DAY FOURTEEN… 61.5 miles (98 km)

I had pepper spray in my trouser pocket as we cycled up past the place where the dogs had been. But thank God no dogs in sight after we got out of the commune area.

Flat ride across a rural landscape with fields of maize, flocks of sheep and lots of Romany folk on their horses and carts. The roads are quiet and the wind against us, making the 61 mile ride, somewhat arduous.

Bringing in the maize animal fodder. Nothing wasted.
Life on the road
The Danube Plain stretches on & on. No shelter from the wind.

At lunch time we stopped to spread out our tent and groundsheet. A very old man came out of his house and walked to an old well to have a drink. He then became fascinated by us and tried to run off with our ground sheet, so I had to wrench it out of his hands. A bit of a déjà vue with the mad woman episode earlier in our travels. He then came and sat next to us and started licking his lips and staring at me. He seemed intent on taking more of our stuff, so we had to guard it whilst putting the tent away on the other side of the road.

Who’s inspecting who ?
Where else would one walk one’s geese

Campsite at Zaval had small huts which we declined as it was so hot inside them. We were the only ones on the site along with a pack of dogs. Romany folk kept careering across the land next to us in total darkness on their horses and carts. Made me feel a very visible target with my torch on.  Although the owner of the site said he was coming back , he never did, so we were alone apart from a young couple arriving at 12.30am and leaving at dawn, after a night of bliss maybe? The dogs here are starving. We gave them milk and bread and two dog biscuits.

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