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Sunday 5th December At least we were able to get plenty of rest (although Kate's fevery cold was getting a lot worse) so that we could pedal our way through the last 40 miles to Hama on the Sunday. Despite feeling really rough, and breaking in hot and cold sweats, Kate was determined not stay in that place another night. We didn't push ourselves, yet the miles went quickly and smoothly and after a couple of wrong turns we found the Riad Hotel, which is a wonderful budget place. The staff are friendly, the rooms are spotlessly clean and we even have a TV on which we can watch English movies. After three months on the road, being able to lose yourself in some made for TV movie is heaven! Monday 6th December
Hama is quite a quiet town apart from the normal obligatory noise from taxi and bus horns day and night. The only things of any interest in Hama are the enormous 4-storey wooden water wheels that used to raise the water from the river to irrigate the land. These Norias make a mournful groaning sound as they turn. As there's not much to do here and the weather has been a little miserable, we've spent a lot of time relaxing, reading and watching TV. This is in a vain attempt to recharge our batteries, especially Kate's, so that we can continue cycling southwards. Kate's body is having none of it. She's still feeling rotten, and we keep seeing slight reminders of her Bells Palsy returning. Perhaps we still need another day before we go. Tuesday 7th December 3274.8 miles, Hama, Syria
Today we took a break from Hama to visit the ruined city of Palmyra, 150km away in the desert. At first, Kate was slightly reluctant to take the bus but it would have ended up being a 5 day round trip through harsh desert with virtually no settlements along the way.....so she slowly came round to the idea of a day trip by bus. Having said this, the way the Syrian bus drivers drive it would probably have been a lot safer to go by bike! So after a tense 3 hour bus ride, with the driver chain smoking all the way, we found ourselves plonked on the pavement, in a slightly deserted street trying to find our way round to the ruins, using our out dated guide book. From a distance, the ruins of the 2nd Century A.D. Roman city seemed very insignificant and scattered. But as we drew closer, we were struck by the sheer scale and quantity of the remains that are still standing. It's true what they say about the recently restored theatre being a bit too shiny but once you get away from the crowds, the souvenir sellers and the camel owners, you can lose yourself amongst the columns and the ruins in the middle of the desert. The Arab castle up on the hill, overlooking the site, contrasting with the clear blue sky added another level of majesty to the experience. This is supposed to be Syria's prime attraction and we would agree that it is definitely worth at least a day trip. We did feel that, although the food was very good (and the stray pusscat appreciated it too), the traditional Palmyran restaurant somewhat ripped us off. They 'forgot' to tell us that when you ordered one dish it came with starter, main course, salad etc and would quite happily have fed two people. We only wanted a light lunch (yes this can happen!) but it ended up being a very expensive meal. We arrived back this evening, never quite being sure whether we were on the correct bus until we arrived in Hama. Having travelled by bike, we're not used to bus travel! Tonight, we're just having a cosy night in, eating a falafel wrap and watching a movie. We're relaxing tonight with the idea of hopefully leaving Hama tomorrow but we'll see how our minds and bodies are feeling! Kate's 'spot the difference' face still needs a little rest. (Despite her frustration Kate still tries to joke about it). Wednesday 8th December
We spent one more day in Hama; the weather was absolutely miserable and neither of us felt 100%. We don't seem to be clocking up the miles as quickly these days. This is due to a combination of short daylight hours, general fatigue and a country with so much to see in such a short space. So the next couple of weeks might be slow but we had planned to see a lot of Syria and Jordan, hence rushing through Europe. Now, as well as slogging on the saddle, we can take a bit of time to enjoy ourselves. Thursday 9th December So it was Thursday morning that we finally struggled with our bikes, down the four flights of stairs, loaded them up, and set off up the hill out of town. We were determined to do Damascus in two days, so we left early and pushed a brisk pace. By midday, we had already done 50miles and were pleased with our progress. However, we'd probably overdone it. We were running low on water, and