Monday 23rd September

After last nights final farewell to Belgrade we woke late with just 5 hours sleep. I had a few things to do, first was breakfast and popped to the shop for bread, chocolate spread and banana plus some rations for the road. The others as usual and as all Germans seem to do, ate muesli. If you're looking for share options I would invest in German muesli, they can't make enough of the stuff to fulfil the domestic demand.

I got a text from kiwi Scott, our old friend from back in Austria. He'd burned through some kilometres and reached Belgrade in good time. So we met him to say hello. He looked well, and had bought a new jumper. We'd all shared stories of how we got here. It's funny to hear how everyone's experiences are different. He'd met a chap from Austria but no woman. I worry for the women in Belgrade.

I did notice in Belgrade that the women were perhaps some of the most beautiful I'd seen, even toppling the mighty Lithuania from the top of the tree. This is apparently because sadly due to the war there is more women than men and as such there's more competition between the women, hence they make more of an effort. I'm not sure I believe this as it was recounted 3rd hand to me from a person who heard it from a drunk Serbian man in a bar.

As a side note, which has no bearing or relevance, I was told by a woman that it was an honour for her to meet me?! Perhaps she'd read the Marlow Free Press, or she thought I was Ewan Macgregor.

Another great thing about Belgrade was the little fishing village just to the north west called Zemun. It's a shabby but charming neighbourhood where you'll find the best fish restaurants in town. There's also great markets to buy everything you need. We did a good shop and were given some free cheese by a friendly stall holder. As I said, nice lot these Serbians.

So after all this we were about done. Packed and ready to roll out of town. Once more we made our way through the busy streets. I have actually realised now that I am a poor map reader and got us lost a fair few times.

The road out of Belgrade was full with traffic, polluted and rose up for about 4km. This was not welcomed by my relaxed muscles and I could have done with a few more kms of flat beforehand. Alas, in the easiest gear I reached the top with views north and south of the Danube and surrounding valleys. I sat and sometimes lay waiting for Chris to arrive. He was travelling at a geologic speed today and wasn't to be rushed.

I've been waiting for Chris most of today. It's a shame we have completely different plans as he's a great guy and makes me laugh a lot. Some of the things he comes out with just makes me LOL. He's also a great duet partner and we were getting very convincing at performing duel roles in the Grease mega-mix. But tomorrow we'll have to go separately and I think for good this time. However I believe that when one door closes another opens. He did teach me one thing that has stayed with me and I've been thinking about it since having knee problems and deciding to slow my pace. It was the motto for a bicycle charity in Africa, "Moving slow, reaching far". I think that pretty much sums up cycle touring.

I did however beat my top speed on a descent from one of these climbs today, 69kmph. I would've broken the 70km barrier if I had more confidence in my brakes. 

So after only 50km of riding, my companion and I chose to find a camp spot before it was dark. It's pretty nice, just next to the river, crickets in the background, cats everywhere and a couple of stray dogs. These dogs bark like mad but once you walk up to them they run off. Stupid things.

So to bed, early start tomorrow. 6am and out of here ready to break the back of this journey. All I can think about now is October 5th: Istanbul.

Night, Ben

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So if you'd like to see pictures of my trip so far you can on my Facebook page. I have made it open to view so please feel free to have a browse.

Please ignore any other more incriminating snaps from past misdemeanours.

Why thank you 

Sunday 22nd September

Hello world! Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I've been travelling with a group of Germans and not wishing to again proliferate a national stereotype but tight scheduling has been key and no time has been allowed for idle social media updates. We had kilometres to eat and borders to cross.

So on that note, I've crossed 2 frontiers since last time. Over to Croatia and now outside of the warm embrace of the EU into Serbia. If I'm honest I'd only heard bad things about this county, be it the packs of wild dogs (of which there are many.. And we'll cover this later) or their objection to wild camping or simply my own preconceptions based on past conflicts in the region. So what a lovely surprise it has been that every person I have met has been the warmest, friendliest and most helpful I've encountered to date. They all speak great English and will go out of their way to point you in the direction or even walk you there when lost. One chap even invited us in for Schnapps. 

