We stop for a Kitteh-petting break in the town of Plomin

The coastal road starts in Plomin. There is a beautiful inlet where cruise ships and cargo ships come in. This is also the site of the Plomin Power Plant, a coal-fired power station which supplies 13% Croatia's electricity requirements.


I walk out to the cliffs at Plomin to get a shot of the inlet


Behind me, the Kitteh follows me looking for more hugs (or probably food). Sorry Kitteh, I'm allergic to you!!!


Also in Plomin is the Hotel Flanona

__________________
Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Me and Ohmmy had a really good weekend, it was great meeting up with you both. If you get back to BKK let me know, food and drink..
All the best and safe travels

Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk whilst drinking a cold

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The Balkans
https://new.horizonsunlimited.com/poi_entity/8417

Missing your posts! What? Where? And?

Updated from http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw/278.html




Ok, we got our Thai Visa.

Although it was always assumed that we would be allowed back into Thailand, there was still this sliver of doubt that they'd deny us re-entry. We've heard that the Thai government are very picky about who they let in. We did so much research to increase the odds of getting our visa application approved.

We read online that they don't like foreigners who can't pay their way through the country and then take jobs away from Thai people when they're here. So for some visitors, there's a solvency test where they check your bank balance. Also, as of a few years ago, they started scrutinizing Russian nationals because they are starting illegal businesses in the tourist areas (Phuket, in particular) and taking money away from Thai businesses. They also don't like hippy backpacker tourists, because they bring drug problems into the country and don't spend a lot of money. I even got a haircut and wore a nice shirt with no BeerLaowDark stains on it specifically because we were afraid of that...

At the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, there were hordes of dread-locked, sandal-and-tie-dye-singlet wearing hippies in line and all of them got their Visas approved. I bet some of them were even Russian! Wat Dahek! I got a haircut for nothing! Bah, not listening to the Internet anymore. -555.


Patuxai War Monument

So with our freshly minted visas in our passports, we went back out into Vientiane to see more sights. Our plan is to relocate away from the Embassy which is in the outskirts of Vientiane and move to the downtown area. We had to negotiate with a tuk tuk driver to get us there. It seems like haggling is as much of a national sport here as it is in Thailand. One that we are no good at... I hate backpacking.


Patuxai War Monument is similar to the Arc de Triomphe in France, but this one celebrates Laos independence from... France.


The Patuxai is decorated with our old friend the Kinnari, which we last saw at the Royal Palace in Bangkok

__________________
Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Our tuk tuk brought us to the centre of Vientiane's busy downtown core where we checked into another hotel. The ladies at reception greet us with a "Sabaidee!" A bit different from the "Sawatdee Kah" greeting in Thailand, but almost the same.


More reminders of Laos' connection to the Soviet Union


Stupa right around the corner from our hotel

The days are too hot to go venturing out, so we wait until the temperatures cool in the early evening, whereupon our activities mainly consist of eating out. The prices here are surprisingly expensive, about one and a half times more than Thailand, despite Laos being not as well developed. Maybe it was because we were in the capital city? Would it be cheaper in the smaller towns?


Go home, Camera. You're drunk.


We did a lot of this while in Vientiane


Scooter hangouts at night

Vehicles drive on the the right side of the road in Laos. Our bus from Thailand had to briefly switch sides to drop us off at the border and I found that after only two months in left-hand-side-driving Thailand, I had already switched over mentally. Here in Vientiane, I had to constantly remind myself to look left when crossing the street and traffic looked odd to me. I kept thinking, "Everybody's driving on the wrong side of the road!"

Can't wait to get back to Thailand.

__________________
Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

These spirit houses are everywhere in South-East Asia

Spirit houses are tiny ornate temples located on the premises of a residence or business. A priest needs to be consulted as to the location of the spirit house - never build one in the shadow of the building! After the spirit house is constructed, it provides a shelter for the spirits that live on that piece of land. Only then can you build your house or business, without fear that the spirit of the land will inhabit your building.

The spirit that lives in this spirit house really likes Pepsi.


Visiting more temples


Laotian Bell tower


Walking around Wat Ong Teu


Monks catching a tuk tuk. Their transportation is free all over South East Asia

I have a solution to our tuk tuk haggling and general transportation problems. All we need are a couple of orange robes. I may need another haircut though...


Hm... 555

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Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Hi gene & neda , we haven't heard from ye in a long while
Hope all is well , did ye make it over to Ireland ?

Updated from Sep 01 2016: The Lake District



With Scotland under our belts - literally... I'm carrying an extra 15lbs worth of haggis and ale around my waistline - we are passing through the Lake District on our way back south through England. This is supposed to be one of the most scenic places in the country.

We've been listening to a lot of Ed Sheeran lately. "Castle On The Hill" is being played non-stop everywhere. Since we are in the UK, I did some Googling - the castle in the song is Framlingham Castle. We passed by that area a few weeks ago when we dropped in on the Lavender farm in Norfolk. Haha, so topical!


Green all around us at the Lake District

The sky is sprinkling water on our helmets, which is not unusual for the UK. I think about the last couple of weeks we have spent in Scotland and how unusual it was not to have rain every day! Especially for us. We really lucked out! But now it seems that it's back to business as usual with the wet weather.

