http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/ Uk to Eastern Europe and back - 2005 en-us The weather was absolutely awful through Southern France. I'm wearing waterproofs nearly all the time, and it feels very much like I am nearly finished. This is semi-familiar territory, and for the first time in over a month I can... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/002981.php First hotel turned out to be a nightmare and I had my first real dispute with anyone - got given a room where the shower soaked the whole room and the manager spoke no English and was very unhelpful -... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001443.php The capital city of the trulli - odd white cone shaped Italian houses. Nice place, also close to Castellana cave complex. Guided tour in Italian was of course very helpful....... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001442.php Left Corfu about 1am on a ferry bound for Brindisi. No cabins available and people sleeping all over the floor - a real pleasure. Arrived in Italy about 7.30am and set off for Taranto \ Mercate. Mercate was a real... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001441.php Moved further up the coast and got a ferry to Corfu. First two nights in Corfu town, which is quite an attractive place. Must have had my 100th Greek salad by now - trying to eat myself healthy... Third night... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001438.php Two night stop on Lefkada island, which can be reached by bridge. Too much sun and not enough internet cafes mean I am not so interested in updating this in detail at the moment. I will fill in the gaps... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001437.php Took a slow and scenic route out of Athens, over an impressive ship canal cut deep in to the rock. Some very pretty mountain roads and typically greek seaside tavernas. Stayed overnight in Korfos - took my first swim. Very... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001435.php So glad I was out of Bulgaria, it was a little unfair on Greece. Weather good. Big bikes are now all over the place - no-one is waving at me any more. I stop overnight at Katerini - bike is... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001434.php Getting out of Romania was straightforward and for some reason I am exempt from departure tax which everyone else has to pay, but there was a fairly long wait getting in to Bulgaria. Truck drivers just shrug and laugh.....seems like... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001429.php Uneventful, except for the only stretch of motorway here. This is a killing field - dead dogs in places where I can't even work out why a dog would be there. The hard shoulder is for cyclists going the other... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001412.php It took me an hour to reach the start - eventful only for the fact that this is Saturday and its obviously a big wedding day. In one village I stop to let the wedding party cross to the church... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001411.php Four Italian bikes were at the hotel last night. Identical V-Stroms - which is either great trip planning (cuts down on spares & tools) or incredibly unimaginative. One of them speaks some English - he went to Twickenham to watch... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001408.php I decide I'm wasting time checking in and out of hotels, so stay two nights in Cluj. That lets me do a circuit up towards the Ukrainian border through a very scenic area. It is of course still raining next... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001407.php The first few miles in to Romania were indeed pretty poor. Big holes, patchwork repairs - bad ones - and loose sand and gravel everywhere. Still, I could maintain about 30mph so it wasn't all bad. I passed my first... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001406.php At breakfast in Budapest it is pouring with rain. I leave at 10.30 during a lull, having still avoided unzipping my waterproofs despite all the rain on this trip. That record lasts until a few miles outside Budapest and I... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/payne/001403.php