Mountain Cycle Into Sofia - Day 70

Friday 7th November 2014 - SUNSHINE AND BLUE SKY!!

Bike miraculously moved upstairs overnight night. Head off.

Round town. Stop at supermarket, don't really have what I want, bread and cereal bars, so buy water, couple of chocolate bars and biscuit things.

Nice view of mountains from the car park. Everyone going in and out knows each, small friendly town.

Stop at petrol station for sandwich. Stared at by a blue eyed dog. It obviously gets share.

Wait for a man running up the main road with two horses to pass, then head off, back onto road 81, which will take me all the way into Sofia.

Know today is mountain day. Have to cross over them to Sofia which is down in the valley on the other side. Could see the mountain in the distance. Looked quite high, hope my legs can manage it after river cycling for so long.

So climb started and it just went on and on, no flat bits. 1000 metres climbed in less the 20km. Good warm up for the day.

At one stage a white van passed me. It stopped in the middle of the road further up. As I approached a man got out. Was shouting something to me, and began opening the back doors. There were two pictures of nude woman on the doors. I smiled and said no thank you and pedalled on, all the while he kept talking to me. Glanced in the front on way past and saw a woman and child, which made me realise he wasn't actually trying to kidnap me. Think he was offering me a lift. He tooted the horn on way past when he got going again.

Thinking about it after, when he first passed me, I'd just taken a photo, holding my phone out. Think maybe he thought I was thumbing a lift!

I'll not bore on about the non stop hill climb, but I eventually got up to the top.

On the way saw some snow still lying on the ground, not enough to make a snowman though. Some nice rivers and waterfalls. Great views through the trees looking back down.

Slightly overdressed for the occasion today too. Should've put on the leggings a week ago and maybe the weather would've changed. It was about 17 degrees and sunny. Although up top was really windy.

Stopped at roadside cafe at top for a cold tin of sprite. Time to descend!!

Was good, apart from the child sized potholes that very quickly approached when travelling at speed. I stayed sensible and didn't go hell for leather like I wanted too.

People selling pots of yellow and orange stuff in jars, honey or jam I guess, on little tables outside their mountain houses.

Thought it'd be downhill all the way to Sofia, but no. Had the rest of the wee mountains on the otherside to go up and down first.

Passed kidnap man and his family coming back in their van, I smiled, they stared with open mouths.

Took forever, but kept going as I knew I was running out of daylight time.

Great views coming down toward the valley where Sofia lies in. Downhill or flat now, brakes are squealing. Hope they've enough pads left for another week or so, as I don't have any spares with me. Back wheel as wobbly as ever too!

Now people have stalls selling vegetables. The biggest cabbages I've ever seen and four foot scallions!!

Road turns into a dual carriageway about 10-15km outside the city. It does not have a hard shoulder.

Bomb on, arrrgghhh.

Through a couple of major junctions, a car goes to pull out in front of me, then he bottles it and stops, right in my line. Thankfully I sensed he was going to hesitate, so was able to stop. I'm doing about 25-30kmph as road is quite flat and safer keeping up with the traffic if I can. Lots of traffic. Getting dark.

Usual night time city entrance. Road is rough and full of holes. Sometimes there aren't even any road markings.

About 2km from where I'm going to, I see the little blue circle of relative safety ahead. A cycle lane!! Totally was not expecting it. Really good one too. Curb between it and the road and markings down the centre.

Got me to the turn off for the 10 Coins Hostel, I had found last night, instead of a hotel.

Nice place in quiet residential area. Welcomed in, courtyard area undercover for bike.

Have a nice shower after a long hot tiring day. Also use the washing machine... clothes haven't seen one in a while, only hotel sinks!!

Looking at route ahead. Can't decide whether to have a rest day here tomorrow, or not. Been on the go for about two weeks I think now. Few big days could see me into Turkey though. Must also go online and get my Turkish Visa sorted too.

Day 70 - 07.11.14
Berkovitsa to Sofia, Bulgaria
5h 27min cycling
82.5km
3268 calories
1792 metres asc

Bye Bye Danube - Day 69

Thursday 6th November 2014 - NEED. FOOD.

Also need to get out of this dump of a hotel and escape from Grim City.

