The First Week’s From the Saddle Report

It’s been truly an usual week for us. Packing the apartment in Bangkok, taking the flights to Rome and riding the bike from Castiglione della Pescaia in Toscany and then heading northeast to Venice, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Turkey. We’ve made a lot of adjustments to life on the road and had quite a bit of administration to take care of. But we have also seen and experienced a lot, including the heat of the highway at 40 degrees. Here comes our weekly report. 

30 July: Castiglione Della Pescaia to Firenze, Toscany, Italy 165 km

The departure for the RTW was not without its tangles. First, in transiting through Doha, I nearly missed my plane. A seasoned traveller, in my fatigue, I waited at the wrong gate. The lounge staff had pointed me to the very end of the airport. Once the loudspeaker began screaming my name and the new gate number, I woke up.  The land-side staff urged me on: “Run Lady, you are the one who will miss the flight tonight,” they yelled after me. With my lead-heavy bike-riding boots, I clumbered to the diametrically opposite side of the huge Hamad airport and got to the bay just when the last passengers were getting inot the bus. And made it. 

The second challenge, how crazy but true! Paolo had ‘lost’ 😡the key to the motorbike. Accidentally, of course, he had left it in the lock of the pannier, when starting up the bike, not being used not having to use the key, but simply pressing its start button. On his ride to make the night’s dinner reservation at the Sotto Castagne in Tirli, a hilltop-town in Castiglione della Pescaia, the key had fallen off, the theory goes. The restaurant really is called La Baracchino. Paolo’s now late brother Giuliano had always affectionately called it Il Sotto Castagne to make reference to the huge Castagne trees that towered over the rudimentary tables. The food was always phenomenal. Chiannina and Chingiale at their best. But imagine also that at the BMW, for a 30,000 Euro vehicle, they give you just one single key. It looks like one of those you would use for the BM car, with a button to pop out the key blade. There also was a very small key that works as a back up in serious distress situations. You place the spare key underneath the chassis below the seat to a sensor and start the bike from its start button. It’s certainly not the most elegant move, when you start squatting under your bike to find the sensor. Anyway, we went up and down the Tirli road from Castiglione to look for the original key, but could not find it. Suppose it might have fallen onto the pavement and bounced like a meter to the road shoulder, fallen under the leaves or rolled down the steep side into the macchia forest, never to be seen again. So, we were without the bike key. 

This meant going to the BMW shop in Grosseto to get a new key made somewhere far in Germany, I guess. It would take several days and then would need to be shipped by a willing relative or someone to where we might be by then. I calculated Istanbul. But until then, each time we’d start the bike, it would require the squatting ritual. 

The third challenge came in the form of the luggage story. We got it that we needed to pack lightly. We had already moved from the apartment in Bangkok that was now packed in 354 boxes in the warehouse into the bike’s two side panniers. But, what really is packing lightly? The top bag was reserved for the administration. Bike repair kit. Safety kit. Adaptors and cables of all sorts. Computers and passports. It fills up really quickly. Each of us had one pannier. I was the lucky to have the bigger one, but had to host Paolo’s shoes. The light packing meant 2 polos, 2 shirts, one pair of pants, a dress, scarf and a skirt, shoes, sneakers and sports ware, a long-sleeve sweater, and tooth-paste kit and undies. Not much.. 

Under the beaming Tuscan global warming sun, our frustration levels grew high as we pulled out the ‘unnecessaries’. Second pair of jeans, additional polos, cocktail dress and heels, second computer. Oh no, not that! The Mac had been my best friend for three years straight. Now, it comes to a point when you wake up, there literally is nothing to wear for the day. The frustration levels descended though, once we got onto the S223 and pushed off the highway to the winding Chianti road. Finally, the wind was in our hairs. The scenery flowed. And we were off. Ah, the beauty of motorcycling round the world!

We got to lunch at Pastacesi on the Chianti Wine Road. A good experience. Not the cheapest, but good. But who comes to Italy in August! Everyone knows that the prices are elevated as the crowds thick. After lunch, we managed to find the AirB&B in Firenze and washed up for dinner across Arno at Santino. A small boutique for cold cuts, cheeses and glasses of Franciacorta. Great combination in the Italian summer night. 

1 Aug: Firenze to Venice, Italy 1 August 350km

In the morning of day 2, after shedding some more luggage in Firenze, we posted stuff that could not fit in. We had brunch at an American style bistro also at Arno, where stuffed bagels were served and then walked through the town back to the apartment. Hmm. Oh well.

Wanting Italy in the review mirror, we got going through the Futa Pass in Emilia Romana to Venice via just one mistake. At the toll booth, the toll booth lady was going to fine us while we had made an honest wrong turn. Anyway, we managed through it and arrived in Venice and parked the bike at its designated 4th floor Marco Polo Parking Lot at the Piazzale di Roma. 

