This March I set out on my first solo bike packing trip. Over the course of 12 days, with 9 days on the bike I cycled through 6 countries – Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Italy, Austria and Germany. The trip was incredibly rewarding, but also challenging – from fighting off dogs in Greece to cycling away from thunderstorms all along the route, I learned more than I could have imagined about the countries I passed, but more so about myself.
If you are thinking of doing that first solo bikepacking trip – do it!
#bikepacking #balkans #solo
about –
Michael Sivolap is a filmmaker and traveller. Through visual storytelling Michael aims to share knowledge about different places and cultures. He holds a BSc in Communication Science and a MSc in Political Communication and Journalism from the University of Amsterdam.
Hi, Grandma. Do you remember my second birthday? That day, you and Grandpa got me my first wheel bike. And from that day onwards, I was hooked. Since then, I’ve had multiple bikes. I’ve ridden in many countries. But I’ve always done it with someone else. A few months ago, I thought, what if I pack my bike, I bring everything I need, and I just set up for an adventure with not really a plan. So, I packed everything I needed, put it all in a box, and set out to Greece on a one-way flight and without a real plan, um, and decided to bike up north. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the airport. The only thing is when I arrived to Greece, they just didn’t put the bike on the plane. This, of course, was not part of the plan at all, and it really upset me, but as you know, I try to stay positive. So, I did some sightseeing. Um, I looked at some museums and two days later I was on the way to the airport with the biggest smile on my face. Hey, I’m here to pick up my bike. That’s the bike. Still putting it together. It’s all the bike stuff. And uh just got to somehow fix it all on there. Okay, this is always the most difficult part. The seat back. [Applause] It’s actually really fun. I forgot how much I love cycling. I absolutely love it. It’s so much fun. I’m here at the White Tower in Thessalaniki. This is the starting point. And uh I think my biggest fear is just the dogs. Uh I keep saying that, but yeah, I just I don’t know what to expect. Some people say it’s so bad. Some people say it’s it’s okay. So, let’s see how it goes. So, without further ado, let’s hop on the bike and and start cycling in that direction towards the mountains. I need to turn left somehow. [Music] Hey, stop. Stop. All right. That’s first. So, I guess the trick is to stop and to start like screaming at them because then they realize you’re a human. You’re an awesome car and uh be assertive. Yeah, that’s not nice. I hope I won’t have to deal with this 15 times a day. [Applause] Hey, episode number two. Fighting off a dog. Now three and very aggressive ones. Not fun. Not fun at all. That’s all right. So, attack number two survives. Well, apparently the train that I wanted to take doesn’t exist. There is one little hotel here. Let’s go check it. So, nice. I bumped into you because I don’t have uh my D that phone number stopped working. I cannot call. Okay. So, take this if you need something. Uh-huh. Nice. Put it here. It’s okay. Cool. I just need to put um this somewhere. This is not perfect. Far from perfect, but at least it holds. Yeah, this will do. Let’s go to North Macedonia. Let’s get going. Look at these mountains. Woo! Woohoo! What is this sound? Well, I entered the last Greek village and guess what? Starting to hear a weird sound. Very not good. It’s a flat [ __ ] Ah, that’s really bad. Okay. Got to find a spot to to fix it. First flat of the trip. Have to fix it. [Applause] Good. Yeah, thank you. I didn’t even get a stamp. That’s sad. But hey, I’m in the North Macedonia. Welcome. I love waving to these grandpas on their bikes. So much fun. They’re like, they feel cool. And I feel cool. Oh, nice, nice, nice, nice. Whatever that is. It doesn’t look very good. I decided to wait it out a little bit because it’s just pouring and um now having to do a climb in this rain. I think I’m going to wait for 20 minutes. See if it gets better. Actually got so cold. It’s crazy for like half an hour now and the rain is just now stopping. One of the people working here at the gas station is a mountain cyclist, which is really cool. Um, but he says don’t go. Apparently, they’re they’re yellow warnings for rain, for for wind. So, it’s quite dangerous, especially descending the climbing. Okay. Then when I descend, it’s really slippery. I just just slip it and that’s it. And I’m also really heavy with my bike. What would be the smart here? Uh, so I’ll just check out the campsite and if it’s nice, I’ll stay and then I’ll have to bike more tomorrow. It’s all right. There you go. Little ambassador. Let’s check it. Made it to the campsite. Let’s go find some people. Hello. You’re not going to bite, are you? No. You look cute. