Rideforsmiles, Solo Australian to Africa Europe and Beyond, starting June 26th 2011.

[rideforsmiles]

Ok ride about 10k's and there is Boka Kotorska the inland waterway connected to the Adriatic all the big ocean liners come in to, and WOW its spectacular. Heres just a few pictures of a fantastic ride I had around it.







It really is beautiful down here







The road is amazing good corners alot of fun I did see a cop pulling people over but if you slow down in the little towns you should be right to gun it everywhere else.







One of the fortresses that surround Boka Kotorska







ghostBUSters stop I guess.







As you can see from these pictures it is quite an amazingly beautiful part of the world, im just totally surprised again even if I did look at some pictures on google this time.

[rideforsmiles]

Eventually arrive in Kotor its a beautiful litle city and im sittign on my bike lookign at the gps trying to figure out where im goign and this guy pulls up in the middle of the road on the other side and shouts out and points to the direction of the next street sayign good road good road for morobikes, im guessign hes talking about the road up the Locvna mountain so off I go. Yeah Ok thats it but I might go get my accomadation sorted first its gettign late. I had looked on booking.com and saw a place but didnt book it so off I go up the road to find it and yeah no dramas, a little expensive at 40 euro but what the hell its an apartment and right int he centre of town and I can cut costs by shopping in the supermarket across the road.

While im standing there minding my own business out the front near my bike waiting for the owner to arrive out of the shop walks this nice looking girl, ok you caught my eye hello, well she jumps in a taxi i just have to get a picture of this, walk over say hi and have a chat she offers me some of her chips shes just bought and I ask if I can take a picture of the prettiest taxi driver ive ever seen ahahah got to love my style, I wonder if im going to lose my mojo when Ev joins me, I guess you cant lose what you never had hey. Dragana gives me her phone number and facebook and she takes off up the road to get a fare, what a really nice welcome into Montenegro ive had.



Dragana or darling to me in her taxi







Had a nice walk aroudn town last night this place is beautifjl as i was walking around i was thinking to myself this is the prettiest old town ive been too in all of Europe, well maybe it is and maybe it isnt but for me to even think that its pretty damn nice. Ill upload more photos later but heres one I took when I was thinking of Ev last night, she will be able too look at as many as she wants as these but it wont cost a cent cause unless she is wearing them as earrings they wont be going on the bike.

[rideforsmiles]

To everyone that has helped me and supported me in my travels through 36 countries and 47256 motorcycle kilometres during 2012 THANK YOU. That support when you are away from family, friends and home as I have been for nearly 2 years now is invaluable whether it is just online here in Advrider, facebook or in the flesh its all very important so thank you all so very much.

Ive have had the very good fortune to meet some great people and have visited a host of beautiful countries all simply amazing in their own right so as you can imagine it has been a fun year for me. I wonder what 2013 holds in store but with my beautiful Ev from Poland to join me on this adventure its starting off on the right foot.

To everyone out there, good luck with setting positive goals and going about achieving them, never give up even if at times they seem so far away.

Happy New Year everybody and I hope in 2013 all your dreams and wishes come true.

[bavarian]

Hi there - and thank you for your wishes. It's always a pleasure to read your awesome ride report, there's only two I currently read - yours and the Sibirski one. Glad you update it so often, I know how much work it is and I appreciate it!

[RobBD]

Happy New Year - looking forward to this years ride reports - you do a great job - Thanks for taking the time

[rideforsmiles]

Cheers guys ive had an easy week around here in Kotor Montenegro its really nice here so just been enjoying some local riding and walks around this beautiful city. Ill start with how I spent the last day of 2012 with an amazing ride up into the hills.



Found a nice place to call home for a little while, dont know why I like this place so much maybe its just the beautiful scenary he he he better hurry Ev lol

[rideforsmiles]

But enough chit chat lets go for a ride up into the hills on the last day of 2012, this is the map of part of the ride today looks fun hey.







The road runs along the lake shore before starting its journey up the hill, heres a view of kotor as I started the climb up.







The first section of road was fun with noone else around so was able to get stuck into it, these Tourance tyres arent the best you certainly get a hell of a lot of movement under you but the plus side is if I was on the Pirellis they be bald already plus nearly going ass over a few times as you push it a bit always adds to the adrenalin levels. Heres another shot of the view from a bit further up.







This is the view looking back to the first section of the ride up as it winds out of Kotor.







And this is looking back down 3/4 of the way up it shows a portion of the road looping back on itself, it's fun but probably a little narrow with a few to many blind corners to be classified as a great ride but still got it up to 120 k's in spots, ok I know thats not fast but you come get your bike up to 120 k's an hour on this and you will be laughing your head off and not cause your having fun but because you will be thinking that guy was a dickhead ahahahah the truth hurts sometimes woo hoo im supposed to be dead already anyway so lets get it on baby ahahaha I have to admit there was a few times when I shit myself a little, but mostly it was fun.







Made it to the top there were some really spectacular views from up here overlooking Boka Kotorska, I have to say this is a really beautiful part of the world.

[rideforsmiles]

While I was up here I thought id try and show my baby a good time and find a bit of fun see if i could sweet talk her into letting me get stuck into her. We found some snow covered roads and I didnt take her on those so i was being gentle.







I was getting pretty excited taking pictures of my baby's ass so took her off to another nice easy riding road where she could relax and get her in the mood.







So ive been gentle, now im being kind.







