Wallhala and Aporel

The Lederhosen and Heidi/Maria theme continues at breakfast and there's even Burcher Muesli. Slightly leaden skies as we roll out onto the road at 8, our usual time. It brightens later on as we pass through pleasant but unremarkable Bavarian countryside. We are amazed at the number of properties that have solar panels on their roofs, many of which completely cover the entire roof space of the properties, completely ruining their appearance. Apparently there are big subsidies available from the Government, hence their popularity and scale. High up in the hills to our right is Walhalla, and we are not sure what this is, it looks as if it's modelled on the Parthenon, but we think it has associations with Hitler, Wagner and possibly Norse mythology. We arrive at Reggensburg and sample a popular drink here which is a mix of Prosecco and Aporel. We are not totally certain what it is and assume it must be an Italian style liqueur. On our way to Ingolstadt tomorrow and Andrew's last day with us. (Deggendorf to Reggensberg - 54 miles)

Dumplings and Lederhosen

We start the day with the best breakfast ever which includes fresh strawberries and apricots. The sky is blue at first but it soon clouds over and we have to cycle in wind proof jackets. Rather a dull start but Andrew and I are excited at the prospect of "only" 40 miles today. We are worried when Simon points out a number of chevrons on the map but in reality these turn out to be minor undulations that barely require a gear change. We make good progress and after a coffee stop in the rain the skies clear and we are basking in the sunshine once again. We even allow ourselves half an hour of sunbathing by the lake before arriving at our destination at 2pm. We find a lovely hotel in the main square and manage to check into our rooms just before an impressive thunder storm and a torrential downpour. Even time for a rare siesta: anyone would think this was a holiday! Deggendorf has an elaborately decorated town hall with gothic towers and a Knodel legend according to which: "the wife of one of the city's mayors was able to drive Bohemian invaders away with freshly prepared dumplings!" With this theme in mind we have a typically Bavarian meat dominated meal that includes the famous aforementioned dumplings served by women in traditional costume and men in lederhosen (where is Captain Von Trapp?) (Passau to Deggendorf - 36.6 miles)

The Schlogen Loop

I awake early and momentarily wonder where I am, which is a slightly surreal experience. The effects of last night's asparagus have now fortunately passed and we leave early again for another full day in the saddle. You know you're in true cycling country when the vending machines sell a different form of rubber - inner tubes of various sizes. The scenery is truly beautiful with steep sided wooded hills tumbling into the Danube, like Norwegian fjords. We reach the Schlogen Loop, a particularly beautiful location where the Danube meanders almost back on itself and take a ferry across to the other side. It only takes bikes as there are no roads in this section. After a little while we reach our 8th country, Germany, and soon enter the beautiful city of Passau at the confluence of three rivers; the Danube, Ilz and Inn. This is a haven for the big cruise boats that plough up and down the Danube with their cargo of strabismic sightseers. We are amused to see that one of the boat companies goes by the name of Wurm and Koch. Passau is likened to Venice and there is an Italian feel to the town and we eat pizza and more asparagus in a shady courtyard, before crashing into bed with our customary exhaustion. I hope I remember where I am when I wake up tomorrow. (Linz to Passau - 61.5 miles)

Spitting in the Danube

I wake feeling tired and have to take my first dose of Paracetamol for a hangover. I blame Andrew of course! Although I know I required little persuasion, and the Schnapps with locally grown apricot did seem a good idea at the time. I feel quite jaded for most of the morning and whereas yesterday I was happy to take a turn at the front of the peloton, today I am content for the boys to take the strain and I follow obediently behind. I am revived by a coffee and some apple strudel and we continue our journey which for much of the day is so close to the river that you could spit into it. The route is less crowded today and there are fewer wild children to avoid. Infact everywhere seems very quiet and it is not until we try to buy food for our picnic that we realise it is a Bank Holiday. We see a number of strange Christmas Trees at the top of tall poles: decorated with ribbon, and discover they are a May tradition symbolising fertility and manhood. The scenery is picturesque with a number of small churches and palaces with the river carving its path through the hillside. The weather is mixed with some sun, cloud and occasional rain and thunder. There is little opportunity for topless cycling today. We arrive in Linz, after another 70 miles, in a dramatic thunder storm and wander the streets for a while looking for somewhere to stay. We have a pleasant meal, inside for a change, enjoying the seasonal local asparagus. No Schnapps today. (Melk to Linz - 71 miles)