in the 20miles after lunch, we didn't pass any villages on the dusty desert road. Paul was also starting to flag, having peaked too early in the day. This all meant our pace slowed considerably. At about 2 o clock in the afternoon, we were honked by yet another car, which we belatedly realized was an Austrian camper van driving past. It pulled over ahead of us, and Rupert stepped out with a camera and started to photograph us cycling towards him. He was a really nice guy and asked if we needed anything. By this time, we were obviously in desperate need of water, and he gladly offered to fill out bottles. It was only when he pulled open the camper van that we realized he had company. He had amazingly brought his three children with him, aged 3, 4, and 6! We thought this was extremely brave but they appeared to be happy enough and he didn't seem to find it a problem. We felt a little guilty in taking the water but then he was going to be in Damascus in an hour's time! Thanks Rupert, you really were a lifesaver, and those oranges were delicious! Ironically, not long after we found a roadside rest stop where we bought some extra water and a can of pop each. Paul was now completely exhausted so we soon found a relatively secluded spot, hidden amongst the sparse vegetation a short way from the road. At this point, we were now over a 1000 metres higher than we had started that day…. no wonder it was tough! When the sun went down, and it went dark, the sky lit up with a million stars. So many more than you would ever see in the UK. It was amazing but so incredibly cold so it wasn't long before we were tucked up in the tent. Despite all our extra clothes, (Kate was even in her 'beautifully' fitting men's long johns - 'delightful'!) it was an extremely cold night and we woke to find our flysheet encrusted in ice. Friday 10th December It was a freezing start and despite stopping for a cup of tea early on, it took us a long time to warm up. There was snow on the mountains surrounding us and the sun was very weak which meant our feet stayed as ice blocks all day. For the first 20miles we continued to climb steadily until we reached the edge of the high barren plateau we had been crossing. From here onwards, apart from the odd blip, it was all downhill to Damascus. It was very fast going, but as the road broke through the mountains, it became very narrow, leaving us little margin for error between the speeding traffic on one side and the deep rock littered drainage gully on the other. It wasn't a pleasant experience and we were relieved when the road opened out again. The road into Damascus was particularly busy so we opted for the safer parallel side roads, wherever we could, to take us into the centre. Unfortunately, although we arrived at 2.30 in the afternoon, about 200metres away from the hotel we wanted to stay at, the map in the guide book was so poor, that we spent another two hours cycling around the whole of the Old City before finding the hotel pretty much where we started! Oops! Although it is a tad more expensive than we've been used to in Syria, (it is still dirt cheap!) the hotel has a friendly atmosphere and is built around a courtyard in an enchanting old house. We've already been able to meet several other travellers, namely Ari and Esther from Holland who've driven their pickup all the way from South Africa, the French couple from Aleppo, and another cyclist from Germany, who once he reaches Egypt will be swapping his bike for camels and crossing the Sahara on foot!...we thought we were mad! Since talking to Ari and Esther, we have some serious decisions to make as far as Egypt is concerned. The north-south road from Cairo all the way to Aswan is now only drivable in police convoy and cycling is definitely not permitted. One option is to take the desert route but this would mean stretches of up to 5 days with no water stops…watch this space. Saturday 11th December 3412.2 miles, Damascus, Syria
Well, we've just left the Umayyad mosque and it is absolutely beautiful. The central courtyard is an amazing space of marble and mosaics. Even in the dull weather, it easily eclipses the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. That's a definite one up for Syria. We're now sitting, having a cup of tea, in a coffee house in one of the narrow cobbled streets surrounding the mosque. Sitting around us are people drinking tea, smoking water pipes and watching the world go by. It's great to relax again. Even though we only did two days cycling between Hama and here, they were quite sapping, and we were looking forward to a hotel bed again…perhaps we're getting soft. Paul and Kate x
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Challoner's, Fasiledes, Amersham, Buckinghamshire