Went out on balcony to see what kind of a day it was. Misty, surprise surprise. Could hardly see river and it was only a hundred or so metres away.

Last time I'll see the Danube, as I'm now heading inland. It's amazing to think of the width it was when I first crossed it in Germany, to how big it is now. I wonder if I'd thrown a stick in at Germany, would it be here now or already away past?! What's that game called, 'Poo Sticks' is it??!

Didn't want to step out too far either, as the balcony floor looked a bit dodgy and the railings were missing from the balcony beside mine.

Cold too. First day I've worn my leggings. Might also stop the looks of horror I get from the locals wrapped up in their winter woolies.

So, going to try and make Berkovitsa today. It's about 20km after Montana, where I wanted to be yesterday.

Got the time thing sorted, so was out the door at 9.30am.

First stop, petrol station for food. Ham, cheese and olive (?!) sandwich and restock the chocolate pocket of my bags.

Off to do battle with the Bulgarian traffic, again. First up though, a lovely climb out of town on cobblestones, or square sets. They were damp and off camber, so a tad slippy.

At the top it was still pretty misty, so chose to wear my high vis vest today. Safety first!

Then it was a straight road (road 81) for 50km or so. Rolling hills, across massive fields. A few villages off to right or left.

Thankfully it was wider than yesterday, so felt a little more comfortable with the traffic passing.

Played dodge the dead animal all day. Mainly dogs, a few cats, birds and mice. In varying states of decomposition. From freshly dead, bright red guts splattered over the road, to bloated, to black and rancid smelling, to a vague flattened animal shape of fur imprinted on the tarmac, to bones. Lovely.

Actually had to stop dead in my tracks today on the road, as there was a large dead dog in my path and cars passing me, so couldn't go round it until the road was clear. Horrid. Took a while for the putrid smell to vacate my nostrils afterwards.

Saw the sheep mowing a local football pitch. A few horse and carts too. Also a crashed lorry (I will admit I did smile a little bit at that after how they've tormented me), and a dog sitting in the middle of the road - no wonder they get squished. Say hello when I pass the ladies 'working' in the lay-bys.

At Montana some roadworks made the decision of not stopping for me.

Did pull into another petrol station for another sandwich though. Saw a weird insect on the wall, took a photo. Then 20km to Berkovitsa.

Sun trying to come through, to reveal some big mountains lurking in the mist and clouds around me.

Had to stop at a level crossing at one point. The train that came was ancient and probably only doing the same speed as me on a bike!

Into town, found the hotel. Hotel Vodenitsata. Woman didn't speak any English, so phoned her daughter and I spoke to her to book in. Only 30Lev about £12 for a massive room. Balcony, non falling apart this time, looking over a river and the town, with the mountains in the background. Plus, another bath!!

Hopefully Sofia tomorrow..... I can just imagine the traffic to come!!

Day 69 - 06.11.14
Lom to Berkovitsa, Bulgaria
4h 26min cycling
74.8km
2127 calories
825 metres asc

Eurovelo Vidin Lorries Lom - Day 68

Wednesday 5th November 2014 - Up, breakfast, round the corner to cash machine, pay (£24 for dinner b&b), pack bike and go.

Had looked at map and there only seemed to be a main road out of town the way I was going. Unsure of how main it would be and whether bicycles were allowed.

Big wide road out of town, no markings, debris, dust and and old tyre lying in middle of road.

Up round a flyover and thought it'd be onto a motorway, but saw horse poo on the road and a herd of goats eating the bushes beside a bus stop, so reckoned I'd be okay!

Road 1 out of Vidin. Bit of a climb. Trucks flying past. Riding the white line, or pulling off into the hedge when I hear them coming.

Same usual story of the past few days. They really don't slow down at all. If there is traffic coming the opposite way, they'll blast the horn for me to get out of the way, as they aren't gonna use their brakes.

It's a slow, draining progress.

Concentrate on the road so I don't go into a pot hole or off the cracked tarmac edge. Listen for what's coming behind me. Watch for bends. Pedal fast round the right hand bends, as if a lorry comes round one behind me I'm squished. Watch the traffic coming toward me as they'll overtake right in my path too. Also if I hear something come from behind me and see traffic coming toward me, its time to jump in the hedge. Its also time to jump in the hedge if there are two or three lorries coming up behind me. Don't have time to see any scenery!

