Just 71km was todays ride. But enjoyed sitting under trees and restaurent near the tower.

This is what I wrote in Tripadviser. 

More than expected Anmeldelse av Avala Tower Anmeldt i går Google-oversetting I rode motorbike to this place. When riding to to top of the mountan there are lot of trees and very good narrow road. Felt like riding throug a thick jungle. View of surrounding area is fantastic. There two difference when I compare Eifel tower or Toronto tower, both these situated in the city. Avala tower your can see grreny towns and it felt more natural. The other main thing surprised me was that telescopes were there. I went twice round without looking thse. Because I am used to put some coins in all other places so I did not had any coins so I just ignored it. But later I found it was for free. :-)

Day 12 - 30.07.21

Plan to start little bit earlier than usual. But I am a slow starter in the morning. 

Startet at 11:00. Choosed highway. Because even the highway you get diversion and GPS struggle to find again.  Many places on Bulgarian side road construction was on and the diverseion roads were very poor condition.  On Serbian side the A2 road was in veru good standard as all developed cities. Toll was from Sofia to Belgrade was 200+450 Dinars. Since I took an exit at Nis to see that city.  Some aspects of this city reminded me my home town Jaffna.

I was advised back in Norway by my Romanian friends that in Romania drivers drive recklessly and Bulgaria its worst. But I nevere experienced this. There were one or two, those you can find all the places. May be I born and drove much worser places so it was nothing wrong here.

Along A2 and at the check point at Bulgaria-Serbia, there were a lot of German registered cars. Later I found most of them are travelling from Turkey to Germany. I did not ask but I guess Turks who live in Germany use to travel by this A2. 

There is a Restaurent and rest place called Alexander. Good restaurent with a lot of trees.

In that heat people sleep under the trees. So I also tok some food and rested on my rubber mat under the tree with many. 

Todays driving had not any problems. But my hotel I booked was not as I expected or shown in the picture at booking.com. They showed a luxary merceds and sold a wrect to me. When I asked they said this is you booked.  They said if I am not satisfied then I could cancel. After so long ride within couple of hours it will be dark. I could find a place but then I have to pack again and go with gears and evrything. Antother thing Serbia is not in EU. I dont know sy that different political question. So my telephone proveder had different rules here, its limited data. May be I should buy extra data. But I never seen this room. Window is like prisom window, Next to Disco or something fortunately loud music stopped at midnight. 

Book a apartment hotel. There is only a water cooker even that without a lock.  I think that I will write my worst review later on booking.com, if I have the same disapointment feeling.

GPS time from Sofia to Belgrad is 5 hours, I used 7 hours with breaks and small visit ti Nis .

Today ride was 399km.

Serbian landscape near Bulgarian boarder

Day 11- 29.07.21

11:00 ( Bulgarian time)Not started to ride. Nice hotel did not like to vacate soon...

Today I started to ride at 12:00 and reached Sofia around 17:15. Used normal highway GPS shoed 4 hors I used 1 hour and 15 min more with breaks. Since I drove on high way I did not had the opportunit to meet local people and have a small chat. This part of journey is very instructive and interesting. I had many some stories. I will share 2 of them today.

First I have learned to ride in the hot weather as many experienced riders advised. One of my favourite is Mr P from Bulgaria  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NfCCms5KosfsdbYQunFEQ 

Most of his advise is just commonsense and very practical. I do accept more than 90 % of his oppinion and some I do it on my way.

What he says riding in hot weather is that keep the gear fully closed and have a wet Tshirt inside, you may feel uncomfortable but you will noe dehydrate. I closed every thing and have sun shade on my helmet and when you sweat its becom wet then you ride the wind keep us cooled. But in the city trafick jam winds does not help.

And I took many small breaks say 50-100 km and had cool fruit juices at petrol stations. The two bottle of waters in my pannier one can make tea or coffee, so hot was it.

Since I reached Sofia earlier than I use to do in other destinations, I parked my bike and wen on walking. I used to eat rice almost every day. For the last 10 days I ate only local and street food. Since I had time today searched Indian restaurents in Sofia. Found oen vegetarian but felt ome seafood or meat could have been better. So later I walked to Taj Mahal restaurent. Rice and hot prawn curry with beer.

2 km from my hotel so beer effect is finsished. Bought 2 bottles at local shop 1,6 bgn. Writing this post while enjoying beer. 🙃  

❤ When I parked at Sofia center and searching a place to stay tonight, 3 guys approach me and talked with me. One has a Yamaha dragster and he is also an entuastic rider. He have me a contact in case I want to get service done for my bike for a better price. In that case I have to wait some time. My service km has passed already. But I take chanse and take the service in Oslo.

