Today I had booked an appointment with doktor24 to upgrade my vaccination protection. Two new injections,Typhoid, Rubella and Measles and a package for oral intake, suspension and carbonated powder against kolera, Dukoral were the results from the vaccination nurse.
Five weeks from now second intake of Dukoral is nesecerry and then I’m protected against almost everything! but it coast me 172$
Today, september 25, and the rain is drizzling down. Most of the time is preparing with all the bags and stuff, also packing up all my belongings and preparing to store these with my friendly neighbor who has prepared a large room for me.
I also prepare my body, legs, fitness, endurance at Studio To Be, a gym and fittness in central Örnsköldsvik. +Four times a week, I sweat, groan, and find the energy to push myself even harder, thanks to my great workout buddies, but especially because of dedicated, motivating, and positive leaders.
The Joint
WOW – workout of the week, Spinning, Treadmill, Skitraning machine
The Cave
Boxing, Row machine, Skitraining maschine
The Top
Gym ands Strength Training
After three nights at a hostel Los Cormoranes in Ushuaia I headning north.
My first 1400 km through Patagonien
For the first 1400 kilometers, I will cross the border between Argentina and Chile four times. I will leave Argentina for good once I pass Villa O’Higgins.
Örnsköldsvik, Sweden
September 16 2023
My second leg of the journey around cycling starts on November 12th from Arlanda, Sweden. After two layovers, in Ankara and Buenos Aires, I will land in the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, in Tierra del Fuego. This flight takes two days
My flight from Arlanda Sweden to Istanbul – Buenosa Aires aand final destinatioin Ushuaia, Argentina
June 12
The flat roads I had previous days is now histori. Now the climbs begin and the weather still hot .Some shorts break for water refilling and picking cherries .Lot of crops with those berries after the road.
Wild cherries or sweet cherries grew along the roads and were welcome to pick.
Later in the afternoon, I arrived in a small village, Villes-sur-Auzon, but it seemed deserted—no shops or cafés were open.
Maybe everyone was just indoors having dinner. On my way out, I stopped when I saw a water pump by the roadside.
I felt like I needed to cool down.
Cooling – Nice
Real nice and and very necessary. From now upwards, 11 km has my GPS calculated with to my tentplace.
Before I got there some friendly Frenchmen stopped me and offered me some bottles of beer, and I didn’t deny them.
Half way up to Les Abielles two friendy french guys stoped me and offered me some beer
After this nice meeting and break I was ready for may last struggle this afternoon. At the top this climbing an old church with perfect green spot close to beome my tentplace… Notre Dame de la Consolation was the name of this church.
This day stoped at Les Abielles and Notre Dame de la Consolation chapelle
Tomorrow more climbing up to Sault and then I’ve planned to reach Châteauneuf-de-Chabre!
| Today distance | 83,74 km | Travel time | 06:15 h.m | Total time | 12:35 h.m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max speed | 33,8 km/h | Medium speed | 13,4 km/h | ||
| Max temp | 48 °C | Average temp | 24,0 °C | Min temp | 11 °C |
See Yeah later
The Global Cyclist
From Beziers I follow the Canal du Midi and it was a nice surprise. The Canal also named as Canal de las Doas Mars, meaning a canal of the two seas, is a 240 km (150 mi) long canal in Southern France
Locks at Bezier
Ther canal is quite old, around mid or 1780.After the canal lie lots of small boats by the river bank, some of them for tourists but also home for others.
Lots of boats lies by the riverbank
French tourist and bicycle authorities have really done a really good job which continued to maintain the canal and also provide the canalroute with a
cycle path 🫶💓👍
This Canal has sections, parts so beautiful so I had to stop, just breading the atmosphere…
The cyclepath is mostly packed with gravel either or paved, but some parts are very tight and on some short lines it growing back…
June 7
I slept well despite a cold night. Outside half clody but I suppose the clouds will disperse in a few hours once the sun had a chance to work a bit. To Mont Louise isn’t far, just 45 minutes cycling and I will stop there for a breakfast
Switchbacks from Mount-Louise
I’m glad it downwards ad not the opposit because it’s not going to be flat before I arrives Canaveilles 20 km down. The chilly and cloudy weather has turn into luke warm and sunny.
The ride to Villefranche-de-Conflent was easy as expected. I turned into the town throug a huge and old stone gate. Still to early for most of the tourist.
I bought a beer at a small but exclusively decorated bar and sat down outside.
Stoped in Villefranche-de-Conflent for a cold beer
While I sip my cold beer with reverence, the sparsely populated streets become increasingly filled with tourists. It seems that Villefranche-de-Conflent is a popular village to visit, which also google informed me with…One of the most beautiful villages of France and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but everything here is expensive, also my beer!
