Category: Uncategorized
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7. Greek dogs
So the dogs. There are the ancient shepherd dogs usually asleep on the road guarding their sheep. They often move begrudgingly and arthrtically and rarely say a word at the sight of two cyclists with drying pants and socks flapping in the breeze. There are the younger sheep dogs. They’re loud and close but probably…
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6. Greece: Preveza to Manteio
In Preveza we waved goodbye to the sea on National Greek Independence Day and turned North for the trip proper to begin. The first leg was roughly following the edges of the kolpos (sea inlet), cycling through neighbouring villages – quite a bit of concrete bling going on, but also the more consistent start of…
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5. Greece: Igoumenitsa to Preveza
Cycling starts proper in Igoumenitsa – but not without a spot of mechanical fixing. We manage to find a sturdy pannier rack to replace my old one and have a bit of a footle screwing it into my frame where the thread had gone on one of the holes. Quite proud of the botch that…
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4. Italy to Greece by ferry: Ancona to Igoumenitsa
A really leisurely start to the day. Self service breakkie in the B&B though a university mathematician had to show us how to use the coffee machine. Embarrassing. He was v friendly and we knicked one of his coffee capsules. Then a fantastic day of meandering through Ancona. A handsome city of big old buildings…
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3. Netherlands to Italy by train: Amsterdam to Ancona
…. or the Tour de Trains. Austrian night train: the classic experience. Top bunk clamber, (you wouldna want to be arthritic to get up there), thankfully breezy night (in the right way) with windows open. Thoughtless surly youff on the bottom bunks (I feel v middle aged), silent polite men in the middle. The stand…
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2. England to Netherlands by ferry: Newcastle to Amsterdam
Waffles for breakkie then a number 0 for JW. The Italian barbers enjoys the craic. “Good morning, como esta? / Bene bene, lei?…” A gentle meander towards the ferry port after a spot of bike fixing and BOOM Mechanical #2 Broken Chain! Fixed in a trice by Jon. We make it to the ferry in…
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1. Scotland to England: Inverness to Newcastle
A fraught puncture-jog to station with the Trusty Stead while Jon wraps up work and that is us off to Newcastle via Edinburgh. Cold pizza from The Bakery and birthday Toblerone on the train then we weave through the St Patrick’s day Newcastle revellers at midnight. Hot choc in hotel.
Tour de (Western) Balkans 2023 