Singapore to Ireland
From Asia to Europe by Motorcycle
The Project
I am riding a motorcycle from Singapore to Ireland in support of the Lotus Children’s Centre in Mongolia.
Read more about the work of Lotus and my route on the About & Donate pages.
You can support the children of Lotus and my ride across Asia and Europe, by making a donation to Lotus Children’s Centre through Virgin Money giving.
Thank you for your support.
26th September 2014 5-15℃ 311km
Iscroni – Vršac (Serbia)
As I left the hotel early, mist covered the hills and road, it was a cool 5℃, and the road wet. I followed the gps, which had me turning down small lanes and through villages where ducks wandered the lanes and the occasional pig appeared confused from the bushes.
The lanes became smaller, and the trail turned to dirt. But no drama, and I powered on. I should have realised the track was degrading, but fell into the common trap, thinking, it’s just a small muddy puddle, the trail will get better around the corner… It was starting to get slippery in the mud, and as I ascended the mountain, the trail winding up the hillside, I thought to myself, “if I need to come back down this, it’s going to be one hairy ride….”
Then I reached a steep and completely muddy hill climb, rutted clay all the way up. There were two options, but both looked equally challenging. I didn’t hesitate, and took the right trail. Powering up the hill, wheels in the rut. I made it more than 50% of the way up before the tyres were caked with mud, and with no grip, the rear wheel spinning, I started to slide backward. It was game over.
I deliberately stalled the bike, stopping my slide and took a deep breath. This was going to be tricky and messy to get out of. I restarted the bike and tried to climb again, but there was no chance of ascending any further. The rear wheel just spinning madly, and I was getting covered in mud.
I decided to try and back out. Turning around was impossible without laying the bike down. And once down in this mud, there was little chance I’d ever pick it up again. I started slowly walking the bike backwards down the hill, using the clutch to moderate and stop occasionally for a breather. It took about 10 minutes to get back down to a point where I could turn around.
Then I had to ride back down the very section I’d dreaded earlier… Slippery as a greased piglet, I worked hard to stay upright, sliding down the hill.
Finally I reached level ground and retraced my path back to the town, where I found a proper road, a longer route, but ridable in this rain.
I passed many old churches in each village, amazing old buildings. Finally reaching the border as a huge rainstorm passed through.
With border formalities completed, I was now in Serbia.
Serbia is much more developed and wealthy than its Romanian neighbour, even in the farming villages, that is evident with the cars and farm machinery. In the town of Vršac, I found a very nice little apartment for rent, where I could park in the courtyard. The owner welcoming me with a glass of palinka, after a long day without a meal, it went straight to my head. I took a walk around town, located a brilliant Serbian restaurant in the suburbs and feasted on roast pork and a few glasses of local red wine, before walking back to the apartment to crash out.
25th September 2014 1-15℃ 318km
Transfagarasan – Iscroni
I started out on the Transfagarasan early, the temperature was just 2℃ when I left the hotel, but the newly installed Russian ballast for the HID headlight worked, and fired up first go, despite the cold temperature. I probably should have fixed that months ago.
I crossed the huge dam wall, and weaved through the valley, trying to get some warmth and grip into the tyres before the mountain ascent.
Climbing up the pass, the view was brilliant and I stopped often to enjoy the view and snap photos. A short rest at the top, before I decided to ride back down the south side of the mountain again, just for fun, before returning to the peak, more photos, then descending the magnificent curves down the mountain.
I had to take a bit of care, as there was ice on the road, making it a little treacherous.
I really enjoyed the fast lower sections of the road, where the camber was perfect and I could really open the throttle.
I’d heard from a couple of Slovakian riders, that the Transalpina was just as good a road as the Transfagarasan, so I created a loop, and rode that also. In fact, in some ways it was a more enjoyable ride, long fast corners linked together through the forests. There were a few sections of dirt, which discouraged the sportsbike crew from exploring this magnificent road.
On reaching Iscroni, I struggled to find a suitable hotel, they were all charging way, way too much. I rode out of town and finally spotted a basic hotel in the forest that had just been renovated. The smell of fresh paint was less than appealing, but the price was right and it was spotlessly clean. It’s one major failing was that they had forgotten to put the light globes back in after the reno. After I explained this (by charades) to the front desk, a single globe was found and installed in one of the light fittings, giving just enough light to illuminate half the room. It was satisfactory though, and after dinner in the restaurant (crappy) I headed to bed.
24th September 2014 9-21℃ 339km
Veliko Tarnovo – Transfagarasan (Romania)
I woke to a beautifully clear morning, not a cloud in the sky following yesterdays downpour, so I quickly packed the bike and headed north to the Romanian border, where the Danube separates Bulgaria & Romania.
On reaching the border, the Bulgarian border police officer immediately said to me “I know you. I saw you two days ago” I thought I had done something wrong again, and was about to find out I had run from a cop accidentally or something stupid. I gave him a blank look, and he said “Yes, I know you. I saw you two days ago at Buzludzha mountain. We were on quad bikes!” It was then I recalled seeing these guys riding at the mountain at the same time I was there. He called one of the other cops over, and told him also that they had seen me a few days earlier. We all shook hands, and my passport was stamped and I was on my way again.
The next hour was spent riding along country roads and through small Romanian villages. The economic difference between Bulgaria and Romania was very evident, with most people getting around either on foot or by horse and cart. (or donkey)
The little villages were very picturesque, alot of the homes had a small bench built along the front fence and often the residents would just be sitting there chatting and watching the townsfolk go by.
I stopped to take a photo of an Orthodox church, and was just getting back on the bike when I saw a man crossing the road, moving towards me very quickly. In his right hand he had a large meat cleaver raised in the air, and it was clear he was swinging it for me. The look in his eyes was terrifying, he was viciously angry and appeared determined to kill me. I’d never had someone look at me in that way. It was frightening. I revved the bike and dumped the clutch, escaping with my heart racing, and narrowly missing him. I have no idea why he was so violently angry, but fortunately all ended ok, and five minutes later I was passing children in the street who were waving and happy, as the adrenaline pumping through my system subsided.
I reached the start of the Transfagarasan Highway, and parked at a hotel nestled in the valley by the river. There was a castle on a steep peak nearby, and after a climb of 1480 steps, I reached the top and the view around. The castle was used by Vlad the Impaler, as a secure base. Vlad was known for impaling his enemies on wooden stakes, in such a way that they would not immediately die, but suffer for upto 48 hours. Nice people in Romania.
I climbed back down the 1480 steps and set to work fixing the headlight ballast that has been malfunctioning in cold weather for the last few months, replacing it with a Russian model that should be well equipped for cold. It is 8’C this evening and expected to reach zero overnight.
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