Donauradweg: Klížska Nemá - Budapest
Klížska Nemá - Border Slovakia/Hungary - Esztergom - Szentendre - Budapest
The last 20 km in Slovakia on a deep gravel road were very exhausting to cycle, and at the end of Slovakia, the road was also closed without warning due to a construction site. I had to push my bike 1 km through a field and continue on the main road.
In Hungary, I continued on the road. The cathedral in Esztergom was definitely worth seeing. Unfortunately, several welds on my front carrier broke on Esztergom's cobblestone pavement, so I had to improvise.
Afterwards, I cycled over hills through a national park to Szentendre instead of continuing on the road next to the river. Unfortunately, there were again many cobblestones in Szentendre's old town, and my rear carrier's suspension also broke. The subsequent cycling path's surroundings along the river to Budapest were very nice, but I couldn't enjoy them because I had to cycle carefully and concentrate due to its many potholes and unevenness, making it better suited for mountain bikes.
Donauradweg: Cozla - Bregovo
Cozla - Statue of Decebalus - Iron Gate (Border Romania/Serbia) - Border Serbia/Bulgaria - Bregovo
In the morning, I still felt some soreness in my legs but started the day cycling smoothly along the road toward the impressive statue of Decebalus. Today to prevent a potassium deficiency and to consume all my reserves until Constanta, I increased my electrolyte intake. The traffic became quite heavy as I approached the Iron Gate. After crossing into Serbia, I continued through the Cyrillic part of Serbia towards Bulgaria.
At a bakery stop, I missed out on sweet croissants, ending up with one croissant filled with a soft sausage and another with something that had the consistency of raw minced meat. Nevertheless, the Danube remained as large and beautiful as ever, and I enjoyed quieter roads with minimal traffic. In the last Serbian town before the border, I encountered the next two fellow cyclists on a tandem bike, also following the Danube Bike Path. That evening, I came across a charming local celebration, with children dressed in colorful costumes.
Crossing into Bulgaria, I faced another challenge with money exchange, as there was no possibility to exchange Serbian money. To avoid withdrawing cash in Bulgaria, I stocked up my supplies in Serbia before entering Bulgaria. After passing through the first Bulgarian town, I set up camp for the night. Unfortunately, it was near a thorn hedge and my air mattress developed a leak, and I also lost a tent peg, making it a bit of an uncomfortable night.
Passo San Jorio
Langer aber gut zu fahrender Anstieg zum Passo San Jorio (Teer, Schotter).
Danach wird der Trail schmaler und bietet entlang dem Grenzgebiet von Schweiz und Italien schöne Aussichten in die umgebende Landschaft.
Everest Basecamp Trek (EBC): Lobuche - Gorak Shep
The trek from Lobuche to Gorak Shep was both exhilarating and demanding.
As we made our way along the rocky trail, stunning views of the Khumbu Glacier unfolded before us.
The landscape featured a mix of rugged terrain and breathtaking mountain panoramas of the surrounding peaks.
Upon reaching Gorak Shep, we had reached our goal. Unfortunately, the weather remained foggy in the following days, limiting our mountain views to only brief glimpses of the majestic peaks.