Woke up at decent time in Vienna to get food and had a huge breakfast before leaving the youth hostel. Went to a bike shop to get my cranks tightened up because I noticed someplay in them - needs a special tool. Bit of a mission to leave Vienna because the Danube is divided into about 10 channels and you have to cross them all. some of the channels are populated by delightful nude bathers with skin far too big for them.
Still cycling with Nino, we left Vienna with the wind behind us and half rode, half were blown to Bratislava, which we had a few hours to explore. It was a fantastic contrast to the spotlessly clean German and Austrian cities and felt much more real. The people approached us to ask what we were doing and were amazingley friendly.We had a beer on the main square and looked around the old cobbled streets. Lovely! Camped in some woods on the outskirts.
The next day was good. An even stronger wind was behind us and we made 90 miles by 6 o clock. Great to explore the small Slovakian towns and to look at the new foods (and eat the cakes!) in the small villiage shops. The roads were noticeably worse and the Danube (now the donaj) bike track almost non existant. We met a German lady, around 70-80, who was riding a bike with far more gear than me almost as quickly. She was clearly fit and was telling us stories of places she's been. She must have been cycling for years!
We camped in a wood near the Hungarian border and I had a swim in the river (bloody cold!). A car pulled up at around 9 o clock and 2 people got out. We were paranoid they had seen us come into the wood earlier and wanted to rob us. Theydidn't see us however and they drove off. I reckon the were illegally collecting firewood.
Today we rode over the border to Budapest, but more about that when I leave Hungary. Croatia's up next in 2 days.
Well done United for beating Fulham- sorry Phil and Mike
Still cycling with Nino, we left Vienna with the wind behind us and half rode, half were blown to Bratislava, which we had a few hours to explore. It was a fantastic contrast to the spotlessly clean German and Austrian cities and felt much more real. The people approached us to ask what we were doing and were amazingley friendly.We had a beer on the main square and looked around the old cobbled streets. Lovely! Camped in some woods on the outskirts.
The next day was good. An even stronger wind was behind us and we made 90 miles by 6 o clock. Great to explore the small Slovakian towns and to look at the new foods (and eat the cakes!) in the small villiage shops. The roads were noticeably worse and the Danube (now the donaj) bike track almost non existant. We met a German lady, around 70-80, who was riding a bike with far more gear than me almost as quickly. She was clearly fit and was telling us stories of places she's been. She must have been cycling for years!
We camped in a wood near the Hungarian border and I had a swim in the river (bloody cold!). A car pulled up at around 9 o clock and 2 people got out. We were paranoid they had seen us come into the wood earlier and wanted to rob us. Theydidn't see us however and they drove off. I reckon the were illegally collecting firewood.
Today we rode over the border to Budapest, but more about that when I leave Hungary. Croatia's up next in 2 days.
Well done United for beating Fulham- sorry Phil and Mike
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