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Malta via The Balkans
  • Peter Sprot
mag – lug 2019

Malta via The Balkans

This is my first solo motorcycle adventure.
My aim is to ride to Malta via Croatia Montenegro Albania Corfu Italy etc.
I have no fixed timetable other than to meet Mandy in Dubrovnik. Leggi altro
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  • Inizio del viaggio
    12 maggio 2019
    Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    A frosty start at 6am

    12 maggio 2019, Inghilterra ⋅ ☀️ -1 °C

    As I took the bike out of the garage moisture condensed in its screen then froze solid. I rode only 8 miles to meet a bunch of motorcyclists who are riding for a track day at Folembray in France. By the time we reached Dover the group had grown to over 30. I must admit riding through France they were all riding faster than I would prefer. I think I was on the smallest bike at 850cc. When we filled with fuel I noticed I put 30% less than the 1250cc bikes. They were great company so I'm glad I started in the same hotel for a couple of nights and went to the track day with them.Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Folembray race circuit

    13 maggio 2019, Francia ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    A full day zooming round the track. I photographed the bikes and enjoyed the banter. We had a very nice barbecue for lunch and all went out for a steak. Mine was really tough.

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Rhine Valley to Oberkirch

    14 maggio 2019, Germania ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    A nice easy ride into Germany. Border guards were busy searching many cars but they just let me through. The Rhine Valley was a nice twist road. I had a scary moment when I hit a swarm of bees that sounded like hailstones hitting me and the bike, luckily I had my jacket fastened so none got in. The hotel was ok. This was just a stop over on the way to meet Andrew on Wednesday. Not sure what the huge brush is in the last photo but this sort of brush was seen all over town.Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Google Zurich

    15 maggio 2019, Svizzera ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Problems with the sat nav not recognising a main road being closed made me very late meeting Andrew at his office in Zurich Centre. We had a lovely meal followed by an extensive tour of Google which employs over 2000 people. It is a truely amazing place. It must be great fun working there.Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Lusern and Mount Rigi

    16 maggio 2019, Svizzera ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C

    Had a great day. I left the bike at Google and went on a train to Lusern then a ferry boat for an hour to the foot of Mount Rigi, then a cog railway which climbed very steeply up the mountain for around 40 minutes. We were above the clouds at the top. Beautiful. The we walked down for 40 minutes and caught a different train and had a walk around Lusern.
    More walking after another train to Zurich as we went to Google to dry my washing as they have facilities for the staff. At the end of a tiring day we had walked over 23000 steps. Over 11 miles. The day finished with a lovely self service Italian meal. Followed by renting a couple of electric assisted bicycles to ride back to Google and pick up my washing.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    1

    Reschen pass Austria

    17 maggio 2019, Austria ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C

    5 hours riding a day is enough so I'm choosing a place to stop which fits with that. I could ride more but it's enough. Nauders is a picturesque tourist resort. Motorcyclists are very welcome nearly every hotel has a sign saying so.
    The pass is fantastic to ride on the bike and the roads are very quiet. I had to buy a vinniete which is a pass to ride on the motorways in Austria. It was only 5.5 euros for ten days unlike the Swiss one which I didn't buy out of principle at 40 euros for a year of which I would use 2 days.
    The hotel in in is a family one, quite modern and very clean but no heating that I can find. If it is underfloor it is switched off so I'm going to bed early. Also there is no food the nearest restaurant was closed so all I've had to eat today is a croissant at Google and a small sandwich at 4pm from the supermarket. It'll have to do. The supermarket serves breakfasts so I'll drop in on my way out of town.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    111

    Tolmezzo in the rain

    18 maggio 2019, Italia ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    It's nice to now be in the part of Italy where they speak Italian.
    I had rode in light rain for around 40 kilometers inside the Italian border when I stopped for petrol. More about that later. Every one was speaking German. It is the language of the area.
    I was about five and a half hours on the bike with the temperature at 13c at its best and 6 on the mountain passes. Whoever invented heated handlebar grips should be made a saint. Also, before setting off on this adventure I treated myself to new riding clothing. In my world it was very expensive but today it proved its worth. I wore the jacket and trousers both with the removable lining in and left my jumper off so under the jacket was only a tee shirt and under the trousers boxer shorts. I was not the slightest bit cold. The rain was negligeable until the last 40 minutes when the heavens opened so I arrived at the hotel and asked the receptionist to take a picture of me as I dripped on the carpet. The rain stopped as I checked in.
    They provided a special lock up place for motorcycles and just a I was putting my bike away 6 other BMW bikes arrived from Germany and Finland. This area is there destination.
    When I fill my bike with fuel it shows on the screen how many miles can be covered with the tank now full, this is based on how you are riding which wasn't hard due to traffic. It said I could do 710klm which is 441 miles on 23 litres which is 5 UK gallons which if it were correct would equal 88 miles to the gallon. I think its nearer 75 which is still very good.
    After posting this I'm off into town to a pizzeria I spotted when I went for a walk.
    Just across the square from my hotel which you can see in one of the pictures is a church and like a lot of Italian churches it looks bland from the outside but inside it was beautiful.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    1