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Come. Let’s go. Let’s go find the reception. So, I’m really questioning whether I should just stay here, you know, and and and hope and it seems like it like tomorrow the weather is going to be better. It’s going to be cloudy, but at least there will be no thunderstorm. I want it to be much further by now. I guess I’m going to have to stay. That seems like the only reasonable option. Yeah. Do you agree? Yeah. Well, hey, if I said that the the the goal of this project is not about the distance, but about listening to myself and like doing a solo proper solo trip, then I think the right thing to do is is to stay. [Applause] I have some firewood and I have some diesel. The guy was like, “Yeah, just just just take the diesel. Have fun, but be careful.” Okay. All right. Sure. I’ve never tried starting fire with with diesel. Yo, this is wild. I love sleeping next to um the fireplace. My clothes, hopefully they’ll be warm by tomorrow. And uh yeah, tomorrow’s a big day. Whatever it brings, um I’m excited. Day two is coming to an end. Day three, beginning tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. Good night. Good morning. Okay, let’s go. First sip of coffee in the morning. I can do this. This is freedom. Woo. There’s even some snow just to give you an idea of how cold it is here. Made it to the top. Pass one complete. Uh there’s a little church up here. Um and then if you look there. So I I’m got off the side roads and I got onto the main roads. I think that’s going to this is going to be easier to to descend. And there is traffic but not too much. And you see that mountain over there? The that thing over there, that’s where I got to go. So, I got I have to come down, climb up, over that mountain, around the lake, and then over another uh ridge. And that’s it. Easy. Sounds easy, right? Let’s go. Pass number two. Woo! Conquered. It doesn’t look that high. Only 1,200 m, but it’s just that the ascends are so long. Uh like what 20 km. I made it to Lake Orit. All right. Looks nice. Still see some snow. And I need to go somewhere there. Still quite far. I need to go over that mountain. That’s where Albania begins. Well, North Macedonia ends and Albania begins. Ah, I’ve been on the bike for close to 4 hours now. I’ll get going and try to make it to Albania tonight. The lake is really beautiful, of course. Look at this. So nice. But yeah, the side roads are completely trashed and um lots of abandoned places and the trash really bothers me. I don’t know. The whole trip I just see trash everywhere. Like why do people decide to just throw things out of the car? I really don’t get it. Taking a little break. It’s so tough with the trucks. The climb itself is pretty tough, but also the trucks and the weight. People, most people really don’t care. Even though they have a second lane here, it just started. Trucks still come close to me like this close. I don’t get it. Here’s the border. Hello. Thank you. Welcome to Albania. I made it. The alphabet changed again. Different country. Some are there. I can find a [Music] hotel. Nice. I guess that’s friendly. Supposed to be. Woohoo. This is the town where I found the the first hotel on the map from the border. Uh yeah, it’s getting pretty dangerous with the It’s too dark. People are not used to cyclists on the road. So, guess I’m going to have to stop. Oh, wow. I didn’t realize how tired I was. I definitely couldn’t have made it to the next town. I pushed myself far, but that was really good. That was really good. Ready? Back on a big road. Got to start cycling. Feels good to be back on a bike. got a bit of a problem. I put the bike uh just out there to take a photo and the wind picked up all of a sudden cuz there’s like a a storm coming in. Uh and it fell and the derailer snapped or or the the thing that holds it. So if you look here, this this thing here is snapped. And usually this wouldn’t have been a problem because I’m always prepared. Little did I know here that the bike shop in Amsterdam sold me the wrong parts and I couldn’t really fix my bike. The bike is really not doing well. Somehow in higher gears it cooperates a bit. Uh yeah, that’s