It's also misty again, been like this for past couple of weeks now, bar a day or two, it makes everything dull and grey. I'm sure the views are amazing in the sunshine though.

It's also cold. Think I'll have to put leggings on tomorrow.

Stop after going through a village of old rundown brick and wood houses. A petrol station on the hill. Watch the trucks fly by. See two horses and carts going my way, quickly get back on bike to tail them.

Catch them up, but pass them as its a downhill part. Surprised they haven't been milled by the lorries.

Left turn toward Lom, there's a Eurovelo sign saying 22km to Lom. Hoping it's not a dirt path.

Road is ok, bit rough to start, then smooth. But the trucks are clearly following me. It's a long cold testing cycle.

Stop after a while and roll into a field for a break, eat the only food I've left (croissant and a snickers bar). Look at the Danube in the misty distance. It's actually really quiet and peaceful between the thundering passing trucks.

Realise I'm not going to make it to Montana today before dark and this is not a road to cycle in the dark either.

Next town Lom, I'll stay there I decide.

Coming into town, more shack houses, think it's not going to have a hotel, like all the rest of the town villages I've gone through today. My map has no information on it other than roads, even then it doesn't even have half the roads on it either.

Anyway, continue on. Right turn into pedestrian centre. Grim. Town.

Crumbling buildings, grey, just a sad place. Ask man and woman where the hotel is and they point back then right.

Cycle about the back streets, urgh grim grim grim.

Back to the main road I was on. See two touring cyclists coming the other way into town. They stop, I cross the road and we have a chat. They're going the way I came and started in Estonia.

It's now I realise I've been running an hour behind again. So it's actually 4.30pm and my watch says 3.30pm. Confusion. I must've crossed a time zone somewhere, must google it!!

Anyway, I ask a taxi driver for hotel. Again with the straight and right directions. So ride around a bit and eventually find it tucked down a side street beside river. It is seedy and rundown. Woman is fierce too.

Take the room with a bath. A BATH!!!!! Same price as last nights hotel. Different end of scale. I'm paying for the bath though as I'm frozen. Can't feel feet this evening again!

No food, not going out into grim-town looking for any. So have a hot bath and eat my only food - a packet of strawberry polo mints.

Think tomorrow has got to be an early start if I'm to get anywhere soon.

Must change watch!

Soooo very hungry.....dreaming of fish suppers, Chinese takeaways, pizza....

Day 68 - 05.11.14
Vidin to Lom, Bulgaria
3h 05min cycling
59.7km
1663 calories
470 metres asc

Cycling into Bulgaria from Serbia - Day 67

Tuesday 4th November 2014 - Breakfast is rubbish, hardly anything left and its only 8am, breakfast is until 9.30am.

Shower is verging on the cold.

Hairdryer, ahhhhh heat!!!!!

Road out of town. Lorries, cars, busy.

Look on map for next town or village the road goes through, at each one the traffic slows for a bit so it's not quite so mental.

Eurovelo route at 30km....bad idea. Path goes along river bank and after the big floods they had earlier this year, the path is either muddy, sandy or covered in wood. Half way along it, so keep ploughing on. At parts I felt like I was an explorer, travelling through a jungle no one has ever been in.

Time is ticking by.

Through a village of crumbling houses. Next part again looks bad, go back to the road.

Cut off to a smaller road to get into Negotin. See some corn stacks. A couple of dog chases.

Into Negotin, stop for coffee, feet getting cold. 18km to border, 2.30pm.

Get there, Serbian border woman couldn't believe where I cycled from!

Short cycle, then Bulgaria border. After the border through a village of really old tumbling down houses. Road is just a pot hole bumpy dusty gravel mess. Definitely not an option of staying here tonight like I had thought.

25km to Vidin 3.30pm.

5km or so later, sign says 24km to Vidin, huh?!

Sun sets, dusk, twilight, darkness.

Last few km in darkness into town of Vidin.

Can't see any lights in distance, then realise when I'm cycling into the town that there are street lights but they are not on.