It's also harvest time over here. I think I mentioned before when travelling through Belgium that I could see these swollen fruits hanging tantalisingly from the trees but they weren't quite ready. Well... To say I've indulged on gods green kitchen is an understatement. I think most of my activities could be classified as scrimping and in extreme societies I could lose hand for my crimes but a couple of apples, pears, plums, peppers and pumpkins (alliteration not deliberate) did nobody any harm. We've had plum compote, roasted pumpkin, apples every day and all for the princely sum of a bad conscience. I'll go with that.

I say 'we' as I haven't been riding alone. Since the last post I met a tandem couple from Germany and rode with them for a couple of days, found German Chris pooling along again and 3 more Germans. I've been bathing in the sweet aural nectar of Eastern Bavaria and I'm soothed. Actually the language barrier has been a problem but I've picked up many useful words and phrases. They are all vegetarians so essentially eaten muesli for a week.

A real highlight was our stay in Novi Sad. We had foul weather for the days leading up to it with sodden feet but this town offered shelter and sanctuary. We serviced our own bikes in a bike kitchen, did some karaoke (in which I of course partook - and no it wasn't Seal's harmonic opus Kiss From a Rose). The fine fine people at The Novi Sad bike Kitchen even put us up for a night in their flat. Love to them forever amen...

Ive experienced snakes, bites, wasp stings, swollen knees, numb fingers and at times general malaise from cold and wet weather but spirits are again high. Today is my last day in Belgrade which again has been a treat. We've had a bit of partying, some R&R and filled up on supplies as now the real challenge lies ahead; Istanbul in 14 days. This will take me down along the Danube until the Romanian border where I will head south along the 'Iron Curtain Trail' towards Pirot and over the border to Bulgaria, Sofia and to Istanbul. I shall be mainly solo again and the terrain is mountainous. Autumn is also closing in fast so will experience harsher climates but I'm excited and ready for it.

Lastly, all I'd wish to say is thank you all for following. You'll be hearing more from me over the next week or so, so stay tuned. Also a huge thanks for the continued donations. It's a worthy cause and having spoken with MS Trust they're amazed by your generosity. This blog is being linked to their site so all can follow. I've also been asked to write a feature for an online cycling charity so I can spread the word. And finally finally, WELCOME any new Bucks Free Press readers. I understand I made the local rag (a life's ambition achieved) thanks to my friends Jon Mahood and Nick Bishop pulling a few strings. Cheers guys...

So with nothing left to say (although I'm sure I've missed something) I bid you farewell until next time. Wish me luck.

Ciao , Ben 

Friday 13th September

In writing this date I just realised its Friday 13th. I don't believe in all that stuff but lying here, alone in my tent by the river just south of Budapest, I suddenly feel a little more vulnerable. Stop it Ben...

So yes, those who know their geography will recognise that I've passed through the Hungarian capital spending 2 nights and experiencing the sights and unique flavours. I arrived Wednesday afternoon after a boggy entry from the north. We woke to our dear friend drizzle which turned to torrential rain. Not content with being drowned by the gutter waves from passing lorries, we turned to the cycle ways and tracks. One in particular, which turned out to be more of a furrowed field than thoroughfare caused no end of excitement. For a  few adrenalin fuelled seconds I felt like a mountain biker until I slid in the mud extinguishing any hubris I may have had. In hindsight, the thick 4x4 tracks should've been a major giveaway. 

Day 2 of my vegetarianism led me to a houmous house sat in the bad streets of buda. More of this and I could get used to this. At this stage I could easily do without meat for a long while despite the smell of goulash around most corners.

Due to general dampness I/we (Scott and I) chose the hostel-route. The thought of a radiator to dry clothes was very appealing. The problem with hostels is the people in them, namely Australians, talking about how much they miss veggiemite. No jokes, that is pretty much a verbatim conversation. We ended up on a pub crawl with the hostellers. Scott and I were wearing matching fleeces, so again, we stuck out like losers at a disco but we got stuck in. My general tiredness caught up with me so I bailed. I don't think i missed much and all I could think was that I was too old for this...

