03/12/2012 - Oslo to Israel. Day 73

Distance cycled: 134km from Kesan to a very windy and grassy area on the edge of a cliff about 85km west of Istanbul
Average speed: 23.4km/h
Moving time: 5h43m
Total distance: 6265km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: €8

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It's exactly one month before my birthday and although no one knew this I was showered with early gifts as I departed Kesan. As I mentioned yesterday the generosity and kindness of the people here in Kesan was unrivaled to anything i have experienced and this is saying a lot. I was overwhelmed by everything I received from everyone and If there was anything I could do in return I wouldn't hesitate to do it.
My experience in Kesan will never part from me as this is the soul reason why I love touring the world on a bicycle - it's always about the people you meet.
I left a happy chap and today's weather greatly worked in my favor with strong tail winds blowing me east towards Istanbul.
I didn't expect to cover the distance that I did but I'm glad that I did as now I am only 85km or so from where I'll be relaxing for a couple of days.
Turkey and your people, so far you have been amazing!

Farewells in the morning – i had a fantastic time in Kesan, i really didnt want to leave

As you can see it was a great day for cycling. its always good to see flags blowing you in the right direction.

Downhill in to Tekirdag, Turkey

Im sorry but a town named this?? too funny

Big Shoulder on the coastal road… but soon to end as Istanbul was coming soon

02/12/2012 - Oslo to Israel. Day 72

Distance cycled: 24.6km from to
Average speed: 17km/h
Moving time: 1h26m
Total distance: 6131km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: 0

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The hospitality and kindness of the Turks is incredible.
Arriving in Kesan I met with Esan and her friend Eylem where we spent the whole day eating great food and enjoying the outdoors by drinking Turkish coffee and tea; it was all about typical Turkish food and drink today including the delight of Turkish delights and company.
I found Esan on warm-showers but as she wasn't able to host me for the evening she was more than happy to help me find a place to stay. Although I was exhausted I found the energy to fight through the day and entertain those I met, this included a bunch of members from the cycling association in the city that both Elan and Esan were apart of and also did the translating for me and the local reporter who will put a story about me on the local newspaper.
It was an event filled day for sure and being completely stuffed of delicious food I was much in need of rest, I went back with Ayhan who did not speak a lick of English. Ayhan was fantastically hospitable, he fed me a chicken dinner, fruit, chocolate and tea, I tried helping but he just wanted me to relax on the couch - cant argue with that.

Esen and Eylem in the sun.

Part of the the cycling association of Kesan

01/12/2012 – Oslo to Israel. Day 71

Distance cycled: 96.6km from outside Komotini, Greece to Ipsala, Turkey
Average speed: 17.9km/h
Moving time: 5h24
Total distance: 6107km
Border X'ings: 22
Money spent: €11 for food and €15 for Turkish Visa

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The rain last night was horrific and the sound of it dumping down on to my tarpaulin kept me awake for the majority of the night, so because of this I really didn't think I had it in me to cycle as far as I did today let alone find the time in the day to cycle into Turkey.
It was a rough start with wind, patchy rain and hilly terrain but I did my best to ignore it all and just get on with it.
I wanted to pitch my tent earlier in the day because of feeling so fatigued and I had plenty of opportunities to do so but for some reason I felt like it would be unsafe to do so, specifically one abandoned and blocked up building that literally had the smell of death to it probably due to the several dead cats I saw when i peeked inside but even outside there were empty backpacks strewn everywhere. At first glance I thought nothing of it but upon further investigation these backpacks belonged to backpackers, I found toothpaste and facial creams with just English text meaning these scattered bags were stolen and the thief searched them at this location. Unsurprisingly I didn't want to camp there.
The Turkish/Greek border crossing was entertaining and lengthy, all the guards working wanted to know everything about my trip and I was obliged to take their photos. The visa process setting me back €15 and lots of time waiting behind bus loads of tourists and I eventually made it into the country without having all my belongings checked - I was told for sure that my bike would be extensively searched here.
Entering into turkey I was greeted constantly by people waving and calling me but as much as I would love to meet everyone who calls me over I cannot.
I found my resting spot for the evening in the only small forested area in miles beside the road at the top of the hill just east of Ipsala.
Tomorrow will be an easy day as I have organized to meet and stay with a warm-showers host in the next town 20km from here, this means I get to sleep in - happy days.

My last camping spot in Greece

Storm clouds lingering overhead….

I had this little guy follow me for several kilometers while i cycled over the last mountain pass in Greece – he had a little cow bell attached to his collar

I was really hoping i wouldnt see any of there signs as i headed to the southern end of europe.

Almost there

Leaving Greece – I thought there was aminosity between Greeks and the Turks, these guys looked like they were have a good time together.

Enter Turkey – Country number 55 (i think) of 192  - over a quarter of all the countries of the world in 7 years of travelling.

30/11/2012 – Oslo to Israel. Day 70

Distance cycled: 131km from Kavala to 20km east of Komotini, Greece
Average speed: 23.3km/h
Moving time: 5h37m
Total distance: 6010km
Border X'ings: 21
Money spent: €16

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Tailwind, sun and one gorgeous woman.
I was able to cover some very good distance today due to some very nice tailwind that pushed me east towards Turkey.
Nothing spectacular nor much of great interest occurred to me today, it was a simple day of cycling under the heat of the sun though three big towns that had next to no attractions that I was interested in. It's funny though because all of the signs on the road directing to ancient ruins, churches and hot springs were places I could have made the detour to go and visit but I just lack the interest besides I don't want to be felt up again by a dude at a thermal bath. What I'm saying is that I have done all these things before in one way or another; it's always about who your with rather than where you are, it would be nice to share these experiences with friends or even acquaintances, does this mean I am getting lonely, perhaps just a little but certainly not going to stop me from achieving my goal - which could be further than just Israel.
Stopping to use the Internet at a cafe in Komotini I was waited on by an absolutely beautiful girl named Natalia, it was her birthday and for whatever reason I lied to her about having a sibling with the same birthday as her, I don't know what I was trying to achieve by doin this but she was nice and seeing as it was her birthday and her saying that she doesn't have the money to go out and party I gave her a substantial tip.
I was hoping to have a place to stay in town using warm-showers but the contact I had fell through so I continued on into the sunset and camping (big surprise) on the side of the road in some bushes, the weather forecast predicts a hell of a lot of wind and rain for the evening and coming days so good thing I covered the distance I did.