Roads are all dug up, cars go slow on them thankfully. Imagine if there were no street lights in Belfast, at night, with no big bright shop lights. It makes it kinda crazy on the roads. No one obeying the one way signs or anything. People walking about and other cyclist with no lights. Crazy time.

Round town, up one way streets, just doing what everyone else seems to do. Find hotel hidden down a side steet. Man outside when I stop selling his drawings. He says he's an artist. Tell him I have no money - as is usual for me entering a new country!

Nice hotel, heating on full blast in room and go down for food. Have chicken stew that comes served in a clay pot. I eat it all, along with chips with white cheese and a Bulgarian beer. Hot shower and sleep.

Day 67 - 04.11.14
Kladovo, Serbia to Vidin, Bulgaria
5h 39min cycling
103.9km
2878 calories
750 metres asc

Cycle to Decebalus Rock Sculpture - Day 66

Monday 3rd November 2014 - Up and walked through the quiet, empty, dark corridors, through the dark, empty big lobby, down two flights of stairs to the restaurant for breakfast. One light on and one table set up for me!

Lady comes out and asks what I want to drink and says breakfast is an omelette!

She goes away, switching a couple of lights and the radio on before leaving.

I listen to Serbian radio while I wait. Alone.

Anyway, I leave pretty soon after. I also unpack my tent outside and reroll it. I've been meaning to do it since that day before Budapest when I shoved it all back in after looking for my Garmin. Smells a bit damp, so gave it a good shake out and let the air get round it before packing it up. Don't think it'll be used again this trip unfortunately.

Down the steep hill I came up last night. Soooo cooooold.

Stop in town at a shop for food and some toothpaste. I ran out two days ago and keep forgetting to buy some.

Hair brush broke this morning too. But it'll be okayish for another few days before I think it'll fall apart.

On out along road, which is a lot quieter today.

Last few tunnels to go through,T4 is 371 metres long, arrrgghhh. Bomb on through after listening if anything was coming. Felt like floating in the middle when you can't see anything but blackness and you keep pedalling!

Great views of the amazing gorge. Climb from the river right up to the top.

Cliffs are so high, lorries are just little specks on other side road.

Climb climb climb.

See Decebalus big bake in the rock.

The rock sculpture of Decebalus is a 40-m high carving in rock of the face of Decebalus, the last king of Dacia, who fought against the Roman emperors Domitian and Trajan to preserve the independence of his country, which corresponded to modern Romania. The sculpture is on a rocky outcrop on the river Danube, at the Iron Gates, which form the border between Romania and Serbia. It is located near the city of Orşova in Romania. It is the tallest rock sculpture in Europe.

More climbing.

See a dead bird on the road with amazing bright blue feathers.

Then a very long flattish pedal round to the iron gates dam. It is the largest dam on the Danube river and one of the largest hydro power plants in Europe.

Decision time - Romania or not. You cross the Dam for the Romanian border.

Not.

Decide against following Danube right to Black Sea and then down the coast to Turkey. I'll be going south and east across Bulgaria instead, direct to the Turkish border.

Now 2pm, not enough time to do 65km to Negotin.

Cold, always have cold feet every afternoon last couple weeks.

Into Kladovo.

Free WiFi in town, so look for hotels online.

See a hostel, cycle round to it and it's a shop?

Cheaper hotel, cycle round to it and it's closed.

Of course though the expensive hotel is open!

Don't care, its warm inside.

Stick the heating on full blast and go to shop, buy bread, salami and cheese.

Never any kettles in these hotels, so ask if I can get one for my room at reception. No, but she sends up a cup of hot water haha!!

Do some clothes washing in the sink with the complimentary shower gel.

Stuff my face, hot shower, Serbian music channel, wait to make sure my clothes are drying, sleep.

Day 66 - 03.11.14
Donji Milanovac to Kladovo Serbia
3h 38min cycling
65.3km
1762 calories
532 metres asc

Cycling Through the 'Iron Gates' in Serbia - Day 65

Sunday 2nd November 2014 - Couldn't leave until after 10am, as no one here before that to unlock bike from the garage.

Sun out for the first time in a week or so, really nice to see.

Shops here are all open on Sunday as well, bonus!! Through Veliko Gradiste and it's a hive of activity.

