Negotin, last stop in Serbia

Due to different speeds, Nadine suggests that we travel separately to our next destination, Negotin. Not a bad idea and we meet late in the evening on the main square.
We find a relatively quiet spot just outside town, where we can for the night.

Somewhere near Klodovo

 Opting for the long Euroroute 6, which winds a long curve north and then south again, we see some spectacular views of the Danube. From its widest point of approximately 5 km to it's narrowest, a few hundred metres across, with breath taking cliffs on both sides. Of course this means a bit of hill climbing, but nothing too severe and the views make it all worth while. There is little traffic on the
these roads, which make it more enjoyable and safer. We have seen only three other bike tourers in Hungary and Serbia... eastern Serbia is really beautiful and I recommend it to everyone.
We wild camp with the hydroelectric dam spanning the Danube in the background. It proves to be quite windy by the river and sleep it's difficult.
We are greeted in the morning by residents of the village bearing gifts; fruit, sweets and offering to refill our water bottles. Instead of being sceptical of their new residents, they are curious about our journey and try to help us along our way.

Somewhere near Golubac

After a hard previous day, we set off in the afternoon to avoid the harsh midday sun. It is in the mid-thirties which means that it's best to cycle early mornings (not possible usually when you Couchsurf) and in the evening time.
We settle into a slower pace and achieve fewer kilometres than expected, but what's the rush? We will be camping this evening, so we can cycle late into the evening.
We camp in an official camping site (this is most unusual for me) and watch the sun set over the Danube. Next morning our neighbours in a camper van offer us coffee and try to communicate the destructive nature of Europe and the  United States using gesticulations, names (eg Noam Chomsky) and a limited English/German vocabulary.

Pozarevac

What should have been a nice introductory ride for Nadine, turns out to be much longer and more uncomfortable than expected. By choosing the official Euroroute 6 path, we spend approximately 30km on dusty, rocky paths and another 80km on better roads. Not only that, but it rains most of the day, which although not pleasant, is easier than riding when it is 35C. It's the first rainy day this whole trip. Nadine also gets her first puncture.
Aleksandra and her boyfriend are hosts for the evening. They live in a wonderful apartment, self-decorated with their artwork; tattoo designs, paintings, wooden floors and dog beds (even though they only have one cute dog). They dream of living in another country, where they feel the system would be less corrupt and reward their efforts. This previously industrial town seems like a strange place to find these two alternative, open-minded and curious people.

Belgrade

Maya lives in New Belgrade and I head directly there. First impressions f Belgrade are not favorable; lots of traffic, anonymous Soviet-styled tower apartments, little greenery.
However, Maya and her fiancé are perfectly charming and welcoming from the start. I try some 10 year old rakeya (schnapps) and talk about their honeymoon plans to see practically all of Europe within one month.
Next day they are engaged hand delivering their wedding invitations to some close friends and family. This leaves me free to explore the city. I find my way eventually to Old Belgrade, a place even less suitable for cyclists, and cycle about the city for the day.
Nadine has travelled from Berlin by train and bus to arrive in Belgrade this evening. Our plan is to cycle to Bulgaria and spend one week climbing in Vratsa, 100km north of Sofia. We check out the fortress in Belgrade before heading back to New Belgrade.

Novi Sad

Eurovelo 6 seems to avoid Serbia as much as possible, forcing it's participants to use Croatia instead of north-western Serbia. Inevitably, as the Danube does in fact cross Serbia for many hundreds of kilometres, it does bring it's users to the city of Novi Sad, the second biggest city in Serbia. The reason it probably sounds familiar is that a huge music festival, Exit, happens here each year.
My couchsurfing host for the evening is Jelena. She works now in Stuttgart for half the year, as the salaries in Serbia are so low. The average well-paid job is approximately 300€ net a month. Considering that the cost of groceries is a little bit more expensive than in Germany, this situation it's hard to imagine and offers few luxuries. It also makes it very expensive to travel anywhere. It's a form of economic restriction to travel, as accommodation and travel costs are prohibitively expensive.
Later that evening we meet up with some of her friends who are learning Norwegian so that they can move to Norway in the coming years. It seems like emigrating is the only way for many people to go economic freedom in this country. As Serbia is not in the EU, this is a long and complicated process.

