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Sunday
Date: 24. August 2025
From Esztergom to Budapest, Hungary
Having done an extra 18 miles yesterday made today a breeze. Just 50 miles to get to Budapest. So, getting up late, leisurely breakfast and still got here by 3 pm. I was rather excited to get to Budapest. It's the halfway point between Geneva and Tulcea, from where I have to take a boat the rest of the way. It felt a bit like crossing the Mississippi.
Being a Sunday, from about 10 miles out, the place was absolutely heaving. Sometimes you hardly could move for people. I finally got into town and it didn't disappoint. Wherever you looked there was another picture that needed taking. Tomorrow I will have a bit more time to look around.
After that it's off on the second half of my trip and I am glad to say, I am one day ahead of my schedule.
Although over the last few days the temperature has been in the low 20s but next week it's going to be up to 35°. I will have to adjust to that by getting up much earlier again.
Monday
Date: 25. August 2025
Budapest, Hungary
Today was the Budapest day. As usual I don't need to mention the weather. Anyway, I went up to the Fishermen's Bastion and the Royal Palace. The buildings as well as the view from up there was amazing. It doesn't show on the pictures, but the place was absolutely mobbed. Streams of busses were bringing up tourists from the cruise ships. However, if you manage to ignore them, it wasn't too bad. There is so much to see and a day isn't really enough.
Anyway, in the campsite I spoke to Jan, originally from Shanghai, but living for over 40 years in Germany. We were discussing the permissions we are getting from our wifes. He is allowed to go off cycling every year for 3 weeks. This year he did Donaueschingen to Budapest. So, I am actually not doing too badly with 2 to 3 months every 2 years.
Something I just remember, on cycling into Budapest on Sunday, I passed some road works, and all the tools and a generator were just sitting there for the men to come back on Monday. They must have felt very confident to leave them all there. It must say something about society here. I was impressed.
Now, the planning for the next, very different stage, starts. To date, I have been camping all the way, but from tomorrow on until I get to Bucharest, it will probably more flats and hotels then campsites. However, Booking.com is great for that. So, the day after tomorrow I will be sleeping in a bed in Mohacs and then again in Vukovar. In terms of priority, it will 1) Camping, 2) Hotel or Flat and 3) Wild Camping.
Tuesday
Date: 26. August 2025
From Budapest to Solt, Hungary
Well, cycling beyond Budapest takes some getting used to. Whilst Passau to Budapest is possibly the world's busiest cycle path, and therefore very well developed, after that things look very different. Today's cycle to Solt ranged from busy main roads with no hard shoulder, rough forest tracks with deep potholes to bumpy grass paths on dykes which made you count your teeth ever so often. If you don't learn to enjoy that sort of challenge, you better don't do it. Oh, did I mention headwind?
In Budapest, the sheep are definitely sorted from the goats. No more namby pamby electric bikes, just real, hardcore cyclists,with old-fashioned bikes. In fact I met some coming the opposite direction on the main road, but no way of stopping and talking without causing an accident or traffic jam. However, I knew that a couple of a tandem were Australian by the wide rimmed cycle hats they were wearing. What is comforting is the locals also cycle on the main roads, so the drivers are used to dodging around us.
When I got to Solt, I did my shopping as usual in Lidl and then checked out the campsite I was going to stay. It didn't look as if it ever existed on Google maps, so it was off to Booking.com, found a room right here in Solt and reserved it. Half an hour later I arrived, the key was in the door with instruction to pay the neighbour in cash. All very quick, efficient and uncomplicated. Air-conditioning, fridge, cooker, shower and the door goes straight out onto the patio. Who said anything about missing American motels?
Well, I am still learning, but by the time I get to Sulina, I will be an old hand at cycling in Eastern Europe, and I think I am going to like it.
Wednesday
Date: 27. August 2025
From Solt to Mohacs, Hungary
Well, I have exactly a month to get to Bucharest and on a plane to Edinburgh. It seems a lot of time but there is an awful lot of unknown ground to cover. Anyway, for now, I am just thinking about getting through tomorrow and planning where to stay the day after.
If I want to do between 70 and 80 miles a day camping is out, so it will just have to be a combination of flats (like tonight) or hotels (like tomorrow).
Last night I stayed at a place called Eurovelo6 Stop, and I expected it to crawl with other cyclists and was looking forward to picking up some tips and hear some anecdotes. However, I was the only one there. Also, during the 70 miles today, I didn't see a single cycle tourist, in either direction. I am also the only one in this 3-apartment building here. Maybe it's off-season or people are maybe not up to this kind of challenge anymore. Almost 40 miles today was cycling on dykes with the sun burning down and no shade anywhere. If you enjoy this kind challenge, well and good, if not, I suppose you would choose something slightly easier.