Floppy flags and flat terrain

We leave Vienna early as we have a long day ahead. We cycle along the canal before joining the Danube itself. Andrew is fresh legged and enthusiastic but we soon slow him down to our customary pace. We clock up 1000 miles (Andrew 4) and it's completely still, sunny and the best surface we've encounterd in 3 weeks. Andrew thinks our blog is a work of fiction. It's Sunday and so the cycle track is very busy with families and Clare almost collides with a young child on a scooter. It's more mountainous now with lots of vineyards and Andrew is desperate to try a Heuriger, as recommended by Marc Millon, a local wine tavern serving its own wine and displaying a decorative crown of fir twigs to show that guests are welcome. We don't allow this until we near our destination of Melk, as we know that we would get hopelessly delayed. And that's just what happens and we don't get to our accommodation until 6 pm. Another long day tomorrow. (Vienna to Melk - 76 miles)

A Viennese Whirl

We enjoy the luxury of a relative lie in before a decent Austrian breakfast with Andrew. We then head to the Tourist Bus Stop where we wait to catch the first circular tour of the day. We get our bearings from the comfort of our bus seats before enjoying a more classy Melange Coffee and Sachertorte with whipped cream at "the" Sacher Cafe of Vienna. We then do a quick tour of the Albertini Art Gallery hoping to see some Klimt. Rather disappointed by a number of pencil studies rather than the real thing, but did enjoy a potted art history lesson from another exhibition of paintings from Monet to Picasso. We wait with a number of overheated and disgruntled tourists for another bus which eventually takes us to the Schonbrunn Place: magnificent. We have to pay 50 cents to use the toilets but for me it is worth every penny just to see the toilet seat disappear and be cleaned by a robot after flushing. Amazingly it is free to enter the gardens and we enjoy the views and scented rose garden. Back to the Inner Stadt to further enjoy the wonderful Art Nouveau architecture, fine buildings and ambience. I am even allowed loose in the shops with a credit card - what a shame I am restrained by the weight of my panniers. Rather a whirlwind tour of this wonderful city, we hope to return one day. We have a delicious and memorable but very expensive evening meal. We may be on bread and cheese for the next week!

C2C

From one capital to another today - Bratislava to Vienna. We navigate our way avoiding the cobble streets and cross the UFO bridge, and have a picnic breakfast overlooking the castle, reminiscent of Chinon. We soon cross the border into Austria, and again there are no controls, just derelict and deserted buildings. With Teutonic efficiency there are now a plethora of cycle signs, in fact at times so many that it can be confusing as there are all manner of local routes also signposted. I begin to worry that my role as lead navigator will be redundant. We join the route of a former railway which runs completely straight for the best part of 20 miles. There is a strong cross wind from the North, but we are often sheltered by trees, but buffeted when the landscape is more open. Unusually we approach Vienna via a nudist colony - pot bellies and cocktail sausages on display. The concern I had about my navigational role soon abates, when with customary predictability all signs disappear when we most need them at the entrance to the city. We thread our way through the one way streets of Inner Stadt and arrive at our hotel, which is in an imposing building right in the centre of the old town. It is quirky and characterful (to put it euphemistically). We have a wander and Clare has her first Viennese coffee - mélange ( just seems like milky coffee to me) and a slice of sachertorte(looks like chocolate cake). Andrew arrives later in the evening. (Bratislava to Vienna - 45 miles)

Eating trout in the dark

An inauspicious start to the day when after waking up in our characterful monastic cell Simon discovers he has another broken spoke. He manages to replace it successfully but it now leaves us without a spare (so much for lightweight titanium bikes, my good old heavy Dawes Galaxy is still going strong..so far!) We breakfast surrounded by Audi businessmen. The terrain today is finally the best of all worlds - smooth tarmaced cycle paths and if the wind had been a little lighter and from the other direction conditions would have been perfect. However, the sun is out and the scenery much more attractive than yesterday with poppy filled fields, small towns and even a couple of castles. Simon is now so paranoid about his spokes that at any suggestion of an uneven surface he leads us back onto the main road hoping that I haven't noticed the circular red "no bicycles" signs. We cross into Slovakia and nearly miss it as there are no customs or passport control at all. Our approach into Bratislava is along a pleasant tarmaced dyke road where we are joined by a number of roller bladers and pleasure cyclists. We leave the path to cross the bridge into the city and soon realise why the Eurovelo route does not bring us this way as we are immediately met by steep cobbled streets. We push our bikes uphill to our rather smart but good value apartment room overlooking the city. Bratislava is delightful with many attractive old buildings, churches and cobbled streets. We find a lovely restaurant with an inner courtyard and minimal lighting. As the sun sets we find ourselves eating trout in the dark. (Gyor to Bratislava - 50 miles)

