Left Barletta at 8.30 am. They were warned that this stretch was very unpopulated and there would be no villages or places to eat for lunch, so they bought bread and ham for a picnic. They cycled through a landscape of vineyards and olive groves, the weather not too hot.
They stopped for their picnic in the gateway of a house beside the road, and as they sat there a man came out, offering something to eat. He was followed by a son with some cake, then granny with some coffee. She poured out her heart about having lost her husband some weeks before, receiving a warm hug from Gerard. Eventually another son and the daughter in law joined the throng at the gate and Edith and G set off with a chorus of fond farewells.
Later on they came across an Afghan man c 30yrs old, well educated and with good English, who it turned out had been an interpreter for the Canadians in Afghanistan, and was now seeking Asylum in Italy. They had an interesting chat about the situation out there.
They arrived in Foggia at around 3.30 just as the weather broke into torrential rain. They are in high spirits and debating whether to have a rest day tomorrow or to press on for the finishing line….they fly back to the UK on Tuesday having packed up the bike.
Saturday 27 June 2009
Bari to Barletta
Six hours Bari to Barletta a total of 55 kilometres. Gently undulating ground by the sea. Pleasant temperature and nice weather. They are pleased to be in better conditions of weather and traffic, although it took them an hour to drive out of Bari. Barletta is a pleasant city with a good museum of contemporary artists.
They both were on relaxed form, although tired from their exertions. The end finally beckon!
Monday 22 June 2009
Corinth-Patras
The heat is still intense in the northern Peloponnese. On the first leg from Corith to Diajofco it was stifling. Today on the Diacofco to Patras run it has rained heavily all day which made bicycling more bearable. At least unlike last year it was warm (and raining) rather than cold (and raining)!
They are having dinner in a pleasant taverna on the shores of the Ionian Sea. Tomorrow they embark for Bari in Souther Italy and the last phaase of their Odyssey
They are having dinner in a pleasant taverna on the shores of the Ionian Sea. Tomorrow they embark for Bari in Souther Italy and the last phaase of their Odyssey
Sunday 21 June 2009
Athens-Corinth
Arrived in Piraeus after a pleasant ferry from Cyprus. Bicycled from Piraeus up to the centre of Athens. Greeks mad drivers! Survived the Athenian traffic. I wonder if Pericles ever had the same problem 3,000 years ago? Probably.
After a bit of sightseeing they took off for the first leg of three days across central Greece to Patras. The road out of Athens was pretty dangerous and they started their ride on the outskirts of Greater Athens to Corinth. Across the isthmus to the city at the top of the Peloponnese. It is very hot there at the moment - up in the 30s centigrade. Lots of water taken.
After a bit of sightseeing they took off for the first leg of three days across central Greece to Patras. The road out of Athens was pretty dangerous and they started their ride on the outskirts of Greater Athens to Corinth. Across the isthmus to the city at the top of the Peloponnese. It is very hot there at the moment - up in the 30s centigrade. Lots of water taken.
Cyprus
Gerard and Edith sailed on the Haifa-Limassol ferry and arrived in the balmy delights of this Greek island which is really more Middle Eastern than Mediterranean.
Your correspondent was by a stroke of luck on holiday on Cyprus with some friends who live there and managed to catch up with the two athletes. A long and pleasant lunch at the luxurious buffet at their beach hotel extracted all the details of their Palestinian sojourn. They kept in trim by riding their tandem in Cyprus which has got great bicycle lanes and unlike Israel is bicycle friendly.
A couple of days later they took the Limassol-Piraeus ferry which will take them two days.
Your correspondent was by a stroke of luck on holiday on Cyprus with some friends who live there and managed to catch up with the two athletes. A long and pleasant lunch at the luxurious buffet at their beach hotel extracted all the details of their Palestinian sojourn. They kept in trim by riding their tandem in Cyprus which has got great bicycle lanes and unlike Israel is bicycle friendly.
A couple of days later they took the Limassol-Piraeus ferry which will take them two days.
Israel/Palestine Leg
Apologies for the long break posting anything but your correspondent has been on holiday in Cyprus - more of which anon.
The intrepid duo found the roads and traffic in Israel a nightmare. Only dual carriageways and motorways between cities. they bicycled where they could but got lifts in the more difficult and dangerous pieces. The locals all thought they were mad attempting any bicycling!!
They had a good period of acclimatisation in Jerusalem. It was hot - up in the 30s centigrade. Stayed at the Kind David Hotel and visited all the sights. On arrival in Haifa they discovered they were staying in a hotel at the top of Mount Carmel. This is a steep and high mountain which took them quite a while to scale.
The intrepid duo found the roads and traffic in Israel a nightmare. Only dual carriageways and motorways between cities. they bicycled where they could but got lifts in the more difficult and dangerous pieces. The locals all thought they were mad attempting any bicycling!!
They had a good period of acclimatisation in Jerusalem. It was hot - up in the 30s centigrade. Stayed at the Kind David Hotel and visited all the sights. On arrival in Haifa they discovered they were staying in a hotel at the top of Mount Carmel. This is a steep and high mountain which took them quite a while to scale.
Tuesday 2 June 2009
Landed in Jerusalem
Gerard and Edith arrived in Jerusalem on Monday 1st June. They had a problem at Heathrow as they had to unpack their bicycle which had been carefully wrapped up for the journey as it would not go through the security scanner - a real bore!
They arrived in their hotel and found it ghastly! They luckily found a room opposite in the lovely old King David Hotel next to the Old City. They are now acclimatising ready for the journey which they start in one week's time. The temperature is very hot - 32-33 centigrade.
It is many years since they visited Jerusalem. They have found it has grown enormously with all the building work done in the last 20 years.
They arrived in their hotel and found it ghastly! They luckily found a room opposite in the lovely old King David Hotel next to the Old City. They are now acclimatising ready for the journey which they start in one week's time. The temperature is very hot - 32-33 centigrade.
It is many years since they visited Jerusalem. They have found it has grown enormously with all the building work done in the last 20 years.
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