Euro trip 2021 - Teaser

Euro trip 2021

    19 países,  +13mil km,  Viagem aos pontos cardeais da Europa continental 

Portugal , Espanha , Italia , Croácia , Bósnia e Herzegovina, Sérvia, Roménia, Moldávia, Ucrânia, Rússia, Finlândia, Noruega, Suécia, Dinamarca, Alemanha, Países Baixos, Bélgica, França

The Aftermath

Or how to pass from this

To this

In 18 days, 8500km, 3570 Euros and most of all a lot of fun.

The initial budget was not respected but it's still reasonable taking into account all the nights we have passed in Hotels.

The biggest expense was the accomodation with almost 1500 euros!!! this is due to not having planned the voyage (but this was intentionnal) and for two times we had to take an higher range Hotel but we also spent a few nights in the tent.

Next category was the fuel with around 840 euros (not far from 470 litres, and an consumption of 5.5 l/km), and this is rather reasonable.

After is the food with 680 euros, this may seem little for two persons but most of the time we bought food at the grocery shops and avoided as much as possible to go to restaurants (still did a couple of restaurants). Food can be rather expensive in the Northern countries, for example we payed over 30 euros for two medium menus at Burger King...

Then comes the ferries and tolls with 330 euros (we did take a lot of ferries in Norway).

At last someother expenses like the entrance at Nordkapp (60 euros for two persons), souvenirs, a memory card to take extra photos (we have over 1600 photos...), chain oil bought in Finland (20 euros) and motor oil bought in middle Norway as the level was getting alarmimgly low (25 euros for 1 liter, bought at a very nice KTM dealer in Levanger - X Moto).

Now for the best and worst....

The most impressive are the landscapes of Finnmark... just amazing. The Norwegian fjords also offer very nice views. The nicest city should be Stockholm,even if it is full with tourists it`s still worth it. Bergen is also very nice.

For the fun moments there are mainly two ones I think of now. The roads in the northern part of Norway (twisty roads with very little traffic...) and the beaches in Denmark, especially the one at the island of Romo, that was a fun afternoon.



The worst souvenirs are certainly Germany. We passed there two times and both times we had rain and most of all the second time the road was full of trucks transporting pigs... what a smell... Another souvenir that is not very nice where the roadworks, and in this category Copenhagen is by far the winner. I know this is temporary but still not a nice souvenir, even if Copenhagen is a very nice town.

And to close:

An image can tell 1000 words, but 1000000 images cannot tell a voyage...

Final stretch...

Last set of pics.
First one on the ferry to Hirtshals.
One from a Carlsberg but very light this time (some seem to say I don't stop drinking beer... wonder why)
At the beach in Denmark.
And last two at home this evening.

On Tuesday we got up early to take the ferry from Kristiansand to Hirtshals. We took the Fjord Cat just for the pleasure to take the actual holder of the Blue ribbon (fastest crossing of the North Atlantic). We had mostly nice weather and ended up the day in a nice island called Romo wich I can only recommend.

Wednesday we passed Germany (not a very nice souvenir as we had traffic jams under heavy rain, not to mention the trucks carrying pigs and their nice odour...). We arrived in Holland in the late afternoon,and we passed the night there.

Today was a cool day as we visited some good old friends in Holland where we passed a very nice afternoon.

Now we are back in Brussels, we took all the luggage out of the bike and for the last time and there is a mixt of "what the hell am I doing here" and "glad this is over". The first expression comes from the mind and the second one from the body...

Sent from my Garmin-Asus phone.

Too late...

Two pictures for today. First one on one of the ferries we took today and second one a well deserved dinner.

We left Bergen early this morning with the hope to take the last ferry from Kristiansand to Hirtshals. This was not counting with the two ferries and heavy traffic on small twisty roads, meaning we arrived too late and have to pass the night here. The Hotel is just next to the ferry quay, so hope we don't miss the first one tomorrow morning.

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To Bergen... or not to Bergen

A set of pictures taken this afternoon in Bergen.

Today we left the nice hut where we passed the night and cruised around the Sognefjord area.

We discovered once again a wonderfull twisty road... what a ride.

We crossed the fjord just after lunch in Lavik and headed to Bergen under heavy rain almost all the road. It was a nice test for the bike and the equipment, no major problems to report on either item.