Through the countryside, everyone out collecting in the corn or chopping wood for the winter.

Also, last couple of days keep seeing memorial plaques on the side of the road for people, who I presume, have died in that spot. They all have a photo of the person on them with their name and dates. Lots and lots of them too.

Pass through Golubac Fortress. They seem to be restoring parts of it. Round the corner, then it's 50km or so down the edge of the gorge along the river. Romania is on the opposite side.

The 'Iron Gates' as it's known, where the Danube flows through the gorge between Carpathian Mountains and the Balkans, along the border between Serbia and Romania.

Lots of old style haystacks.

This road also has 21 tunnels along it. Some are just short and you can see through them. There are a couple of longer ones, number 21, 20, an 14 being most memorable. Number 14 tunnel was 256 metres long with a bend in the middle.

It's pretty dark in a long tunnel with a bend in the middle. For these longer ones I'd wait to listen for traffic, then go for it. Pedal pedal pedal, it's also windy through them, so you can't hear if anything is coming behind you. They also leak, so you get dripped on and have to ride through puddles.

I don't play the 'hold your breath through the tunnel' game, but it's a bit of excitement for the day!

Stop at a picnic table at one stage and someone had forgotten to lift their collection of skulls off the table!! Weird.

Sun out, but this side was the shady side of river. I guess it was better though as more likely to be seen by drivers.

Down to the historical site Lepinski Vir. Not sure if it was open or not. Then a rough stoney path with big rocks, then climb climb climb back up. Grrrrrr.

Cold numb feet.

Nice view of the sun setting over the hills, if you looked past the mounds and mounds of rubbish dumped on the side of the road.

Coming into Donji Milanovac I saw four mountainbikers coming the opposite way. First cyclists I've seen in days.

Stock up with food supplies at the petrol station, then up another steep hill to Hotel Lepenski Vir about 4.30pm.

Darkness - outside and inside.

Tried the door, it was open, walked into a pitch black large lobby area.

One light on at reception desk. A guy comes out from the back room. €33 for room & breakfast, arrrgghhh!!

Not going to go back down the hill to look elsewhere in town, far too cold.

Leave bike in foyer.

Really dated hotel. No hot water, or heating in room. Bathroom and towels are dirty. Metal fixtures in bathroom going green. No WiFi. There is a balcony that looks out over the Danube, so that should be a good view in the morning.

Complete rip off. Wouldn't stay here if I wasn't so cold and it wasn't already dark.

Breakfast better be good.

Spend the evening listening to some Serbian chat programme whilst writing up last few days.

Also, trying to plan out next few days. The Eurovelo 6 route follows the Danube through Romania to the Black Sea. So I could go that way, then down the Black Sea coast through Bulgaria into Turkey.

Or, just go more directly, from Vidin down to Sofia in Bulgaria and across the country to Turkey. More direct but a mountain range to cross. It was also snowing in Sofia last week, so obviously would've been up in the mountains too.

Hmmmmm......

Day 65 - 02.11.14
Srebrno Jezero to Donji Milanovac, Serbia
10.30am to 4.30pm
4h 33min cycling
81.6km
2302 calories
753 metres asc

Catching a Serbian Ferry - Day 64

Saturday 1st November 2014 - Great nights sleep. So quiet. Lovely morning looking out at the river. Another feast for breakfast. Great place, nice and relaxing and the owners are really friendly. Definitely the place to stay after making it out of Belgrade.

Can't believe it's the first of November!

Packed up (nearly had a little furry passenger with me too) and left around 11am.

Took the cycle path. Nice to have no traffic to deal with. Great being back in the countryside.

But eventually back onto the road. Quiet enough though now. Pass an area of sand dunes, Deliblatska Peščara. Google it, pretty interesting.

Looked at watch, as was getting a 2pm ferry across river from Banatska Palanka to Ram. Shit, where does the time go? Had to put the foot down for last 15km to get there on time.

Get there with 5 minutes to spare. Theres a drunk man waiting for the ferry stumbling around and falling over his bag. Resident dogs keep me amused. Start to get cold. See a sign the next ferry is at 3pm. Urgh.

Cold.