much harder to climb. Ah, I just hope I can make it to Tana. H just because the closest canyon like bike shop or repair center is in Italy or in Austria. Somehow this climb is never ending. Just gonna have a little break up top, but I I thought I used to drop like three times, but then it goes down, it goes up again. A bit of sugar. So important to actually eat, which I’m not doing a good job of. Tana is somewhere there on that side. So, I still have quite a lot to bike. About 40ks. Uh, I just do hope the bike holds up and then we’ll see how I’m going to deal with all this uh in a few hours. I’m approaching Tana. Uh you can see all the gated communities here, there, and that’s the city somewhere there. I’m not sure where the city center is. So, I still have a few hills to climb. Uh but it looks like I can make it in time until the bike shop closes. So, I can already find out um whether my bike can be fixed because I I definitely cannot go up the coast because there is nothing there. Um then I’m going to have to come up with a different plan and try to reroute my my trip. Um yeah, let’s let’s check out the bike shop. In the meantime, outskirts of Tana. There’s even the bike path. It’s the bike shop. They have some nice bikes. Hey, how’s it going? They’re checking. They might have the part. Um, they don’t know. He said, “Worst case, we can take it off one of our bikes.” That sounds pretty promising. You must be the donor. After about an hour of waiting, I have the verdict. Uh, unfortunately, no luck with the the bike part. Uh, it really sucks. How did the the official Canyon bike store in Amsterdam or the repair shop didn’t give me the right part. Um, but basically, long story uh short, they had a bike just like mine. They wanted to use it as a donor. uh they looked up how long and how much it would cost them to bring this part here because they need to use this bike as a rental bike. It could take him like two months to get it uh and over €100 instead of the 20 that supposed to cost. Um so he wasn’t really willing to to do that for me. I completely understand that. And so I’m going to have to go to Italy tomorrow to find the right part and to uh to fix my bike. This was not part of the plan, but here we are. I guess I’m taking the ferry tomorrow. I just hope the bike makes it makes those 40 kilometers um over to the port of Durus. Um but that should work. I mean, survive today, survive tomorrow. Um otherwise, I’ll figure something else out. Okay, let’s go find an Airbnb. uh do a little reset, wash my clothes because I, you know, by this point they need a wash and um and get some food and and and kind of reset and get ready for the trip tomorrow. There was a quest to find Airbnb should be here. Well, here’s my place for the night. It’s not bad. You know, after eating dirt on the road, nearly dying from all the trucks. I have a nice room with the balcony with the double bed. I’m a bit of a fake bike packer, but um it’s okay. I really need this tonight to uh to clean up and to uh to reset uh before the second part of my trip. So, let’s do this. Let’s leave the bike, wash all the clothes, um, and get some food and and well, plan everything for tomorrow. I need to book the ferry and and get everything in order. Okay, time to go to uh the port. Hope the bike can make it. I biked uh maybe a couple minutes and it feels okay. But if there are any heavy climbs, that’s going to be very difficult. Back on the road with all the cars. I would be lying to you if I said that I I wasn’t a bit sad to leave. Oh, hello. You know, I’m just getting the hang of it here and now I have to go back to Italy. And then there it seems like everything’s going to be much easier. Oh, I can see it. Oh, I can see the sea. I can’t I can’t believe I actually made it. After what, four days of cycling? Five. I’m here. The Adriatic Sea. Heck yeah. Look at this. That’s awesome. Wow. I got some food. Now it’s time to really speed up because it’s already less than 2 hours before departure. So if they close the the check-in, I will be stuck here and that’s not good. So cuz the next ferry is in two days. I really have to make it today. Hello. [Music] I think I found a spot that I can call home for the night right here. There’s some room. Who um I can just set up my mat here, they said. And so just just sleep. It’s really an empty ferry. So, this is going to be my corner. These are the views. I would say that this is quite luxurious like of the whole room to myself. Some people in the room next to me watching some movies or something. And um yeah, these are my sleeping