    Ljubljana

    19 maggio 2019, Slovenia ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    I considered waiting before leaving Tolmezzo and I'm glad I didn't.
    Check in here at the hostel is 3pm so I thought I'd get there early, leave the bike and go for a walk. That turned out to be a great plan. It was only a two and a half hour ride and the weather to my left all the way looked very dark however it didn't rain on me and it was warm.
    I had time to visit the cathedral and a museum before heading back to the hostel to officially check in an be assigned a bunk in the four bed room. I'm sharing with an American who lives in Borneo, a Russian who is a bit weird and the fourth bed is still empty. Heavy rain started just as I settled in the room for a chat. I can hear someone playing guitar in the recreation lounge so I'll go take a look soon.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    1
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    Krk in Krk

    20 maggio 2019, Croazia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    The day started at the hostel with me trying to work out the best was to get to Krk. Google suggested one way and my Garmin sat nav suggested a way which included two ferries rather than go over the bridge. It still suggested the ferries when I told it to avoid ferries so I decided to run with both devices but follow the Google way when they disagreed. See the photo. It starts raining soon after leaving Ljubljana which at first wasn't a problem until it was really raining hard and my phone was getting wet but by then the garmin was behaving. As I climbed the mountain it got cold and misty then really thick fog which was so thick that at one point when I needed to turn right off a road I couldn't see the other side of the road I just slowly followed what the sat nav and Google where telling me and sure enough there was a road.
    Now I'm in the island of Krk in the lovely town of Krk staying in a really cheap apartment with lovely views and easy walking distance from the centre. I think its 25€ including breakfast. As soon as I arrived the rain stopped so I now have my jacket and trousers drying on a line, my bike is in a garage and a welcome beer from the owner is inside me.
    I'm going into town now for a meal as I've had nothing since a small bowl of cereal at the hostel this morning.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Leaking boots

    21 maggio 2019, Croazia ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    This was not a day for taking photos. It was raining as I left Krk and it quickly got very heavy then thunder. After an hour I stopped at a cafe and transferred my phone, passport and camera to my well sealed pannier box. Both my boots started leaking so tomorrow's ride will be with my boots lined with carrier bags.
    My plan was to ride inland into the mountains to Korenika then back to the sea at Karlobag following the coast to Split. Instead I abandoned all plans and came on the toll road for 160km in heavy rain to Zadar which is not very nice at all. For £19 I rented an apartment then went to a huge supermarket and bought food to eat in my room, I didn't fancy a restaurant meal.
    Wednesdays forecast is possible thunder storms again so I plan to ride to the nice town of Split despite the weather then stop there overnight if it is raining, if it isn't I'll have lunch and a look around then carry on to Dubrovnik to meet with Mandy. Thursday's forecast onwards is good.
    The photo is a view from my window. This apartment was so hard to find in a run down city full of old high rise apartments from another era, very few streets had name plates I found it as the street next to it had a name plate. Google was better than Garmin at finding the street I walked 35 minutes to get to the old town centre. There was a lot of traffic and I was too tired to enjoy walking around so I came straight back. I'll be glad to be on the road tomorrow rain or no rain.
    .    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Split

    22 maggio 2019, Croazia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The ride from Zadar to Split was better than expected with no rain and on beautiful roads following the coastline most of the way. Dark clouds covered the mountains to my left so if I had taken the motorway I suspect I would have had another soaking.
    The old town of Split is lovely although very touristy. I had time to have a good walk around before the hour of heavy rain arrived at about 5pm.
    My accommodation is supposed to be a homestay where you stay with a family but I'm the only one here so I have a fully equipped four bedroom apartment all to myself. It's a bit run down but it's right in the centre of the old town with safe parking for the bike.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Split to Dubrovnik

