The weather has kept being wet and its got pretty windy here too. The wind along the coast can at times be pretty powerful. Great for kitedurfing I'm sure but not so great for cycle touring.
Twice I've been blown of my bike now. Once in Croatia and once this morning in Greece. Its pretty scary at times when a gust of wind just ctach es you side on and blows you clear of the bike. Once when crossing a bridge only the handrail stopped me going into the river. Pretty imporessive all the same and I should have none better and pushed it across.
Camping in this weather is also pretty stressful. I normally sleep pretty well but the past few nights even I have struggled fearing that the tent and I would be blown away or washed out. So far though so good the tent and the panniers have held firm. So even though I get drenched within minutes of hitting the road I'm able to sleep in the dry at night.
Despite the weather I've managed to make some pretty good progress the last few days - only a couple of hundred kilometers until Athens. Flight to Cairo booked. I was sad to leave Albania - l liked the way you could do pretty well much you wanted and didn't have to abide by any rules.
After visiting one Appolonia of the many isolated Roman cities that are scattered along the coastline and with nowhere else to camp I chatted to the staff in the museam next door and managed to get permission to camp in the old city. Great fun pitching your tent in the ruins of a Roman temple and watching the sun go down knowing you have the run of the place.
The only other person there was the Museaum guard - an ex Albanian soldier called Go Go. GoGo spent the night showing off his Kalsashnikof and chatting about the days when Albania was part of Yugoslavia. He even took me for a guided tour of the bunkers - built in the 1980s to keep the 'imperilists' (Anglo-American) out.
On a seperate note bagged my first puncture - about 3800km in for those following the vote. Afraid my odometer has packed up with all the rain so I have no idea how far I've gone. It was 3200 km a week ago or so when it started raining. Should think it will around 4000 km by the time I reach Athens.
With a bit of luck I should be grobelling to the Sudense Embassy in Cairo this time next week trying to persaude them to give me one of their notoriuosly elusive visas!
9 Comments
PSA
10/25/2009 03:54:00 am
Blown off your bike...... You must have lost a stone or two mate?!!
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Mum
10/25/2009 09:14:12 am
It was a bit windy in Norfolk over the weekend but nothing compared to Albania. You will be glad to get to the warm sunshine of Africa. I am so glad your tent is holding up so you can sleep in the dry. Big hugs, Mumxx
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Ed Marsh
10/26/2009 04:44:55 am
Georgio, all I have to say is "do you fancy swapping places?" very jealous of your adventures when England is bathed in darkness before work finishes, lovely! Keep plugging away and don't keep the blogs flowing, very entertaining!
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Matt
10/28/2009 02:25:43 am
Do you think I can come and swap with you if I get there before Ed? I reckon I could cope with Albania. Enjoy Cairo if you get a chance to see much of it. It's a bit sketchy but most of the locals are friendly and I had a couple of good nights there a few years back....
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xlb
10/28/2009 05:45:36 am
I wasn't sure when you set off but visiting with RWBW and Hilary and they have told me your web site so have just been reading about your travels. I am very envious and wish I had had such an opportunity. Take care, absorb it all and have fun. Love from us all here.
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lissie
10/29/2009 05:41:16 am
porgey!!! hey, got your text, sorry I didn't reply, I was at that moment driving around the depths of the Burgh with Ma and Pa in the back telling me not to read texts and drive at the same time...I have also noticed that some of the comments I left previously never appeared, so I really hope this one reaches you!!
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Maltby
10/29/2009 06:27:05 am
Mattsy, sounds like you're having the time of your life! Keep pedaling chap and stay safe x
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Aya
10/29/2009 07:13:36 am
...Sounds like liss is joining up as an escort for a sheikh. Much less exciting in rural oxfordshire I can assure you xx
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Mum
10/29/2009 09:06:06 am
Georgie, How lovely to hear your voice and we're so glad to know you have phone. Your trip sounds more brilliant by the minute. Yes, the so-called Mask of Agamemnon is generally suspected to be a hoax, concocted by Schliemann, the German wide boy who excavated Mycenae and Troy in the 1890s. He sent everyone else away and just then, voila! Lissie and Co are travelling south tomorrow for the shoot on Saturday and to spend the weekend. Aya is coming for Fri night and Sat morning only. I'm glad to read Lissie enjoyed having us in Eburgh, as we had fun, too. Not quite sure what to make of her statement "I get paid £310 for it, so i cant really turn it down, as I am SKINT!!!" which seems at odds with the assertion that she's "waitressing". How far is Bahrain from Cairo and how fast can you cycle? Much, much love from Mumxxx
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June 2011
George MattsHaving long dreamt of travelling the length of Africa Overland at the age of 25 George bought a bicycle, handed in his notice and set off from Northamptonshire to Cape Town. Categories |