So woke and fled the hostel post haste. I needed some space and nobody likes having a lie-in in a hostel. My first stop on my self-guided bike tour was the szcherny bridge spanning the Danube. Bridge buffs amongst you will rightly remark that this stunning stone monument is a scaled up version of the equally impressive (ok, not equally) Marlow bridge that crosses the Thames. I took a picture of the plaque confirming this and I felt a warmth in my heart. A home from home in my little pilgrimage.

The other big note on my to do list was the scenery baths. I've always loved the idea of public bathhouses. This was a delight: 18 pools, indoor and out. Inside you'll find a variety of baths of differing temperatures with ornate red marble columns. I felt as though I was in Ancient Rome except I had nobody to strigil my back. I also treated myself to a massage: 15€ for 30 minutes as a middle aged woman, with hands like shovels, kneaded my back and legs. I felt thoroughly loosened and light headed as I left. It's a great place to hang out and definitely worth the visit, just be prepared for the general smell. Something like rotten skin, perhaps something to do with the fact most of the bodies bobbing about were pretty haggard and all wearing 80s baseball caps.

My home for tonight would be out of town on the Buda side. A converted tram station on top of a hill. It was a real pain to get to and my knee did not enjoy the long climb but when there the hostess welcomed me with a beer and I tucked into bread, tomatoes and avocado bought from the grand market hall in town. I didn't feel particularly sociable so had an early night. 

One massive annoyance right now apart from the ozzies, is that my inflatable camping mat has a slow puncture. This means that I wake up every morning lying on an airless mat on the cold hard floor. After nearly a week of hopelessly blowing up my mat I really need to fix it. I have some puncture repair kits and am a master bodger so am bound to find some hashed together solution.

Essentially today I cycled round Budapest looking for a map for the rest of the Danube and shoe covers to stop my feet getting wet. There's no greater dampener to  morale than wet feet so with few major cities until Istanbul I searched every cycle shop. Inevitably nobody stocked my size so it looks like ill be getting wet feet then... The bloke in the last shop told me that I shouldn't worry about wet feet because they'll dry. I felt emasculated...

I finally made it out town as it was almost getting dark. I had the urge to continue onwards but to be honest I was filled with trepidation. This was pretty my last sanctuary of civilisation until Istanbul. The next 2,000km were gonna be different and a test of character I'm sure. And now I'm back on my own again which is great but I'd gotten used to the company... Anyway, im made of stronger stuff and I'd gotten this far. Onward!!

Benjo was his namo

.....aaaand a few little snaps 

On the bridge in Budapest

This stirred my heart...

Lads and pints

WEAPONS!! Military compound on the way into Budapest. Soon after this we were shooed away by a man with a gun.

Morning after the night before. German chris and kiwi Scott pose alluring by our camp site the day before Budapest

Tuesday 10th September

I learnt an expensive lesson today. Always check the currency exchange before visiting a cash point. 

I rose from my paid for campsite last night, alone, but not lonely. It was good to get into my own routine; up, showered, bags packed, tent rolled up and bike loaded. Sat for breakfast: more honey, banana on bread and peacefully munched. I've had various songs in my head over the last few days which we've all been singing. As I said, we sing a lot. I like this as I would sing anyway but as a threesome we'd put Il Divo to shame. Beyond my usual repertoire of Seal's Kiss from a Rose (it's about cocaine addition if you didn't already know) I'd had The Cranberrie's Linger rolling around my head. A beautiful song but I couldn't remember the verses so I sat, covered in honey, listening to youtube, getting lost in the lyrics.

Out of town I followed a road back along the Danube and into Esztergom (known as the Rome of Hungary) and looked immediately for a cash point as Id left the ease of the Euro zone. I stood in front of the screen and tapped a few buttons which presented me with a list of denominations. I tried to imagine the English equivalent and worked out that I'd probably need the equivalent of around £100 so took a stab at the best placed number: 75,000 Hungarian Forints. I felt like Monopoly money. I visited the bakery next door and paid with my enormous note. The woman on the till looked at me unimpressed as I'd swanned in with a week's wages and tried to buy a croissant. I later sat down and worked out some basic exchange rates and realised that I'd withdrew £275 for 4 days in Hungary...sh1t. Looks like I'm going shopping in Hungary!

