Gwilym's Adventure Blog

This week I have been doing something a bit different. I have been in Austria working for Sprachcamp Allgaeu teaching German students English through the Outdoors. We have made fires, been rock climbing, used High Ropes and climbed the Walmendingerhorn (1990m) whilst all the while, learning and improving spoken English.

Long day in the saddle today though only 450km but all on back road. Some amazing Austrian valleys and passes to start the day in a more than ameniable 16 to 18 degrees.  After a morning coffee just before Hungary once over the border the heat started cranking up to around 33 degrees. A visit to Decathlon and a new sleeping mat means I should finally get a good night's sleep tonight. The problem with these frictionless borders if you forget that not all countries take Euros. My first fuel bill of 5764 f made me panic as I had no idea what that was. I now know about £16 so cheapest fuel so far. Thought I had better get some money so stopped to change €20 into local stuff at a exchange place only to arrive at the campsite being run by a Dutch guy who charges in Euros. Don't want to get stuck with it so will have to fill up using cash tomorrow. Campsite tonight is pretty cheap aswell. I like Hungary so far. Tomorrow is probably going to be a jaunt...

Early start planned before it gets too hot and to avoid the scheduled afternoon thunderstorms in Austria. 05.30 Wake up (for the third time - more on that shortly). Trapped in tent until 6.45 by torrential rain squalls and thunder/lightening but spend the time programming the GPS for no motorways and some of the roads I intend to ride in Romania. On the road by 7.15 already a long way behind the plan. However, I also now have a scheduled detour (20km) to a Decathlon store as my self inflating mat has reversed and is now self deflating hence the 3 wake ups to re inflate during the night. Decathlon closed. What. Should open at 9.30 and now 9.35. Waited until 9.50 then gave up. Tried to go and get coffee. Nowhere open.?  Is it a Sunday? No. A quick Google reveals Thursday 20th June is Corpus Christi, a Bavariam Bank Holiday. Arrrgh. Back on the road by 10.10 and heading for Austria who also have a bank holiday meaning a lack of coffee shops so fuel sta...