headquarters. Not bad. Good night and uh I’ll see you in the morning. [Music] [Music] Welcome to Italy. I crossed the border. Um, I’m back in the European Union. Okay, now I just got to make the train. Uh, I don’t have much time. I’m going to try to rush. The roads are so much better already. It’s so nice to be able to be on the train again. Welcome to Bologna. Let’s go get the bike fixed. Uh I should meet this guy from the bike shop uh in 20 minutes, then fix the bike, and then let’s see how far I can get tonight. I have no idea. Made it to the point where uh the guy said he’s going to meet me. Um it feels like I’m doing something illegal. just at a random intersection transferring this dude some money to get some bike parts, but uh I need them. I need to fix the bike and I need to continue on the journey. Who knows where I’ll end up tonight. Uh I’m just going to bike for as long as I can and then uh let’s just see. He came out of nowhere, so I have to have to turn off the camera. But I have the the brake pads. I have the the parts. I need to take my bike apart somewhere. I just need to think where to do this. Maybe not here on the street. Let me Let me do this in a park. I just biked past the park. I can take my bike apart there and uh and fix it up. So, how am I going to do this? The moment of truth. There you go. So for this for this little thing that I had a similar version of but it wasn’t exactly correct. I crossed the sea. It fits. There you go. There you go. See, it could have been that easy somewhere in Albania if I actually had the part. Drown. There you go. Oh, should work now. Just a crack in this. Maybe change my whole trip. Lesson learned. Well, this trip hasn’t been perfect, but I guess this trip is all about the imperfections and that makes it perfect. I am learning on the go what uh like how I am alone. Uh what it’s like to bike alone. Uh like I have no one to really bounce ideas off of. So I just need to make these decisions by myself. And then hey, it’s my first bike packing trip solo. So I shouldn’t be too harsh on myself. And I’m riding into this. Uhoh. That does not look good. Things are a bit flooded here. I already got sprayed a few times. Yep, that’s uh that’s the reality of spring and climate change here in the region of Bolognia. [Music] There’s lightning. A lot of lightning. That motivates me to bike faster. Did you see the lightning? Damn. Oh, I think it’s open. Oh, that’s so good. I’m going to set up my tent here in between this like rest area right here because then Whoop, that was lightning. I’m protected by the trees a little bit. Protected from the wind hopefully by this and this and this and there are the the like hotel rooms or chalet there. So, let’s do this quick before the storm rolls in. Oh no. Oh no. I’ve been using my twoperson tent. So, I stole all the poles and put them in there. Or I let I think I let someone borrow it. Oh, that’s bad. Oh, no. Oh, [ __ ] I only have three poles. Okay. Going to have to improvise. Yeah, this is far from ideal, let me tell you. So, it’s starting to rain. And here’s my concoction. The tent is held here with this chair there with that chair here with like a stick. Um, but you know, for for what it is, it’s it’s rather sturdy. Um, I just really hope it doesn’t rain hard because if it does, first of all, the whole region is flooded. That’s why I can’t put up the tent in a normal uh tent spot. Um, I have to put it here. Um, and then yeah, everything will be wet. In any case, tomorrow I’m sleeping in a proper bed, which is nice. I already know that. So, um I’m not too worried. I just don’t want to get all the gear wet. It’s starting. It’s going to be bad. Oh, yeah. It’s starting. Okay, I should go have dinner, I guess. What’s the point of sitting here? I’m just going to have dinner and then go go to bed. All right. So nice to wake up to sun to good weather. To be back on the road. It’s perfect. So the first cafe didn’t have any sandwiches. This one does. I got I got myself a little sandwich. Uh, carnetto and cappuccino the bike. The weather is perfect. I will be able to ride just my t-shirt after this. This is great. What a way to start the day. Absolutely perfect. First coffee done. I feel more alive now. Uh, great. Um, now back on the road. Um, I have like about 4 hours to [Applause] bike. Welcome to Verona. I’m now on the way to a car wash uh where I can wash my bike before I get on the train. Uh then I’ll head up to the mountains. Nice. [Applause] It’s much colder here than down south. I’m going to have to cycle pretty fast to to stay warm. Welcome