After 45 minutes it was time to continue. Weather still sunny and warm but now I got some tailwind so I could speed up a little. I passed many small and cozy villages, some og them lies beautiful along mountain slopes often with a church or a tower standing upp.
Saint-Vincent-d’En-Haut church in EUS
Rest of my cycling to Perpignan was both easy and warm and my legs was still fresch . I arrive into Perpignan around 5 pm.
I stop in the middle of town and after a busy street when I see a sign with the nice name Blues Brothers. Here I have a cup of coffee before I continue out of town towards Narbonne.
My route to Narbonne was planned with Maps.Me but I had some problem to find the cyclepath. I do a few laps around a roundabout before I saw that there is a small gravel road on the right side of a guardrail.
The cyclepath is narrow and with gravel. Some part there has been a stop with the work of the cycle path and it is more similar to a stone–paved path.
Few km later I found a place beside the cyclepath where I could pitch up my tent under a huge tree with gigantic tree crowns. Next to the tent is a large field of vines and I also saw the local wine harvester on the way home.
My tentcamp outside Perpignan
| Today distance | 106,5 km | Travel time | 05:40 h.m | Total time | 10:56 h.m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max speed | 48,1 km/h | Medium speed | 11,8 km/h | ||
| Max temp | 41 °C | Average temp | 21,0 °C | Min temp | 10 °C |
See yeah later
P-G
//The Global Cyclist 1719
June 6
From my tentplace at Cal Rosal to the France border I have to fight 75 km, but first I’ll need to make my way to Berga and have a late breakfast there.
6 km and 200 meters altitude difference later I cycle into a very steep town.
Berga town
It is small ,but at the moment it seems to be lively visited by tourists. I found a cafe uptown which also has tables across the street after a boardwalk. I bring my food bag with me and pick up bread, yogurt, cheese and ham.
While eating my breakfast I also check out the route to the French border andPuigcerdà. Over 50 km and 600 meters altitude difference I have to cope with. Gonna be a tough route.
Old houses in Berga
After about 30 km cycling towards the franc border It became a stop after the road. A landslide had caused an accident and the police stopped all traffic.
They urge everyone to take another way but for me as a biker I have to take a bus . I not allowed to cycle through the tunnels, but the busride was of course free of charge.
Lots of beautiful village after the road upp o Puigcereda, this village, with the fitting name ALP.
Two hours later the bus let me of at the train station in Puigcereda. After quick coffe break and a new navigation
check I’m on the bike again.
I did not know they played hockey up here. But a French guy told me that Puigcereda ’s hockey team is in the Spanish league!
Finding the route out of town to the Bourg-Madame, the first village in France. Then a long slope before I get into
Saillagouse. A new coffe break at a roadbar before next climbing up to the top, about 4 km.
In the slope down to the next valley I saw a service place with green spots where I could pitch up my tent.
Coll Rigat, my first tentplace in France
See yea later from France
P-G
//The Global Cyclist 1719
The flight over the Tasman Sea to New Zealand is going well, and we land almost exactly at 11:30 PM local time.
I have some comments about the landing. First, the plane tilts quite a bit, almost as if there was a big bump in the middle of the runway. Then, there’s a sudden stop, causing us to almost hit the seat in front of us. Neither I nor anyone else seems to be hurt
After that, I went through passport control, which is self-manned. A scanner reads the passport, and you’re supposed to be allowed into the arrival hall, but not for me and a few others. We have to take the regular route, because on the plane, we had to fill out a form about what we have in our luggage, where we’ve been, and so on.
The form also asks if you have camping equipment, medications, explosives, weapons, and so on.
I indicated that I have a tent and other camping gear and that my last destination was Borneo, where I also camped. The passport control officer wants to take a look at this form and notices that I marked a few ”yes” boxes.
Then I’m allowed to proceed towards the exit and the next checkpoint.
The next officer also looks at the form and then asks, ”Where is your tent?” I point to my North Face bag, and the officer tells me to follow the red line. There are also yellow and green lines. Now, I’m asked more questions about the tent, and they also want me to produce it.
I hand over my North Face bag to the female passport control officer, she asks me to wait and she walks through a door into an office.
After about 10 minutes, she returns and said…
– We found some ants in your tent, and you have two options. You leave your tent here, and we destroy it for free.
I look at the woman as if she’s joking and said…
– Destroy?
She responds…
– Yes, but your other option is to let us send the tent for cleaning, but that will cost you about 160 NZD.
What do you do?
Starting an argument with these officers is out of the question, so I asked…
– How many days do I have to wait to get it back?
She replies…
– About a week.
I have no choice but to accept their offer, and I provide my address in Christchurch, my phone number, and email address.
She says…
– We’ll send you an email when and where you can pick up your tent.
Sigh, sigh, and more sighs, and now the time it’s almost half past two AM .
I’m tired and realize that my hostel tonight won’t be open when I arrive….
