Sixteenth day

This day started too early: I was quite tired all day. But most important: I made it to Serbia!!! :-D :-D

When I woke up (6h, Peter and his girlfriend had to go to work early) it felt like sh*t: not the optimal way to start a cycling day. Together with Peter I had breakfast (thanks! :) and 07:15 my trip started.

First I went to a supermarket to spent my Forints were after I drove to the village were I would cross the Danube. I couldn't get my motor starting today, I was so tired (I only could think of a bed). Also the wind was blowing in the wrong direction: things were looking bad...
When I came to the Danube I saw that the ferry only crosses a few times a day... 7h, 13h, 15h, 18h ... Well okay, I will wait it out. I had 3 ours of waiting, which I used to write the reports of yesterday. After 3 hours of waiting (could have also taken another route :p) I could finally cross the river! :)
The next part was a 55 km blast to Sombor, well that was what I had in mind, but the wind was being stupid again. The headwind was causing problems, and also the roads were quite bad. I only managed to hit 17 km/h, which was slow considering the 'flatness'. Temperatures were also rising to about 33°C.
Within 25 km I hit the border: finally I made it to Serbia!!! :D From there on, conditions were the same, the roads too (or worse). Interesting thing I saw in Serbia: they use old Dutch (Connexxion) buses here, same colour and same window stickers ("invalieden zitplaats", Serbian people will definitely understand that! :p )

The last 40 km I cycled in parallel to some German bikers (one was Serbian): at the end I talked to them and they told me they were cycling from Vienna to Belgrade (also along side the Danube).

I came to the door of my next couchsurfer (Darko), but he wasn't home! On vacation; that's what the neighbours said. Jebem ti pa... (***)

So there I was, standing in a town I didn't know, without a place to sleep. I was just thinking what I was going to do, when a guy (Milan Andrea) came from the same building. I asked him if he knew Darko: "Well yeah, he is my brother in law. Are you looking for a place to sleep?" Yes! That was very nice! Milan and his wife, who I didn't know, hosted me. I love this Serbian mentality! :D

Milan and me went for a drink in a old school cafe (bar); a pre-war age interior (as if you go back in time 30 / 40 years, fantastic!) with the first bowling alley of Sombor (non-automatic, everything by hand). A cafe with stories too. We talked about the life in Serbia, how things are going in this country. These are the moments I realize how good we have it in the Netherlands, and what a different world we live in. I'm so grateful that I have the opportunities to do what I want, this is not something I should take for granted!

After the drink (I took a small slivovic to celebrate I made it to Serbia :-) we went home and had diner. It was very nice, also with the dog and cats. around midnight I went to sleep. Quite exhausted, and happy to have a bed! :-)

https://picasaweb.google.com/101423964863644938648/CyclingTourDay16