to the Alps. Looking to the Dolites. Ah, it’s so beautiful up here. all go as well. In about 10 minutes, my girlfriend will rescue me. In the meantime, I’m climbing up the mountain. The rescue car is here. Nice. It’s good. Mission complete. Let’s go home. It is 6:30 in the morning after a few days here in Adloommites. I am back um ready to cross the Alps and to to finish this trip. I have about 120 kilometers today, 130 tomorrow, and I’ll finish up in Munich. It’s honestly a little bit confusing quite often because my navigation, both Kimoot and Google Maps are showing me to get on the big road on the highway. While there are some signs here for a bike path, I’m going to take that first. See where it takes me. And if I need to, I’ll get back on the highway. But if I don’t have to, why not take the bike path rides? Okay, let’s give it a shot. I thought this would be a good place to have a morning break uh just for a few minutes to enjoy this view. Good. Let’s not lose the momentum. Let’s keep going. kind of lost the bike path again. Uh the signs are just not clear at all. And the map, is this the bike path? That doesn’t seem right. No, that seems strange. I think there must be another tunnel. And then there’s a small road there. So maybe that’s the bike path. Come on. Bike sign. Bike sign. Where’s the bike sign? Yes. Aha. That’s the bike sign. All right. Cool. Guess back on track. I see another bike sign. Yes, we’re on the bike path again. Okay, good. It’s time to take a little break. So, I have some nice ham. I have some soda. I have some cheese. Awesome. Okay, let’s eat in the rain. Uh, if I can find a a better spot. Nice lunch break over. Let’s Let’s keep going and make it through the Brener Pass. It’s so cold. It’s so wet. But apparently weather is better over on the other side in Austria. So fingers crossed. And let’s let’s push this last part. Just 12 kilometers to go. Just 12 more kilometers to climb and I’ll leave Italy and enter my sixth, no, my fifth country on the trip, Austria. There’s actually a lot of snow left. Last coffee in Italy. It’s so difficult to leave the cafe. It’s so nice and warm in there. Ah, I’m so cold. Um, but but the sun’s coming out. It’s supposed to be sunny in Insburg. Still raining a bit. So, I’m just going to stop by, get a gift for a friend that’s hosting me tonight. Um, and then I will cross the border to Austria and make my way to [Music] Insp. Welcome to Austria. Now truly welcome to Pinsburg. Everyone’s outside because it’s sunny. Austrians are like Dutch people. We’re always outside, you know, just outdoorsy people everywhere. Like, look at this whole square everywhere. Just people with snowboards, people with bikes, people with hiking backpacks, whatever. Really cool. Well, that’s it for today. I’m just going to go meet some friends and then uh have a chill evening and tomorrow morning start again. probably from here is 9:00 a.m. from Han Park in uh Minsburg. Go up there and look over there. Good morning from Minsburg. This is day nine on the bike. Uh today 150 km over to Munich. And today I’m not alone. Today I’m joined by uh two other cyclists by Aaron and Sebastian. And uh yeah, it’s actually going to be fun uh to do this uh to do this alone. Actually, I feel really energetic for the guys joining. I’m I’m uh riding alone is nice. Uh and actually, I learned a lot over the last few days. uh cycling, but riding in a in a team in a pack. Both really cool. Well, reached Yen Yenba. Uh, here it is. This is where the real challenge begins. Where the climb begins. It’s over to it’s called Aren and uh Aren Lake. And uh yeah, going straight up there. I think it’s time to say goodbye to the guys and I’m going to get dropped. But um I’m going to do my best here. It’s a heavy setup. Uh past A now about 90 km left till Munich. Um just 90 km so the trip is over. I’m going to try to enjoy it and uh hopefully the weather stays good because it’s not looking that great um out there in Germany. actually looks pretty bad. Um, fingers crossed. Meantime, got to focus on pedaling and keeping up with the guys. So, Grandma, could you have thought more than 20 years ago that that one gift is going to alter my life completely and years later I would be somewhere on a bike exploring different countries learning about people and how they live. I guess he always taught me to explore and that’s exactly what I did on this trip. But this time, I think I learned more about myself. Then I learned about others.
1 Comment
The film is very interesting, very emotional! Thank you very much for your efforts to create it!