Day 10 - 28.07.21

I have seen those I planed to se Transalpina, Transfagarasan and Black sea. So today my return trip starts.  There are many caountries I can choose to ride throug on my return journey.

But If I ride through all it will take long time and my "visa" from family is not enough. So I have to choose some and take others later years.

Ref: reopen.europa.eu

I checked this site before I started my trip.  Today I enterd Bulgaria from Romania near Negru Voda. But this boarder is only for Romanians and Bulgarians.  They dont have the system to check and control other passport holders.  There were lot of trucks and cars were  with very long que. I managed to enter the point to be told thad I should go back and enter at Durankolak. It was burning sun and I did not eat breakfast or lunch, did not find a suitable place to eat. So I asked them that I am a transist passenger will not stay and I am tired and should I return I asked politely. The officer also politely rejected me and I understood he is follwoing the system and I realized I should also. Then we had some chat and when he got to know that I have riding more than 3000km. he just said its just 45 km to take other road for a person rode 3000km its nothing. Then I retruned with small roads.  That is back to Negru Voda where I had lunch. ( I will update later its a different story) via Cotu Vaii, Ara Mangalia and to Durankulak.

Here too a que not so long as earler. They checked passport and Vehicle regitration and let me enter. Then next is "Corona" check post. So for the first time I proudly showed my Vaxine certificate. They could not check it electronically but the accepted my paper versjon.

Its funny in Norway I was also involved or informed this application which was developed in record speed.

So today most of the time wen on boarders. But some 20-40 km in Romanian side and Bulgarien side there were strait road with trees on both sides and sun flower fields as long as one can see was a fantastic views. There were some rest places but its hot. So I prefered to stop under the trees.

Stayed at Hotel IDOL. Positevle surprised. Staff, facilities, parking and restaurent.❤ it.

I will update with images later. Technical issues.

Today I rode 363 km. for more than 10-15 km just gravel road since at construction. It would have been bettr with offroad tyres and without luggage. But on long trips one should be prepared to face  unexpected  as  expected ones.

Last 30-40 km there was a Road diversion. I did not notie which road I road. I did not buy anything to find from the recept to find the place.

Day 9 - 27.07.21

Todays planSome sight seeing at Bucuresti... and towards next city.

I did not have breakfast or lunch, ate a bananan. Too hot to ride. Took off the jacket and ride like locals here.I thought that I can buy some snacks and eat  Found a bench in the park.

Here at the small kiosk they sell only ice cream. Ok why not Ice cream as brunch. Sitting on the bench, removed mc gear will not go out on hot weather. 

Then I decided better to ride on highway so the air blow will cool me. Good bye Bucharest now I am at the Black sea at Constanta. Starter from North sea and took ferry over Baltic sea and on return trip I may have a look at Adriatic Sea nif I am not tired.  4 seas in 2-3 weaks, not bad.

Todays km is only 261km. In the burning sun38-41 degrees C. Now I reached my nice to have target.  so from tomorrow  return trip starts.

Day 5- 23.07.21

Its 10:39 Romanian time. Start to drive now.

At Cluj-Napoca. 30°C. Look at my chochcholate.

 I am doing what I like. I got engine oil warning and oil burn smell. First unexpected incident. Asked at a petrol staion about oil change. They showed me mechanical garage for trucks. They searched tlhe net and asked me to wait for 1 hour som person will arrive with mc oil. I had  gs1200  catalog with me. They said it will cost 100€. I did cot have cash 100€. But I got 100$ which I got as birthday present from my mum 2 years earlier. It helped me today. They helpe me as angels. No regret this incident. Because of this I met wonerful people. 

After changing oil they com and show some nice roads and a camping place called Cabana Cheile Turzii. Nice place with restaurents and walking paths in mountain area.

Staying at Sibiu. Here the temperature is not high as earlier. Very pleasant at 23 degrees.

Today 330 km covered both highways and country / town road. 

Day 4- 22.07.21

Today I crossed Slovakia via Kosice and Hungary via new highways. Just stopped in Hungary at Petrol stasjon and small rest places.

Polish side near Slovakian boarder were very fantastic. Different colourful houses with lot og flower and trees. Very clean and calm environment. Very peacefull lifestyle. 

I regret that I did not stop and take more photoes and I did not like to take private houses either. 

In these areas temperature also like 25-27 degrees C. I went on a road near pls have a look at the where  a notice board. GPS does not show the ways neither. Some locals guided me later.

Stayed at Bonnavilla Complex. Nice place with restaurent. Just along E60.