    23 maggio 2019, Croazia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Dubrovnik can have its own footprint as I'm going to be here a few days with Mandy.
    The ride from Split was spectacular with fantastic views around every bend. I came down the coast road which takes much longer but it is not to be missed. The roads are very good with bend after sweeping bend. At times you are really high and others you are at sea level. To get to Dubrovnik you can either go into Bosnia and Herzegovina then out again about twenty kilometers later or you can catch a ferry and stay in Croatia. The timing for the ferry wasn't good so I chose to cross the border then cross again. I stopped for lunch about twenty kilometers before the border and used the time to make sure my papers are in order and easily accessible. When I reached the crossing the guard in his but opened a window and said 'Where are you from'. 'England' I replied. 'Ok goodbye' he said and closed the window. I didn't even get my passport out of my pocket. After this you ride for about five kilometers in what I thought was no man's land before reaching the Bosnian border where the man said nothing. He just held out his hand, I put my passport in it, he scanned it and handed it back..
    Before reaching the border I had to stop for nearly an hour as there had been a nasty accident and the road was closed. I made my way to the front of a very long cue where the people and vehicles involved had already been removed, the police where photographing and taking measurements for a long time. I was first to go when they opened the road so I had it to myself for quite a while. I stopped to have a chat with a German who was clearly a long distance rider. He was interesting because he has just come from Montenegro, Albania and Corfu so I got some tips from him. He said his wife had flown to meet him in Corfu as she won't go on the bike and with that he made the sign of the cross and said thanks be to god. No comment from me on that one!    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    1

    Onwards and upwards in Dubrovnik

    26 maggio 2019, Croazia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Onwards and Upwards
    Never has a saying been more apt than here in Dubrovnik.
    Everything is either up a hill or down one. Our apartment is up 67 steps with no road unless you go back down or go up another 100 plus so the bike is about ten minutes away tucked between two scooters on a footpath. Smart cars park at 90 degrees because parking spaces are so hard to find.
    What a beautiful place this is as you will see from the photos, stunning views. Today is my third full day and Mandy's fifth. We have been to the nearby town of Cavtat on a boat which took 45 minutes to get there. We had paid 15 euros each at the ferry landing but others had paid 50+ through a third party so if you come here beware. We went for a walk around the city wall in the rain today which takes over an hour and was very nice despite the weather like everything else here it is up and down but worth it. There are several nice churches and every restaurant we are in had very good food well cooked. Price can be high but not everywhere.

    On Tuesday morning Mandy fly's home and I head for the border crossing into Bosnia and Herzegovina then if I get in I head for a hostel in Mostar where I will stay a few days until the weather improves and I can head for the mountains of Montenegro.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    12121

    Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina

    28 maggio 2019, Bosnia Erzegovina ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    I had some Croatian currency left as I went through border control so I used most of it to pay for the insurance I had to buy as this country is not included in your green card list. I paid the balance with a 20 euro note but that was too much so he gave me some Croatian currency back. I rode to a cafe near the border and bought a coffee and gave her all my Croatian currency and asked for the change in B&H currency, she obliged giving an excellent exchange rate. The currency here is called the convertible mark. There are about two of them to an English pound. Petrol is cheap at about £1.10 per litre.
    I've booked into this hostel for two nights and it might yet become three as the weather is not due to break until Friday. I was lucky again to ride all the way here with no rain and have time to go for a walk before it started raining. Right now it is lashing down. The bike is in a good place covered up and I'm in a nice warm private room which is just a five minute walk from the famous Mostar bridge.
    The man and wife who own the hostel invited me to dine with them this evening she said everything is home made and traditional. It was really nice. Their other guest was a local who now shares his time between here and Melbourne Australia where he has a business making leather fashion bags.    Leggi altro

