London to Athens

[ch3]

So after a couple of months of planning, I've finally started my trip back home. It's been 5 days so far and I am loving it. I've seen amazing landscapes and I've met many people on the way.
I recently updated my blog, with the first 4-5 days.
I'd also like to thank everybody that helped me in the past with advices and tips, as this is my first big cycling tour.

By the way, it's a little harder than I thought to find good bike shops. It's either very small shops with only a few items, or decathlon, which doesn't have exactly what I am looking for. But I guess I'll have to look into a bigger city.

 

[rich p]

Good start Georgios. I enjoyed your blog.

It's good that you've already met some nice people on the way. Keep up the good work!

 

[ComedyPilot]

Excellent blog. It's now a daily must-read, along with James Bowthorpe's RTW record attempt.

 

[ianrauk]

Yep agree with the OP's, a really nice blog, will keep popping in to read up on your progress

 

[ch3]

Thanks a lot guys.
I am not in the dilemma whether to continue south or go via the Loire river.
Everybody says it is amazing, but it will take me away from my initial route and away from the coast with all the other nice places like Bordeaux etc.
Apparently there is another nice river section between Toulouse and Carcasonne, but I am not sure if there is a good cycling path like the Loire.

 

[ch3]

In the end, I chose to keep heading south by the coast.

Well done ch3. Do you mean the Canal du Midi, which runs from Toulouse right down to the coast near Carcasonne? You should be able to do most of that by cycle path apparently. Looks very nice.

No, the canal you are talking about is souther from where I am at the moment and I will definitely do! I've heard good things as well.
Thanks for the link
=]

 

[Brains]

Georgios.

I think what people were suggesting was travelling along the Loire River. very pretty, Nantes is the start of EuroVelo 6, which would have been my chosen route to Greece. http://www.eurovelo6.org/folder_listing?set_language=en

'Canal du Midi' cuts across southern France from Bordeaux to Sete.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_du_Midi
You can cycle the entire length, its flat, not on the main road, and has a good surface for most of the length
Reserve some time to stop at Carcasonne which is half way. Well worth seeing

Re the gas cooker issue, The French still use the old type of blue gas "Camping Gaz" cannisters that need to be pierced. Very common in France, difficult to get elsewhere. Everyone else uses the screw on gas cannisters (difficult to get in France, available widely elsewhere)

Keep up the blog, it's part of my daily read