The Ride - Day 2

The Ride - day 2

We are experts now - put on the sun screen - find the bike - bigger travel group now - off the boat on the right back in Vienna - down to the lions bridge across the city canal - scrub bash back to the right bank - down the right bank to the red bridge - bugger the red bridge - take the first bridge that gets you on to the Danube island - indecision - group splits - some continue on to the red bridge - other miss the lions bridge - eventually all works out and we meet up on the island - what was that lying out on the pontoon in the river - definitely human - male or female - no consensus - clearly a nudist.

Ah - why is that figure up there yelling at us - ah not a figure - an irate nudist - clearly he thinks this is not an appropriate place for bike riders - looking the figures of the nudists the bike riders agree - Richard rushes back in the reverse direction - this is not the way - the navigators amongst us are not so sure - let's push on another kilometer - more nudists - clearly this is not an occupation of young people for all we see are the leathery flabby skins of middle aged members of alternate life stylers - do we look as strange to them as they look to us - ah there may have been a high road above the nudists but the low road amongst them added some variety to the day.

Richard spends the next hour in search of Pam - she knew the way!

We push on through the oil refinery - views somewhat less spectacular than yesterday - this all feels a little stressful - must push on - do not want to miss the ferry - on passed the refinery - into the bush along a levee bank - continue beside the levee - on beside the levee - on beside levee - gravel path - head wind - on along the levee - head wind - gravel - hard work - boring - sam doing it tough - Christine a bit over it - mike over it.

Ah - at last a bike cafe in the middle of nowhere - stop and rest - strudel - coffee - ice cream - others enjoy a light beer - Richard has had a tumble and has a grazed shoulder - Pam is found -  Kate is having trouble breathing - anyone with a ventolin spray - the royals to the rescue - no one really relaxed - mustn't miss that ferry or we will miss the train.

Our little group look with reverence at the expert bike tourists as they relax and take their morning break - Lyn and David look calm cool and collected as they sip away at their beverages - why aren't they stressed?

Another 7 kilometers of levee and forest - boring but a least an end in sight - turn right down to the ferry - ah at last something nice to see - it is over in a flash - down to the ferry - tiny - line up - only 8 bikes at a time - pay the euros - disembark - practice for  Paris-lourie - rough - rough - rough cobble stones across the river flats to the town - what is this - no one mentioned the road climbed suddenly and severely as it wound into the town - off the bikes and walk the hill - where in the hell is the railway station - pointed in the general direction by some locals - stop debate - push on - find the station beside the main road - without a doubt the smallest and worst railway station in the whole of Austria.

Hang around - keep each other cheered up - find shade behind the shelter and wait 45 minutes for the train - spread out along the track - hail the train - scramble to load the bikes into the train - settle in - thinking to ourselves that perhaps we should have taken the longer route with the others so that we could see the roman ruins - never mind - there out the windows is the roman ruin beside the rail track - nice photo.

Onward to the terminal - everyone looks tired and pleased to be on the train

Reach the terminus - head for the bike track and Slovakia 

There is the old border crossing - looks nasty - thank god it no longer operates - make sure we stop at the first hotel in Slovakia - obvious we have crossed the border - no one wants to serve us - all seemed like it was too much trouble- borrow a bandage off Kate and repair my bike - troup pushes on to bratislava - over the big bridge and down to the boat - thank god that is over! - actually would have been better if we had not put ourselves under so much pressure to reach the train - that said the scenery and track did not compare to yesterday.

Into the bar on the boat - drinks all round - some rest and prepare for dinner tonight - the intrepid amongst the group have lined up for a bike/walking tour of the old city - the less intrepid have opted for dinner in the castle environs overlooking the city - some head for the cabins and rest - some head for a stroll around town.

We get taxi's to the restaurant - our taxi driver had just heard that Volkswagen are to join the world rally championship series - he is practicing in his skoda - after all it is a Volkswagen at heart - his driving gets my attention if not my commendation.

Magnificent view overlooking the city and the river - great company and nice meal - Paul and peter select some nice wines - discuss the approach of futurists with Gary much to margaret's angst - don't kill the conversation Gary - don't worry margaret we find this really interesting.

Should I go to bed - chris Harper is in the bar - he is alone - I  join him - then so does a large crowd - Bernie emerges - gin and tonic - chris dances with multiple women at the same time - entertains everyone - a great time - up on deck - the boat is leaving - clear skies - fantastic view of the city by night as the boat turns and heads for Budapest.

The bike ride itself may not have been perfect but the day itself was great - we will travel overnight and arrive in Budapest at 10:00 am tomorrow.