I spent the rest of the day carrying out small transactions as a travelling currency broker with American tourists and anyone who'd forgotten to convert Euros. I think after my usual commission I finished in pocket. 

I bumped into dear Christopher again not long after drinking a coffee in town. I wasn't sure if he was pleased to see me or was a good liar as I think we all enjoyed our time alone last night. Too much of a good thing is never healthy. But we recounted stories again, I told him I could write off the debt of a 3rd world country with the contents of my wallet and he laughed. A lot. Payback maybe for my poking fun at his swollen face. 

We rolled out of town back towards the path. Esztergom is like a shabby heart of a once prosperous empire. Beautifully rendered buildings crumble to reveal their brickwork and it reminds me a bit of how I'd imagine Havana to look. A city frozen in time. Things are not pain stakingly renovated like a national trust estate, but are just patched up and seem to breathe charm and character. 

I met a group of American roller skaters today. All 30 or so of them. A funny lot, from New York, New Jersey and beyond. Not what you expect to see whilst crossing the Danube on a ferry. 

Whilst on the other side of the Danube, Chris and I stopped with 3 Germans on a beach for lunch and I decided to become a vegetarian. Or should I say a pescatarean. It seems like I may have finally lost the plot but I'm gonna give it a go. I started my journey into meat free living with a lunch of muesli. I could get used get used to this no?

 As if by design, who were we to see along the route but our dear companion kiwi Scott. In the 12 hours we'd left him he'd picked up another woman, about whom I'm sure he's already written a song, and stayed in a strange Slovakian bedsit. We continued on together, brothers reunited.. One last gig together for the battle of the bands!!

We were only 40km from Budapest but we decided to find a place out of town to wild camp. Of course before this our French fancy had suggested une petite biere in a local bar. This became 3 and we chatted with an 80s heavy metal accompaniment from the juke box. 

Off to the spot for the night overlooking the river, we ate, Scott pulled out the banjo and unleashed his weapon of seduction. In truth, he writes his own songs and they are genuinely very good. He has a real talent. He is a tortured soul bless him and his heart bleeds into his songs. We'll find him a wife along this route somewhere...

Anyhoo, thanks for reading. Speak soon x

Ben

Monday 9th September

Ahoy! That is hello in Slovakian people.. I'm giving you a condensed/double package today as I missed yesterday...

Our Catalan chicas, Laura and Anna left us yesterday.. A sad day. We'd become a little family and you get very close within only a few days together. Perhaps being alone you look for stronger bonds with people around you. They were both lovely and their constant laughter was infectious. I also added pigeon Catalan to my repertoire of 'languages'.

So testosterone heavy, we left the camp and had a quick nose round Bratislava. Back on the trail out of town we got to see what life was like out of the capital. Almost half of the country's GDP is created in Bratislava so I wasn't expecting much. We had a huge headwind to contend with and the canal tow path was depressingly straight and unrelenting. We got back into our drafting formation and I relished putting the power down at the front. But with all this slow pace of late had my clicking knee didn't agree and was causing discomfort. 

We followed this canal all the way for 80km. It was the most boring stretch so far and I hit a couple of metaphorical walls. This man made water way was the result of late 80s scheme to generate hydro electric power for the surrounding area. This culminated in an enormous dam, a concrete example of soviet construction. The locals seemed to love it as they congregated to get a picture. I am a big fan of heavy industry as I think it has an inherent charm but this was just ridiculous. Their snack stop was also ridiculously cheap so with some loose change I stocked up the reserves.

So to bed and we awoke this morning to some glorious English rain. A persistent drizzle, just enough to dampen my sandwich.

We travelled along and I could sense we were all itching to get going at our own pace again. As much as I love chris's company, he does cycle like a grandma with a hip replacement and we have to hold back the whole time. This makes slow progress and I wanted to free the legs again as my mileage had ground to a halt. 

