Day 52: South Dubrovnik, Croatia

Stats... 74km in 4hrs 20mins. We set the alarm early and managed to ignore it for an hour! Had coffee on the terrace and were on the road about 8am. We rode uphill to the border crossing back into Croatia. After 20km we found a market that was air conditioned! A combination of no dinner and no breakfast, immense heat and tiredness meant that I was feeling pretty dizzy. We had to keep stopping to get ourselves back on track. We rested under a tree on the waters edge for an hour then cracked on to Dubrovnik. The city is described as the pearl of the adriatic... what they failed to mention is that it is built on the side of a mountain and is not touring bike friendly! We grabbed a pizza but no drink as they were extortionately priced, and then found an air conditioned internet. I had a quick nose around the old town which was surrounded by high city walls with the streets again being made from white marble. We managed to book our flights home so now we have a deadline to work to. We sweated up 1km of extremely steep hill to get out of the city and made our way 10km up the road to a small family run campsite. It was code red on the mossie alert as we lit 5 mossie coils to keep the blighters away! It worked.

Day 51: Neum, Bosnia & Hercegovina

Stats... 133.12km in 7hrs 18mins... a new furthest day! Due to our long rest we decided we needed to get back on track so we were up at 5am and left at 6am not before having words with the very rude reception man which was not a nice way to start the day. Also, we woke to find a German mobile hotel that had appeared behind our tent overnight which was a blessing as it protected us from the high winds and thunder and lightening storm that lasted most of the night. Our first brief stop was at Makarska after 36km where very annoyingly we found a bikeshop! We continued for a further 50km to Ploce but it was busy so we went just past and found a nice restaurant on the side of the road that was in need of a visit from Gordon Ramsay! We enjoyed air con, chips, omlette and beer whilst the hottest part of the day passed us by. We didnt make it far when the beer caught up with us and we found shade by a river and slept for an hour. Unfortunately, the road was all uphill to the border to Bosnia & Hercegovina where we crossed into our 12th country! According to our map there were 2 campsites here but they failed to exist so we bartered with a miserable family for their spare room. Too tired to cook, we had a cold shower and collapsed.

Day 50: Omis, Croatia

Up and feeling restless as we have stayed in the same place too long. We both had a shocking nights sleep due to the heat and fear of mossie bites. We needed a pick me up so we decided to hire a moped for the morning. After a short test run we had the hang of it and sped off up the river. We made it to the restaurant where Kris finished his rafting and found a lovely spot on the rivers edge for a quick freezing dip to cool off. We then hopped back on and made our way up a windy steep road for a good viewpoint over the gorge. After roaming the streets for a few hours we returned to the restaurant for lunch and another cooling dip in the river which was wonderfully fresh. Kris had a siesta while I declared myself queen of the art of skimming stones on the water. We dropped off the moped in one piece and went to charge batteries and visit the beach until we had the call to say that Kris wheel was repaired! Yeah! Although this does mean a 5am alarm call to make up the distance lost. On our way back to the tent a stormy looking black cloud appeared over the mountains. We rushed to erect the outer sheet of our tent and put Kris bike back together. A massive thank you to Martin, his wife and their numerous contacts! Also, thanks for our souvenier t shirts... this has doubled Kris clothing and we are very grateful to you. Please note that we have just managed to alter the settings of this blog so that anyone should now be able to leave a comment if you so wish.

Day 49: Omis, Croatia

We woke up and had a leisurely breakfast whilst studying the maps. We are now a little clearer on how we are going to get to Istanbul and are concerned that we may not make our 70 day deadline. Where Kris finished his rafting was on a beautiful river which was worth a second visit so I cycled and Kris ran in the boiling temperature. We were informed that it was only 5km away however after running 6km we decided to just dive in the river to cool off and make our way back. Upon our return we were informed that the bike would not be ready today as the spokes required were not in stock and needed to be ordered in from Zagreb. Nightmare. Apparantly the wheels were unique and needed specific spokes. Both cheesed off and are now even more concerned about reaching our target... we decided to lay on the beach. Fingers crossed its repaired for tomorrow.