I hade to get out of the terminal with the rest of my bags and try to find a taxi or bus that will take me to the address 373 Gloucester Street.
A Shuffle bus driver is standing outside at the exit and he asked if I attepting to go into the city. I gave him the address to my hostel .
He asks me to put my luggage in a wire cart that was standing right next to him and then he points to a gray Toyota van that was standing in the parking lot.
Shuffel taxi at Christchurch airport
There are three more families going in the same direction and we have to share the space in the bus. The driver then reverses the bus towards the entrance and hooks up a large white fully covered trailer. He counts the bags and then we drive to Christchurch in the dark of night.
After dropping off the other families at various hotels in the city center, we head on traffic and deserted streets towards the Linwood district and Kiwi House Hostel.
A large fence surrounds the hostel but a small gate to the left takes me into another door that has an internal radio next to it.
I press the internal radio, just a lot of beeps and two lights shining right in my face. No answer. I’m thinking about what to do, whether I should stay until they open or leave my luggage and head into the center. I decide that I leave my luggage and head towards the city center to see if anything is open. I leave the luggage in the space between the outer and inner fence.
Before I left, I locked my bags to the fence with the long yellow strap equipped with a combination lock. It took me just over 30 minutes to find my way to the city center, but nothing is open except a hotel with a closed bar.
Before I left, I locked my bags to the fence using the long yellow strap with a combination lock. It took me just over 30 minutes to find my way to the city center, but nothing was open except a hotel with a closed bar.
I was allowed to sit at one of the window tables. The girl at the reception gave me a mug of hot water, and in my backpack, I had a packet of instant coffe so I could stay awake…
Then I slowly walk back to the hostel and just wait. After waiting for about half an hour, the gate door suddenly swings open and a young girl comes out.
She obviously hadn’t expected me to be standing there and lets out a short scream.
We talk for a while and I show her the SMS message I received from the Hostel and explain why I’m standing here with a bike box and six bags.
– If I let you in, I could be fined 500 NZD$ from the host, says the girl.
– Wait here and I’ll go in and talk to someone.
She comes back within five minutes with a face–scarred guy. They let me in and I get help with the packing. I’m now so tired that I feel bad. I drink several cups of coffee while I wait for the staff to show up at 8.
While I’m sitting at one of the wooden tables, more and more people come down to the kitchen to eat breakfast. It is now eight o’clock and the door next to the reception is unlocked. A younger woman already knows that I have booked and says that I can not get a bed until after ten.
She shows me the TV lounge and says than…
– You can sleep at the sofa while we are preparing your bed.
Al–Jazira is the only news program I could find, but I let it allowed to sound in the background while I tryed to fall asleep, which I do eventually.
See yah later
P-G
// TheGlobalCyclist1719
Just before and around the time just before ”take off” to Pontianak, I receive a message from Worldtracer that says…
– CGKGA76435 – Bag01/Red
– Your item has been found and will be received at its destination tomorrow, Pontianak.
That sounds good; I’ll have to return to the airport tomorrow, but I’m glad the bag has been found. I had estimated that the contents were worth around 1700-1800 $ if I had to buy equivalent items.
For the rest of the time until the departure at 15:25 from Gate 16, I’m mostly relaxed at my window seat. The check-in process goes smoothly, and we taxi towards the runway on schedule.
The plane barely takes off before I fall asleep with my headphones on, which I had plugged in to watch TV right in front of me on the seatback.
I wake up about 25 minutes before we’re supposed to land and see that the flight attendants have given me a tray with food and water. I finish the rice and chicken but leave the little container with some sweet pink dessert, dosn’t look tasty!
Pontianak below and Kapuas river floating throug
At 5:05 PM, the plane’s wheels touch down with a slight screech and then a strong but safe braking.
Waiting for Taxi to my hotel
The rest goes quickly with no issues at passport control. The airport isn’t particularly large, similar to Midlanda. The bags, except for the missing North Face bag, come gliding on the conveyor belt at Claim 3, and the bicycle box as well. I then head towards the exit.
Getting a ride to the hotel in Pontianak wasn’t difficult. Taxis are waiting outside the airport, and within three-quarters of an hour after getting my luggage, the taxi drives towards the entrance of Aiyr Pontianak Selatan Imam Bonjo.
The check-in at the hotel Merparti goes quickly since I’ve already booked the room via Hotels.com.
The room is on the third floor, but there’s no elevator, so I get some help carrying all my luggage. They place the bicycle box inside a sort of baggage room at the reception.
The hotel is two-star, but the room is quite decent with two single beds, TV, and air conditioning. Breakfast, included in the price, is served between 06:00 and 09:00.
Tonight, I’ll have an early night as I’m tired. Not much sleep at airport!
I’ll catch up with you later from the lively Pontianak on Borneo.
// P-G The Global Cyclist 1719