7000km without one flat tyre is a mammoth effort I know, but getting a flat on dodgy Slovakian cycle path crushed me none the less. You see, given my luck to date, I have been secretly hoping to complete the trip flat free. An almost impossible task but what a story it could have been.
Crossing into Slovakia there is a distinctive change between Western and Eastern Europe, Slovakia feels a little unorganised, a little grubby and far less concerned about health and safety or quality control but it has a beauty of its own that shines through. I spent three days riding in Slovakia and enjoyed it immensely.