Oh what a feeling! For the first time for more than 4 years I am finally on the road again. And when putting the side cases I already had for Africa on the bike I already know there will be more traveling coming soon. For now I have only a week because I got the final shiatsu exam in a few weeks. Which means… I will have time for traveling again . On the first day I visit my mother to say good bye and then, heading south, I do to shiatsus and spend the night in Pinkafeld, having done some km giving me a good start next morning.

I get up early and leave a little past 7 am. I get petrol in Graz and cross the border 20 minutes later on june 7. No problem, no corona issues at all. They check the passport and I hit the road. Slovenia passes quickly and around 10:30 I leave the motorway in Karlowac in Slovenia heading direction plitvicer lakes as I remember the nice roads there. And I am not disappointed! When I stop at a roadside restaurant to enjoy lunch I meet some fellow bikers and they advice me to put duct tape on my number plate as this is way cheaper than the radar boxes which in the first moment seem to be everywhere. But soon I recognize: no houses, no radar boxes and no speed control. I even pass the police several times around plitvicer lakes but never too fast as they are pretty obvious in areas aound settlement and hotels only. And half of the schools are guarded by radar boxes. I like this approach and have a lot of fun riding all day.

I totally underestimated the distance though and miss the ferry I had planned to take to Hvar Island. I ride like crazy along the coast to get the ferry at 20:30 and make it just in time to find out – no 20:30 ferry today. Never mind, I enjoy the sunset and meet Admir and his friend who made the same mistake. Admir is an old hippie soul – he looks at me and calls ME a hippie… even though I am incognito in motorcycle dress…. I smell und my arm and ask him if I smell bad to answer his question. We have a good laugh and we exchange phone numbers when we cross over to Hvar island. I really like him and hope to see him again in the days to come.

When we arrive at the island its dark already and I quickly ride through pitch black night to the apartment I booked for another half an hour. My hosts are still up waiting for me when I finally arrive at 23:30…. It’s a wonderful amazing place with overwhelming hospitality. 20 minutes later I am happily sitting on the balcony taking the first photos and having chai being curious what this all will look like in the light of the sun. I stay some more hours at the balcony enjoying the moon light and listening to the birds who keep singing all through the night. What a beautiful place I have chosen!

Next day morning the plan is to go to the bank and change some money. 20km ride to Jelsa which proves to be the next town…. and…. WHAT A RIDE! Definitely one of the most beautiful roads I’ve ever seen! Freshly paved wonderful curves passing through olive fields in an amazing island landscape…. And there is nearly no traffic at all! I feel in love!

Jelsa seems to be a little in between cote d’azur and ballermann but without any tourist! Even though the lock down is long ago and the borders are open it’s extremely empty. I love it! I wouldn’t want to experience this amazing little harbor town crowded with drunk and rich tourists. I enjoy amazing breakfast in one of the restaurants: “What? You want breakfast? But its 1pm”, the waiter seems to be confused while I recognize the 5 tourists I see drinking beer already.

When I come back to my place I sit a little at the sea and then go to the room for taking a nap. In the evening I have another meeting with my beloved road before I go to one of the restaurants around. Closed. Even though google says its open. Try another one. Also closed… After riding from one place to another for an hour I give up and luckily the staff at my places is amazingly kind sharing their food with me. “Corona…”, they say.

trying to catch a not existing ferry including beautiful sunset at the harbour:

The road I love part 1

The road I love part 2

leaving Austria 1

leaving Austria 2

moon

balcony at night

Jelsa breakfast