The bags were so heavy, even if pruned to the essentials. We found our Vaporetto to to Giudecca and comfortably sloughed in its plastic seats and rode right next to our AirB&B Al Redentore. There, we had to negotiate our stay to the originally reserved room, rather than the one in the basement they wanted to give us. It took a bit of yelling and swearing by Paolo, but we got our windows to the canal. Stunning. 

The house of Marco Polo is every biker’s starting point for a Silk Road odyssey. A kid from a wealthy trading family that spent much of the time in Turkey’s Istanbul trading. Marco was just 16 years, when he hid in a barrel to get to go with his Dad to the next cross-Asia trip. That’s how is all started and that’s how it started for us too. 

Of course, we got lost on the way back from Marco’s house. You really can get a work out in Venice as the small roads just keep going on and on. We finally got to our island and made it only by a hair to a small pizzeria before they closed to avoid the high winds that blew Aqua Alta onto the sidewalk. It actually was cold. 

2 Aug: Venice, Italy to Zagreb, Croatia 374 km

Back to the parking at Piazzale di Roma, the bags were now better sorted as we had made one more trip to the post office. We rolled onto the highway and rode past Trieste in the pleasant sun. After Trieste, green meddowed, winding road led us to an uneventfully passed the welcome sign to Slovenia. Everything seemed a bit Swiss around here. Lunch at a roadside restaurant was Llublianese Wienerschnitchel with cheese. Kind of a Chicken Parmiagana with pork instead. We rolled on and, in just a little bit, crossed into Croatia. Once again, no issues. Not even showing of passports. But the weather got hotter and by the time we cruised into Zabgreb, we were burning hot. The Sundial Hotel is a new comer hotel around 20 minutes West of the city with a Botanik Restaurant and Bar, all very cool, but closes early like everything in Zagreb. We did take the bike for a ride to check out the city lights and found Tkalčićeva Street full of life. The best street in all of Croatia, our friendly waiter exclaimed proudly, when he poured the Black Queen or Medvedgrad Crna Kraljica to Paolo’s glass. 

As I am trying to give you a very candid account of our trip, I have to tell you something. Some of the tour companies, like the one we hired in Iran, ask us to bring cash Euros. That’s understandable. But when trying to get these Euros, for some senility reason, I kept trying my old expired ATM card. We’ll it did not work. We returned to the Sundial under a slight panic. We will fix it was my repeated mantra through the 20 minute ride. By the time we reached the hotel, we saw that the back tire had lost air. At the hotel, I did find my valid ATM card and gave up the retired version.

3 Aug: Zagreb, Croatia to Principovac, Ilok, Croatia 338 km

In the morning, the back tire was totally flat. We had an emergency inflater kit, as one of the many little things that added weight and took space in the panniers. This is an essential piece though but not one to be used for a repair of a flat. We found the best motorbike repair shop not to far and rode to Sasha’s shop. It was loaded with junk. In the garage, Sascha had 6 BMs and KTMs waiting for riders and buyers. He was very familiar with our problem and was going to fix it in 15 minutes by cealed the break made by a 5mm screw. He then rose to his 2 meter height. smiled and told us how his wife had had three of these in her car tire just yesterday. Arnold S. watch out for Croatian competition! Sasha loved Valentino Rossi No 46 so much that his shirt was made to mach his idol. His enthusiasm for bike riding was radiant. Soon he would have a new gleaming workshop and all the junk around you see now will be gone.

At Sascha’s recommendation, we took the Osijek turn and found agrarian roads through villages to Osijek. At the center, there is a brilliant church on a square flanked by a cafe that served us cold beer. The waiter founds us cool travelling through the world on a bike and advised not to miss Pincipovak if we loved wine. So, we adjusted the GPS. 

#Principovak is a vineyard with huge lands and a cute scenic restaurant and rooms. The rooms are all modern and suites. They also come with tennis in the morning. 

4 Aug: Principovak, Ilok, Croatia to Sofia, Bulgaria 510km

Still going from ATM to another, we eventually got to the highway. Wow, it was hot! The mercury hit 40 degrees and we witnessed a burning car with a guy trying to put the fire out with an extinguisher. We rode the whole day. It was a melange of gas station stops and highway. Ultimately, we got to the outskirts of Sofia. Tired from the day’s ride, we selected a hotel in Vitosha at the foot of the mountain. We later learned at dinner that this was a posh part of town and had indeed a pleasurable stay #AllSeasonsHotel. 

5 Aug: Sofia, Bulgaria - Istanbul, Turkey 475 km

In Vitosha, Sofia in Bulgaria breakfast was omelet and banitsa, a Bulgarian typical breakfast dish - a kind of a large flakey pie with spinach and cheese baked into its layers got us started for the day. In the outskirts of Sofia, Vitosha hosts an important UNESCO Heritage site of Boyana Church from the 10th Century. We, though, had to settle for walking around this old Church, since it only opens in the evening. We took photos from the outside, but truly missed seeing the famed Byzantine wall paintings. Instead, we tempted the Vitosha Mountain and admired its huge pines. It was a pretty short walk for us as the ride waited and we were already drench with the heat. 

