I'd been noticing a slight whirring sound coming from my rear wheel for a couple of hours. Initially I thought it might be the wheel buckling after carrying a fair bit of weight bouncing along the Croatian roads. Unfortunatelly it vwas a bit more serious. I'd somehow managed to crack my rear wheel and it was getting worse.
So 2,600km in and my first breakdown. After five hours hawking my bike around town looking for a spare wheel I've found Split's bike mechanic and he's now off looking for a new wheel. Still its a pretty interesting city and a good chance to put my feet up and sleep in a bed for the first time in a month. It could be worse beer costs half the price of coke.
It's also given me a chance to catch up with some other travellers. I've been surprised how easily I've found travelling by myself for the past week. Whilst I bump into the occassional person on the road by and large I don't really speak to many people apart from in shops and cafes from one day to the next and haven't really felt lonely at all.
One chap I did bump into put me firmly in my place. As a pulled out of a petrol station (filling up for the stove not the bike) I was feeling pretty impressed with myself having just hit 2,500km. Anyway along cycles this German chap who must of been in his 60's toeing a trailer with his dog in it. We got chatting and he's been peddleing around the world for 14 years. I'd done four weeks.
I have managed to upload a few more of my photos for you guys - not sure when I will get the next oppourtnity as it takes forever to do and unfrtunately in internet cafes time really is money.
Best of luck to all you guys doing your APCs.
All the best and thanks for all the comments.
GFWM xxx