Ferry turns up, but then the guys take a half hour break. Hurry up, I'm freezing to death here.

Get over to the other side and it's nearly 4pm. Good view of the castle in Ram coming into shore.

Shop for supplies.

Wee climb up out of village, good views at top, then 20km to Srebrno Jezero.

Along the river with Romanian hills on the other side.

Getting dark, lots of hotel places and people fishing and yachts. Seems to be a resort type place. Picked one with a restaurant. 1600 Dinar for a room, about £10.

Soup and omelette, was waiting for me at a table, after I put my things in room and got changed. Gradually warm up again.

Day 64 - 01.11.14
Kovin to Srebrno Jezero, Serbia
11am to 4.30pm
3h 18min cycling
57.7km
1410 calories
266 metres asc

Belgrade Bicycle Battle - Day 63

Friday 31 October 2014 - Waking up in a 10 bed dorm, with 9 guys. Farting is the wake up call this morning!

Go to supermarket for breakfast. Kinda putting off leaving, eventually go at about 12.30pm ish.

Awful coming out of Belgrade. Just horrendous.

Ride across city. Then have to cross a bridge. Its a four lane road. No hard shoulder. Basically a motorway.

Whilst looking up at this bridge, another cyclist comes up beside me. He doesn't speak much English but says its okay to ride over it and to follow him.

Up we go, him in front on his road bike. It is just like riding on a motorway. Think it was bit safer though the two of us.

He left me just after and said to stay on road until Pancevo. Wasn't too bad after, used the bus lane and only one bus passed me. But was basically still a motorway for 20km.

Stop in an old dissued service station for a break, as the bus lane stopped and had to ride on edge/white line for a while with no hard shoulder.

Concentration levels 1000%.

Finally come off it, back to going through wee villages and farm land.

Just stayed on the road when I saw Eurovelo 6 signs directing toward the usual path on top of the bank.

Stopped at shop in one village. Sometimes it's hard to know if it is a shop, if it's actually open and what exactly it sells. I found the food shop. Joined by a small dog and a puppy while I snacked.

Last few km went up onto the EV main route on the bank. Quite nice
compact mud track which was nice to ride on. Nice and calm and peaceful too after this mornings mayhem.

Cold feet.

Make it to Dunavski Plicak Guest House just as it was getting dark. Right on the bank of the river. Lovely spot. Had my first home cooked meal. It was amazingly good. Soup to start and goulash with homemade spaghetti. Sooo good!!

Day 63 - 31.10.14
Belgrade to Kovin, Serbia
12.30pm to 4.30pm
3h 07min cycling
62km
1612 calories
265 metres asc

Eurovelo Horror Novi Sad to Belgrade - Day 62

Thursday 30th October 2014 - Locked in hostel as wasn't given key and don't know code. Wait until someone arrives in at 8am to the desk, then go for breakfast at McDonald's round the corner.

Leave about 10.30 or 11am, seems to be my set leaving time, no matter how early I get up!!

Really long hill climb on the road out of Novi Sad. No room on edge, its busy. I do 100 and 200 metre hill sprints for about 10km, ducking into the hedge each time I hear a truck coming up behind me. No one slows down, or waits if there's traffic coming the opposite way, so I reckon it's safer just to get off the road, rather than continually being skimmed past.

See a Serbian numberplate in the middle of the road. Be a good souvenir, if it wasn't a death trap to try and collect it.

Eventually left turn off the bad busy road, to a nice country road. Can't believe that main road is the actual Eurovelo 6 route.

Stop at Beska at a shop, it has no electricity, can hardly see when I go in it's so dark. Girl writes everything into a book and adds it up by calculator!

On for a long stretch of straight flat country roads. For AGES.

Lots of traffic now, but it's just tractors, some of which I overtake!

Dogs.

Onto a road which is just one lane strip of tarmac and the other half is gravel. Good way to save money I guess. Play chicken with upcoming cars, then swerve onto gravel to let them pass.

Up to Belgrade with the roads getting busier.

At Batajnica it then really starts to get busy with non stop traffic, no one has any time, all still in a rush, can't slow down, or wait to pass.

Really busy then road diversion.