Sombor, yoga retreat in Serbia

The journey to Sombor is uneventful, except for the exciting border crossing, which out not to be that editing at all - no queue, no questions, just a quick look at my passport.
Fearing the reports I heard in Hungary, I get ready for the "terrible roads" of Serbia. It to out that I actually prefer riding in Serbia than Hungary, as there is very little traffic and bicycles are allowed on practically all roads.
In Sombor I meet Slavica, who lives in and runs a yoga centre. There is a beautiful garden maintained by Dustin, somewhat of a celebrity in the Serbian yoga scene. He quips "and now it's time to transform from gardener to yoga guru".  This he manages even quicker than Clark Kent changing into superman. The atmosphere is very relaxing and I am invited to join the yoga classes each morning. The yoga classes are attended by mostly older ladies, some with injuries or some physical impairment. This is in stark contrast to the typical yoga class in Berlin and adds a different, more restorative, feeling in the class. There is also a lot more familiarity and familial ambiance. Jelena is here on a week's retreat and we talk about the unfairness of life in Serbia and her plans to work in Germany. Although she works very long hours as a nurse (60-70 hours/week), she lives with her mother as rent in Novi Sad cost her more than half her salary. This also necessitates that she spends more than an hour and a half commuting to and from her hospital.
The city is very polished and has good cycle paths. Slavica brings us to her favourite art gallery and then to for drinks on the canal. Although in her sixties, she is brimming with artistic ideas, new social initiatives and is next month going to Indonesia for a year to work as a volunteer.

Baja, last stop in Hungary

One of the weirdest and bizarre cycling days ever. Trying to get to the "right" side of the Danube, that is to join up once more with Euroroute 6, proves strenuous thanks to a bridge that only allows motorised vehicles across it. Not knowing this and attempting to somehow safely cross it, leaves me in a field overlooking a small cliff, looking for a way down. I decide to double back, a feat made difficult by the combination of steep gradient and heavily-laden bike. Eureka! Remove bags and bike becomes lighter. In my haste, I fail to take in the fact that my bags roll on such a gradient, leading to one bag rolling to the bottom of a cliff, directly under the bridge. I spend the night hour finding a safe way down, using back roads, a dry river bed and finally through dense forest. All this and it's not even 9:30 in the morning.
It's a scorching day, so once safely located on the "cycle-friendly" side, I take a long lunch under some trees.
The rest of the day I ride on main roads, where bicycles are allowed, instead of the meandering Euroroute 6. I don't have the energy to get lost again and just email want to reach Baja.
Klara is an English teacher in Baja and has prepared a huge meal for me which we eat outside with her family. I stay in my own large private apartment, which she usually rents out to visitors. She had such a great time in Dublin last year, that she can't stop herself from praising everything about the Irish hospitality she was shown when she was there.
I spend the evening walking about the town with her daughter.

Recalmas, the wrong side of the river

There are few bridges, or even river boats, south of budapest. This causes me a dilemma, one that gets more annoying as the day progresses. By not following the designated Euroroute 6, I am meet with sign after sign specifically prohibiting bicycles, horse carts and tractors. I simply have no choice but to turn around our take a major detour, probably doubling the distance; all side roads lead to dead ends.
It being a Sunday means that the traffic is not heavy and it is, by far, not the most dangerous road I have cycled, just annoying to be reminded by the signs that I could be pulled over at any time.
Szilvia lives with her two large dogs and cat in Recalmas, a small village on the west of the Danube. She invites me out for pizza and later we take the dogs for a walk and swim.

Bu-da-pest, Bu-da-pest, best of the best

This stretch of Euroroute 6, was fabulous in places, winding along the banks of the Danube, through forest paths and across streams. In other places, it zigzagged erratically through towns, in an effort to keep you away from traffic. Well intentioned, but difficult to follow and adding probably 50% on to the distance to be covered.
I have heard a lot of good things about Budapest and decide to spend two nights here with Sofia, a be inhabitant of this city all the way from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She cooks me a delicious meal of risotto and spinach pie, but claims that her empanadas are even better. As she lives near the city centre we spend the day and evening walking the city. It's a very beautiful city, with magnificent buildings and, thankfully, not the throngs of tourists of a city like Vienna. There is plenty to do at night, both alternative and sophisticated bars, with many young people enjoying the cheap beer well into the early hours.