DUNAKILITI, H. to BRATISLAVA, SK: 50kms

Friday, 27th. April, 2018.

We were served a continental breakfast plus enough scrambled eggs for four people this morning, dried our shoes as much as possible with a little hair dryer, placed our still damp clothes from yesterday's drenching into a plastic bag, packed up and left Dunakiliti in cool but fine weather.  We had planned to make a small detour to the three borders where Hungary, Slovakia and Austria converge, somehow missed the turn off, asked three different people for directions and received three different answers, tried them all and still couldn't find the right path so, though disappointed decided to continue on to Bratislava.

Much of the ride was on the road and though the motorists are courteous, we were relieved to find the beginning of the cycle path which took us back to the Danube and to a park opposite Bratislava city where we stopped to eat the leftover breakfast rolls we'd brought with us.

We then rode by cycle path and road to Devin, 12 kms out of the city to our accommodation for the next two nights, enjoyed a couple of refreshing cold beers before settling into our room, showering and changing clothes, returning to the beer garden for a meal, followed by a stroll to the ferry port, then an early night.

NAGYBAJCS, H. to DUNAKILITI, H : 75kms

Thursday, 26th April, 2018.

Ivan & Georgy had prepared a sumptuous breakfast for us this morning, we were unable to do it justice as there was enough for at least another two people.

The sky was looking threatening so we had the raincoats at the ready when we set off, choosing to go the long way, i.e. across the river once more back into Slovakia as there is a cycle path nearly all the way from Medvedov to Dunakiliti.  (We've crossed the Danube several times now and it's hard to remember which country we're in!)

We had the path to ourselves and were enjoying the easy riding and though in quite a way from the river, the scenery was really pretty with fields of green, recently ploughed fields of rich brown soil and others of golden canola

....and then the rain came, at first just a few spots but became heavier, we became soaked through from the hips down, there was nowhere we could shelter so kept going to the river and along an enormous levy

 until we came to a barrier which stopped our progress and while we were trying to figure out how to proceed, along came an old blue truck whose driver opened the barrier with his remote control allowing us to continue on and on and on until we reached the ferry stop.  

We dried off as much as we could, had two cups of coffee each and took the free ferry across the river followed by another long, long ride along yet another levy and eventually reached our accommodation in Dunakiliti.

Hot showers and dry clothes erased the cold we were feeling by then but we were both too exhausted to bother going out in the rain again for a meal so had a cuppa and a snack, then fell into bed for a well earned sleep.

KOMARNO, Slovakia to NAGYBAJSC, Hungary : 57 kms

Wednesday, 25th April, 2018.

We strolled around a lovely old part of town early this morning, a good time for sightseeing as there weren't too many people about, cafes and some shops were getting ready to start their day and there was little traffic.

After our little tour we went back to the hotel for breakfast, collected our gear and headed to the river  following the Velo 6 sign on to the path to find that after a few hundred metres it ended!  We could see no other path or road to follow, Mike found a worker nearby who gave him some directions which led us to the main road which had a cycle lane on the shoulder,  so we followed that for some time, looking, looking for the turn off to the path and with the help of another friendly local, eventually found it.

There was a cafe on the corner so we stopped there for our morning coffee  

 before heading down to the path and were not thrilled to find it consisted of loose gravel.  We rode a short distance but had difficulty keeping the bikes balanced so walked a little way in the hope that it would improve, it didn't, back then to the main road to try again a little further on.  It was no better so we could see no alternative but to continue along the main for quite a long way until we were able to turn off, on to a minor road which took us through lovely farming country and a couple of pretty little towns, crossing the Danube yet again, back into Hungary to our accommodation in Nagybajsc.

Here we were met by Ivan, the apartment owner who offered us a beer and so we had a drink in honour of our Anzacs, this being Anzac Day at home.
The apartment has a lovely big bath tub, so a relaxing hot soak was very welcome after the long ride and the washing machine was a bonus.  We're sorry we're only staying for one night!

ESZTERGOM to KOMARNO, Slovakia : 55kms

Tuesday, 24th April, 2018.

It rained last night with some thunder and lightning but luckily for us, by morning it had stopped. 

After breakfast we set off across the bridge into Sturovo, Slovakia 

and as we rode through the town we spied a small bike shop, so stopped to see if we could buy a basket for my bike.  We could, and did and once Mike had fitted it on to the bike we set off once again.  

Unfortunately, we had to ride for quite a way on a main road and when we stopped at a fork in the road an elderly gentleman came over and pointed us in the right direction, towards Komarno.  We were on a minor road then for a while until we eventually reached the cycle path. 

 
At one point we had to walk the bikes around a large drain and while doing this, met a young woman from Moscow and chatted to her for a while.  She was travelling alone on her annual holidays, had flown to Frankfurt and had ridden from there through Czech Republic and Slovakia on her way to Budapest and would fly home from there, all in just three weeks.  

Further along the path we came to the cafe our Russian friend had told us about and stopped there for a delicious lunch before completing the ride to Komarno.

We were able to leave the bikes in our hotel's lock up garage overnight.
.

