Author Archives: Chris Desmond

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, 16 July 2013

Posted on Wednesday, 17-July-2013 by Chris Desmond

Blue skies and rush hour on the freeway leaving Belgrade, onto secondary roads very quickly which were good except for a few dodgy bits near the border, many small towns meant average speed was 60 kph, very little traffic. Serbian … Continue reading →

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Serbia, Belgrade, 12-15 July 2013

Posted on Monday, 15-July-2013 by Chris Desmond

The ride from Zagreb to Belgrade was on a freeway all the way a little bumpier on the Serbian side. Miles long queue of trucks waiting to cross the border and a 20 min wait for cars as well, not … Continue reading →

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Croatia, Zagreb, 10-11 July 2013

Posted on Thursday, 11-July-2013 by Chris Desmond

Zagreb’s old town is split into the Lower town and the Upper town, lots of grand old buildings most of which are museums now, this was once a wealthy city. The lower town has some big parks and the Upper … Continue reading →

Posted in Croatia | Tagged | 3 Comments

Croatia, Zagreb, 9 July 2013

Posted on Tuesday, 9-July-2013 by Chris Desmond

I rode from Ljubljana to Zagreb today, 133km in 1:45hrs. Both these countries are in the EU and in the Schengen area but you still have to stop at the border and you get stamped out of Slovenia though this … Continue reading →

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Slovenia, Ljubljana, 6-9 July 2013

Posted on Tuesday, 9-July-2013 by Chris Desmond

Ljubljana – population 280,000, Altitude 298 m, Average temp Winter -2c and Summer 20c, Currency Euro, Member of the EU. A very nice place, the people are easy going, friendly and helpful, the second language is English, very organised and … Continue reading →

Posted in Slovenia | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Netherlands to Slovenia, 3-6 July 2013

Posted on Saturday, 6-July-2013 by Chris Desmond

Left Veghel, Netherlands in a  drizzle and it rained all day through Germany except for an hour just before crossing the Swiss border. Riding in the rain is very tiring as helmets do not have wipers and you have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland | Tagged | 1 Comment

Belgium, Beer, 30 June 2013

Posted on Sunday, 30-June-2013 by Chris Desmond

There are around 130 breweries in Belgium producing 1,100 different types of beer. The dark beers have a high alcohol content, averaging 7% and going up to 12% Many of the beers are bottle conditioned (second fermentation with yeast in the … Continue reading →

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Belgium, Hastiere, 28-30 June 2013

Posted on Sunday, 30-June-2013 by Chris Desmond

I was invited by friends to visit their holiday home in Hastiere, Belgium. This is in the Ardennes region of Belgium which has extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and rivers and people come here for their holidays, rock climbing, kayaking etc. … Continue reading →

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Ireland to Netherlands, 22-27 June 2013

Posted on Friday, 28-June-2013 by Chris Desmond

Loaded my bike up in a drizzle for the short ride to the ferry terminal from Belfast to Cairnryan in Scotland, booked online for $80, as usual everything went smoothly with the crossing rode onto the ferry at 1045 and … Continue reading →

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Ireland, Belfast 20-21 June 2013

Posted on Friday, 21-June-2013 by Chris Desmond

Belfast where the Titanic was built and they have a big and very modern Titanic museum very well done. This was a prosperous city until the “Troubles” began, it is still a work in progress, 14 peace walls divide various … Continue reading →

Posted in Ireland, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom | Tagged , | 2 Comments