Friday 24th October 2014 - Great buffet breakfast. Even had crispy proper bacon. First bacon butty since leaving, yum. All that was missing was a proper big mug of tea.
Packing up and the hotel man that unlocked the garage, so I could get my bike out, was laughing at me when he asked where I had cycled from and where I was going. He also told me to put a coat on, as it was too cold to cycle without one.
Quick stop at the Tourist Info centre, checked if it was all on road to Budapest. Girl gave me detailed information of where the road bits were and were the cycle paths started and ended. Walked out and promptly forget it all.
Anyway, first bit was back onto the road from last night. 8km in and the rain started. Just put on rain jacket, didn't bother with trousers.
Found cycle path, bumpy with broken tarmac and the trees roots. Covered in leaves and mud too. Nothing is going to be clean after today again.
Had to stop a few times to remove twigs and leaves caught up in the gears.
Wet, cold feet, rain pouring off helmet. Hard to look at map on phone in the rain too, as the touchscreen goes a wee bit mad with the raindrops hitting it.
EV6 signage very bad. Some really dodgy paths into Budapest as well. Pot holes, broken tarmac and a muddy forest section kept things interesting.
Into the city and the paths start to get better. Still had to do a bit of guess work though, as it wound its way through the streets. Not really much fun in the rain. Starting to get really cold now too.
Pass a sculpture of several people holding umbrellas, very fitting for today!
Through a tram stop, guards stopped me and told me to get off and walk the bike through. Feet too cold, can't walk right, kind of like after when you've had pins and needles in your feet, when the feeling is coming back to them. Must've looked like a weirdo, didn't care though, just kept thinking of getting to a warm hostel.
Round a corner and see the city in the distance.
Down to opposite the parliament building, Hungarys largest building, built in a neogothic style. Cycle diversion. Arrgggghhhh.......too cold for this.
Up to the Chain bridge, few quick snaps and across it. First permanent bridge in Budapest, built in 1849. Stayed on a main road for a bit. Roads through Budapest are mental. 4 lanes of traffic and tram line in the middle. Pot holes and puddles. Fast cars. People. Traffic lights. Big city. Don't know where I am, or going. Cold.
Find the hostel, check in, wheel the bike through inside, to the back garage.
Soaked through. Enjoy a really hot shower.
Meet up with my friend Alex, who I met snowboarding in Bulgaria earlier this year, for dinner and drinks. First person I know that I've seen in 55 days. Enjoyed a big plate of beef stew and dumplings and a couple of drinks at a quirky bar called Szimpla Kert, a ruin bar. Good nights craic.
Cold night out though.
Day 56 - 24.10.14
Visegrad to Budapest, Hungary
11am to 4.30pm
3h 02min cycling
48.5km
1190 calories
487 metres asc
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