Coitus Interruptus

The owner of the Pension that we are staying in insists on speaking to me in German, and once again my "O" level from a few decades ago is stretched to its limits - must get Andrew to give me some lessons when we meet up in Vienna. We leave Esztergom heading for Gyor, and pass through some easy to remember villages on the way: Nyergesujfalu, Penzasas-Ujitelep and Mosonmagyarovar by way of example. Don't know what all the fuss is about Hungarian, it trips off the tongue so easily. At times we are on a cycle way sandwiched between the railway on one side and the road on the other, and then at other times we are just on the main road. We cross the railway to follow a path through the woods and come across a naked couple in the back of a car. We're not sure what the Hungarian is for "dogging" but it seems to be over pretty quickly, unlike the frogs who are at it all night. The Eurovelo route was probably not the best location. Again it's incredibly hot and humid, and thick dark storm clouds lurk ominously to the East, threatening to give us a soaking, though I'm so hot I wouldn't mind. We arrive hot and bothered at Gyor and are staying in a hotel that was once a monestary - it has that unmistakable churchy smell, a sort of ancient stoney odour. Into Slovakia tomorrow. (Esztergom to Gyor - 64.5 miles)

Going round the bend

Last night we spent a pleasant evening eating al fresco on a quiet back street of Budapest. The food was delicious: quite the best meal we have had, although for the price we would have eaten for a whole week in Romania. Worth it, we think. We wake to the now familiar sound of torrential rain on city streets, but this time however it stops in time for a reasonable departure. I am sorry to leave the Hotel Palazzo Vichy: a far cry from Simon's last choice of accommodation. We cover only 50 miles today but it takes us nearly 9 hours - including prolonged waiting for two ferries (not Godot) The route is almost entirely on cycle paths and although it is nice to be away from the traffic they are often winding with lots of lumps, bumps, potholes and puddles so progress is slow once more. I know we are hard to please but we can't help yearning for a bit of flat road where we could crank up the gears and stretch our legs. The weather improves and it becomes very humid. We remove layers of clothing. We buy strawberries from the side of the road and eat them fresh from the punnet. We pass through the Danube Bend where the river breaks through steep mountain sides and cliffs and the scenery is stunning. We are now in Esztergom which is dominated by a massive basilica and has been likened to Rome, although we are not sure the Italians would agree. We eat outside again. The menu is meaty and the translations amusing as usual. Simon enjoys Wild Boar and I have Danube Fish Soup into which "has been secretly smuggled some offal so I can enjoy it quietly". I did, in between my laughter. (Budapest to Esztergom 52.5 miles)

Bathing caps are compulsory

A day off - so no conotrane required today. As we are high up above the streets of Budapest we enjoy a much needed tranquil night. We start our day by walking up to the hills of Buda to take in the view, and I'm already breaking out into a sweat in the early morning heat. As we cross the bridge we are amused to see a fairly strong southerly wind, which would have been perfect for the continuation of our journey North. We then go to the Gellert thermal baths for their natural healing medicinal properties. The whole process is a bit baffling to start with; there are labyrinthine corridors and male and female only areas and it is easy to get totally confused and disorientated. Bathing caps are obligatory, and I must confess I didn't think to pack one of those for our cycling trip, but a helpful couple we talked to at breakfast gave us a useful tip - see photo. In the male only section there are Hungarian men lolling around in what looks to be (though I didn't look for too long) a cross between a loin cloth and "G" string.The outside area is mixed so I am eventually able to meet up with Clare and we spend the afternoon relaxing in the sunshine. We indulge in the extra healing properties of a beer at lunchtime. A beautiful city, which we now feel more at home in. Off to Esztergom tomorrow, which reminds me of one of the characters in Waiting for Godot.

