I'm not sure how I thought I would be able to update this every day. First night since my last post I was too tired to think of words and then last night the place didn't have WiFi. So I am now going to write a lot of things from my room-with-a-view in Sidirochori.
First the bullshit: Cornettos here don't have chocolate at the end. That's the best bit of a Cornetto! I mean, you're not having a bad time during the first 95% of the Cornetto experience but it's all leading up to the satisfying chocolaty conclusion. Disappointing! Ok, now that's out the way...
I was still feeling a bit weird the next morning and got up stupidly late for what was going to be another long cycle. Then when I got to my bike it had a puncture. A nice Greek hotel chap and I repaired the puncture and off I went. The day was mostly climbing which was bad. But it was punctuated by eating a delicious beef goulash, which was delicious (as previously mentioned). I also got chased by a barking dog with a weird eye for a while. Normally barking dogs wouldn't worry me but I was tired and its weird eye unsettled me. After that encounter I had to have a lie down by the side of the road to get my brain working again.
As I had cut my 90 mile day into two I didn't have a hotel booked for the night. Rather than being sensible and researching a place to sleep I just looked my map picked a town that looked nice, and headed towards it. It was a tiny place but it was near water so using flawed logic I assumed there would be a place to stay. Everyone loves staying near water even if the place only has ten streets, right? Incorrect.
After my long day climbing it finished with a really long, really fun descent culminating in me pulling into my tiny town far later than I wanted to. As soon as I entered a boy on a bike pedalled quickly away from me. Good start. I approached a man in his drive and asked about the possibility of a hotel. He seemed confused so I put my head on both my hands, closed my eyes, and tipped my head at a jaunty angle hoping this was the universal sign for sleep. 'Cigarette?' was the response. After a bit of this he understood what I meant and launched merrily into a torrent of Greek and pointing. From this flurry of noise and gesticulation I managed to ascertain a town name and a direction; I then set off promptly towards Aiani: The Fabled Land of Possible Hotels. On arrival the town was desolate but after a bit of cycling around I found a man parking his moped in his garden. I asked about the existence of a hotel and once again used the 'universal' sleep gesture. 'Follow me' was the response and he jumped back on his moped. After a short ride through town, during which my chain came off meaning I finished the journey running behind him whilst pushing my bike, we reached a hotel. I slept.
I'm writing too much so I'll sum up the next day in a few concise sentences: Feeling much better. Shorter day. Relaxing cycle. Ate a disappointing Cornetto. Had an argument with my bike (we resolved the issue). Saw a dead cat. Big climb at the end. Town was beautiful.
What's good about Greek motorways is that they are built next to the old main road and not on top of them. This means there's usually a nice calm road for a me to cycle on that still follows the most direct route. Today was pretty similar to the day before. Covered just over 40 miles and there were actually clouds in the sky for once. Ended up with a massive climb up to the highest point I've been so far. I also saw a pelican.
I keep thinking of stupid things to write here but I forget them by the time I get to actually composing it. I'll try:
Oh, I passed a farm full of cows and it smelt like the British countryside.
Ermm, I see shrines by the roadside all the time here. Not sure if that's the exact position where someone got killed or if by the road is just where people put their memorials. Often there are bottles of liquid inside.
My facial hair is itchy and doesn't look good.
More often than not I am the only guest at the hotels and I get my own personal breakfast buffet laid out on one table. Today I asked for more milk and the guy left quickly via the back door, which was then followed by the sound of a moped driving away. When he returned with the milk I felt I had to drink most of it due to his effort; I only wanted a drop more in my coffee.
I am having loads of fun but I am looking forward to being with people I can talk to. Tomorrow I stay in a hostel so I might be able to do some chatting there. I mean, I am exceptionally good company and I find myself far funnier than I should but the evenings do drag a bit.
I would post more pictures but this mountain internet is slow and bad.
Albania tomorrow.
First the bullshit: Cornettos here don't have chocolate at the end. That's the best bit of a Cornetto! I mean, you're not having a bad time during the first 95% of the Cornetto experience but it's all leading up to the satisfying chocolaty conclusion. Disappointing! Ok, now that's out the way...
I was still feeling a bit weird the next morning and got up stupidly late for what was going to be another long cycle. Then when I got to my bike it had a puncture. A nice Greek hotel chap and I repaired the puncture and off I went. The day was mostly climbing which was bad. But it was punctuated by eating a delicious beef goulash, which was delicious (as previously mentioned). I also got chased by a barking dog with a weird eye for a while. Normally barking dogs wouldn't worry me but I was tired and its weird eye unsettled me. After that encounter I had to have a lie down by the side of the road to get my brain working again.
As I had cut my 90 mile day into two I didn't have a hotel booked for the night. Rather than being sensible and researching a place to sleep I just looked my map picked a town that looked nice, and headed towards it. It was a tiny place but it was near water so using flawed logic I assumed there would be a place to stay. Everyone loves staying near water even if the place only has ten streets, right? Incorrect.
After my long day climbing it finished with a really long, really fun descent culminating in me pulling into my tiny town far later than I wanted to. As soon as I entered a boy on a bike pedalled quickly away from me. Good start. I approached a man in his drive and asked about the possibility of a hotel. He seemed confused so I put my head on both my hands, closed my eyes, and tipped my head at a jaunty angle hoping this was the universal sign for sleep. 'Cigarette?' was the response. After a bit of this he understood what I meant and launched merrily into a torrent of Greek and pointing. From this flurry of noise and gesticulation I managed to ascertain a town name and a direction; I then set off promptly towards Aiani: The Fabled Land of Possible Hotels. On arrival the town was desolate but after a bit of cycling around I found a man parking his moped in his garden. I asked about the existence of a hotel and once again used the 'universal' sleep gesture. 'Follow me' was the response and he jumped back on his moped. After a short ride through town, during which my chain came off meaning I finished the journey running behind him whilst pushing my bike, we reached a hotel. I slept.
I'm writing too much so I'll sum up the next day in a few concise sentences: Feeling much better. Shorter day. Relaxing cycle. Ate a disappointing Cornetto. Had an argument with my bike (we resolved the issue). Saw a dead cat. Big climb at the end. Town was beautiful.
What's good about Greek motorways is that they are built next to the old main road and not on top of them. This means there's usually a nice calm road for a me to cycle on that still follows the most direct route. Today was pretty similar to the day before. Covered just over 40 miles and there were actually clouds in the sky for once. Ended up with a massive climb up to the highest point I've been so far. I also saw a pelican.
I keep thinking of stupid things to write here but I forget them by the time I get to actually composing it. I'll try:
Oh, I passed a farm full of cows and it smelt like the British countryside.
Ermm, I see shrines by the roadside all the time here. Not sure if that's the exact position where someone got killed or if by the road is just where people put their memorials. Often there are bottles of liquid inside.
My facial hair is itchy and doesn't look good.
More often than not I am the only guest at the hotels and I get my own personal breakfast buffet laid out on one table. Today I asked for more milk and the guy left quickly via the back door, which was then followed by the sound of a moped driving away. When he returned with the milk I felt I had to drink most of it due to his effort; I only wanted a drop more in my coffee.
I am having loads of fun but I am looking forward to being with people I can talk to. Tomorrow I stay in a hostel so I might be able to do some chatting there. I mean, I am exceptionally good company and I find myself far funnier than I should but the evenings do drag a bit.
I would post more pictures but this mountain internet is slow and bad.
Albania tomorrow.
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