The 81st day of the Danube kayaking trip occurred on Wednesday, the 17th of July, 2024. We paddled from Hârșova through the Vâlciu Branch, intending to go camping. However, things were going well, so we decided to paddle on to Brăila. Brăila is Romania’s biggest city on the Danube River. Leaving Hârșova Before Dawn I got up at 4:00 after a long night of waking up several times thinking it’s time to get paddling. After putting on some clothes, I crossed the hotel’s hallway to our bathroom several times to get ready. Jonas got up 15 minutes later. We putContinue reading
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Kayak Trip Day 76: Tutrakan to Silistra – Broken Kayak Sail + Heatstroke
This kayak day happened on the 5th of July, 2024. After only one night, we left Tutrakan to kayask to Silistra on the final stretch of the Bulgarian Danube shared with Romania. After this, the Danube will flow only through Romania, followed by a quick touch on Moldova and Ukraine before emptying in the Black Sea. Leaving Tutrakan for Silistra Our alarm went off at 5:00. I had the greatest trouble getting up as my body craved more sleep to process the previous day’s paddle from Ruse to Tutrakan. We’ve done two paddle days in a row before from ApatinContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 74: Svishtov to Ruse – the Southernmost Point of the Danube
This paddle day happened on Monday the 24th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Svishtov to Ruse in northern Bulgaria. Nearby Svishtov is the southernmost point of the Danube River. In Bulgaria’s fifth-largest city Ruse, we’ll take more than a week to recover from all the paddling. Departing Svishtov for Ruse I felt like I’d slept pretty well when my alarm went off at 4:38. Getting dressed was a bit more of a hassle than anticipated, but I was almost ready when Jonas’ alarm went off at 5:00 and it was his turn to occupy the bathroom. I just hadContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 57: Novi Banovci to Belgrade – The Last Capital on the Danube
Our 57th kayak day on the Danube was on Monday, the 22nd of April, 2024. We paddled from Novi Banovci to Belgrade in Serbia. Belgrade is the last capital city on the Danube River. I used to live in Belgrade back in 2015, which was part of my original inspiration for kayaking the Danube. Going to Veliko Ratno Ostrvo (Great War Island) was a major goal. Leaving Novi Banovci I woke up with a bright sunrise orange on my face. The curtains were slightly open right at the spot the sun poured through this early in the morning at 5:39. It was beautiful, so IContinue reading
Vlorë and the Zvërnec Monastery: a Day Hike
Events in Vlorë and Zvërnec (Albania) happened on Monday 15th of June, 2015. Good Morning Vlorë My hosts left for work in the morning. My plan was to take it easy since I had picked up a cold in Sarandë, or when hitchhiking from Sarandë to Vlorë. The idea I had for ‘taking it easy’ was going on a nice long hike (10 kilometers one-way) with lighter luggage. Within a reasonable distance, the hike to the Zvërnec Peninsula and Island northwest of the city center seemed like the best plan. My hosts confirmed it was pretty there. Walking out ofContinue reading
Horse with a Backpack in Gjirokastër, Albania
Would you look at this Albanian horsie! Is it a horse? Or is it a mule? Alas, I have no clue. There were many of them in Gjirokastër and many of them carried a backpack of sorts. This made me think that we have a lot in common. I know, it’s not a whole lot to go on. But I wanted to share this picture with y’all nonetheless. Seeing a horse just parked outside a building makes me think this town is a bit like a western movie. I refrained from asking for directions to the saloon. Perhaps one dayContinue reading
Kruče: Happily Stuck in Montenegro
Just another beach day in Kruče, Montenegro with books, beer, buddies, and bloody awesome sunsets. [INSERT SILLY INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE] 😉 I can’t leave this place because it doesn’t want me to leave. I can’t be arsed to move further away than the nearest supermarket to buy the necessary supplies for another day of hardcore relaxation. The night is coming and there will just be my good friend, her dog, and me with candles, blankets, and conversation. Guitars and songs. Sometimes satisfaction and happiness come really close to each other. The last rays of the day are going, but I’ll beContinue reading
Boračko Lake: Hitchhiking from Sarajevo to Mostar
Waiting Outside Sarajevo Events described at Boračko Lake happened on Saturday 2nd of May, 2015 It was my first time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I hope not my last visit. I had stayed only a few days in Sarajevo when I wanted to hitchhike onward to Mostar. I stayed the night somewhere more outside the city in a sort of campus area. This day, I started hiking towards my hitchhiking spot fairly early in the morning. But I didn’t have much luck besides a short ride past Ilidža in the direction of Konjic. My sign said ‘Mostar’. Eventually, a carContinue reading
Maltese Hitchhiking Route (Approximated)
Take a peek at my next approximated hitchhiking route, bringing me to Malta! It’s three times when I’ll have to hitch a boat: Albania to Italy, Italy to Sicily, and Sicily to Malta. How? I have no clue yet. I’ll see it once I arrive at the next step in the Maltese hitchhiking journey. I’m starting in Belgrade (Serbia), then make my way through Bosnia and Herzegovina—a new country for me. After that, it’s time for a return visit to (perhaps Croatia and) Montenegro and then I’ll see Albania for the first time. In Italy, I’m expecting to see BariContinue reading