Heading for a rest in Budapest

We have a sleepless night due to the cacophony of mating frogs (at it all night long) and the bass beat from the disco which was so loud the room vibrated. The local truckers must be into heavy metal. We decide to give the Truckers Breakfast a miss and instead eat pastries from paper bags in front of a supermarket - standards are slipping. It is hot and the sky is clear. We make good progress along quiet roads - not a dyke in sight! We get lost only once today. The Euro Velo route can be very well signed in Hungary but never at a junction or in towns when you need them. Along straight roads when we are confident that we know where we are there are hundreds of them : reassuring but not helpful. Our approach to Budapest is a far cry from our terrifying experience on the road to Belgrade and I don't think we saw a lorry all day. The route takes us through the riviera of the Danube with smart villas and boats in private moorings. We picnic by the river and watch the locals enjoying a fine Sunday of recreation and the start of a rowing regatta. We arrive at our hotel before 2pm and are soon joining the throng of tourists on the open top bus tour. It is lovely to sit down and enjoy the sights but we are worried that we might both fall asleep and still be going round at midnight. We both admit to feeling a little lost in this big cosmopolitan city after the rural village life we have become accustomed to. (Rackeve to Budapest - 34 miles)

The Great Hungarian Plain

The Great Hungarian Plain stetches for mile upon mile and we're on it and we like it. With a light breeze from the East as we head North we feel that we are flying along, the sun on our back. We make rapid progress, until that is we get lost. Is there a theme developing here? We cycle for miles on a grassy bank which bears no resemblance to where we're meant to be on the map, and there are no locals to help us. Communication can be quite a problem, Hungarian's nearest linguistic neighbour is Finnish and it's taken me two days just to learn "thank you". As for " two beers please"that will take a little while longer. The currency is equally complicated, as there are something like 362 Florints to the pound, so I just cannot do the conversion to sterling. You end up with large wadges of notes , like we did in Serbia and we spend it a bit like monopoly money ( as Clare does in LK Bennett) . The food can also be quite a challenge - we seem to have a knack of ordering food from the menu that is not available. It would be easier if we knew the Hungarian for "just tell us what you've got" . The are some amusing translations too. If I had been a pudding man I might have been tempted by "King's ball with a wild berry sauce". We're staying in a real dive tonight: a truckers hostel on the edge of town, and they've already warned us about the disco. Hopefully tomorrow's accommodation in Budapest will be better, otherwise I'm in trouble. (Kalocsa to Budapest - 63 miles)

Bikes on Dykes

And the sky is blue. We start our day crossing the Danube on a small car ferry and continue our journey northwards towards Budapest relieved that the gale force winds have subsided. Virtually all of our day is spent cycling on Dyke roads, some of which are even tarmaced and we feel like we are flying along at times. The majority is unsurfaced but after yesterday's grinding endurance we are well tuned to the off road experience. The roads are peaceful and quiet, the scenery stunning, and we add woodpecker, deer and hare to our list of wildlife. It is now no longer uncommon to meet cycle tourists coming in the opposite direction but whereas previously we would stop and exchange experiences we now feel content to nod or wave. We have even met two English couples but we are still the only ones mad enough to be doing this East to West when the wind is never at your back. I had hoped to return home lithe and toned but judging by the size of some of the bottoms passing us in the other direction I fear this may not be the case. It must be the beer. But OMG I need that beer, and it's not as though you can get a cup of tea here so what can a girl do? Actually arrived at our destination just before 4 o'clock - a record! Headed immediately for the hotel Wellness centre where we had an extraordinary sauna experience where the temperature was raised with copious quantities of eucalyptus oiled water and a young man wafted us with towels (I wonder if I could persuade Adam at the GCC to do this!) Simon particularly enjoyed the icy plunge pool. Now relaxing with a glass of chilled Hungarian red wine. (Mohacs to Kalocsa - 51 miles)

Our longest shortest day

Instead of waking to the sound of hotel hoovering, or Danube wildlife today the bells of Osijek Cathedral toll loudly at 6 am - they must be early wakers in Osijek. We are excited at the prospect of a shorter day of only 45 miles through a wildlife reserve as recommended in the guidebook, though with a warning about landmines if you leave the track (just when I thought it was safe to have a pee). We get hopelessly lost very early on and retrace our steps several times. Eventually we find the right track - with the help of 6 Croatians pointing to the map. We now have to go under a barrier and go off road ( well we did want to avoid cars and trucks) . We see two white tailed eagles, several breeds of heron, a grebe and most spectacularly of all a female wild boar with her young (boarlets?). This novelty soon wears off however when the unsurfaced track goes on for eternity and we realise we have made a 25 mile detour barely managing to get above 4 mph - the surface is just grass at times. Rejoining the highway we are met with unusually (we hope) strong headwinds (from the North) and the road into Hungary is a real grind. Clare I think must be feeling better as she starts barking orders from the sliptream about stepping up the pace. It is nearly 6 pm when we arrive at Mohacs, absolutely exhausted after nearly 9 hours in the saddle .The hotel gives us free beers. We hope the wind will not be the same tomorrow. (Osijek to Mohacs - 62 miles)