Takes me past massive old tower blocks of flats. See two cars crash into each other. One car crossed in front of the other and bang! Could see it happening before it did. Took a sneaky photo.

Round the side of a busy two lane road the opposite way. There was a footpath, then it disappeared. Waited for break in traffic to get round the corner onto where the footpath started again.

Find another road that should take me into where the other one would have. More heavy traffic. Bumper to bumper in both directions. Stop start sprinting to keep up with traffic and hold my place.

Go left after a few kms, down some side streets and it takes me straight to river, aahhhh.

Along river on cycle path, past the floating bars and hostels.

Dark now, use the footpath over Brankos Bridge into Belgrade city centre. Nice view of the old town and city lights.

Lots of traffic, push bike on pavement through a few streets. Another car crash, big hold up, I just push past.

Find route through city streets to the hostel.

Room is in another building. So have to go out onto street and into building next door to the main hostel. I can't remember how to get out again from my room. I can cycle myself across Europe, but can't remember if I came in from upstairs or downstairs haha!! These big old buildings are like a maze, or a rabbit warren inside.

Cool hostel (Hedonists Hostel) with an outdoor common area, kitchen and dining room. Lots of people, USA, Belgium, Poland, Aussie, French, chat for while in the kitchen with everyone before most of them head out for a pub crawl.

I have a shower and go to bed. Hungry.

Day 62 - 30.10.14
Novi Sad to Belgrade, Serbia
11am to 4.30pm
5h 22min cycling
96.3km
2739 calories
824 metres asc

Cycling Into Serbia - Day 61

Wednesday 29th October 2014 - Feel all shaky this morning. Think it may be because I didn't have any food for my usual 2am snack time.

Go down for breakfast, don't eat much. Get charged for a second cup of coffee! Give the girl a good tip anyway, as she was really nice and very helpful, reading the menu and all last night.

Stop at shop on way out of town for munchie supplies. Woman doing her shopping gave me a bun!

Also stop at a chemist to see if I can get an inhaler, as the cold air is cutting me. €11 or 80 Kuna, hmmm she took ages looking it up in her book and computer. Don't buy it.

Sunny day and more hills.

Cross border into Serbia. Again uneventful. First village is Nestin.

Stay on the same road all day. Nice quiet country road to begin with.

Pass lots of little villages of farmhouses. See a man standing in a ploughed field. Then he starts running and jumping about. Think he's chasing a mouse!

See a cat curled up on top of a dogs back. At least the dog isn't likely to chase me. Good cat.

Lots of farms, fields and mountains in the hazy distance.

Get a few fleeting glimpses of the river every so often.

Road now begins to get busier at Beocin.

Trucks.

Find a cycle/dirt path that goes under Liberty Bridge, which gets me off the road. Leads on round the river on a quiet road with quite nice riverside houses. See an air plane parked on the water.

Castle comes into view then cycle round under it and cross Varadin Bridge into city centre.

Centre is nice, church with colourful spire and big buildings round the square.

Find hostel after first walking into a restaurant, a travel agency and right into someones house!! All are in the same building. 1400 Serbian Dinar for the night.

Need money as again into a new country with no money. First bank I go into I wait for ages, then the grumpy counter woman points me to another desk - with no one at it. Wait few minutes, another lady comes, types on her computer, ignores me. I walk out.

Find the next bank, change some Euros, but they won't change my Hungarian money.

Day 61 - 29.10.14
Ilok, Croatia to Novi Sad, Serbia
11am to 4pm
3h 00min cycling
48.5km
1375 calories
550 metres asc

A Peachy Pear in Vukovar - Day 60

Tuesday 28th October 2014 - Great sleep and up for a great breakfast. Lots of other people staying. Had a chat with owner as I was packing up to leave. She was been to Belfast with her previous job, doing cross community work in relation to Serb/Croats. Definitely recommend this place to stay when in Osijek.

Cold, but sunny morning. Out along road from Osijek.

Road road road.

Traffic traffic traffic.

Run off the road by a lorry.

Arrive into Vukovar. War torn buildings and the famous water tower, which has been left as a memorial.

Looking at my map in town and an old man cycles up to me asking if I speak German. Nope, but he understands where I'm from and going too. He cycles off. Comes back a minute or two later and gives me a pear he just bought for me. So nice!!