VAC to ESZTERGOM : 46kms

Monday, 23rd April, 2018

Day 2 and being a working day there were far fewer people on the path today than on the weekend which made it easier and more enjoyable for us.  Another glorious day and an easy ride.  

We stopped for our morning coffee along the way, a delicious brew though in small cups and as they cost about $1 each, we splashed out a bought seconds.

The path was good then all the way to Szob 

and in the twenty minute wait for the ferry, 

we visited the little corner shop and bought a bread roll and a banana each to eat on our lunch break. Another main road ride on the other side of the river for several kms until the path began again....we had a pleasant ride along the river 

into Esztergom, checked into our accommodation, had pre dinner drinks at the little cafe next door and later, strolled around the corner for an excellent evening meal.   .

BUDAPEST to VAC : 33 kms

Sunday, 22nd April, 2018

At 11 o'clock last night we received an email from our intended host in Vac, informing us that due to a family bereavement, he had to cancel our booking for tonight.  As sad as it was, after we had conveyed our condolences we had to find alternate accommodation.  Fortunately we were able to do so and set off this morning on the start of the big bike ride, once again in glorious weather.

We cycled along the Velo 6 (cycle path), stopped for coffee soon after we left 

and noted how, just as it is back home on a sunny Spring Sunday, people of all ages were out about enjoying the river and everything it has to offer.  The path was at times quite rough with many potholes and at other times smooth and wide, now and then veering away from the river but the trees along the path provided welcome shade and made the ride most enjoyable.

 
Towards the end of the ride, the cycleway was actually on a busy road which made for sweaty palm time but the motorists are mostly courteous and we completed the journey with a brief ferry ride across the Danube to Vac, on the eastern side of the river.

Shown to our lodgings for the night by our hosts, Eva and Frederik, we were impressed and delighted with the accommodation.  Frederik is a builder who converted an old house into a number of apartments which surround a pretty cobbled courtyard and has done an excellent job.

After hot showers we strolled through Vac and found a cute little cafe on a cobbled street leading to the river, where we sat watching the passers by while enjoying a glass of wine and a beer.  A very good day, a lovely town where we could quite happily stay longer than just the one night.

BUDAPEST 2

Saturday 21st April, 2018.

There is much to see and do in Budapest and with only one day here, there's no way we can see and do everything so we opted to do an open top bus tour, followed by a stroll around this lovely city.

BUDAPEST 1 : 20 kms

Saturday, 21st April, 2018.

We're struggling a little with jet lag...neither of us slept well on Thursday night but soldiered on yesterday as it was bike collection day.  Our accommodation is about 14 kms north of Budapest and the bike shop is a similar distance south, requiring a train ride into the city, then a change to the metro for two stops to the regional station, where we caught a train to Kelenfeld, the nearest station to the shop.  The local train station is at the bottom of our street and just around the corner so nice and easy, the trains are frequent so no long wait but the regional train was half an hour late leaving. When we arrived at Kelenfeld we were met by Akos, who had very kindly driven from the bike shop to collect us, saving us a couple of bus rides.  We spent about an hour in the shop, then started the ride, mostly on cycle paths, to the Danube, then along the river through the city to 'home'.  It wasn't a long ride but took the best part of some time as it was a stop/start journey, with many traffic lights and  throngs of pedestrians and other cyclists, unfamiliar territory to negotiate on new bikes we're not yet used to. 
We  negotiated our way along the embankment which was crowded with pedestrians and cyclists, and were almost 'home', I had a fall and injured my right knee, and my pride. Although I told Mike I just wanted to have matching knees (after a fall on a ride at home which had resulted in an injury to my left knee and ankle), I think the spill was largely due to jetlag and lack of concentration.

BUDAPEST: 0 kms

Thursday, 19th April, 2018.

The flight from Perth to Dubai was reasonably comfortable though as usual, neither of us slept much.  The airline food was plentiful and better than the meals we've had on previous flights, we reached Dubai at 5.20 a.m. and were caught up in the hustle and bustle of an extremely busy airport, bought expensive coffee, eventually found toilets that were open after some time spent following signs leading to toilet blocks only to find them closed due to construction works and then sat and waited for our 8.50a.m. departure for Budapest. 

The second leg was pleasant enough, I watched a film, Mike watched a couple of episodes of a TV series, then noticing the change in the terrain below us, I became a bit snap happy.  Snow capped mountains, rivers, the Black Sea, patchwork farm lands, rugged mountains.  

Our arrival at Budapest airport was not a pleasant experience and didn't afford a favourable first impression of Hungary.  Entering the rather small immigration hall, we were confronted with not only our 300 or so fellow passengers cramming into it, but passengers from another plane which arrived a few minutes later, also joined the chaos.  There were no organised lanes, tempers were frayed due to overtired people pushing in, it was claustrophobic and took over an hour and a half to finally get through the formalities and out into the fresh air.  

However, we did eventually make it and are now happily settled into our accommodation, had hot showers and a change of clothes, walked to the nearby Aldi supermarket for a few supplies and then to the Danube where we treated ourselves to a couple of refreshing beers (at about $1.50 each) and are now well and truly ready for a good night's sleep.  Tomorrow we will collect our bikes and do some tourist stuff....we are happy to be here and look forward to exploring the city.  The weather is glorious!!