and lightning intensifying before the wind dropped and the rain started. Thanks to John's diligence in banging in the tent pegs every night we were safe and snug.

Distance covered was 112ks in 5hr 20mins. Ave. 21.1km per hour. We are half way through our trip in days, and tomorrow will reach the half way point in miles.

Bratislava to Györ, Hungary. 24 June.

Up and packed for breakfast on the top deck of the botel. It was a cooked breakfast so we were well filled by the time we left. Departed 7.30am with Jos. Rode back over the Danube and turned left to head east. We were riding along the stopbank for most of the time. The Danube had been dammed in 1992 in this area and there were lovely wide well-paved stopbanks to ride on. There was evidence of the pre-flood trees, they poked out above the river. We rode past poplar and willow trees along the sides, no houses of places of note. Not a lot of houses when leaving the city and very few places along the way.

After 20ks we were joined by the tandem ridden by Rita and Karl, and Jaco, Jurg, Terry and Jim. We made great progress travellling down the river on flat, well-sealed track with a tail wind. There were very long straights of up to 10ks on length. . We reached the lunch stop at the 50k mark at 9.50am. Teresa had only just arrived to prepare lunch - it was more like morning tea time. After lunch we travelled the last few kms to the border. Again, crossing the border from Slovakia into Hungary was a non-event. We cycled through the posts but there was noone there to check anything.

After that we turned and followed a sign for Györ which led to a stopbanks and a few kilometers riding in thick gravel in the hot sun on top of a stopbank. After a while we turned off the stopbank and went into a town. We managed to get the young lady who was cycling past to show us where we were and so we could ascertain where we wanted to go. We headed off to Györ along roads through small towns. When we reached Györ we had a few stops while people sorted out directions. It was a bit of an adventure to find the camp but we finally arrived about 1pm. Tents up we braved the showers: the amenities look like they were built in Soviet style in the 1950s and nothing has been done since. So the doors do not close, tiles are cracked, wiring exposed, showers work if you hold the hose nozzle all the time ... But there was water and it was warm! In fact the campsite was appalling. We should not have to stay in such conditions, but we are told that it is an adventure trip.

There was a lovely swimming pool but they charged €4 ($8) for a swim. We sat in a big group and had a cold beer at the camp store. It was around 37 degrees. Watched others turn up- some up to 3 hours later. It had been lovely and sunny all day, but around 4.30 the clouds started to appear. At 5.15 there was thunder and lightening, then the rain started to fall. After about an hour it had all cleared up again, but the temperate had dropped to 24 degrees, so will be much more pleasant for sleeping. Instructions for tomorrow were given, then dinner time. After dinner we talked for a while, but by 8.30pm people were heading for bed.

We travelled 87ks in 3 hours 48, average speed was 22.8.

Vienna to Bratislavia. 23 June.

We were up and ready to go early but had to wait till the bike shop opened at 8.30 so we could get a couple of new tyres. John's new Armadillo on the front wheel had a bulge which started appearing 10ks out from Vienna. So we were late to leave Vienna waiting for the shop to open.We crossed back to the northern side of the Danube and headed east. We did not realize that the first few kms were through a FKK area - Austrian nudist area. So there were many specimens to see on the way, though we kept our eyes on the road. Many others in the group made the same mistake and travelled through the FKK area!

The major part of today was on straight paved canal sides. Some of the surfaces were a bit rough so Liz's bell started ringing spontaneously quite frequently. It rings whenever the surfaces get a bit rough so cobblestones and such uneven surfaces set it ringing! The long straight stretches were easy cycling but VERY long and straight. We were following the northern stopbank which in several places was up to two kms away from the actual river through scrubby forested areas. There was no-one else in sight for most of the way.

We stopped for a coffee at Stopfenreuth, just south of Hainberg, the last large town before the border in Austria. Soon after we crossed a bridge nearly two kms long over the Danube and rode the last 14ks to the border between Austria and Slovakia. There were no checks at all at the border and we cycled straight through. There was definitely a different -harsher - look to the buildings as we approached the border. Even the dogs seemed to be more aggressive! In the distance we could see Bratislava, lots of Soviet style apartment blocks.

Lunch was waiting just inside Slovakia. It was then a short 5km ride to the hotel in the capital Bratislavia. We crossed the Danube again on the special cycle lane on the bridge, then turned left for a short distance to reach our botel. A botel is a boat hotel, so we are tonight sleeping on the Danube. It was very warm - 37 degrees in the centre of town. After a shower we went into town with some of the others. Wandered around the streets looking at the old buildings, then stopped for a beer. So many tourist groups in town, and people sitting outside having a drink. The old part of town was late 18th century traditional. Romantic-style buildings. They were all in good repair and there were many expensive brand shops.

Returned to the botel, and we had briefing for tomorrow at 6.30 before all walking into the town to go to a local restaurant for dinner. The soup was beans, sausage and pasta, in a dark saucy brew. Mains were either crumbed chicken or crumbed schnitzel. We walked home and were in bed after a cold shower to cool down by 10 pm. It was still over 30 degrees outside.