Day 3 - 21.07.2021

Today no highways, no toll roads enjoing Polish small towns. Many ends with "wice" Dzikovice  and rode throJoworzno. Its difficult to put a map today because of spontant selct of roads in remote roads. But I will try to recollect later.

Not much km covered since I enjoyed the small towns and villages .

The dogy in the picture is Ciapek. It came and sat near me. Had a chat with the owner who said it was rescurd from a construction sight.

Only 203 km I rode today because relaxed at nice places and spent some time with chatting with random people and visiting Churches. I love Churches , temples, Mosques and all religious buildings. I am not a God(?) believer but I admire the architecture, history,spritual aspect,power, humanity and oppression, these all stuff are connected with these monuments.

Stayed at Nowalijka Restauracja & Apartmenty. 

Day 0 - 18.07.2021

Today is my son Eran's birthday. So  waited until today to start my trip.

Thanks for my familly ❤ who let me to do what I wish. 

Only tommorrow I have to catch a Ferry. After that no stress. Nothing to catch or stress.

I ride so long as I wish per day and rest so long as I wish. Offcourse holiday time is limited .  

Made som final checkup, full tank, luggage, tyre presure, gps and so on. 

Preparation

I planed to ride to Trransylvania in romania last year. But pandemi stopped my plan. Most often I am going to stay in budjet places through apps like airbnb,hotel.com or booking.com etc. But I carry a small "hotel" on my bike.

Because

1. I do not need to stress to boook hotel , I can wait to book on the last minute.

2. In case all hotels are full where I want to stay or tired.

3. There are nice and beautiful plaes on the way where there is no places to stay.

I dont like any luggages hanging on my bike rather than two side cofferts and top one. Even I dont like tankbags. Each time you fill benzin, you have to remove and fix. But the tent and my sleeping pad are more than 40cm in width. So no way I can put inside cofferts. So its going to be on the back seat with some risk of loosing it.

Fortunately or unfortunately I like solo. Solo is freedom you know... eventhough may be bouring sometimes. Thats why I have this page to share with family, relatives and friends.

Left coffert: Sleeping bag,air pillow, camping tent ( 2kg) , camp cooking items, some tools to adjust anything since I am not a mechanic to fix major problems, Abus lock (1,5 kg). Altogegther 7.5 kg m,its fine the max kg for this coffert is 10kg. 

Wright coffert: Clothes, toilet items, medicine , hiking shoe , extra powerbank and cables and laptop. Should adjust the weight to the left one.

Top coffert: Water, and riding accesories, snacks, a very old paper map, GoPro. Ang I am not going to pack it full, in case you need for something. I have a Europe map which I bought in 1989. I still have it incase mobile or gps troubles. This map has marked with DDR, SU, Yugoslavia. Old is gold :-).

Softluggage: Sleeping pad and tent. Its waterproove bag bought in Biltema for 150Kr some years back and its worth each kr. Tested many times. Perfect. Next time should find a small sleeping pad which goes in one  of the panniers

And finally most important luggage is on the  rider seat. Its me 😉 with full of energy and will power to to ride MC. Thats the main think to carry on any trips.

About my gear.

Helmet: I use Schuberth C3 Pro  with Sena communication  (SC 10U) bought at Asker MC senter.

Jacket & Troucers: Richa Atlantic . Its littly bit expensive. But do the jobb. 100% water proove. Tested many times. Some years back I rode for some hours in totall rain and became shivering. The next daywent to the shop and asked I need 100% water proove jacket and got it. At that ttime did not think about the cost. Later after 2 years bought the same brand trocers.

Boots:  I use Dainese Freeland Gortex. Its waterproove, tested many times, compfortable and non slippery material in the bottom. But not with metal supåported protection. I prefer compfort too, because when you ride compfortably the chanses of getting in accidents is low.

Glouce: Two pairs one from Bullfighter for warm daysand the other from MC Oslo for rainy days. Sommer glouse is verycomfortable its easy to put on and take off. MC Oslo glouse is ok byt not 100% waterproove. OK warm in cold days. You need to impregnate to make it waterproove.

Motorcycle: BMW R1200GS , 2008 model. I bought this bike in Stockholm in 2017. Almost 10 yers old bike. But it total km of this bike was less than 500km. When I saw the advertishment , it was hard to believe. But when I went there it was obvious the bike was almost new and I bought it without any hesitation. The previous owner had no time to ride this bike because of his car collections. See the image. The first day I rode more than 500 km from Stockholm to Oslo. Eventhough the taxes and other costs in registration in Norway it was cheaper than bying here in Norway.

Comments

Interesting. Keep riding and writing 🏍