  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Montenegro problems

    30 maggio 2019, Montenegro ⋅ 🌫 4 °C

    No photos I'm afraid.
    My phone got wet and doesn't work. I use it to transfer photos from my camera so until I get it working or get another one I have a problem.
    As long as I can find WiFi I can use my tablet to communicate and make bookings.
    Today started with me leaving Mostar in 24c heat and ended in 9c soaking wet with no one to let me in my booked accommodation. So I'm staying at the house next door who took pity on me. I've had a meal at the local restaurant and I'm warm and dry. Despite the rain I had a great day riding much longer than I anticipated because I was refused entry at my border crossing of choice. The man who would sell me insurance for the bike didn't turn up today so I had to ride over an hour in the wrong direction to the next one. I ended up with a four hour ride taking 8 hours. After the border I had bad weather for a while followed by long time in a road with the surface missing, it was just mud and big pot holes so first and second gear only for a long time. The bike is so filthy now.... Then I stopped at a cafe and meet a group of Spanish motorcyclists who had shipped their bikes and were having a great time. I had a great laugh with these guys. The next two and a half hours was heavy rain which stopped as I arrived in this town. When I got here there was no one to let me in so I got my mobile out of my pannier and tried to call them as I was cold and my feet were soaked again. There was no answer and without thinking I dropped my mobile into my pocket which had half an inch of water in it. So when I took it out it didn't work.
    The good news is the weather forecast is good for tomorrow. I should have stayed one more night in Mostar.
    The roads here when they are not under construction and missing any surface are very good. Very little traffic and good quality with endless bends and hairpins as you snake through the mountains. Tomorrow I head back to the coast as it's time I started heading south again.
    I will stick to the coast from now.    Leggi altro

  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Ulcinj Southern Montenegro

    1 giugno 2019, Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    I set off from Zabljac in the mountains of North East Montenegro in 7c temperature with my boots still damp and my spirit a bit low. The sun soon came out and the scenery is stunning . My reason for that destination was because it is surrounded by 22 peaks over 2000m and 17 lakes. The roads were very good and I didn't take that unmade road of the day before.
    The ride to Ulcinj took about five hours including stops. It's not that far but it is very twisty, great on the bike. I had to stop to remove my jumper when I came down from the mountains and the temperature rose to 23.
    The host here is like the people in Mostar and can't be more helpful. He got a pressures washer and together we washed the mud off the bike then he took me on his scooter (without helmets) into town to a mobile phone repair shop and as I write he has gone to see if it is fixed or it is dead. I'm staying here two nights to sort out the phone and decide where next.
    I've just had breakfast. They don't serve it so I went to a corner shop and bought. A loaf of bread, tuna paste, ham paste, 2 eggs a carton of milk a box of peach juice, a yoghurt for 3.5 euros. The locals tell me compared to this Albania is cheap. More photos will be added when I get a phone working. The one you see is taken with the tablet from my balcony outside my very nice room which cost €25 a night.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
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    Berat Albania

    2 giugno 2019, Albania ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Said goodbye to my excellent hosts at Ulcinj in Montenegro and set off to the border with Albania. I had been traveling for about 10 kilometers down a really nice newly tarmacked road when all of a sudden it was closed as they were putting tar on the next bit. The car in front had Albanian number plate so when he turned round I followed him, then at a junction I came along side and said Albania he said yes follow me, so I did. After at least half an hour we rejoined our intended road and got to the border. This is a double border so the one policeman signs you out of one and into the other.
    Rain threatened once again but it didn't happen in the four hour boring ride with nothing of interest to take photos of. I really am struggling to find nice things to say about the greater Albania. I'm sure further inland it will be prettier as there are mountains and also the coast is probably nice but this middle bit I had to use because of time riding and a big distance was not pretty. I did stop for a chat with some Swiss bikers who had shipped thier bikes to Greece and were riding them back.
    A thunder storm greeted my arrival here so it only rained for the last few minutes of the ride. I was glad of that because it really rained hard for over an hour while I was in my room.
    A lot of Berat is a UNESCO world heritage site and it is pretty so my photos today are from my walk around town or from my 4 star hotel balcony (£30)
    Tomorrow 3rd June I have a short ride to the ferry at durres to go to Bari in Italy. I've decided not to go exploring Corfu because of all this rain. I'm hoping Italy will be a bit better and I'll be out of Albania and back into territory where I can use data on my phone again and my bike once again will have proper insurance and breakdown cover. So my next footprint will probably be from Lecce Italy    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    11

