February 23rd, 2007 | categorizilation: all categories,Greece
Today’s distance / 今日の走行距離: 37.79km
Average speed / 平均速度: 16.2km/h
Time on bike / 走行時間: 2h 19m
Total distance to date / 今日までの積算距離: 4029.9km (plus 4200km)
Ascent / 上り: +40m
Descent / 下り: -85m
Ah, so this is what is meant my flat riding! I feel as though I have no cycled on such flat and smooth roads as today. Smooooooth asphalt. Welcome to the developed world, I guess.
Another strange thing here in Greece is the amount of room that drivers give me. And what’s more, they actually slow down and wait to pass! I feel like royalty.
The first half of the day was spent at an internet cafe in Komotini, and the first highlight once on the road was Lake Vistonidas.
Not a particularly beautiful lake itself, but a monastery perched in the middle of a small lagoon made up for the stark surroundings.
There was a guy from Cyprus who was spending a week staying at the monastery to get away from his busy work life. He gave the usual astonished reaction when I told him I was from New Zealand.
“Oh, New Zealand is a far away place!” he said, and gave me some Cyprus-style Turkish delight. Not as chewy as the Turkish delight you get in Turkey – very tasty.
I have found that in Greece there are many more English speakers. Also, if they don’t speak English, they either speak Turkish or Russian (both of which I can now make very basic conversation in). Very handy, because I will not be in Greece long enough to pick up the language!
Afterwards, I somehow found myself in Port Lagos, on the coast. I had intended to head inland, however it seems as though I took a wrong turn somewhere. No big dramas, just a small detour. Plus, Port Lagos is a nice enough place. Massive herons clapping their bills and chattering to each other atop tall pine trees…
I am sleeping tonight under the generous eaves of a deserted summer cafe on the beach just beyond the pine trees you see in the above photo.
Rob.
I went to rachel wilsons wedding in the weekend. She married a great guy named James. I went with Keryn. It was fun. They had a small family wedding on the beach at colac bay then invited everyone to the reception on the farm at night. they arrived on loading bucket of the tractor. she is a dairy farmers wife now. didnt see that coming. It was a good night. I caught up with Lyla and her husband there. They have 2 kids now and are doing great. I hadn't seen Lil for about 8 years and it was great to catch up. Katherine Lange got married a few weeks ago too. It's all babies and weddings over here apparently. Sunny summer day in invers today. – ok. it wasnt, but the sun did shine a bit – and things are lookign up for tomorrow. I am chasing skinks at the moment across the water from Tiwai. Turn right just before the bridge to tiwai and thats my spot. there was a big fire there last year so I get paid to see how the skins feel about that and hopefully, if I am successful, they will not sue for damages. So. exciting times in this little world. I made pita bread too. that was fun.
I have theories about bordem in great places. Maybe sometimes all we need is to talk to someone who has known us for more than a day (or in my case on the island – 2 weeks). It doesnt matter how cool a place you are in, or how great the constant stream of new faces are, it is still really great to get back to some familiarity.
anyway. I hope this has gone some way towards relieving your boredom. I am going to watch some of michael palins pole to pole cause travelling is fun. chin up.
Aye?! Kathryn Lange is married?! I mean, good on her. Crazy times. I look forward to rolling on down there to Invers some day on the old bicycle and catching up with everyone.
As for your theory, it all has to do with past common experiences. Ha! Remember that day when you got that flat tyre and had to fill it with grass. Or remember that day in high school when we couldn't make a blue tack cube (Lee alluded to that time recently in a comment).
Yeah, I could do with some of that. But for the meantime, must continue to pretend that all I need is a tailwind and a flat road.
Rob
Yeah I realised that you are not crossing to Italy from Greece but still going through those former Yugoslavian countries so you actually get out of EU.
Many Greeks were studying at my uni in UK as there are not enough universities in Greece (dunno if that's true or not) and for them doing the scientific subjects in the UK is so easy and there is virtually nothing to pay for (EU subsidies but that was before 2000 I don't know how it is now). I bet theyr engilsh was as good as those you meet on your trip.
I mail-ordered a Dahon Boardwalk D7 2007 model which is in a very nice ivory colour. I will convert it intoi a recumbent as I previously announced. I saw the same bike at the local shop but they wanted to charge me whopping 100 bucks more for the same bike what a rip off. I got telescopic front boom and a Cruzbike seat so I only have to find a secure and reversible (back to a standard upright bike)way to keep this telescopic boom in place. Luckily the Meks suspension fits on this bike without much effort, yey!
I would love to stay at those Greek and Croatian monasteries myself.
I actually totally don't remember the blutac cube incident. but the grass tyre will always remain. ohh yes….
Just as well you haven't had to resort to grass tyres on this trip! That trip over the Nevis must seem like a lazy Sunday afternoon stroll compared to this one – although it sounds like smooth going at the moment which must be a nice relaxing change. I note that your speed is somewhat faster. You may even be able to make up some lost time – as long, of course, that you don't miss out on anything interesting by whizzing by too fast.
Mum, the speeds are definitely faster. Also, I don't feel as tired at the end of the day. Losing some weight in the baggage department has made a huge difference. Plus the roads here are really just so much flatter and smoother. Much less mental fatigue from looking out for cracks and potholes.
Rob, Are those panoramic-looking pics just good cropping or are they really panoramics? They look amazing.
Manni, they are indeed panoramas. Thank you for the encouragement. Most of my panoramas are made from between 2-4 photos. Anything more than that and things get crazy. I'm just using an auto stitching software that came with my camera. Some are fairly badly stitched if you look really closely.