On the road the heat got us really good, but we made it to Istanbul with around 5 bottles of water and coffees each at each stop. Just once on this dead-straight road (again), someone passed us hair-close so that the bike shook from the stream of air pressed onto us by that passing car. Entry to this 15 million-inhabitant city was surprisingly easy and quickly we also found our Seraglio Hotel ($110 per night with breakkies). We had stayed here around 10 years ago, when we had rented a bike at the airport and toured Western Turkey. Frankly, the years had done a number on the hotel, but the cute Turkish-bath in the room still tickled us. 

Once scrubbed, we headed to dinner. The old town, or Sultanahmed, is a really touristy. Dining room managers hawk visitors into the restaurants by getting you far before and long after you passed the joint. Still, sitting outside listening to the subterfuge rock on pillows with Turkish 'Sauvies' makes a nostalgic evening. 

6 August - Istanbul to Anant Lake in Bolu, Turkey (260km)

The day stated at the Seraglio’s rooftop breakfast restaurant that has a pleasant view to the Blue Mosque. We took photos and enjoyed the Turkish tea. Paolo went to chase the laundry. In fact, I was in my running gear, just because we had nothing clean in the bag. The laundry got done by 11:30 and very soon after, we were Ankara-bound in the Tunnel on Kennedy Kadaci toward Anant Lake near Bolu. The ride was easy on the dead-straight two lane road and the temperature reached 39 degrees Celsius. Fuelled by coffees and water at a gas station - again, we spent another hour and a half on the road and reached our hotel on the Anant Lake road side. 

It was a funny guesthouse with earthy rooms, modernized bathrooms and a fireplace that the reception men said that might need to be turned on tonight as it can get cold. Really? It was hard to imagine as we tried to heal our sunburned legs and arms from the heat of the ride. We got him to go out and pick up two beers and had a meal of lamb and beef with huge juicy tomatoes and yogurt at the spring-side Hitit Restaurant of the Hitit hotel ($88 per night with breakfast). This was our rest day and we are just taking advantage of the cute room and crashing for tomorrow’s adventure. 

The #Hititotel did not have any beers or alcohols, so we asked the hotel reception guy to go out and get us couple of Effeses as the stream-side restaurant was so inviting. Of course we could not drink them at the restaurant, but had nice relaxing time in our wooden cottage-like room. We then got down to the restaurant and had lamb and beef with yogurt and salad. A good spread, topped by Turkish tea. Great meal. We then watched some movie in the room, worked and got to sleep, tired from the long rides. 

Day 7: 7 Aug - Anant Lake, Bolu - Capadoccia, Turkey (495 km)

A long night of sleep. Woke up really early to take a call from work. This will happen ever once a week. Once that was done, breakfast was brilliant spread of some 15 little plates that waiter put on the table in front of us, with Turkish tea, Nescafe and finally some Turkish Coffee. We had olives in several forms, pancakes with strawberry, pastries filled with cheese, eggs, salads with massive steak tomatoes, and string cheese. I am sure I am not catching it all here. But the picture is more than thousand words. Right?

The chatty waiter he told us his, pretty frank, views of the various nationalities that pass by the hotel, some dirtier than the others; he also relayed that a retiree like him gains $250 worth a month from in pension and with that you cannot eat. His wife is from Azerbaijan and so he had been there by his own taxi just a month ago. We were a bit surprised as the land border is supposed to be closed for all, excpt possibly truckers. 

So we saddled up and got onto the road. We took gas once, and at this gas station, they mischarged me someone else's gas. I noticed it and asked them to correct it. A big commotion and, I detected, a clear fatigue with foreigners or possibly with foreign women. Anyway, it got sorted. The culprit came out and admitted the exchange of the pump numbers, to no-ones surprise, to his advantage. Oh well.

We stopped near Ankara at Optimum Mall and found a Columbia store on the third floor, where we got my Iran pants. I do hope baggy black pants will do it there. The ride was hot and the terrain changed to kind of a desert, but there was agriculture everywhere and we passed couple of lakes. At some point really my leg was scorcthing. Was thinking of how the Thai ladies would make it on the bike. In pants its too hot, in shorts you burn. Need to ask when back. 

Finally, the town of Nefsehir led to the cave sites of Capaddocia and without any trouble we found our #SplendidCaveHotel through the cobbled streets by just following the road. Nice reception also offered us a choices of rooms with the difference being the temperature in the room. We chose an upgrade to a suite. 

This ends the first week. I hope you join us in our second week through Turkey and on to Iran. Its been an adventure and I want to tell you all about it. The good, the bad, and the great!!. 

More photos at FB: WheelsontheWorld