Preface…
First from all I want to thank MotoRiders Club because without this such travel ,it appearres like a dream that is difficult to be true .However nothing finally is not difficult when you do what you want. We began to think where we would like to go, also if it could enter in the days that we had available. Giorgos placed as absolute want that we'll go to Munich and as second want Monaco. I took the map and I began to search roads and places from which we would pass and we would remain the evening . Abut how much kilometres we would make the day I followed the advice of our friend Manolis not over 250-300 km every day.
After a lot of plans and many difficulties that allmost postpone our travel, led with Giorgos to the following way: Ioannina - Igoumenitsa - Venice - Innsbruck - Salzburg - Munich - Zurich - Geneve - Avignon - Marseille - Cannes - Monaco - Genova - Verona - Venice - Igoumenitsa - Ioannina, that we would make it in 16 days.
First plan was not to make any reservation in hotels and find them when we would reach in our each station,whith the fear that some day we could not follow our program.But because of tourist season we fear that we would not find rooms and I began to search in web and finally close all of our overnight stays. This for us I consider that it was good,because we made for the first time such travel in Europe and it was very easy to be carried away from the pictures and to come out of plan , and because we knew from the start the cost of our stay.
Our big joy was that in the travel with the boat, which for the two of us is also something very boaring, we had the company of Kuriakos and Dimitra and when we went also when we turned. We began from Ioannina on 8 August 2008 for our virgin travel in Europe.
The boat with which we travelled it was "Lefka Ori" , ANEK LINES, a boat without to has something you do during the travel. We had no cabin because it wasent available and because the difference in ticket was very big.We only paid 219€ the two persons and the bike with return (85€ the person and 49€ the bike).
The travel last 24 hours and as it is natural somehow that you should accomodate in order to passe the night. Fortunately for us Kuriakos and Dimitra entered from Patra and find some place for us too. The day pass pleasantly discussing . We ate also in the restaurant of the boat, which I must say it was much better than I waited to be,also with very reasonable prices. The evening we blow two plastic layers of the sea and pass the night (i not only pass the night , I slept almost eight hours').
9.8.2008 - the travel begins…
The morning at 8 we reached Venice .We came out , we greeted the children and began for Castelfrango of 50 klm north Venice. From which road we pass I do not know beaucuse we put the GPS and we followed it exactly. In any case the road was beautiful through lived region but also from countryside. The difference in the streets and in the cleanness became perceptibly from the first moment.
First attitude Market 2 ruote where we made a good supply in equipment. After 3 hours with the topcase full, also with 700€ less in our pockets we left for Trins, where I had closed our first overnight stay. The street is very good, with bisector bars in the two currents.
The distance from Castelfranco up to Trins is 270 klm. We followed the SS47 to Trento. We moved in the provincial street, just before Trento we met Laco di Caldonazzo, a lake with organised beach, where we stopped for the first coffee in Italian territory. Continuing our travel up to Trento, we moved to the SS47. Afterwards Trento we followed the [E]45, up to Trins. The landscape began to change, and the plains of the Italian north followed the Alpes. Just before the borders we stoped in petrol stations in order to provided with the vignette, the neceser sticker small paper that gives you the possibility to move in the streets of Austria.
Twenty kilometres after the borders Italy - Austria, we reached Trins. The village is found in the valley. Almost fairytail. We had closed room to the hotel Tirolerhof, for 58 Euros the night whith breakfast. The hotel built according to the architecture of region and the householder gave his personal garage to us so we can put our bike inside.
After we left our bagage in the room we went down and take a walk in the village. Also it was only 8 o'clock there was no people walking at the street. After a little walk at the streets of the village, and admired the graphic lodges and the landscape, we led to a traditional tavern, where we enjoyed local dishes . As it was night we returned in the hotel.
Next day the morning view that we saw was amazing, while the sun began to rice over the valley. After breakfast we thanked and greeted the hospitable Austrians and began the travel to Innsbruck.