My feet are cold. Pedal on and on, on the road.

Nowhere really to stop, as just field right up to the roadside. So just stopped on the side of road, standing in a field, to eat my pear with the trucks and cars whizzing by!

More rolling hills, then big dips into villages and climbs back out. Hills in Croatia are signposted and seem to be either 6%, 8%, or 11% gradient up.

Dogs chasing me.

In Ilok stop at a bakery and get a slice of pizza type stuff. It's warm.

Find a guest house. Really nice place, Villa Iva. Lovely warm room. Girl reads out the whole menu to me as it's in Croatian. Just decide I want more pizza, but have a Croatian beer, in their restaurant.

Really cold outside.

Heater on in room at 30 degrees, ahhh...

Day 60 - 28.10.14
Osijek to Ilok, Croatia
10.30am to 4.30pm
4h 24min cycling
80.1km
2167 calories
507 metres asc

Cycling Into Croatia - Day 59

Monday 27th October 2014 - Cold misty morning, stopped at a small shop for food. Lots of pastries, not sure what they all were, even though the lady tried explaining in Hungarian. Just got a selection bag. She was laughing at me, it was funny. They were good though. Cheese, coconut, chocolate, chicken pastry, yum!

Out of town along river. Right turn a km or two later and see a horse and cart coming down the street toward me.

Saw an EuroVelo sign, gravel path, so stayed on road. Through several small villages. All the same, wide street lined with mostly one storey brick houses.

After a while, ride up onto the EV path, which is now smooth tarmac. The mist was swirling up off the ground in the sun which looked cool.

Got to where there was a ferry crossing. Next boat wasn't until another hour, so kept going on to Dunafalva.

Loads of cats about. Just see two wee ears above the grass they hide in. Played spot the cat for a few miles.

So all day yesterday there were signs along the road for miles and miles warning of deer. Now, on the cycle path, there aren't any signs. Then what do I see...a squished deer, oh dear!!

Got the ferry at the next crossing to Mohács.

Short cycle to the border with Croatia. At Udvar stopped at the petrol station to try and use up some of my money. Lots and lots of trucks stopped here.

Still have loads of HUF and no Luna.

Cross border. Quite uneventful.

First thing that greats me is a sign for a hill at 8%.

Stick to roads as 2pm and 60km to Osijek...

Lots of lorries going past, I get sucked in and blown about. Helmet blows off at one stage!

Opt for longer route on quieter country (bumpy) roads.

Hilllssss. Stop to move chain down to middle ring, as gears not working and have been in big chainring for last few weeks. A dog sits down and barks at me from the other side of the road while I look for a stick and then poke the chain off. Shut up!

Slow up, down hill fast and fun.

Metal balls on poles in each town, water towers, are good as you can see them in the distance and know where the next village is.

Through Podolje, K. Vinogradi, Grabovac, Lug, Bilje, to Osijek.

Race against daylight, whilst pedalling I spend some time trying to figure out currency exchange rates in my head. Puts in quite a bit of time!!

Bilje, some road works. Luckily the last 5km is a cycle path and I'm on time to see the sun setting over Osijek.

Into the old town to a guest house. Big wooden door on the side of street which is closed. No bell, no lights, argh ..... look on map for other places to stay. Getting really cold now.

Decide to just try the door handle before I cycle off.

Ah ha, it opens into a courtyard, with a staircase up to reception. B&B 300 Kuna. Nice!

No money so go to bank machine. Always entering new countries with no money! Now have a mixture of Pounds, Euros, Swiss Francs, Hungarian Forints and now Croatian Kuna!

Go out to town for food, into a bar restaurant place round the corner, look at menu, decide I want pizza, they don't do pizza, leave. Too cold to walk anywhere. Bakery on the corner, so get two big slices of pizza for £1.50. Have them with some 'English breakfast tea' in guest house, Two cups, mmm tea, warms me up, nice!!

Really warm comfy bed too! Great guest house - Maksimilian Guest House it's called.

Day 59 - 27.10.14
Baja, Hungary to Osijek, Croatia
10.30am to 4.30pm
5h 10min cycling
101.4km
2723 calories
472 metres asc