After lunch we took the decision to split. Scott stayed to eat something at a dubious rest stop and Chris found a camping spot by the river. I carried on through the rural landscape towards Hungary. For the first time in 8 days I was solo again, just as I had been from the beginning. It was liberating and I slapped one of my podcasts that had been back logging and cruised at a steady 27kmph for an hour and a half tucked right down onto my drop bars. This was what it was like the pedal free! Cracking stuff.

You can only be astounded by what Slovakian people can carry on their bikes. All the old fellas wear construction hard hats tied on with string and camouflage gear. I got an approving nod at my army jacket. I saw one guy carrying a lawnmower on his shoulders and a strimmer across the handlebars. 

And I had my first brush with the cool hand of the law today. I thought I would cross over the Hungarian border under the cover of darkness, partly because I  was loitering about the Slovakian side trying to find a good meal that wasn't a hamburger or hotdog, and partly because I always wanted to slip stealthily over the border like Andy Mcnabb. So as not to draw attention to myself I didn't have my light on and sure enough I got a good flash from the policeman's torch to pull over. Papers please... Gulp, I nervously handed over my passport. "You know it is an offence to cycle without a light Mr Thomas Smith". He made some phone calls and wrote me out a ticket to sign. I naturally tried to read it to make sure I wasn't signing a confession. He told me it was a warning notice although it could have been anything. Next time 100€ fine... Yes mr officer sir... So there goes my first bit of border trouble. Undoubtedly not my last either.

So to camp, to bed, sweet dreams

Ben 

Saturday 7th September

Daydream, I fell asleep amidst the flowers, for a couple of hours, on a beautiful day.. This was my day today. Our plan to get up and visit Bratislava amounted to nothing as the sun was shining and we had a long and leisurely breakfast together. Chris and Scott my travelling partners since Linz, and Laura and Anna, our female Catalan contingent sat together and ate honey on bread and boiled some tea. The girls had alreafy been in the town centre in the morning to pick up some bike boxes as they are leaving tomorrow to fly back to Spain.

This gave me some time to realise what day it was and realise what day it was... Well, my phone reminded me.. It was my mother's birthday. I gave her a quick call and it was nice to speak to her. She does though now like to tell me how dangerous everywhere is and my dad just says if its too dangerous come home.. Good old parents, always thinking about the positive side! I reassured them all was okay and ill call them again in a week. But mother dear, if you are reading this you will know I am alive and well.

So no plans for the town centre, maybe we will have a lazy one today. It turns out our once believed hole of a campsite is actually quite nice in the daylight. The armed police on the front gate seemed less threatening, the staff were warm and welcoming and the lake was still and placid. Being the weekend there was a big kayak and canoe competition on the water and was a perfect backdrop to lie and watch the world go by. We decided to swim across to the island in the middle. As always this only seemed a couple of strokes away but we found after 5 minutes it was further than we thought. It didn't help that this lack of feeling in my fingers meant swimming with my hands was pretty pointless. We made it however and watched the people mill about on the other side.

Dinner tonight was a communal effort which began as cooking the last of the pumpkin and finished with everybody making some form of dish, mainly carbohydrates, so we had a starchy medley of rice, pasta, bread and various vegetarian offerings. It's nice to cook and share meals together and certainly beats eating one meal out of your one pot.

Being a Saturday night we headed to the campsite bar. As I'd become accustomed to, beers were a button and crisps cost a corn flake. The musical accompaniment was strictly 80s - I heard everything from 99 luft ballons to club tropicana. Thankfully no stock Aiken and waterman or else I would've left. I don't know why they love 80s tripe over here but everyone sings along. I even spotted the not so convincing butch polizei on the gate cruising with Soft Cell on the police radio. I don't like to try and go after easy targets but it does seem that somebody pressed pause in 1988 and forgot to press play again. 

Anyway, we all had a blast, played some cards and Chris lost so will be making us breakfast in the morning. I forgot to mention dear Christopher was stung on his cheek by a bee yesterday and now looks like elephant man. This has provided me no end of amusement and I've been crying with laughter for the last couple of days...he's taken it well though bless him.

So to bed, a cracking day with some great people. Will be sad when the Spanish girls leave tomorrow.

Til then,

Ciao, ben x