Day 48: Omis, Croatia

Stats... 16.34km in 56mins. We had every intention of making today a long day however not too far up the road and disaster struck. There was a loud 'ping' we pulled over and our worst fears came true as one of Kris rear spokes had snapped! We were just on the entrance to Omis where we decided not to stress and ask someone where the nearest bike shop was. Unfortunately, the answer was not what we wanted to hear as it was in Split... where we have just come from and it was not open today as it is a bank holiday in Croatia! Typical. We set up tent in the only campsite in Omis which is very expensive and as there was nothing we could do about it today Al sunbathed and Kris went Rafting for the afternoon with Martin the skipper. He had an amazing time on the 5hr excursion which included jumping off cliffs into a canyon, swimming through caves and going down part of the rapids without the boat... intentionally! On his return we walked the injured bike to Martin and his wife who knew a keen cycling friend who worked in Split who may be able to help. He removed the wheel and said he would take care of it tomorrow and it would be ready for collection about 5pm which meant we have another day off in Omis. We cooked dinner and had a few beers and tried not to think about it.

Day 47: Podstrana, Croatia

Stats... 80.02km in 4hrs 44mins. We left 6.56am and it is not often we see this side of 7am! We rode 35km to Trogir a UNESCO world heritage village placed on the coast. It was like a tiny Venice but with cars not boats. The streets were narrow and filled with tourists which parted to allow us to push our very heavy bikes through. It was very busy, hot, sunny, crowded and bright which was magnified due to the white marble streets. We had a quick ice cream stop whilst being lectured by a passerby who told us not to wear black as it absorbs the sun and quized us on our UV protection! Another 20km up the road to Split which is the biggest town we have ventured into for ages and it was slightly overwhelming. It was extremely industrial on the outskirts but the old town was just as pretty as the other smaller towns with the highlight being the UNESCO palace. We ducked into an internet and second hand book shop where we escaped the soaring temperature. Back on the road we were overcome by the weather and decided to crash at the nearest campsite especially as Kris gears were playing up. Luckily we found a lovely small family run site just up the road that was very cheap and right on the beach. We cooled off in the sea and cooked dinner on the beach under a huge palm tree.

Day 46: Bilo, Croatia

Stats... 106.94km in 5hrs 7mins. We were up and on the road by 7am today as we decided that the weather is so crazily hot we need to make the most of the early part of the day. As a result we had an amazingly fast days riding. We had our first ice cream stop after 40km and got to Sibenik having done 80km by lunchtime. We visited the UNESCO cathedral and napped in the shade for an hour or so to escape the worst of the heat. We were lucky as the sprinklers were on and we got a short shower. We carried on South along the coastal road for a further 20km enjoying the cool breeze coming off the sea. We found a hypermarket and we treated ourselves to purchased cold water! Kris also treated himself to a haircut after his attempt at cutting it himself last night with scissors went horribly wrong! We could resist the sea no longer and camped up on a beautiful viewpoint and of course dived straight in. Kris snorkeled for ages then we cooked pasta and listened to our neighbour in her tent singing and playing the guitar while the sunset.

Day 45: Zadar, Croatia

Today we had off to explore Zadar, sunbathe and rest our legs. We cycled into the town center where the white marble streets were surrounded by a city wall. We used the internet and took in the sights which included an unusual sea organ which was very soothing. Unfortunately, it is Sunday so the book shop is shut and we are close to having no maps. We returned to the campsite to cool off in the sea and sunbathe for the rest of the day. Again the temperature was in the thirties and we almost missed cycling as at least then you get a breeze. We spent the evening sitting in the ironing area charging batteries.

Day 44: Zadar, Croatia

Stats... 82.93km in 4hrs 20mins making a total to date of 2,565km. As we were forced to open the window at 6.30am because it was so hot in our room, already we knew it was gonna be another scorching day. We made it on the road by 9am and went to the market for more bread, ham and cheese! We have started to feel that this meal is getting rather repetitive. The road took us uphill straight away with an 8% climb to 680m in the immense heat where we were then blessed with a 12km descent where the wind was nice but still warm and the views were great of the vast valley. At approx 200m altitude we took a turning for a slightly longer but quieter road into Zadar. This road was undulating but had one extremely long straight road that gradually climbed and took us both back to vivid memories of being in Oz. We stopped in the shade for a well deserved ice cream and power nap. We were woken by the bells attached to a flock of sheep crossing the road. We only had 20km left but the heat was becoming unbearable, the water in our bottles were beginning to boil! We found the campsite just North of Zadar, set up the tent and ran straight in the sea which was pleasantly refreshing and warm for a change. We treated ourselves to a pizza dinner and watched more football with chocolate crepes for pudding with a beautiful sunset backdrop.

