CAPE TO CAIRO 2022

Thursday, August 24, 2023

USA to ISTANBUL to BULGARIA DAY 245-248

Flew out of Bozeman to Chiczmówago 2.5 hrs, with a 2 hour layover then onto Frankfurt 8hrs and a 3 hr layover then to Istanbul 2.5hr flight.

Arrivedat1pm and got a taxi to where my bike is stored and then went to Windrose Hostel again and got a room. Not having slept for over 28hrs I nodded off only to wake up to a thunderous wedding taking place on the street below, they love load music, but it was great being able to watch the fanfare.

Went to Tazim Square and grabbed a bite to eat and went back to my room and had the best nights sleep, so nice not having someone kick you all night and bark "Roll over" all the time.

TURKIYE TO BULGARIA 11 hrs.

21st August 2023 Day 587km

First day back in the saddle was a lot longer and hoarder than I had hoped, even hours and the heat is uncomfortable at 38*C.

Had to pay $40 at the customs cause my bike was 16 days overdue in Turkiye and then $50 for a greencard insurance for 3 months in the EU.

Was a long ride and my ass was was aching and had'nt eaten all day and didn't get any money from the ATM which was another dumb choice. Arrived at the Moto Camp Bulgare at 6:30pm only to find out they don't serve meals or take credit cards. Mike and Maureen felt my pain and made me a sausage burger which hit the spot washed down by a few beers to fill the hole. After picking up 18 pounds while in the US ,it was time to get back to weight and reality while travelling. Eat so well while in the US obviously, but over did it again and I love to eat and wherever we went the food was so good and Charmain cooked some great meals, well so did I, but not to often. Now it's back to foraging for food and finding places to stay everynight, so nice to have one bed to go to and you know exactly where the toilet is in the middle of the night. Now I wake up and have no clue where I am sometimes , let alone know which direction the bathroom is.

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22nd August 2023

BUZLADZHA MONUMENT AND RUSSIAN CHURCH

Met a couple people at the camp and chatted to midnight and slept like a log and only woke up at 8am feeling so good when you have a solid sleep.

I went up to the UFO ,Buzladzha Monument with a Belgian couple and then visited a Russian church with a Bulgarian biker who we met and offered to show us around. I had'nt eaten anything all day and still had'nt gone to an ATM so at the end of the day we went and had dinner and beer finally, at his friends restaurant which was close to camp.

Sunday, August 20, 2023

TO USA DAY 184 to 245 BOZEMAN - COLUMBIA FALLS - HAWAII. June 14th to August 19th 2023.

We had to go to the US for Brandon's wedding in July, so we went two weeks earlier as he wanted me to build some portable high end mobile toilets.

Got straight to work building the toilets on my own. Went up to CFalls to see Karen and Pierson and Bramdon came up with a trailer and we filled it with all the exterior wood needed to side and trim out the toilets, all Cedar siding and shakes a small and 2x10 trim boards and tools and hardware out of my inventory, pays to be a hoarder eventually. All the materials were at least 20 years and maybe even older, about $6K worth.

I spent the entire time building until the wedding on the 8th July and Justin and Jin Ju and my brother came so was able to get a few days off. Was great having all the family and we did some sightseeing , Yellowstone and Beartooth Highway and around Bozeman.

The wedding was a gret success, held up in theboonies on a farm and Pierson, Karen and Fred came up and so did my old neighbor now 86 Bob and Elaine came to celebrate. All went well except for the Tesla on the dirt roads, fun was had by all.

By midweek everyone had departed and I plugged away at the toilets, slow but consistent. I wasn't aware I had to complete them on my own, I could have rough framed a 1400 sq.ft. house in the same time, yes I know because I have.

Bob and Justin.

When Brandon and Jess got back from honeymoon we went Teo visit another old friend Jerry, who just clocked 80 but still as strong as an ox and without the Elephants memory. Spent 16 days on Kauai and had a most enjoyable time plying the beach at sparrow fart every morning in ideal temperatures. Another old friend lives there aswell ,Richard 78 and Darlene and we visited twice so was a busy few weeks.

I was hoping to leave for Turkiye by now but alas the materials were not ready for me, so went back up to visit Piers and Karen again got three days and got a game of pickleball in, haven't lost my touch , never really had any to begin with. They ran me silly around the court for two hours and suffered for days afterwards. Headed back to Bozeman on Friday and Brandon and I jammed on it and got it almost wrapped up as I was leaving on Saturday so only had five days to dial it in ,which I did.