5 June 2016 (sunny and hot in morning, mild with shower in afternoon) 63km

6.35am said my watch as I rolled over to see if Julia was awake yet. Couldn’t see any sign of life, so I dozed for another fifteen minutes or so, before deciding to get up and go have a shave and shower, before the masses made their pilgrimage to the facilities. It’s always nice to get yourself tidy and feeling fresh, before the hordes of farters, coughers and splutterers, begin their morning ritual. To them it’s their morning mass and boy, by the noises they make, there is certainly a lot of penance to pay.  I know myself that I much prefer the peace and solitude of a quiet ablution block, rather than the twenty seven languages being tossed around and people vying for position outside of cubicles, ready to dive into the confession box, if they get half a chance to push in.  It’s the same at the washing up sinks. Guys especially will bring a huge pile of dishes to wash, but realise when they get to said sink, that they have more urgent matters to attend to.  Now, fortunately for me, although I do consider myself to be a patient person when the need arises, I am not going to wait at a camp sink to wash a couple of plastic cups and bowls, while some big fat….(write in name of applicable nationality)…..goes away to ‘take a load off’.

Feeling refreshed and ready for the day, I arrive back to find Ju doing the PAYE, so I take myself off to the supermarket on the bike, to pick up breakfast. Only down the road and I was thankful for that as it was closed. In Hungary, supermarkets are open Sunday, unlike Germany and Austria, but I hit the one that’s closed…..I don’t believe it…!  Back to garage opposite camp that sells everything…. Over breakfast we discussed our planned route out of Budapest and our direction into Slovakia. After all was packed we spent ten minutes talking to Kim and Pete, the Aussies. Gave them a couple of sights to visit and also our address in N.Z. and we think they’ll probably manage it as they hop across the ditch quite often.  

It was warming up as we pedalled out of the city, cruising along the banks of the river, watching a small cruise boat with about a hundred people participating in a spin class on the top deck. Very enthusiastic instructors and you could hear them for a good way along.

Spin class on the Danube

We were using the cycle lanes and taking it very carefully, so as not to lose them. About 11.30am, found a big supermarket and went in to buy lunch. Temperature by now was 28 degrees.  Ploughed on, but after sixteen kms…..no friggin cycle path…and no bloody surprise either. We’ve loved Hungary, but the roads are full of potholes or made up of a patchwork of repairs. Cycle routes can be good or stop dead in their tracks.  The people we have really liked and as with most nationalities, will always try to help if they possibly can.  Riding on the road by now, traffic okay but you have to be very alert, but the weather, as is so often the case here, is looking ominous.  

Look at those clouds!  It took about an hour for the rain to reach us.

When it eventually started to rain, we decided to take shelter in a large bus stop on the roadside and have our lunch. For a little while we had to share the shelter……not lunch…..that would never happen, with two other folk, who didn’t appear too pleased to have two bikes and their riders at their bus stop……well…get over it.  Get on your dry comfortable bus and leave us to eat…!  Lunch done and so was the rain, so on we went. Heading for Retsag and silly us thought it would be no problem, just follow the road we were on….but guess what….?  This particular road had obviously done very well for itself as in an instant, it became a motorway and here’s us, half way up a huge hill thinking…..what the…?

Had to get off at first opportunity as traffic had increased and was flying. But….that’s Hungary for ya….one minute you’re a virgin, the next, immaculate conception and you’re bringing up five kids in a run down tenement block in downtown Budapest.  

Typical of Hungary, Czechia and Slovakia - a lot of abandoned buildings

Found a not so busy road and also found out that there’s no cycle route to Retsag…..which is amazing, since they have signs for it on the cycle route…?  Carried on until 5pm when we pulled into a camp opposite Visegrad, the place we had come past on our way here… Nice to be in camp earlier than normal, but now our route has changed, not that we care, the road will lead us where it will lead us and in Hungary, that could be anywhere.  Tomorrow we will probably cross back into Slovakia, working our way North west toward Czechia.  At least that’s the plan.

Our camp for the night - picnic table, river view, castle on the hill and thick clover under the tent....perfect!