Day 43: Gracec, Croatia

Stats... 103.98km in 5hrs 12mins. We were up early as it was already extremely hot in the tent and waved off Sophie and Steve on their way to the lakes. We had to backtrack 20km to Borje mostly uphill but we did this in good time feeling strong for having a day off. We managed to leave the busy roads for some lovely quiet roads however our map did not completely cover our route and we had to use the compass to guide us. We got where we wanted to be but we dont know how! We both reached our top speeds of the trip to date on one steep downhill. The temperature was in the thirties and we felt it! It was thankfully slightly downhill into Gracec where we reached the 100km mark and needed a break. We found an ATM and a supermarket for a fuel stop and as I shopped, Kris inquired with all the shoppers whether we could stay at their house as the one and only hotel was skanky and expensive. We were in luck as one guy had his own B&B offered us a room at a discount. We followed him up the road in his car to a huge house which was often used by hunters as it was on the edge of massive hunting grounds. As we were shown to our room we passed a bear and a wolf pinned to the wall! We joined the hosts and other guests to watch Croatia v Turkey and were offered a lovely meat and chips dinner for free which we indulged on.

Day 42: Plitvicka, Croatia

We had a day off to explore the Plitvicka National Park which is one of the main highlights of Croatia. We took the bus at 9am to the park and began our 4hr hike. We were blown away by the amazingly clear waters, lakes, waterfalls and forestry. Each pool was like an aquarium with fish bathing by the wooden path that snaked the edge of the water. We had to take a small ferry ride across the largest lake and a small train from the top back down to the bottom which gives an idea of just how immense the park is. The weather was perfectly hot and sunny and we were dying to jump in the lakes but understandably no swimming was allowed. We left the park at 1.30pm and made our way to the bus stop to wait for the next bus at 2.10pm. Our wait was made less painful as we chatted with a lovely couple from Catford, London... Sophie and Steve, who had been waiting there for two hours! We were all stopping at the campsite and they were able to benefit from using our tickets to the park the following day. We went straight to the lake on the campsite and found a rope swing which Kris loved and I attempted to gingerly enter the water as I slipped and let out a cackle that echoed around the valley as Kris laughed! We had been in the water 5 mins when a french lady approached us to show us video footage of a 2ft long snake she had just filmed in the same lake so out we got! We had eggs for dinner which were incidently not as good as our chicken and nuggets, and we joined Sophie and Steve for a few beers in the bar. A quick thanks to you both however, the hangover the following morning was not welcomed on the bike in the boiling temperatures!

Day 41: Plitvicka, Croatia

Stats... 76.10km in 4hrs 16 mins. Our lady host knocked to wake us up at 8am and we got the impression they wanted us out a bit sharpish. So we packed and left asap. We cycled to the supermarket for breakfast and followed the slightly undulating hills over horrendous road works for several clicks. There was one rather long unwelcome hill that was a struggle. We stopped in a bus shelter for lunch and to hide from the heat and strong sun. We had to dodge several angry looking and sounding dogs that so far luckily have been on chains. We also saw a sign for beware of the bears for the next 8km and suddenly the dogs did not seem so bad! We made it to the National Park however the campsite on our map closed before the war apparantly so we continued 7km to the next one which was slightly infuriating at the end of a long day especially as it was in the wrong direction. At the campsite we pitched our tent on top of the brow of a hill with amazing views over a valley with a lovely clear lake which we headed straight for. After a quick dip it began to rain so we went to our tent for a siesta and wait for it to clear. We made dinner and had a few beers on our own bench and consulted the maps for our best route back to the coast.

Day 40: Otocac, Croatia

Stats... 69,29km in 4hrs 25mins. What does not kill us, only makes us stronger is our moto for today. We cycled the most amazing coastal road for ages with the weather being incredibly hot and sunny. It seems we chose the wrong day to have off. We made it Senj and had a lunch stop on the pier but we ended up throwing most of our bread into the sea for millions of fish that were perfectly visible in the extremely clear waters. We then had a huge climb from sea level to 700m high in approx 10km. This was steep and hard work to say the least. We believe it was harder than the Alps even as the heat and luggage took its toll. We were blessed with a downhill for a while into a pretty valley with plenty of poppies. We saw a sign which showed that we were only half way to our intended distance for the day and we were struggling. There were several free rooms in houses so we chatted to a women and before we knew it we had our feet up for the day. We cleaned the bikes some more as they were squeeking at us and had a beer with the owners of the house.

