Somehow this week has been a Balkan roller-coaster of fun, meeting some of the friendliest people of our journey so far. Arriving in Hungary from Slovakia was rapid and took us very little time before we arrived in the split cities of Buda and Pest. Right up to Thursday afternoon I had this whole post worked out, nailed down. We’d spent an excellent three days in Pest, the older, more interesting side of Budapest at a great hostel called Big Fish, with some of the friendliest and hospitable Hungarians in town. While we were in Budapest we visited the best spa, enjoying a full body massage and a choice of twenty pools and a dozen saunas. So far, so relaxing. We really did enjoy our time in Pest and I would recommend anyone who hasn’t been to go at the soonest opportunity.
Part 6: A Small Story About A Big River
There are a million different ways to cross Europe by bicycle so picking a good route can be quite a task. Most of our route planning happens while we’re on the road, combining map reading and intuition to find the best cycling roads as we’re going along. The great thing about riding in Europe is that you’re not just confined to riding on roads, there are thousands of cycle paths all thrown into the mix too. We don’t have any maps of these cycle routes, we just seem to find them, or they find us. Many of Europe’s finest cycle paths follow the course of rivers, taking advantage of nature, so watercourses and their bike paths will no doubt play a critical part in navigating our way across the continent.
Part 5: Munchen and the Mosselandlsee Massacre
Long time no viddy. We are here in the principal city of Bavaria, Munchen. It’s Friday afters and we’re in the middle of the greatest heatwave to visit Northern Europe for sometime. It’s redders. We’re taking the weekend off too. Our first proper rest in three weeks. We’re checking into a hostel. Whoop! We make a few enquiries with our very own ‘Trip Advisors’, Richard and David, for some last minute information regarding availability of hostels via text while we get our first ‘currywurst mit frites’ of the weekend. We head off to Senefelde Strasse to check out the recommendations – after two unsuccessful attempts at two of the better hostels we try our luck at the best one, the one with no vacancies… we luck out and check in to Wombats. Thanks Andy for making it possible.
Part 4: And Then Came The Alps!
In many ways it feels like this journey has shifted up a gear, the past week has been a tough one but probably my favourite so far. The first couple of weeks were such a whirlwind but life on the road is beginning to feel normal at last, we’re adjusting. I feel different, much more relaxed, more calm.
Part 3: Valleys, Villages And The Swiss
Greetings from the Black Forest. We’ve journeyed out of agricultural France in little under three days, all the way to Germany’s darkest forest. Today we climbed just shy of 900m to the towns of St Peter and St Margen.
Part 2: Buzzing Off Belgium
It’s a very strange life, cycling around like this. Riding the bikes is the easy part, time on the bikes feels like a rest sometimes just because there’s so much to think about as soon as we step off them. This life style is a completely new experience, It feels to me a bit like what being a gypsy or nomad must feel like. It’s like we’ve slipped through the net of normal society and already the stresses of modern life are beginning to feel a bit pointless. When you’ve only just enough time and energy to think about what’s immediately important, like how much water we have and where we’re going to sleep, a different perspective begins to settle in. It’s taking a bit of getting used to but we starting to get the hang it now. It’s a good feeling.
Part 1: Bye Bye Blighty!
Finally the time has come to set sail and leave Blighty. Heading out from Nottingham with a crew of seven destined for Sherwood Forest and our first night of wild camping, the sense of relief was palpable after what had been a frantic week of final preparations for both of us. A week that included moving house, collecting last minute equipment and a brief appearance in the local paper. Talk about last minute.