Grumpy conductors and night cycling in Belgrade
Balkans cycling trip, Days 42-45 16-19 August 2017: Korçë – Ohrid – Belgrade – Subotica – Szeged We say goodbye to Albania and get a taste of Macedonia in the lakeside town of Ohrid. Then we struggle with grumpy conductors and bus drivers and ride a bike in Belgrade at midnight. After long bus rides…
Across the mountains to Korce, Albania
Balkans Cycling Trip, day 41 15 August 2017: Gërmenj – Korçë What seems a piece of cake on the map turns out to be a challenging day with several mountains to climb. We approach Korce with aching bodies and disintegrating gear… Distance: 75 km Total distance: 1885 km Optimistic plans One more delicious breakfast by…
Pinched grapes and a clumsy thief
Balkans Cycling Trip, days 39-40 13-14 August 2017: Permët- Gërmenj Out of two options, we choose the shorter and more difficult one, but it is more interesting and quieter for sure. This day offers probably the most beautiful landscapes of the whole trip as we leave the Vjosa valley and reach Leskovik. We ride past…
Swimming in River Vjosa and meeting Paul, the sheep
It’s an easy day without any steep sections and the road is very good quality between Gjirokaster and Permet. We meet a proud coffee merchant and swim with local boys and girls in the River Vjosa. Then after a nap in Permet’s central park we find the worst equipped campsite ever. But Paul and Marika,…
Greek atmosphere in the Vjosa Valley
Balkans Cycling Trip, Day 37 11 August 2017: Ksamil – Gjirokaster Thanks to the delicious ice coffees, we set off to cross the mountains full of energy. There are some hard parts to cope with but we reach the pass quite easily, despite the smoke from the forest fires. The second part of the day…
Dizzying temperatures and a foaming maniac
Balkans Cycling Trip – Days 35-36 9-10 August 2017: Sidari – Ksamil We leave Sidari and head back to the capital of Corfu. This time our timing is better and we manage to squeeze two days’ distance into one despite the dizzying temperatures. It’s great to be back in Ksamil for one more relaxing day.…
Puncture after flat tire and a little sightseeing
Balkans Cycling Trip – Days 31-34 5-8 August 2017: Igoumenitsa – Sidari We wake up on the sandy beach and miss the early boat because of a puncture (followed by another one not long after). We spend hours in downtown Kerkyra (Corfu City) before cycling up north to Sidari. A modest distance but tough hills…
Greek coffee and tons of mosquitoes
Balkans cycling trip, Day 30 The day starts with a romantic ferry trip and breakfast in a forgotten village. Then we finally cross the border and arrive in Greece! Roadside dinner, mosquitoes attack us and we take a shower under the stars on our 30th day. 4 August 2017: Ksamil – Igoumenitsa (Greece) Distance: 65…
Stray dogs and rooftop camping
Balkans cycling trip, Days 28-29 2-3 August 2017: Qeparo – Ksamil A short day’s cyling along the picturesque Albanian Riviera and coffee stops in some lovely villages on the way. Then another day by the sea – perhaps we’re getting lazy? Rooftop camping in Ksamil is highly recommended! Distance: 52 km Total distance: 1373 km…
Fig jam and careless days
Balkans cycling trip, Days 24-27 29 July – 1 August 2017: Qeparo We thought we deserved a few days’ rest and Qeparo was the perfect place to relax. Lying on the beach, picking figs and preparing fig jam were the main programs during these 4 days. Distance: 0 km Total distance: 1321 km We felt…