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.