Day 21 (21. Tag) 25th September
Esztergom - Budapest 74 kms (1218.0 kms from start)
Esztergom - Szob - Nagymaros - Kismaros - Szek-hegy - Kisvac - Vac - Tahitotfalu - Leanyfalu - Szentendre - Budapest
After chatting to Sarah at breakfast we were then introduced to Jesper as he was packing his buggy. We took photos and talked to them about their trip (see previous page). It was then time to say goodbye and we wished them luck. They would need a lot of it. We then headed back into the centre of town to a supermarket to get some supplies for the day and rode towards the riverside park which we'd seen the previous day and had noted that this was the start of the ride to Budapest. The Radweg goes around the Basilica and heads north along a shared pedestrian/bike path. After riding in an easterly direction on the path for some time the track then turned into a road which we followed for some time. It was narrow and windy and busy with cars travelling fast. It had started to rain again and the road was wet and slippery with leaves from the forest. We were keeping an eye out for a ferry sign and finally we spied it directing us to turn left. We rode down to the wharf and amazingly arrived just as it started to come in. There was a group of American and Australian cyclists waiting as well. They were on a Rad'n'Reisen tour. The tour group provides bikes, luggage transport, maps and pre-booked hotel accommodation. It starts in Vienna and finishes in Budapest. It's a good way to organise a trip if you just want to do a short ride. The weather was pretty miserable and we had no shelter on the car ferry which was drawn by a small boat.
Once over the other side we had to find our way through the town of Szob then followed the road back to the riverbank. We were now on a dedicated Radweg and made quite good time. We passed riverside villages like Zebegeny and Nagymaros where we stopped to have something to eat.
From Nagymaros the track goes past small farmlets and backyards full of interesting fruit trees. The Radweg hits the river again just before Kismaros. We also noticed some strange wooden structures which could be memorials.
In Kismaros the track joined the road again but then became a dedicated track at Verocemaros. We rode for several kilometers along this track on the left hand side of the river goind inland at Szek-hegy and then heading towards the river again at Kisvac. A bit further on we took the car ferry across to the right bank (1600 Forints - fairly expensive).
Over the other side we saw a very strange-looking picnic shelter with a round top. Another smaller one was constructed nearby in the riverside park. We now had to follow the road to Tahitotfalu where we turned right and then left towards another bridge across the Szentendrei-Duna canal then turned left again riding on the road towards Leanyfalu and then past Szentendre.
The road had become extremely busy and dangerous and it was raining again so we decided to take our chances along the river and looked for minor roads which might link up. Apart from a very rough BMX track linking two roads we didn't have too much trouble and finally came out on a very good riverside path which led towards the city. We followed the track marked on the map but ended up on the road again, trying to work out how to get around the rail tracks.
Instead of crossing the Kettenbruecke we stayed on the right bank and walked our bikes through the town of Buda to the Buro Panzia hoping to get a room as it was already starting to get dark and I was fairly anxious. Getting in to the Buro Panzia was harder than one would think. We found the building but the door was locked. There was a bell with several buttons which were very confusing. I enlisted the aid of a waiter in the cafe next door and he assisted us to find the right button to press. The door opened, I went up the stairs and found a student manning the desk. After securing a room for us he came downstairs and helped us put the bikes into a storeroom. We had Kentucky Fried that night as there was a shop across the road but we didn't dare let the door lock behind us. There was no key. Don guarded the door while I hopped across to get food. The photos of Budapest below were taken the next day as we rode across the Kettenbruecke looking for the railway station. We didn't spend any time in Budapest as Don wanted to get to Romania as soon as possible. With hindsight we should have stayed there for a few days and sold the bikes or else given them to charity. We had wanted to give them to friends in Romania but that was not a good idea. Eastern Europe does not have a bike culture and getting bikes onto a train is almost impossible. Alternatively we should have planned to either take the boat back to Vienna and worked things out from there or spent another 4 days riding back to Vienna using an alternative route. The main railway station in Budapest is very antiquated and the counter staff are poorly trained and quite unhelpful. We would not recommend travelling by train in either Hungary or Romania. We now know why so many people start their trip in Budapest and ride westwards.