    Matera

    4 giugno 2019, Italia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    I'm in sunshine.
    I'm in warmth.
    I'm in Italy.
    Yesterday I sat in Berat Albania watching the heavy rain from my hotel, praying it would stop or at least ease before I had to leave at 3pm. It didn't so I lined my boots with plastic bags and set off to the port of Durres to catch the 10pm ferry to Bari Italy because like another motorcyclist I met on board the ferry I'd had enough of the rain in Albania and abandoned plans to go to Greece and Corfu. It rained most of the way but not all the way to the port. When I arrived I sat with 10 motorcyclists from the Czech Republic who had shipped thier bikes to Greece and where riding them back home after playing in the mountains of Montenegro. They booked on one ferry and I on the other. As it turned out we were all on the same ferry which was fun. As we got off they headed north and I head south to Lecce. I stopped at a filling station just outside Bari and checked my email to see my friend Bill had moved from Lecce and i remembered a find Penguins note from John saying Matera is really nice. So thanks John it is very nice indeed as you will see from the photos. It's a world heritage site of some significance. Google it if you like history.
    On the way from the port to Matera I rode for about an hour through vine yards and at one point was surprised to see a young lady pop out from between the rows wearing a bikini and nothing else then a bit further and there was another. I was curious as there isn't a beach anywhere near then a bit further and a girl wearing a bikini and fish net stockings pops out and waves. I don't think they were selling grapes.
    I'm in a hostel called Rock Star in Matera and as usually have met interesting guests. Tomorrow morning I breakfast with Bill and decide where to head next on my way to Sicily.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
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    Ciro marina. Italian South Coast

    5 giugno 2019, Italia ⋅ 🌙 21 °C

    Lovely weather and a nice ride through the rolling countryside. In the four hour ride I don't think I saw one motorcycle which I thought very unusual for this trip. I did see a few more of those girls standing by the road, a bit more modestly dressed than those of yesterday but I don't think they were waiting for a bus.
    I chose this place as it is half way to Sicily from Matera and it is a small town with a beach front hotel which happens to be four star. So as I write this I'm being waited on in the restaurant by more staff than there are customers.
    The food is some of the best I've had. I love it.
    The photos are of the ride plus several from the hotel and it's surroundings as it is so nice.
    I needed to do a bit of work to the bike when I arrived as the chain needed cleaning and new grease after all the rain. So I sprayed it with a cleaner then wiped it with several rags during which my hands became very black. As I entered this posh hotel I tried to hide my black hands and smiled at the concierge who said Mr Sprot here is your passport.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    San Martino. North Sicily

    6 giugno 2019, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    It was a long and enjoyable ride across the foot of Italy followed by a busy ferry ride to Sicily. I renewed to buy my ticket from a petrol station out of town which is cheaper than at the ferry. There were some nice views today but I didn't take photos until I arrived at the Villa Quiete up in the hills.
    My sat nav decided it would put me and the bike to the test in the last half hour of the ride when it took me up farm tracks so steep that could only be taken at speed in first gear. I checked the settings when I arrived at the Villa which had an easy single track road from the other direction. It was set to use unpaved tracks. The bike was great. I thought it would feel really heavy but it was more like a trail bike as it easily skipped over the bumps and holes and slithered down the valley, I enjoyed it.
    I don't think my photos can do justice to the views up here it is spectacular. My room looks directly at the volcano Stromboli and a walk around the back of the house to see another called Etna.
    I've had to change my plans for the next days and not tour as the only ferry company operating to Malta is fully booked every sailing except tomorrow Friday night 9.30pm so I've booked myself on it. I might pop into Noto on the way for a look. I can always spend time on the way back instead.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
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    Etna and the ferry to Malta

    8 giugno 2019, Malta ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    I waited until almost 3pm before setting off from that idilic farmhouse in the hills just outside Spadafora Sicily. It was very hot so I abandoned my plan of a stroll round Noto and opted instead for a ride up mount Etna which I thought might be cooler. And what a ride it turned out to be. Everything was going just great until I reached the base then my sat nav decided it was time for another adventure so it took me up a road which became narrower and strewn with dumped rubbish until my way was blocked by two burnt out cars so I turned around and asked the sat nav to behave so it then took me for 45 minutes up one of the best roads of the trip. Perfect road surface with a mixture of fast and slow sweeping bends and many hairpins. The road had in several places been cut through the lava and not long ago. It was about 4.30 as I started the assent and the road was completely empty. Just me, it was incredible. At the top the tourists had all gone and everything was closed except the cafe bar where I met some Italian bikers who were not very chatty so I left them alone and just had a quick latte coffee and set off for another uninterrupted ride back down.
    I stopped for fuel just after 6.30 and didn't have time to waste to get to the ferry for 8.30 one motorway toll had a cue over a kilometre long so I turned into an Italian bikers and jumped it. The fee was 1.20 euros, hardly worth collecting.
    I boarded the new ferry to Malta at 8.20. it is called Saint John Paul ll Google it, it is not cheap but quite impressive. It was very full with no room for any more bikes or cars when we sailed.
    I love arriving in Malta so the drive at midnight from the port to the house was great. I couldn't settle once I arrived so I did all my clothes washing and had something to eat thanks to Laurie for getting me some milk and bread.
    It's funny how I don't get hungry when I'm on the bike. There have been several days when I have had only one meal.
    So now I relax for a while. I hear there is a classic car show in Valletta tomorrow and I'm just about to go and buy a ticket for a concert next Friday which features the man who sang the part of Freddy Mercury in the film Bohemian Rhapsody. He is singing at Fort At Angelo which is a five minute walk from the house.
    I will make an occasional post while here but not so frequent as while traveling.
    When I do travel back to the UK I'm thinking of going via Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica, rather than ride up Italy. Stay tuned.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
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    Valletta and the car show