500 miles and we're still rolling along

Instead of being woken by the sound of Danube wildlife, today we wake to the sound of early morning hoovering at 6 am. Despite our sense of smell having been dulled by pervasive cigarette smoke we are rewarded by a new olfactory experience from the drain in our bathroom! After a traditional Eastern European breakfast (the worst ever) we take to the road, thankful that at last it is dry again. Over the Danube into Croatia where we need to stock up with yet another currency. The road is undulating through vineyards but actually we quite enjoy the varied gradients. We pass through Vukovar with its famous war damaged water tower and shelled out buildings interspersed with new constructions. Passing our 500 mile mark we celebrate our achievement before arriving in the pleasant and sophisticated Croatian city of Osijek with its attractive Art Nouveau buildings. On the bike front: so far, so good. One puncture and one broken spoke (which Simon surprised himself at being able to fix). On the body front: Simon's only complaint so far is a blister from wearing sandals around the wet streets of Belgrade. Whereas for me the list is endless but they mainly resolve over night and I can usually be distracted by the scenery, a beer, or the adrenaline produced by wild dogs or fast lorries. Long may it last! (Backa Palanka to Osijek - 56 miles)

The ticket office says "no"

We awake once again to the sound of torrential rain on the streets of Belgrade and both agree that Plan B must come into operation. First we enjoy a sumptuous breakfast and, like naughty students, fill our napkins with supplies for a hearty picnic. We discover that we have had a free upgrade but our hotel bill still comes to 42,000 Serbian dinar (but there are several hundred to the pound: our mental maths has been challenged here unlike in Romania where Simon could cope with 5 lei to the pound!) On the streets once more we wend our way through heavy commuter traffic, puddles and potholes to the train station. We are already feeling cold and soaked through. Simon asks for 2 tickets to Novi Sad but when he points at the bikes the ticket lady shakes her head. My heart is sinking while she calls over her supervisor who explains that it is not possible to take bikes on trains in Serbia without a special ticket. Simon asks "can we buy a special ticket?" but he replies "no". He then says he will have to ask the train driver but we will have to wait. We wait, wondering what Plan C could be. Finally he returns with a smile on his face and escorts us to the platform where we lift our bikes with relief onto the back of the train. We sit in First Class, unknowingly, and even though it was non smoking we were amused that the air was still circulated from the smoking carriages through the ventilation system for our pleasure! An enjoyable trip: I think I could get used to travelling by train! Cycling out of Novi Sad was another unpleasant experience and we yearned for the quiet car free roads of Romania. After a mere 28 miles of busy highway we arrive at the border town of Backa Palanka. Across the border to Croatia tomorrow. (Belgrade to Backa Palanka - 29 miles)

Walking in Belgrade: you risk your life. May 14th

Today is our rest day in Belgrade. We woke early as usual and it felt strange not putting on Lycra. Best breakfast so far (in Romania it was sometimes just coffee), and we borrow umbrellas to slosh our way around the sights of Belgrade (wellies rather than sandals would have been preferable). All bus tours cancelled due to the weather so we get tram number 2 that does a circular tour of the city, and appears to be free because nobody asks us for any money. The fortress offers fine views but a worrying warning sign - see photo. Went to the Orthodox cathedral where the locals indulge in a lot of icon kissing. National museum closed for restoration (much to our relief!). Coffee in local cafe and we had the non-smoking part of the cafe to ourselves whilst the smoking section was packed. A great cosmopolitan city despite the weather, which has been 8 degrees at times. A hot bath and sauna later - not something we could have contemplated wanting a few days ago. Forecast looks bad for tomorrow and we are making some new plans to avoid a long day in the saddle and the risk of hypothermia, so hopefully train to Novi Sad, half the day's planned distance - Serbian train officials permitting.