Day 39: Selce, Croatia

As the weather forecast for today was 25 degrees and sunny we decided to take a well earned day off to reduce the very poor tan lines we have created over the past weeks. However, as we woke in a thunder storm we were not impressed but decided to chill for the day literally. We cleaned the bikes and cycled into the village to use a hotels internet and find a supermarket for brunch. We did a laundry and relaxed on the seafront in the hope that the sun would put its hat on! We read, watched tv on the ipod and walked into the village again for dinner. Kris braved the water by doing a belly flop... intended of course. We checked the maps again for the route for the next few days and attempted to calculate how long we have got left.

Day 38: Selce, Croatia

Stats... 101.31km in 5hrs 39mins. The weather was lovely and hot and sunny and we intended to make the most of it. We left by 8am and as it is Sunday the road was less busy which made for perfect riding. The road was slightly undulating hills all the way to the border as we crossed into our 10th country Croatia. This was the first border where we had to hand in the passports and got a stamp. We were a bit worried of being stopped and searched as the bag of washing powder we are carrying looks slightly dodgey! After the border it was downhill all the way to the coast which was brilliant. We followed the coast as it snaked round the lie of the land... it almost felt as though we were going round in circles. It was very pretty riding and only slightly up and mostly down! As the legs began to fail and the sun was winning we stopped at Selce campsite to jump in the sea and cool off. We walked into the village and enjoyed dinner on the seafront and chilled in the bar with too many beers til late.

Day 37: Kozina, Slovenia

Stats... 41.19km in 2hrs 22mins. We had a leisurely morning where we had a lay in, we made sarnies for lunch and Kris nicked the last of the hot water! It was still chucking it down with rain and we got the full length waterproofs out for the first time. We had to backtrack slightly on the road and make our way south to the Stockjan Caves. We were feeling a little caved out but they were a unesco site and could not be missed according to the lonely planet... and they were right! These caves were less beautiful but definately more amazing as it had an immense, huge, very deep chasm which we had to cross by a tiny bridge. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos in the caves so you shall just have to trust us! When Kris legs stopped shaking we cycled to our campsite for the night passing a 2ft long dead snake on the ground! We also passed several restaurants with spit roasting pigs on the side of the road.

Day 36: Postojna, Slovenia

Stats... 34,21km in 2hrs 50 mins resulting in a total to date of 2,086km! We joined Petra and Fran for breakfast and listened to Petra play the piano beautifully for us. We had got just 2mins up the road and hit the most stonking hill so far. Al VO2 maxed and ended up pushing for the first time while Kris made it to the top but for the first time he did not make it look easy! It began to rain hard as we took some quiet hilly roads to Predjamski Castle. Kris was very excited as this castle growing out of a cave in a cliff is where Jackie Chan did a scene in Armour of God. We then cycled on to Postojna Village and found a small dated apartment where we could escape the rain. We walked back to the Postojna Caves which were very beautiful and massive in size compared to those in Belgium. The cave tour involved 4km of train ride and 1km of walking. We were treated as there was a special booking down in the caves where the judges of Slovenia were having a meeting and had a saxophone player accompanying them which sounded amazing with the accoustics of the cave.

Day 35: Lozice, Slovenia

Stats... 62,45km in 4hrs 33mins. We packed all our wet and muddy gear amongst the mossies and got on the road both in a bad mood. The road started busy but then we found a quiet road leading to the border of Slovenia and our moods brightened as we made it to our 10th country! The lovely quiet roads were quite hilly and slow as there was also a slight headwind. As we turned a corner there were several people clapping and cheering us on which we thought was odd until 5mins later lots of police cars told us to pull over and the tour d slovenia bicycle race flew passed us! Kris reckoned he could of had them but we were not allowed on the road! As the road cleared we continued down a 9% gradient hill and up a 10% gradient hill. The descent of which lead to a valley where we were greeted by a 70kmh head/cross wind. This was particularly dangerous as we also came across the motorway not being open so all the major traffic was on our intended road including huge trucks. We therefore had to walk with the bikes in strong wind until we found a small restricted road that snaked through some tiny villages which was safer but still very windy. Having had enough we sat on a wall by a church in Lozice where Kris chatted to a nice lady who spoke to another nice lady who called her son in law (Sandi) who called his friend (Marco) who had a spare room for us to stay in! We met Marco, Petra, son Fran and Grandad Stane and we were taken straight to their basement for their home made wine and lots of it! A few glasses later we went for a walk with the family to pick their home grown cherries. One tree of which had a branch recently snapped off by a bear!!! We walked back via Sandi house and met his wife and son and had more wine in their basement distillary! We later joined Petra for dinner who had made us a traditional slovenian dish of corn and fresh cows milk from the neighbours cow. They are a lovely family and we very much enjoyed their company, hospitality and kindness...thanks!