Uk to Eastern Europe and back - 2005

Preparation ? Almost non-existent. The planets seemed perfectly in line, with a messy divorce, my 40th birthday and a 6 week paid 'holiday' due to a contractual issue when changing jobs. Shame to waste it :)Preparation ? Almost non-existent. The planets seemed perfectly in line, newly single again, my 40th birthday and a 6 week paid 'holiday' due to a contractual issue when changing jobs. Shame to waste it :) My first idea was to stick panniers on my 62,000 mile 1999 TDM and disappear......

the centre stand whacked the already rather tired exhaust and the left silencer is now hanging freeI was waiting for my V5, but I have now realised I can go with a temporary cert from the local DVLA office. The ferry is booked for Sunday 7th August ..... and then on the Saturday I hit a massive bump on a local road.... the centre stand whacked the already rather tired exhaust and the left silencer is now hanging free....great start ! 4.30pm on a Saturday....trying to find a local shop with one in stock.

Now in Prague. Its been raining most of the day, so the photo opportunities are limited. I arrived here exactly 24 hours after landing at Calais. I got a very civilised ferry from Dover around noon to let me get a good nights sleep, but my smoke alarm decided to play up all night for the first time ever.... great ! So I was sleepy on the way down and ended up overnighting at Mannheim in Germany. Scattered showers right through Germany and the Czech Republic, but all quite short so I skipped the waterproofs - the Pan keeps me fairly dry at speed. My exhaust repair seems fine.

I spent two nights in Prague - a beautiful city, but nothing looks as impressive in drizzle and overcast skies. Thanks go to Daniela for showing me some of the nightlife - its a fun city. I'm sure she would do the same for free drinks in future...and they are very cheap there ! Much cheaper and more fun than a guide. It might be better if you're not English as the only guy who ever dumped her was..... I don't think she liked him much anyway, but apparently no one is allowed to dump someone that beautiful.... she decides when ! So I'm safe there then...

I spent two nights in Krakow, moving to a cheaper hotel for the second night. It is a beautiful city with what they say is the largest city square in Europe. Its surrounded by pavement cafes and upmarket shops, but food and drink is amazingly good value. I was told I got ripped off by paying GBP 2.50 for a 10 minute cab ride - but if that is my biggest mistake all trip I will be very happy.

I left Krakow with the sun shining - things are looking up. Horrendous traffic jams for the first few miles. Filtering is tough as Polish drivers won't move at all, and trucks have worn big grooves which make the filter area a nightmare of ripples and unpredictable slopes and cracks leading to sudden wobbles which risk scraping nearby cars. There is a lot of road repair work going on, so maybe that will improve. After a few miles, the scenery changes - alpine style villages, rivers, rolling green hills - very pretty.

I arrived in Budapest about 9pm. For some reason, the route in to the centre is not lined with easily accessible hotels, and all the ones I phone or find are full. There is a big music festival going on ...... decide to book in to the Meridian because I don't have any better ideas - Budapest does not seem to be as well served with internet cafes as other places, and I don't want to waste all night. Suddenly realise I forgot to eat all day, and have to break a promise and go to McDonalds as its late and I can't wait...

The first few miles in to Romania were indeed pretty poor. Big holes, patchwork repairs - bad ones - and loose sand and gravel everywhere. Still, I could maintain about 30mph so it wasn't all bad. I passed my first horse and cart within a few minutes - after half an hour they were no longer a novelty. Men over 40 are wearing pork pie style hats - apparently Madness are still popular here. Very little traffic about - mostly old Dacias, which are copies of Renault models from the 60s and 70s. This is like stepping back in time - and the sun is still shining.

At breakfast in Budapest it is pouring with rain. I leave at 10.30 during a lull, having still avoided unzipping my waterproofs despite all the rain on this trip. That record lasts until a few miles outside Budapest and I do the rest of the M3 in heavy rain. Heading for Debrenca, it dries up but the road is awful - and they say Romanian roads are bad..... To be fair, they are improving long sections but it certainly needed it. Mile after mile of construction damage makes overtaking impossible. My fuel reserve light has been on for over 30 miles and I'm starting to get very worried.

Four Italian bikes were at the hotel last night. Identical V-Stroms - which is either great trip planning (cuts down on spares & tools) or incredibly unimaginative. One of them speaks some English - he went to Twickenham to watch the Italians get thrashed :) They are now on their way home.

I decide I'm wasting time checking in and out of hotels, so stay two nights in Cluj. That lets me do a circuit up towards the Ukrainian border through a very scenic area. It is of course still raining next morning....

In Romania, you may smoke a pipe in the shower - but we recommend you keep your hat on.

It took me an hour to reach the start - eventful only for the fact that this is Saturday and its obviously a big wedding day. In one village I stop to let the wedding party cross to the church - mostly conventional type dress except for one girl who must be well over 6ft tall in her heels. She has the longest, most tanned legs I have ever seen and she is wearing a black silk mini-skirt which covers virtually nothing..... I would love to see what she wears in the nightclubs !

Uneventful, except for the only stretch of motorway here. This is a killing field - dead dogs in places where I can't even work out why a dog would be there. The hard shoulder is for cyclists going the other way, peeing, and parking so you can jump the central reservation to get a cup of tea. But its Sunday morning and its fairly quiet.

Getting out of Romania was straightforward and for some reason I am exempt from departure tax which everyone else has to pay, but there was a fairly long wait getting in to Bulgaria. Truck drivers just shrug and laugh.....seems like every country thinks their neighbours are worse than they are. They check my bike papers very carefully - the first to do so - but again I seem to be exempt from Bulgarian road tax. Approaching anyone in this area wearing a helmet seems to work wonders !

Took a slow and scenic route out of Athens, over an impressive ship canal cut deep in to the rock. Some very pretty mountain roads and typically greek seaside tavernas. Stayed overnight in Korfos - took my first swim. Very stony beach was hell on my feet though.

So glad I was out of Bulgaria, it was a little unfair on Greece. Weather good. Big bikes are now all over the place - no-one is waving at me any more. I stop overnight at Katerini - bike is making an odd noise at low speed but I can't work it out.

Two night stop on Lefkada island, which can be reached by bridge. Too much sun and not enough internet cafes mean I am not so interested in updating this in detail at the moment. I will fill in the gaps later.

This pool was at the top of a mountain above Nidri.

Moved further up the coast and got a ferry to Corfu. First two nights in Corfu town, which is quite an attractive place. Must have had my 100th Greek salad by now - trying to eat myself healthy...

First hotel turned out to be a nightmare and I had my first real dispute with anyone - got given a room where the shower soaked the whole room and the manager spoke no English and was very unhelpful - but managed to get in to another just as another incredibly heavy storm let loose. Soaked. Eating in dark restaurant with wet feet - lightning showing the view across the sea every few minutes.

Next morning was fine - pretty ride up the coast to Pescara.

Left Corfu about 1am on a ferry bound for Brindisi. No cabins available and people sleeping all over the floor - a real pleasure. Arrived in Italy about 7.30am and set off for Taranto \ Mercate. Mercate was a real find - very pretty.