The cold wet road to Belgrade

We awake unrefreshed after a restless night due to the double espresso that we had enjoyed after supper, and the disco from the villa opposite. We had arranged an early breakfast at 7am but were surprised to find the place empty. The owner arrives holding up 7 fingers and we nod in agreement. He looks a little confused and ushers us into his cafe to offer us a coffee. The clock on the wall says 6 o'clock and the penny drops. We had not realised that Serbian time is an hour behind Romania. Simon makes small talk in hand signals and O'level German. Overnight the weather has changed dramatically and it is overcast, windy and cold. Very soon we are putting on all our layers and it is the return of the saggy lycra stocking look. We grind away against the wind only managing 8 miles an hour - constantly buffeted, there is no chance of freewheeling in the slipstream today. The scenery is dull and just when we thought it couldn't get any worse it starts to pour with rain. Our approach to Belgrade is firstly through vast petrochemical works and refineries, then a horrendously busy motorway (which signs indicate we shouldn't be on) and the bridge over the Danube. Here we take refuge onto a narrow raised pedestrian walkway while coaches and lorries hurtle past within inches of us. The relative safety of this soon ends and we return to the highway. Simon is immediately engulfed in a tidal wave of water caused by an inconsiderate Serbian lorry driver. Like a loyal spaniel I keep Simon in my sights and just pedal while he navigates us through downtown Belgrade. The map is now in shreds and the signposts are in cyrillic! We eventually find our hotel and are once again transported to another world but this time one of opulence and luxury. We think we have been upgraded as we are in a magnificent suite, but we'll know when we get the bill. Our worst day yet ends with a delicious meal opposite the opera house and our first bottle of red wine. Classical music plays in the background and we are transported from misery to Mozart. (Bela Crka to Belgrade - 66 miles)

Mountains and mating frogs 11 and 12 May

We leave Drobeta Turnu -Severin on a very busy road - HGVs pass us at high speed and sometimes towards us when they overtake one another coming the opposite direction. They all head towards Timisorea and we head left along the Gorge on the Romanian side. We then have to cycle up some serious climbs - I suppose we are going through the Carpathian mountains now so that's not surprising, but not what we expected! The next section along the Danube is spectacular, with Serbia just a stone throw away at times. Just for a change it's very hot and sunny. We've been hearing this incredible noise and were wondering what it was and it turns out to be mating frogs - the male letting out a loud croak as it leaps on the female and they then sink in the reedy recesses of the river. The road goes on and on and we get hotter and hotter and at times the surface is non-existent and just a rough dirt track - so just for a change progress is slow! Eventually we get to a remote place to stay on the shores of the river , mating frogs croaking away. We have beer before showering. We continue up the gorge on Saturday, passing a mixture of stunning scenery and some hideous towns. Before the big climb up the mountain to get across to Serbia the local doctor in a little village offers us coffee. He doesn't however know how to make coffee - his wife or his assistant do this for him! He gets water from a spring and we boil it up in a small pot with a heating element then pour over coffee grounds. fantastic. Then a very long, hot climb for an hour and a half before a cooling descent over the border , into Serbia where the customs official is very interested in our bikes and shows a picture of his on his mobile phone. Now we're in Serbia and Belgrade tomorrow. (Drobeta Turnu Severin to Bezasca - 63 miles) (Bezasca to Bela Crka - 47 miles)

May 10 - Motorways and short cuts

After yesterday's achievement today was always going to be a challenge. Another early start to avoid the heat Simon soon led me onto a new road with a flyover reminiscent of the M6 (but with little traffic as he was quick to point out) A wonderfully smooth surface at last and we encountered our first proper hill which unfortunately required our lowest gears at the hottest part of the day. I have finally mastered the technique of sliding into Simon's reassuring slipstream and even managed to freewheel at times. Our arrival into Drobeta Turnu Severin was terrifying with fast cars and heavy lorries but good to see the Danube again. We have now discovered that Romanians do not speak English. They speak Spanish and Italian but sadly we do not. Simon has mastered "two beers" in Romanian and "multo mesk" means thank you - so we are getting by. Having now cycled nearly 280 miles in 4 days it must be time for a physical update. Simon and the bikes are going well, thankfully. As for me: back and nether regions good, but worrying pain in right knee and strange parasthesia and weakness of left hand due to vibrations from uneven road surface. I hope that neither progress. I'm afraid I did moan a bit today. Already feeling better after a beer and looking forward to the gorge through the Carpathian Mountains tomorrow. Dog chases: one. Doses of painkillers: two! (Calafat to Drobeta Turnu Severin - 63 miles)

