Monday 27 August 2007
Blog: Welcome to Bulgaria
Despite being told that "it can't be done", I managed to walk through the
wild terrain that spans the over 100 mile distance from Nis to Sofia in record time of 4 days.
It was one of the toughest sections with several hours walking in the hot sun alongside the transit road from Europe to Asia, with very few shops and cafes.
The day's walk into Sofia was the longest yet. I walked 31 miles or 50 km, from Dragoman to the Capital of Bulgaria where I met mum and my sister, Sarah. So far impressions of Bulgaria are positive. We've been nearly cheated a few times in restaurants in Sofia (something that never happened in Serbia), but people are generally kind and very helpful.
My walk is on temporary pause while I gather energy on the Black Sea before returning to Sofia to complete the last fifth of my walk to Istanbul.
Serbia was a great country all in all. Some of the people are a little upset - understandably - about the NATO bombing in 1999 but that doesn't stop them from being welcomnig to Westerners. The city of Novi Sad has an unrivalled beautiful position on the banks of the Danube, and the countryside of southern Serbia is wild like a fantasy land, full of forests, mountains and hidden monastries.
I was interviewed twice in Serbia by the local media - the first time I've had a camera pointing in my face! I also met other walkers. One going from London to Persia - good luck Mohammed - and another walking from the Basque country to Alexandria via Jerusalem - keep going Jose!
Accessing external files seems to be almost impossible south of Alps. Sorry about lack of photos. I will keep trying.
Walk begins again on 1 September.
wild terrain that spans the over 100 mile distance from Nis to Sofia in record time of 4 days.
It was one of the toughest sections with several hours walking in the hot sun alongside the transit road from Europe to Asia, with very few shops and cafes.
The day's walk into Sofia was the longest yet. I walked 31 miles or 50 km, from Dragoman to the Capital of Bulgaria where I met mum and my sister, Sarah. So far impressions of Bulgaria are positive. We've been nearly cheated a few times in restaurants in Sofia (something that never happened in Serbia), but people are generally kind and very helpful.
My walk is on temporary pause while I gather energy on the Black Sea before returning to Sofia to complete the last fifth of my walk to Istanbul.
Serbia was a great country all in all. Some of the people are a little upset - understandably - about the NATO bombing in 1999 but that doesn't stop them from being welcomnig to Westerners. The city of Novi Sad has an unrivalled beautiful position on the banks of the Danube, and the countryside of southern Serbia is wild like a fantasy land, full of forests, mountains and hidden monastries.
I was interviewed twice in Serbia by the local media - the first time I've had a camera pointing in my face! I also met other walkers. One going from London to Persia - good luck Mohammed - and another walking from the Basque country to Alexandria via Jerusalem - keep going Jose!
Accessing external files seems to be almost impossible south of Alps. Sorry about lack of photos. I will keep trying.
Walk begins again on 1 September.
Sunday 19 August 2007
Surviving Serbia
Greetings from Nis, in south east Serbia. My trip is going well and I found the strength to carry on. The section in Serbia has been easily the most adventurous so far. I have been interviwed by local TV stations and the local press, I have met a range of Serbians - all of whom are friendly and welcoming, and I have met an Iranian who is walking from London to the Persian Gulf for peace. There seems to be a problem with this blog account, but I'll try and post this and some pictures.
Wednesday 8 August 2007
Blog: Belgrade...Belgrade...Belgrade...Belgrade
I think that you can guess from the title where I am?
After three months of my journey, I have enterred the capital of the former Yugoslavia.
Beograd is bustling, busy, lively and loud. It has some incredibly ugly parts but also some overwhelmingly beautiful bits - like the views across the Sava and Danube rivers and the glimpses you get of the orthodox churches lit up as you walk around the city at night.
Serbia has been tough, but I'm slowly getting to understand and appreciate its charm. Like Hungary, it is a country of contrasts, but the contrasts are perhaps even more pronounced here.
In the centre of a village on the way into Belgrade - the equivalent location of Chelmsford or Guildford in England - my path was stopped by a flood of cattle pourring out of a farmstead. These were accompanied by a number of yapping dogs; I was unsure whether they were strays or farmdogs herding the cattle. This was looked on by an old woman dressed in a colourful shawl leaning on a wooden stick, who looked as old as time itself. A Mercedes Benz drew up beeping at the cattle to get out of its way so it could rush on towards the capital. All this, just after I passed a posh cafe terrace laid out on the dirty pavement with reclining seats with huge cushions, and shiny menus and umbrella shading.
It was images like this that have made me determined to carry on. Between Novi Sad and Belgrade as I walked parallel with the Danube, I sufferred a crisis of confidence. Some of the road walking has been so terrible, always dodging oncoming lorries and streams of Yugos that I was close to giving up and taking the bus. But, now I determine to carry on and search out country roads even if it is a longer way round.
I think the USB port works here, so here are the Hungarian smiles I promised you.
Paul
After three months of my journey, I have enterred the capital of the former Yugoslavia.
Beograd is bustling, busy, lively and loud. It has some incredibly ugly parts but also some overwhelmingly beautiful bits - like the views across the Sava and Danube rivers and the glimpses you get of the orthodox churches lit up as you walk around the city at night.
Serbia has been tough, but I'm slowly getting to understand and appreciate its charm. Like Hungary, it is a country of contrasts, but the contrasts are perhaps even more pronounced here.
In the centre of a village on the way into Belgrade - the equivalent location of Chelmsford or Guildford in England - my path was stopped by a flood of cattle pourring out of a farmstead. These were accompanied by a number of yapping dogs; I was unsure whether they were strays or farmdogs herding the cattle. This was looked on by an old woman dressed in a colourful shawl leaning on a wooden stick, who looked as old as time itself. A Mercedes Benz drew up beeping at the cattle to get out of its way so it could rush on towards the capital. All this, just after I passed a posh cafe terrace laid out on the dirty pavement with reclining seats with huge cushions, and shiny menus and umbrella shading.
It was images like this that have made me determined to carry on. Between Novi Sad and Belgrade as I walked parallel with the Danube, I sufferred a crisis of confidence. Some of the road walking has been so terrible, always dodging oncoming lorries and streams of Yugos that I was close to giving up and taking the bus. But, now I determine to carry on and search out country roads even if it is a longer way round.
I think the USB port works here, so here are the Hungarian smiles I promised you.
Paul
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