The Pillars of Paris

Death

Sex

Protesting

Churches

Bicycle shopping

and Friends



A lot of stairs, a lot of queues............

There is something for everyone in Paris. Just be sure to wear comfortable shoes.


To Benedicte and Robin......thanks for everything

End of an era

In remembrance of my trusty steed

Rosinante (Big Bertha)

sadly stolen in Paris
12 May 2008

.... and bonjour France

This pretty much sums up the first few weeks back on the road after months of sloth and gluttony.

If I thought the Alps was going to be bad......I didn't stop to think what the Alpettes or the Central Massif would be like. In my first 2 days after crossing into France I managed a cumulative altitude gain of 3846m....and my legs were like jelly. When a road cyclist passes me by with a cheery "bonjour" I know I'm in trouble....when an entire team goes past I have definitely chosen the wrong road!

Spring in France has also thrown everything at me, from sun, rain, wind,hail and sleet....usually in some particularly nasty combination.

Making my way up through the center of the country, visiting

the old historic places along the way. There is pigeon poo in these towns that is older than Australia's oldest buildings....it still takes some getting used to!

If I thought the cycling in Italy and France has been pedestrian.....I am makng up for it with my search for unusual place names. I have been to Die (and survived), had lunch at Mars, talked bollocks in the bar at Craponne.......and still the search is on.

Arrivederci Italia

It is with some sadness I left the land of wine on tap, pizza sold by the meter and ATM's that dispense milk instead of money but spring is in the air and it is time to get on the road again.

Cycled across the top of Italy via Lago de Garda, Breschia and Cuneo before climbing up over the Alps at the Colle della Madellena.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.....more of a long, slow death with 85km of a continuous grind uphill, gaining over 1600m in 7 hours

2007 in hindsight

Christmas in the Costa del Sol

This festive season was spent in Southern Spain alternating up and down the coast between Sebanillas and Gibraltar, enjoying the company of an old friend, the warm sunshine and high density housing.

I arrived with dreams of exotic Spaniards and paella, aquamarine seas and small villages of whitewashed houses clinging tenaciously to seaside cliffs. What I got was quite different.......

My arrival was preceded by a car washed up on the beach complete with dismembered body in the boot (well most of it anyway. I still don't think they have located the missing leg yet!). Santa Claus came early to Sebanillas!

Gibraltar was a step across into another world; a duty-free tax haven separated from the Spanish mainland by the runway of an airport and an arbitrary border where a wave of your passport sufficed. Consisting of little more than a rock with more roads under it than around it and more cats and seagulls than residents, Gibraltar is a portal back to the lost motherland complete with red phone boxes, Bobbies, British pubs and a fish and chip shop for every inhabitant.

Our accomodation ranged from luxurious apartments with sky tv, to small hotel rooms with an excess of bathroom fixtures and balconies barely big enough for a gnat.

My most memorable though was the dusty cupboard in the building site. For all those singletons out there....my friend Dave knows how to show a girl a good time so if you are interested........

Lake Balkash

The road to Lake Balkash via Karaul and Aktogay was rough and it won the dubious award of 'worst road to-date'. I wouldn't recommend it unless you have strong masochistic tendencies.

It did, however, supply me with a few "firsts".

My first flat tyre......

The first time I bottomed out completely and seriously did not enjoy where I was and what I was doing.....

And.....

My first swim in Kazakhstan!










I was given the use of a small shack on the side of the lake so I made the most of it and spent 2 days trying to regain my sanity after the steppes.