MACEDONIA - day 1, take 2 & ENGLAND - day 1, take 2 12th June 2012
Report from the IOM TT as follows:
Some of the closest and safest racing for a long time, sadly 5 visiting motorcyclists died on the open roads, terrible, we abhor it.
I marshall the entire time, on the main at my usual spot at Greeba Castle and also I moonlight two sessions a few miles down the road at Ballig Farm a fast 130mph sweeper, its pretty spectacular to say the least. Again, luckily we have no incidents at all other than an electric bike which comes past on us on fire and which we manage to pull in. Antonio Maeso is keen to get off it and the extinguisher comes into action for the first time I remember.
We manage to get through an adequate amount of liquor and also fit in a trip to the local casino (some TT racer was sat next to me and I got chatting and had to be introduced to as I hadnt recognised him - oops) we fall out of the place at 5am just in time to see the sun coming up.
In addition to the racing, several useful things occurred to me during this time. Firstly, we need to consider perception. Generally my trip causes surprise and some astonishment. To me, it seems quite natural, although I will occassionally question my sanity. I am told yes, people could do this, but who would? I am not certain I have an answer or even if this is the right question. The matter remains, wandering around on a large motorcycle seems quite reasonable. However I must not loose sight of the task in hand, a further dozen countries where my research and language ability will absent.
Further, I recognise how damn tired I have been. Realisation that we have been living on our wits for the past month. The best ingredients for good health (regular cardiac exercise, a good diet and plenty of sleep) have been totally absent, a combination of which is definately unsustainable.
We pine for the freedom of wandering, which provides a huge sense of freedom and some adventure too. It is a very good way to travel in my mind.
I cannot help but think of the possibilities of where and what I may end up getting myself into, it can become foreboding on the one hand whilst completing liberating on the other.
Perhaps not lastly, it has brought about a realisation that this is not the end of the trip it is only just the beginning. With several ideas being hatched for the next and subsequent wanderings, somewhat on a grander scale.
We decided yesterday that we had to visit Romania (so that means Bulgaria too). Being an organised fellow, I have printed half a map of Romania and the motorway network (which we do not want to use) and have a few cities that we should visit, so thats some kind of plan. After this, its north I suppose though I would like to go East to catch up with the pictouresque Croatia and Slovenia, though these may have to wait due a rapidly diminishing timeframe and outgoing cashflow. We can look forward to Germany et al and also the final destination of Scotland, which has been on my list to visit for several years although never finding an excuse to go.
I have my chain & sprocket kit for Georges and hopefully his bill wont be too painful in a day or two, roll on and we can get on the road again and Georges can do his stuff. Of course, I have to finish off these things and say ciao ciao to my Amigos in Macedonia first, its been a good visit, but I can never escape the pull of the road and the journey ahead.
We left Skopje under black skies, returning under a blue one and as promised it was indeed summer when I returned as the low pressure system had moved on. It was coming up to half six in the evening, the temperature was 30+ degrees c. Pleasant if a little too much, good job we are going north (east).
The Mkd motorway now has more tramlines driven into it by the trucks, perhaps the heat has softened the road, they do seem deeper, too deep for a unwary motorcycle at speed. The main road in town has a TV type of cable hanging from a tree into the road, just ripe for catching an unwary motorcyclist. The local road safety message is a little surprising, more dangerous than riding in TT week in the Isle of Man? Good question. Things in Mkd like this are difficult to understand, like the common problem of litter which seems to commonly haunt the rivers. I cant understand it, perhaps there is nowhere to put the rubbish I suggest, but seemingly not its apathy on a almost national scale. The ongoing renovation of my digs is progressing, the exterior has new insulation, plaster and paint. Some landscaping and other touches means I dont quite recognise the place. A friendly bathroom cockroach welcomes me so I feel fine. It really does look a different place.
Its good to meet my amigos again, I am relaxed and happy. We take a Serbian
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called Jelen at a local place down the road, the only public pool for miles. Its my Amigos Sons birthday and Daughter has a new tatoo of a cat, so we cant chuck them in the pool. The
![beer](https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/images/smilies/beer.gif)
is decent, similar to a Cobra, afterwhich we have dinner in a place quaintly named 'new life'. The local type of pizza with pork meat I sample is excellent, mine is a sicilian or 'Chihuahua' as the menu seems to say and which is not half bad either. The mosquito life are fortunately only occassional visitors.
Its quite warm to sleep, though my 5am start to catch the plane helps.