Lets throw in a bit of romance by sitting an enjoying the view together, then I reckon id have to be a sure thing, come on baby ive been nice gentle and romantic but now im just going to jump on you and hump you all the way back down the hill







Got back down and went down the waterfront after giving my baby a good humping and relaxed by having a ciggarette by the Boka, ok it looks like im having a crap but when you got to go, you got to go. What a great way to see out a fantastic year of motorcycling, 2012, what a Sunday ride thats been.

[rideforsmiles]

Im just having a bit of a break from blogging for the new year, been going for a few rides over to Budva and around the Boka and walks into the old town and up to the fortress up the hill, yeah I actually made it I didnt think i was going to but I took my time and step after step my back survived which was an absolute bonus. As I was walking up I was waiting for the step that my back just went yep im done but fortunatly it didnt come, it is usually like that just push it just that fraction to hard and bang shes gone and every step is agony. Ill upload some pictures in the next few days but have been really enjoying relaxing in Kotor.

Im basically waiting for Ev and when I can get back into the EU as its still a bit to cold to be going inland at this stage and its just beautiful here around 15 or 16 degrees celcius sun is shining and ive just been walking around in shorts and tshirt. The days are fairly short so you really only have about 6 hours of daylight to do anything which is a great excuse to do exactly that, nothing. Ill be leaving for Albania in a few days meh im in a really nice apartment with all English tv channels and more importantly the bed is really comfortable 2013 has started off in a relaxing mode but im sure the long riding and travelling will start soon enough ive got a lot of kilometres and countries to cover in the next 9 months.


Heres just a small section of the steps up to the fortress







And the view from the top was really nice too

[rideforsmiles]

A much as I dont like making to many plans the route I have been researching and probably going to be taking in 2013 is through Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Stans across to Mongolia back up into Russia and across the road of bones to Magadan and then depending on what month I get there either down by ferry to Vladivostok and to Japan and South Korea and across to Alaska but weather will certainly come into play at that point on which way I go.

As you can imagine im enjoying doing bugger all while I can for the next few weeks mentally preparing myself for what lies ahead plus Ev will be joining me as soon as she can finish up so i'll not have a lot of motorbike riding to do but other exhausting activities as well, you know what I mean, listen to her nagging me to death ahahah

[rideforsmiles]

Still alive and hanging out in Kotor Montenegro, the weather has been pretty wet but its not to bad although getting plenty of strange looks from the locals walking aroiund in shorts and flip flops as you can imagine, ok its briskish and there is snow on the hills above Kotor but its still like 8 degrees celcius so not to bad.

Me and Ev have been discussing our route and places we would like to go and shes keen on Romania so that will be a great start, theres a road there I want to ride one of the famous motorbike car roads in the world. So at this stage it looks like when Ev joins me it will be in Bucharest and from there we will decide where we go from there. They just told me I can stay here for the next for free if i like yhat might be an offer to good to refuse so looks like ill be here till later in the week then ill be heading south. Im enjoying my time here its really relaxing and such a beautiful part of the world.

[rideforsmiles]

It's 21. 01.2013 so that makes it 2 years today since I left home to start this motorcycle adventure. I always said id ride till I got bored, so am I bored yet, "no way" Im looking forward to the next part of the adventure with Ev more than any part so far. I know this ride report could be a bit boring and slow but one thing ive learnt is everyone's adventure is their own whether they are riding through Africa in 6 weeks or taking for ever to get anywhere like me, which ever way you do it its amazing fun riding a motorbike into the sunset, so if you are thinking of doing one dont ever let anyone find a negative reason why you shouldnt, just go for it, you will certainly never regret it.

Bring on the next year.

Oh by the way im still in Kotor Montenegro.

[thomas.tc.young]

2 years on the road summed up in 50 pages. Crazy to think that's 1/11 of my life. Spent all morning reading your RR, keep posting and thanks for sharing.

[rideforsmiles]

Had a great chat with Ewa tonight and we have decided on our route across to other side of Russia riding parts of the Silk Road. We have decided to brush Scandinavia and what else I havent seen of Europe for now so we can take out time riding across Turkey Georgia the Stans Mongolia and Russia as it is always dependant on weather going that way, by leaving in March we will have plenty of time to explore and do that trip at a nice pace. I'll definalty be back at some point all things going well, I have loved my time here in Europe and there is just so much more to see.

I'lll be meeting Ewa in Bucharest Romania then heading northwest so I can ride/race along the Transfăgărășan Road, apparently one of the best roads in the world to ride, from there we are heading to Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, ferry to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgzstan, Mongolia, Russia and over through Siberia to the Road of Bones and Magadan, from there it will be a cargo boat back down to Vladivostok and then over to Japan by ferry, from there another decison will be made on direction North America or Asia.

So a good years travel ahead should be lot of fun and a but more of the adventure motorcycling I miss. The adventure starts the first week in March and until then I still have Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria to cruise around. Going to be an amazing ride.

[rideforsmiles]

Originally Posted by thomas.tc.young

2 years on the road summed up in 50 pages. Crazy to think that's 1/11 of my life. Spent all morning reading your RR, keep posting and thanks for sharing.

Cheers mate, the next leg of the adventure starts soon im taking some time off here in Montenegro but now I have a plan of attack its all systems go and im keen as mustard to hit the Road again.

My little Polish girl Ewa will be with me for as long as its fun which will be great shes a top chick. We talked about buying her safety gear today but I told her to wait and we will find a lingerie shop together for all her safety gear needs ahahahah