Tag 23: Vardim - Ruse

Today only a short stage of about 85km was planned, I had decided that yesterday evening, as the overnight accommodation options are very limited. After a night of thunderstorms and rain, I was quite happy not to drive too far today. The sleep was not particularly restful.

Shortly after 8 a.m. I was already on my bike, but without a proper breakfast. I only ate a cereal bar (the last one I had from Hungary; here in Bulgaria and Serbia there are no cereal bars. Only chocolate bars) and a banana. On the way I stopped at a bakery, where they sell their goods out of the window, you can't even go into the shop. I've seen this a lot now.

The route was mostly perfectly asphalted today, but only 1.5 lanes wide I would say. But that wasn't a problem as there was hardly any traffic. It went on roads in the hinterland, I only saw the Danube today when I got up at the campsite and when I arrived in Ruse. But there were more meters of elevation to overcome, in total it was 828m according to the satnav. It felt like even more as it was a constant up and down. But it was good to ride and I had no headwind. So I don't want to complain.

In Ruse I booked a holiday apartment in the city center through Booking.com. Here I was able to do some laundry and hang it on a clothes rack. Now I'm going to go into the city for a bit and later go to a restaurant for the first time in Bulgaria. I'm excited!