Here you can find the photos that have appeared in Garry’s blogs and on his social media platforms Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
There are also links to his photo albums on Flickr.
A cycle touring photo that was posted on my Twitter account Garry Mcgivern’s Travelsonabike2 on the 20th-November-2011 I was in Bulgaria on my way to Australia when I took the photo.
It’s nearly a month since I left home on my bike ride to Australia. I’m only going to visit my family on the other side of the world! But, in the process, I hope to raise some much-needed money for cancer research. The countries I intend to cycle through once I leave England are France, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, China, Lao, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and then finally cycle across Australia to Brisbane.
Twitter Photo: Not far to Istanbul now, where I’ll rest for a few days
Not far to Istanbul
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Bike-Ride To Australia 19th-November 2011 Knsjazevac to Pirot 41 miles. It’s been hard going today, not because of hills or a headwind. But because of a Romanian football team!
After supper last night, I remained at my table to write the days blog. And as per normal, I had a few beers. I think maybe five! It was just one of those evenings when I’d got a taste for their strong dark beer, my favourite! Anyway, I’d just about finished my blog and was thinking of going up to bed when a group of men sitting across the room beckoned me over to join them. “Hey, Mr English, get off Facebook and come and join us for a drink,” said one of the men in his broken English. I tried to explain that I wasn’t on Facebook but gave up and went to join them.
Somewhere in the Stara Planina Serbia
From now on, everything is a bit of a blur! But what I do remember is that they were a Romanian football team, who were here for a football tournament between themselves, Croatia and Serbia. And they were drinking some homebrew out of old coke bottles, they poured me a glass, or rather a plastic cup. Bloody hell! “What the hell was that?” I asked. “Romanian whiskey”, they replied, as they laughed at my response! I thought it was more like vodka, but they insisted it was whiskey! Anyway, my last recollection was of the hotel manager taking me to my room!
The Following Morning
I eventually woke up at 8 o’clock and wondered what had happened last night. As I got up, I noticed the shattered shower screen lying in the bottom of the shower! And remembered falling through it! It then started to come back to me, the Romanian football team and their homebrew!
Waterfall along the route today
I went downstairs for breakfast, wondering what to do about the shower screen! “good morning,” said the manager “how’s your head? You drank a lot last night,” as he pointed across the room to a table strewn with empty bottles and plastic cups! “I’m fine”, was my reply, as I thought about the shower door. In the end, I plucked up the courage to tell the manager about the door and that I would pay for the damage. He’d been so good to me! And I felt so guilty.
After looking at the damage, he said 100 euros would cover the damage. Which I thought was very reasonable. I’m sure the actual cost was a lot more! As I left the hotel, apologising as I went, the manager wished me well on my journey and hoped to see me again someday. I bet he doesn’t! It was now 10 o’clock, and I’m pretty sure I was still drunk! I’m sure that had I not felt so guilty about the shower, I wouldn’t have moved hotels!
I’ll just have a little rest
I should have made it to Bulgaria today, but I kept stopping to rest! I mean, take photos! I was glad to finish riding today!
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Bike-Ride To Australia 18th-November 2011 Zagubica to Knajazevac 75 miles. Another chilly night in my hotel room last night! And I forgot about the idea of taking my sleeping bag up with me! No wonder it was cold. The weather forecast on the TV said it was -6 last night! Mind you, I can’t really complain, bed, breakfast, evening meal and beer, for €30!
On the road near a place called Bor
IT WAS FREEZING when I left the hotel, forcing me to dig out an extra layer from my panniers! I needn’t have bothered! I spent the first three hours going uphill and soon took that extra layer off, plus more! By early afternoon the temperature had risen quite considerably, so much so that even going downhill wasn’t cold! Mind you. I’ve not been flying downhill as fast I usually do. The roads are in such a bad way! I was worried my bike would break, or even worse, I’d come off!
Tonight should be my last night in Serbia. I’m hoping to reach Bulgaria tomorrow. Another new country to notch up!
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Garry McGivern is in Serbia cycling to Australia on the 17th-November 2011 Grocka to Zagubica 77 miles. The mornings in central Europe are freezing, and the frost stays on the ground until midday. And I was beginning to think I’d have to camp tonight! I thought I’d missed the only town on my map and was starting to look for a spot to pitch my tent! Luckily, I came across this hotel. I just hope it’s a bit warmer than last night’s room! The only heat in the room was a non-existing electric heater and two blankets! And one of those I took off the other bed! I think I’ll start bringing my sleeping bag in!
Old truck
There are plenty of dogs roaming free here, some good and some bad! This morning, the dogs were good. While cycling uphill, a cute little chap joined me, running along beside me! I did fear for his safety, though, as he kept running from one side of the road to another! And as much as I enjoyed his company, I was finding it hard going! I kept thinking he would get run over any minute, but luckily he didn’t! I was pretty glad to reach the top of the hill and pick up a bit of speed so he couldn’t keep up! The last I saw of him, he was following some girl down another road.
Dogs later on in the day weren’t quite so friendly, and I got chased several times! I had a pack of five dogs chasing me at one point! I might start carrying a stick to fend them off!
The day finished on a rather sad note! Just as it was starting to get dark, I could see yet another dog standing by the side of the road, waiting for me! As I got nearer, I started to pick my pace up to get past him as quickly as possible! As I neared him, he started to cower and move away. Then, when I rode past, I noticed another dog lying dead by the side of the road! I think it may have happened recently as the other dog looked so sad and was just waiting by the dead dog’s side. You do see a lot of dogs killed, and that’s always sad. But this was particularly sad as the dog’s mate was just waiting over their body!
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