Nightmare ride to Novi Sad to meet Tor
Trip Start
Jun 16, 2007
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29
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Trip End
Oct 10, 2007
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Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro
Monday, July 16, 2007
Looking back at it, I just can't understand how I managed to get SO lost/confused on the Monday morning. But it turned out to be just the first of a number of things which gradually turned the day into a nightmare.
Having overslept for the first time on the trip - I normally wake with the light - it was already getting pretty hot before I left and I pushed and panted my way back up the hill I'd finished with the previous evening. Although I didn't understand the german text of my Cyline guide, the map gave me two choices; either stay on the south bank where the geography looked pretty much the same as before, with a couple of steep hills indicated, or cross over to the north bank and go along a flatter, busier highway. I headed out of town towards the southern bank, as that route was about 27 miles so I thought I'd be in Novi Sad in time to have a late lunch with Tor. But when I got to the outskirts the signs were all pointing the wrong way, and when I stopped and asked for directions I was shown the way back into town. I thought he was joking. Serious. It took two more enquiries before I realised I'd got my bearings completely upside-down, and proceeded to coast once again back down the darned hill I'd just climbed!
Eventually I found myself on the right road, in time to see he last Croatian "Ruta Dunav" sign just before the crossing into Serbia, where there was no exchange facility, so I ploughed on as it got hotter and hotter and too late I realised I'd made the wrong route-decision as the road got hillier and hillier! Instead of the ground dipping when I came to a village, it was a roller-coaster, and whilst I had expected to have to push the bike up three or four hills I lost count after ten. It was draining and my progress got slower and slower. I came into one village and suddenly the back tyre felt all squishy and I thought "puncture", but looked down and saw that it wasn't that, but my trye was sinking into the melting tarmac! I stopped at a bar and explained that I didn't have any Serbian Dinars, but this proved not to be a problem and the man exchanged €5 for me. (Good tip, always carry low-denomination € or $ for such an event) I texted Tor to say I was going to be massively late and gave her details of my hotel so she could go and shower, etc.,
The approach to Novi Sad involved yet another ** hill, and I was so whacked I even tried to get a taxi to take me the last couple of miles. Eventually, after 4 o'clock, I found the Hotel and was in a state of near-collapse.We were a right pair, as Tor had almost lost her voice (and had had no sleep the previous night) at EXIT, so we had a subdued meal before she went off in a taxi with some friends to Belgrade.
Whacked, I was asleep by 8 pm and despite a night full of nightmares and horrible cramps, slept a full 12 hours.