Xanthi – the only structure i saw worth taking a photo of.

Kids feeding the pigeons

The plains between Xanthi and Komotini, with wind on my back.

A Greek man doing as the sheep do… i am really not sure what the hell he is doing….

This is Natalia – what a cool chick

Cycling into the sunset,

29/11/2012 - Oslo to Israel. Day 69 - Weather Forecasting?

Distance cycled: 39.1km from a beach to Kavala, Greece
Average speed: 18km/h
Moving time: 2h10m
Total distance: 5879km
Border X'ings: 21
Money spent: €8

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The reason why I cycled less than 40km today was because of the weather prediction, the website that I often use is weather-forecast.com and is generally very good for rainfall and wind speeds but today it forecasted heavy amounts of rain, upwards of 50mm. Thinking that this would be the case I cycled the morning with the notion that soon it would dump down and I would need a some shelter to camp under. I could have of course cycled in the rain but that's uncomfortable and this is holiday time for me and as such I like to keep things as comfortable as possible.
I swung into a vacant campground just outside of Kavala and saw that they had shut down for the season or perhaps much longer because it seemed more like a dumping ground than and campground, still, I found my way around a side gate and set up camp under an awning.
This preemptive decision to avoid the downpour was a little irritating because it didn't start to rain till much later in the afternoon, I was enjoying the strong tail winds and could have covered a hell of a lot more distance if I postponed camping.
Oh well, what's the rush, eh?

Waking to this view in the morning. Shame it wasnt warm enough to go for a swim as the sulphuric smell from the hot springs was still evident

Following the coast.

28/11/2012 - Oslo to Israel. Day 68 - Hot Spring Surprise.

Distance cycled: 89.3km from and to somewhere on the North coast of Greece
Average speed: 18.7km/h
Moving time: 4h47m
Total distance: 5840km
Border X'ings: 21
Money spent: €12 - I got a little carried away at another Lidl supermarket.

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I got myself into a very uncomfortable situation today, cycling along the Northern Greek coastal road I see a sign saying 'Natural Hot Springs', I thought that perhaps it would be good idea to relax and soak my muscles. It was a one kilometer detour off the main road and along the way a guy with a bushy beard in his mid thirties slows down and tried explaining me something that I couldn't figure out. So this guy turned his car around and I followed him to the hot springs passing by more yapping dogs that tried to bite my calves off, this is where i then figure out what he was trying to explain to me, the road ended at the small and vacant hot springs and that all I would have needed to do was follow the road; not difficult.
Thinking that this guy would be on his way he takes off all of his clothes and hops into the water; now, I'm not ever one to skinny dip in any body of water with a man but I did it anyway despite something was a little strange about this character and when he attempted to give me a massage, rub my leg and then grab my dick, it was evident that I had to leave. After shutting him down he got dressed and sped away in his car without saying anything - I suppose he was embarrassed.
Your probably asking why the hell did I get into the hot spring with a naked man, but don't worry I'm not in question about my sexuality, I just did it so that I could enjoy the relaxing properties of the thermal pool and, yes, without my pants.
Can't say I thought that was going to happen to me today but it makes for a funny story.

Cold, misty morning

Not the best day for the beach.

Greek history, right here.

 

Where i was inappropriately touched :/

 

Dinner

27/11/2012 - Oslo to Israel. Day 67

Distance cycled: 44.2km from Thessaloniki to ...? East on hwy 2
Average speed: 16.5km/h
Moving time: 2h40m
Total distance: 5751km
Border X'ings: 21
Money spent: €4

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It's always the same situation when leaving from a house, hotel or hostel I may stay in, a place that is comfortable and free of the troubles of being on my bike, its a haven and time to unwind, meet other travelers or locals, share stories and not to worry about where to pitch my tent. I find myself getting attached and not wanting to set off the following day and as such I tend to milk the checkout time as i did today by not leaving the hostel in Thessaloniki till 1pm.
I mention this not only because my stay here at the Big Small House hostel was lovely, clean and friendly but also it makes me appreciate this cycle trip. Being ill for the last couple of days I had lost part of passion of this trip but last night drinking with this Argentinian dude, playing pool and returning early to the hostel to pass out rejuvenated me, well, the alcohol gave me quite the hangover but just having the opportunity to go out and do something different. It was fantastic.
It would have been nice to spend a bit more time in the city but as the quote I have adopted says "life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you need to keep moving".
This quote mentions nothing about how much distance but comparing to other days today was rather disappointing, perhaps it was due to the hangover or because I found a good camping spot that seemed vacant of damn irritating dogs, but either way I no longer have to worry about being caught in the Alps or high mountain passes surrounded with snow or freezing rain, now I suppose I can take my time and re-enjoy this bike trip but more importantly smile.

leaving Thessaloniki, trying to find my way around the old city walls.

This downhill decent is going to be fun , and it was – look at the terrain profile above.