Today was a short ride. We covered 73kms in 3hr 33 mins, ave. 20.5.

Vienna. Rest day. 22 June.

We woke to a lovely sunny day. We are in Vienna! After a hotel breakfast on coffee and croissants we left in a group of 15 to catch the underground to St Stephens Platz. There we attended the Mass at St Stephens Cathedral with the 42 person choir singing in Latin. It was a unusual church - a Gothic church with later Baroque additions, it had some large white modern sails hanging all around the altar, presumably for acoustic purposes. There was a priest celebrating the Mass, with one assistant priest. Lots of incense, the priest chanted the normally spoken Eucharistic prayer.

After Mass we went along the main pedestrian street towards town. The city was full of thousands of football supporters dressed in Spanish or Italian colours for the forthcoming match at night. Great whistle blowing, singing, chanting and processing. Police teams were at every corner.

We had lunch at a Cade with lovely big umbrellas under which we could all sit. Lunch in France, Germany and Austria is not our usual light snack of a panini or similar but a full course main. There is no such thing as free water on the table, you have to pay for everything! At tourist prices!

After lunch we all went our separate ways. The temperature was 28 degrees and climbing. It was busy atmosphere, and many of the shops had opened in the afternoon especially because the soccer fans were on town. So it was much busier than usual. We caught the underground unit back to the hotel mid- afternoon to have a rest and change into our best gear - which for campers with limited luggage capacity was not high society garb! Together with Maureen and Glenn, Fred, George, and Monique we caught the underground again and went to dinner at the Johann Strauss Restaurant. It was a lovely three course meal; white asparagus soup or beef broth, salmon or steak, and a desert.

Then we all crossed the road to the concert hall for a concert of Strauss and Mozart music. There were galloping gallops, prancing polkas, many waltzes and a selection of arias by Mozart and dancing to Strauss music. It was performed by at 13 person orchestra, and was a very pleasant, enjoyable concert. Afterwards we caught the two subway lines back to our hotel and wrote up the days instructions for tomorrow. It was well past our usual bedtime when we went to bed at 11pm.

Emmersdorf to Vienna. 21 June.

An early start as there was open breakfast and lunch so we could eat whenever we wanted to instead of waiting for 7.30am. People left camp from 6am, we were up and away at 6.45. Breakfast was muesli, lunch ingredients were out unrefrigerated all night - so being shrimp salad and such most people did not take any.

The first 30ks of the trip was through little villages. It was fairly quiet as was Saturday morning. The villages were really quaint; cobblestone roads which are not the easiest to ride on. There were lots of vineyards on the hillsides. Many religious memorials all along the route. Houses were well-kept with lovely shrub gardens. It was getting warmer as the day went on with the temperature at 32 degrees when we arrived in Vienna.

We stopped at 35ks in Korneuburg, where we had morning tea with Jim, Don, Terry and Jako. We had a delicious apple strudel with our coffee. John and I set off while Terry mended another puncture. It was a little tricky getting out of Korneuburg as some signs had been covered up by road work signs. We rode along the river stop bank for 57ks from camp where we crossed the river to the south side over a large hydroelectric dam. Lunch was at Tulln, 20ks further on. We wandered into the town and brought some pastries which we ate under a tree beside the river. There was a big screen set up on the edge of the river and lots of tiered seating on the riverbank for the soccer games this weekend. Saturday is Holland playing Russia and tomorrow is Italy and Spain - both games in Vienna!

After lunch we carried on along the side of the river right into the centre of Vienna. We crossed the river again to the north side at Tulln and from there the route was mostly flat, straight, wide and lovely to ride on. There were some interesting sights to see, including fishers, in-line skaters and many nude sunbathers. There is an island in the Danube for the last 10km the which we crossed and rode. It was very warm by this time.

We finally found the bridge we needed to cross over on and rode off the island, straight down the road to the hotel. When we arrived we heard that Don, the Canadian with whom we had had morning tea, had fallen off his bike around lunchtime and broken his collarbone. We had been wondering why his cycling group had not caught us up. So Don is no. 3 to be going home, hopefully the last.

The hotel rooms are built like a ship cabin with a separate room for the toilet, a sink for the electric jug, and a separate shower and bath. There are a number of strange design flaws, such as the shower doors hanging round holes for handles and not closing together - so the water gets out! However it was a large room and very quiet. There is a washing machine available so a queue formed very quickly. Drying was a bit tricky but we had the overnight shift on the clothes aired and so the clothes were dry by morning.

It continued to get warmer through the afternoon. At around seven pm a large group of us (16) went a 100 metres down the road to an Italian beer garden where we had a lovely Italian meal. Pizza, pasta, etc. We were back in the hotel at ten, though a few stayed to watch the surprise 3-1 victory by Russia over Holland.

So we have cycled into Vienna! We covered 117kms in 5 hours 57 - nearly 6 hours. Ave 19.6.