    9 giugno 2019, Malta ⋅ ☀️ 37 °C

    Malta is experiencing a heat wave. 34c today dropping tomorrow.
    I love the ferry ride to Valletta. I have a card like the London Oyster card which I use to travel on the bus or the ferry or to rent a electric assist bicycle. As I'm over 60 traveling this way is very cheap.
    As you see in one of the photos the American university of Malta is now up and running in Cospicua.
    I went to see the classic car show in Valletta opposite parliament buildings. The standard was as expected very high.
    Not many tourists today, only one cruise ship so it was nice to walk around despite the heat.
    I read in today's paper Ryanair are starting a new airline based in Malta called Malta Air. Ten new planes and 60 destinations.
    Malta just gets better and better, every time I come there are improvements.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    1

    A few photos from Malta

    15 giugno 2019, Malta ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    I've been to Valletta several times, always in the ferry as it is such a pleasant ride and very quick. Mostly I stay near the house going for several walks a day trying to stay in the shade. I have used the bike only once since I arrived. Might go for a ride tomorrow. Everyone here rides in shirts and tee shirt. I know it's wrong but I've been doing the same and it's surprising how much heat you feel from the engine on your legs!
    Last night was the Queen tribute concert which was better than I expected. The Maltese backing band where superb.
    Today at a cafe the man in the next table had a pretty young bird with him so I borrowed her for a photo.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot
    1

    Agrigento Sicily

    20 giugno 2019, Italia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    My alarm was set for 02.45 and I was at the ferry for 03.30 queuing up with quite a few other bikes. When we arrived at Pozzallo it was 07.10 and a comfortable 24c. When I was waiting to get on the ferry in Malta I had set the destination of my hotel in Agrigento into the sat nav which turned out to be a mistake because for some weird reason the sat nav thought I would be getting off the ferry at Catania (a long way north) so it decided to go via Catania to Agrigento. It took me about 15 minutes to realise I was going in completely the wrong direction so I entered the same address again and this time it behaved and turned me around but took me to a farm about 2 km from the hotel! So I put my phone in its mount on the handlebar and Google maps took me to the correct place. Luckily I wasn't in a hurry as my hotel said don't arrive before mid day.
    As it was getting hot I rode with my jacket open and as I rode through the city of Gela I got stung by something. I couldn't stop because of the traffic and never did find out what it was.
    The very posh, but cheap, hotel let me check in early and I quickly realised it was an 8 minute walk to a McDonald's so I had lunch, then a siesta in my room. Then I dressed like the locals do in shorts and tee shirt and rode the bike the 2 kilometers to see the Greek temples from 5th century BC. As the photos show they are amazing....Tomorrow I head for Marsala in the wine district.    Leggi altro

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  • Peter SprotMalta via The BalkansPeter Sprot

    Technology

    21 giugno 2019, Italia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    As I was riding today I was thinking about the difference from when I rode the Vincent to Malta ten years ago.
    With the Vincent I could see my speed in miles per hour and if I look down near my right foot I could see a gear indicator. If it was horizontal I was in top gear.
    For fuel I had to remember to reset the trip then I'd fill up at 150 miles.
    Don't get me wrong, I love the Vincent and everything about it, but to show how things have moved on look at the photo to see what information is available at a glance:
    My current speed shown on the big display and true speed shown on the sat nav. The speed the cruise control is set at. The speed limit for the road I'm on. (This is shown in two places)
    The revs of the engine and which gear I'm in.
    The distance I can go with the fuel left in the tank
    The air temperature, the time
    How much battery is in my mobile phone and is signal quality.
    If I get a message it would ask if I want to see it.
    How far in time to my destination. When my next turn is, what my next turn is.
    If there was a problem ahead it would/might but not very often tell me and offer a detour.
    I can honestly say I do use all of the above and if I put my mobile phone in the cradle I would see even more.    Leggi altro

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