Day Thirty-Seven

18/06/25 - Day Thirty-Seven

Tiring day today but another 60+ miles in the bag. My bike gps ran out of charge so it might have been more like 65 miles. Started the day fairly leisurely taking time to cook some porridge and charge my power bank in the sun. I didn’t sleep well, taking ages to get to sleep due to the nearby road and every so often shocked into full alertness by the train horn. They must have to always use it in that one spot for whatever reason, very jarring, don’t they know I’m trying to sleep here! 

Set off excited to get some more miles under my belt and take the afternoon off in Budapest! It was almost like someone had cursed me, as soon after my first break I caught a flat. Again on the inside of the tube. Surely it couldn’t be the rim tape issue like before, I had a new wheel after all. After a quick google it must have been caused this time by pinching when using the tyre levers. With this new wheel the tyre was almost impossible to get off and back on - for me atleast! Setting off again, I was quite happy with how quickly I had resolved the issue and was very glad to be on the move. Of course this was just too good to be true. I it wasn’t long before I caught another flat. I must have pinched the tube when I used the the levers to put the tyre back on. It gets worse too! I now couldn’t even get the tyre off, my levers weren't strong enough and had bent, rendering them useless. I sat trying over and over. 

Just when I had almost given up hope a passing biker asked if I needed help. I explained the issue and he set about trying his best too, but to no avail. I was back on walking duty - only 3 miles this time. I was halfway there when I was again stopped and asked if I needed help. Zsolt happened to live literally just round the corner, no more than 50 metres away! My luck had turned. He had some wayyyyy better tyre levers than mine and soon helped me whip off the tyre. He then showed me up big time popping the tyre back on with his bare hands: it wasn’t impossible after all! We chatted for a while after this about the Ukraine war and the state of Hungarian politics and politics in general, as well as touring of course. After snapping a quick picture of him I went on my way again, making straight for the bike shop to get some new levers. 

This whole fiasco meant I didn’t have as long to see Budapest. Just as well because I didn’t have the energy for it anyway and was content to take in the views of it from the far bank of the Danube. I them deliberated whether I should stay a night here instead, but wanting to tighten the purse strings I made the call to carry on. Besides, Belgrade would no doubt be expensive enough! Now with thoughts of seeing Jakob in Belgrade spurring me on, I peddled contently into the sunset. 

 

Old or current prison?

 

 

 

 

 

The fellas getting after it

 

Hungarian Parliament!

 

Not a bad spot to scran and take in the city in peace

 

 

 

 

 

Mosaic style roof

 

The one graffiti to rule them all...

 

 

 

Need I comment!

 

 

 

Yummy

 

  

 

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