After a couple of hours of slabbing it on the main M6 roadway, we exit at Penrith. There are quite a few cars accompanying us as we dive wheel-first into the Lake District. First order of business is to find a place to sleep. Neda's scoped out a couple of campsites on the map and we're routing straight there to set up our tent.


Traffic jam on Kirkstone Pass

Kirkstone Pass is the highest pass in the Lake District. Low stone walls line the roadway as we slowly crawl up and down the pass, hampered by heavy traffic. And then we hit our first major town in the Lake District.


Crowds galore at Bowness-on-Windermere!

We crept through traffic in the light drizzle. The holiday crowd around us seemed oblivious to the damp weather and seemed to be enjoying themselves, ducking in and out of the thick mass of shops and restaurants that line the town's streets. They must be locals.

__________________
Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

The campsites that Neda found are on the other side of Lake Windermere. We take a short ferry ride across instead of riding around in the rain

Oh dog, you look so warm and dry in front of us! So jelly!


We're on our way. Riding at 30 down these country lanes.

We arrive at the campsite and Neda gets off the bike to grab us a site. She returns shortly with a forlorn look on her face. "No space. All booked up."

Oh no! At least the rain has temporarily let up as we hop back on the bikes to head to the next campsite on Neda's list. I'm so thankful she's done all this research!

Fifteen minutes later we're knocking on the door of another campsite. But once again, no vacancy! Neda informs me, "Apparently we're here on the busiest weekend of high season. The last summer weekend before kids go back to school..."

What a change from Scotland. Up in the Highlands, campsites are all empty and about to close because the season is winding down. But just a few hours south, we're unable to find a place to sleep.

Just to add insult to injury, it starts to drizzle once again...


We asked around for vacant campsites and this lead us to a farm just outside of a tiny town called Coniston


Once again, I wait outside while Neda goes in to secure accommodations. Not sure if the peacock is a good omen...

__________________
Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Neda comes out of the office with a big smile and a thumbs up. Yay, we have somewhere to sleep tonight!


The farm where we are staying. Sheep are our neighbours


Lots of holidayers too

The campground is crowded! Our tires squish the wet grass as we ride around looking for a clear spot to set up camp. The sun is peeking out from behind rain clouds, which gives us a window of dry weather to pitch our tent. Kids everywhere emerge from campers and tents to savour every last bit of dry weather before they have to go back to school next week. This is the way vacationing is done in the UK!

I know this small window of dry weather will be short, so as soon as we get the tent up, we walk into the tiny hamlet of Coniston to find a warm and dry place to sit down, grab a cold pint of some local Cumbrian ale and some Internet. At least the weather looks good tomorrow.


And it is! We head out into the sunshine of the Lake District the next morning.

__________________
Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Why do they call it the Lake District? There are twenty-one large bodies of water here, a lot of other smaller ones

But only one of them is actually called a "lake". The Brits have other names for these, like meres, tarns and waters. That lake we crossed yesterday wasn't Lake Windermere, it's just Windermere.

Very pretty here. Neda says it reminds her of a Thomas Kinkade painting. I have to Google who Thomas Kinkade is. Nice! I can see why this is such a popular place for hiking and camping. But that's not the reason we are here. We're motorcyclists and we like riding roads.


Heading up the single track road of Hardknott Pass

The weather is cooperating beautifully with us as we twist and wind our way around the Duddon Valley. There's still a little bit of the holiday traffic on the roads, but everyone is polite and pulls over to let us pass at the next pullover.


Twisty tarmac as far as the eye can see on the Hardknott Pass

__________________
Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Enjoying this. Hope you're coming to the Cotswolds soon. We've got some great roads and beautiful villages to enjoy

Thanks guys!

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Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

Updated from http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw/357.html



Liverpool. Liverpool.... This city is famous for something. I can't quite remember what it is.

I think somebody well-known was born here. Or maybe it was a band that came from here.

Pretty sure it was Nirvana.


We arrive into Liverpool in the late afternoon after another quick drive on the British motorways

Despite the short jaunt, we are exhausted. Maybe not physically, but mentally. I feel like we should be sleeping like a log.

It's been over half a year of non-stop travel since our last long break and we're suffering from intense travel fatigue. Travel fatigue has to be one of the least sympathetic ailments on the planet. So why on earth should I moan, when it seems to everyone that we're on a permanent vacation, it's not like we've been working like a dog.

Neda found us a great AirBnB just across the River Mersey from the downtown core. We can literally ride across the bridge and visit Liverpool anytime we want. Maybe tomorrow though. Or the next day. Or the next... Oh well, nothing to get hung about.

Our AirBnB host is very friendly. She showed me our room, isn't it good?


Neda gets busy with her cross-stitching. See the scissors in front of her? She named them Billy Shears.

__________________
Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com

From our top-floor window, we can see Liverpool across the river. Nice skyline.

We don't leave our little apartment at all for the first two days. Just waiting at the window all day, wearing the face that I keep in a jar at the door. Just watching the tides of the river go in and out twice a day. Every day the same: woke up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head. Nothing else. I really needed this.


The river at high tide. There beneath the blue (and grey) suburban skies, they sit


The river at low tide. That's the famous Royal Liver Building across the river in the background. It's a UNESCO site.

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Gene - http://www.RideDOT.com