The plan was to take the ferry to Hirtshals tomorrow but we just discovered it is already full... so tomorrow we will ride to Kriatiansand and take another ferry there. This means another 450km riding...

Sent from my Garmin-Asus phone.

Coming closer to Bergen

First picture taken from the restautant at one end of the famous Atlantic Road. It was the first real meal (not counting Hamburgers as real food) since Stockholm...

Second one from the hotel this morning and last one is the view from our cabin tonight.

Yesterday we entered the western fjords area and had a glimpse at how stonning it can be. The weather got worse as the day gone by and we got rain in the late afternoon. We decided to stop for the day after riding a few kms under the rain, and stayed in a Hotel in Horningdal to discover it is the deepest lake in Europe.

This morning the

weather was much better and we cruised all morning in the Noordfjord region, taking small roads joining fun and nice landscapes. Just a couple of rain periods during the day but never more than 5 minutes (or the time to pass in one of the many tunnels we have passed in).

We arrived at the Sognefjorden where we are sleeping tonight.

Sent from my Garmin-Asus phone.

Coming down to Civilization

Another set of pictures taken last couple of days (yesterday internet was out in the camping).
Firts one is the Hytte where we passed yesterdays night.

After one picture taken during yesterday and last two were taken in the Camping where we planted our tent tonight.

Yesterday we crossed the Artic Polar circle but it felt like it was in the wrong direction... (take me back to those lonely mountain roads)

Today we had joy of highways, heavy traffic, and traffic lights for the first time in one week... there are things you can really live without (but other you will never forget... and I think again on those nordern landscapes...)

Finally we got out of the E39 and took the small roads heading to Sundsvall and it was the decision that changed the day. Again wonderfull landscapes on lonely mountain roads... Surely Norway can surprise you at almost every turn...

Sent from my Garmin-Asus phone.

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Update

A few pictures taken last couple of days.
Testing the two beers which are brewed at the most northern brewry.
Some landscapes seen yesterday and today.
Last picture is the view from our tent this evening.
The landscapes are realy imposing and beautifull...

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Picture of the day...

Well it is more like yesterday but nevertheless all this, for one picture... or maybe one picture that tells a whole story.

Anyway now it's time to head down to civilization again.

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Norway at last

We left Stockholm on friday morning and headed north where the beutifull landscapes started. Lesa and less signs o Man and more wilderness. The highways ended but also the traffic. We spend that night on a camping site in Sikea Hamn just a few meters from the sea and offering a stunning view. Only downside where the mosquitos...

Yesterday we had the first rain since we entered Sweden, but it only lasted 5 minutes. We crossed to Finland in the afternoon and arrived in Norway to pass the night in a cosy Motell. We also encountered wildlife for the first time - reindeer. As we move north the landscapes are getting wilder,and we had the most beautifull landscape untill now in the few km we did in Norway yesterday...
Weather is getting colder now - they say for today between 3 and 11, and on a bike that's cold...
Today's objective is less than 400 km away so we hope we can make it without freezing...

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Norkopping and finally Stockholm

On wednesday we left Copenhagen and headed to Sweden. It was a good day to ride (first one without rain) and we ended up in Norkopping where we tested the camping equipment - not bad.
Yestrday it was a short ride to Stockholm where we spent the afternoon. Very nice city, the nicest so far. We decided to pass the night in a very nice Hostel on a boat - probably one of the last nights on a bed for some time probably.
We are now heading for the north - into the wild... So we don't know when we will have access to internet again to update the logbook

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Copenhagen

A few pictures taken during today. First one arriving in Danmark with the ferry.
We finally arrived in Copenhagen in the afternoon and took an "inexpensive" room in the downton Hostel - well, at least we have a bed, or even two...
Last picture taken in the Hostel "bar" where we tested the local beers.

We had a couple of rain periods but otherwise cloudy weather. Nice to ride a bike as it's not too hot nor too cold.

Today we managed to make a little over 500km what is nice. The Austrian masseuse is not as gentle as she could be but we made a 300km stage with "only" 16 liters of fuel, not bad.

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End of the day

A quick picture taken on the first stop in Germany, when the weather was still nice...
After a lot of rain, 400km and a million bugs killed we have decided to call it a day and pass the night in an Hotel.
The Austrian masseuse is doing well so far, surely not as comfy as a 2 wheel car, but at least you don't forget you are riding a bike. And surely knows how to put a smile on your face.

Sent from my Garmin-Asus phone.