Anyway, I will need to think about this. Tonight is my last sleep in Hungary, and tomorrow morning I will cross over into Croatia. After that it's Serbia, and then finally Romania.
Thursday
Date: 28. August 2025
From Mohacs, Hungary to Vukovar, Croatia
Today was another scorcher of a day, but I think I managed to dodge the worst of 35° by getting up at 4 am and arriving at my hotel at 1 pm. I got the 74 miles in before then. Then, it was into my room and cranking up the air-conditioning up to full and a shower. Bliss.
During the day, as I passed through Osijek in Croatia, I was sitting on a bench opposite a petrol station having my break, and for about 1/2 hour I observed this young woman with brush and dustpan walking around and sweeping up every single speck of dirt. I went across to fill up my water bottle, and of course the forecourt looked spick and span and she didn't look surly or bored but seemed comfortable with her job. I couldn't imagine that in Britain.
This reminded me of passing through Harta in Hungary on the 27th. As I cycled into the village around 8 am I saw a woman raking a flower bed in a park. My first thought was the 'Council' must be paying her. But, around the next corner were more people, young and old, sweeping pavements and tidying up. I probably saw about 40. Although slightly run down, the place looked immaculate. It didn't look like a one-off but just something that you did as a community.
On the way here I met another touring cyclist coming from the opposite direction. He just waved and passed by. Whilst it would have been great to talk, I realised we were probably both suffering from loss of conversation skills. The last time I had a face-to-face conversation was in Budapest, 4 days ago, and by his hairy looks, he must have been on the road a lot longer than I. So, you do get a bit rusty but thank goodness for WhatsApp.
Tonight is my one and only nigh in the Republica Hrvatska (Croatia) and tomorrow I will cross into Serbia. So far, I have travelled through 6 countries and haven't shown my passport once.
Friday
Date: 29. August 2025
From Vukovar, Croatia to Sremski Karlovci, Serbia
Well, the day had everything a touring cyclist could expect or want: Getting up at 4 am and leaving at 5. Cycling in the dark for the first hour. Watching the sun rise. Cycling on quiet country roads and then on a busy main road with no hard shoulder and lots of lorries. Four short climb at no more than 8%, just within my gear range. Strong headwind on the plateaus which meant I had to drop a gear or two. Crossing the boarder from Croatia to Serbia and getting my brand new Swiss passport stamped. Keep an eye on the time because the temperature was to rise to 40° by 2 pm. Hoping that I didn't have to stop and cook at traffic lights and finally, I met a young Italian and two Germans who were heading in the same direction.
So, all in all a rather interesting day.
What I noticed, and this is possibly anecdotal, Croatian and Serbian people seem to be more open and friendly: other cyclists would wave and cheer, people at the side of the road would always acknowledge you when you pass. This certainly wasn't the case in Hungary.
Passing through the towns and villages you are aware of the poverty and depopulation. There are many empty houses and the population in some of the towns apparently have halved since the civil war.
When you cycle along you are always on the lookout for a shady bench to have your break. I was passing through Mohovo, doing just that and spotted a couple of empty benches under some trees. I parked my bike and was just getting my treats out when I realised that the next bench wasn't actually empty but an older guy was already sitting there in his shorts, blending in perfectly. In my defence, his bench was in the deep shade. I suppose you call it being part of the furniture but still a bit of a shock. It looked a bit like one of these pictures where people are body painted to merge with the background. Anyway, we acknowledged each other and we both got on with our business, whatever his' was.
Saturday
Date: 30. August 2025
From Sremski Karlovci to Vojlovica, Serbia
Dogs! I made my first acquaintance with them today. Whilst I had been warned, I didn't expect the many free-ranging dogs that were about. They couldn't have been wild, because they all looked too well-fed and groomed. I was passing through Beska and there were lots of people out on the street, but also a pack of about 10 dogs of different shapes and sizes milling amongst them. They ignored everyone else but felt it their duty to see the bike riding stranger off. Just a bit of barking, nothing to aggressive. The people just ignored them and went on with whatever they were doing. Dogs seem to be viewed rather differently here.
Anyway, there were another couple of dogs and after that I got a stick, which I will keep handy, just in case.
First thing this morning was a 2.5 mile climb at 5%. Not really a big issue at 5 in the morning. Then I was thinking about the Italian and the two Germans who were going to do it yesterday with the temperature at 40°. If they managed that, hats off.
Anyway, when I got to the top and turned the corner, the sun was just raising and there was this church: Golden domes and Russian Orthodox looking. At first it didn't immediately sink in what I was looking at, it was so unexpected. It is called Црква Благе Марије Банстол or Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary Banstol.
At my lodging, I spoke to Violeta and she confirmed that tourist numbers were right down this year. She put it down to the student protest which hasn't really made the international news. So, I am again on my own here, oh, apart from 4 sleek black cats. They are certainly less bother than dogs.