Hoopoes,Bee Eaters and 30+C heat 09 May

The sound of the workmen hitting the grain silos with sledgehammers is eventually replaced by the more tranquil sounds of Danube wildlife, and we wake to the sound of cicadas, storks and cuckoos. We're on the road by 7 as we have 90 miles ahead of us today, and with unpredictable road surfaces and headwinds it's likely to be a very long day. As we slip out of Corabia it's almost chilly, a slight mist rising from the river. We pass through the industrial area with its ruined buildings and make our way through more of rural Romania. By 10.30 it's already 30 degrees and gets gradually hotter throughout the day. Reasonable road surfaces means we make fairly good progress. We pass more and more Orthodox churches with their bizarre domes of various colours and we think the bright orange and blue birds we now see quite frequently must be bee eaters. Hoopoes also fly across the road in front of us. Finding places to buy provisions for lunch isn't easy and after 60 miles we find a shady spot with views of snow capped mountains in Bulgaria in the distance. The last 30 miles are very tiring in the heat, but at least there is no wind today. We are the only people staying in our hotel in Calafat. Just 2 lots of wild dogs today. Clare didn't moan at all today except when she wasn't met with a tee shirt and medal at the end of the day! (Corabia to Calafat - 90 miles)

Has anyone seen the Danube? May 8

A cooler day. Generally a smoother road surface - some undulation meant that we even had to change gear today. Prevailing winds against us still made the going tough and morale was low at times. I think this may be harder than I had thought. Boosted by waving children shouting "ola" - we must be a strange sight. Mile upon mile of fertile green countryside - manually farmed by mainly elderly women in bright clothing (they breed 'em tough out here - Simon tells me I shall be as weathered as them before we're finished!) Donkeys, horses and carts, cows and geese with goslings line the road. Yet more storks nesting on top of telegraph poles and exotic red and blue birds of unknown identity. After 53 miles we finally spot the Danube again - our first glimpse of the river since crossing it into Romania. Small hotel in idyllic setting by the river - with empty swimming pool and right next to two gleaming aluminium grain silos under construction. Sadly they don't knock off early here so we may not get much sleep tonight. Wild dog count: zero! Big day tomorrow, maybe some time.... (Zimnicea to Corabia - 56 miles)

May 07 Wild dogs at the border

Despite the early (UK 5:45 am) start, a delightful ride through Russe though then through industrial areas to the bridge with scary HGVs grumbling behind us as they cannot pass. Fantastic views of the Danube. We cross into Romania half way over and after passport control Clare's worst nightmare as a pack of Romania's legendary stray dogs chase after her and manage to bite her pannier! It's incredibly hot and sunny. And very very flat! Endless Romanian villages merge into one another. Storks in impressive nests on telegraph poles. Picnic lunch under shady plane trees. Arrived hot,sweaty and worryingly tired in Zimnicea. We must be the only foreigners in this part of the world, and feeling very conspicuous - thought it might have been the Lycra and pale pasty flesh, but seems to be because we're English. Pizza on terrace storm now approaching(mileage today 48 miles, but took most of the day - Romanian roads are very potholey so progress is slow!) (Rousse to Zimnicea - 48 miles)

May 06 Bikeless in Bucharest

Well, almost. We were assured by all the airport staff we spoke to the the bikes would come up the carousel. Couldn't see how that was going to be possible and we were the only ones left after everyone else's bags had come up. Clare composing her letter to BA. Eventually they arrived. Loading them upside down on a trolley we made a dramatic entrance to the arrivals area trying to push them through doors that were too narrow. Miraculously we were met by a Tony Yates look alike who gave us a tour of Bucharest with its French architecture and Cauecescu's grand folly of a palace.Over the bridge to Bulgaria - a pleasant evening in a beautiful town with a rock group that could have been Bulgaria's equivalent of Coldplay and spectacular fireworks as it's St George's day. Incredibly warm. A meaty meal in a local Taverna - no Bulgarian currency to hand!

May 05 Saggy stockings at Heathrow

It's very cold as we head off from Topsham to St David's station so we put on our long Lycra leggings.Not designed for walking we discovered that they had sagged like stockings without suspenders to expose large expanses of thigh flesh - not the best of looks. Holiday Inn overnight with the usual buffet supper fusion - gammon, curry and Moroccan al on one plate!