Author Topic: Traveling Greece and Balkans  (Read 9561 times)

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Djairouks

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Traveling Greece and Balkans
« on: February 28, 2019, 12:07:28 »
I recently found this great train line allowing me to go from Austria to Turkey, so I'm thinking of finally travelling Greece and then either through Balkans or ferry to italy
and back in Switzerland. https://www.bahnreiseladen.de/autozug/villach-edirne

Now with all our seasoned travelers and nationalities here, I would like some hands on experience, I read disturbing things on motorcycle thefts in some balkanic countries
and Greece, what's your experience and what should I be carefull about !?

Of course i have my Huge disc lock with movement sensor and 120db alarm, which allready made a cat freak out when he jumped on my Honda  VCIF_a055

Two Plugs

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2019, 14:12:34 »
Balkan is great. I loved especially Montenegro (Tara Canyon is a must-do!). Albania is still relatively unspoiled by tourism and commerce; if you could fit that part in, do it. Avoid the capital Tirana though. The state of Northern Macadonia is superb. Focus both in Albania and Northern Macadonia on Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa. Brilliant. Did those in 2002 (VIM4 Igoumenitsa) and 2008 (International Transalp Treffen ITT in Parga, Greece). Love Parga Beach resort in Greece. Sandy beach!
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zebulon

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2019, 14:25:47 »
Some ideas can be found here   VCIF_salut
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Djairouks

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2019, 15:41:43 »
Thanks for the ideas, I think to be efficient I'll be visiting once Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro to have time to enjoy the summer there. Then use this train and do a Huge
Greece/Macedonia trip and really have time to see all the antique ruins and visit some islands. Doing all the countries and having time there I don't think I have enough vacation
every year  :-[.

I'm just a tad worried as I know Swiss insurances do not cover some of Balkanic countries as there is a huge amount of theft and fraud there, so I would need to insure myself
when entering the country as my insurer told me, which is pretty weird and not very reassuring.

As I'm now splitting my travels depending on road types and geography, I'm hesitant here for Slovenia, will I take the Honda or the Yamaha, one thing is sure after my Spanish
cities tour, I wished I had the Yamaha there because the damn cobbled streets all in incline made the Africa Twin pretty unfriendly there.
What do you think Zebulon, with the tarmac type, cities and mountain passes, is it better with Trail or Roadster, I'll be traveling alone as usual so I could take any of the 2 !?

What's sure is for my Scottish Travel in may I'll take the Africa Twin, I'm sure I'll have opportunity especially on Skye to take gravel paths.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2019, 15:45:12 by Djairouks »

Snurrepus

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2019, 12:23:07 »
After watching these beautiful pictures again, I still hope for a VIM in Greece  VCIF_ok
See you deep in a German forest ;)

VIM 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

meine dicke

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2019, 19:53:31 »
Yes yes yes.

Itīs better than in Schleswig-Holstein, or what do you think Erik?

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zebulon

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2019, 21:25:22 »
I do not think there is more risk to ride Balkans then others countries ... Think it is not exactly the same in Greece or Italy ... ( my experience ... )
Rided some years ago Peloponnese, great  VCIF_ThumbUp to visit our school history book
My choice will be to ride a trail, (that's why I have one) and not a roadster without protection  VCIF_ok but no problem with Tarmac quality in Balkans, not exactly the same in Greece, you can find every kind of coating.
 VCIF_salut
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zebulon

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2019, 21:30:39 »
After watching these beautiful pictures again, I still hope for a VIM in Greece  VCIF_ok

Or in  Slovenia  ;)  VCIF_ThumbUp  ;D
Alone we go faster, together we go further

I do not ride fast, I ride far / I'm not lost, I'm just exploring

2016 AT Digital Silver - 2011 Shasta white - 2007 Bloom Red - 2001 Candy Phoenix blue

Djairouks

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2019, 21:36:46 »
I do not think there is more risk to ride Balkans then others countries ... Think it is not exactly the same in Greece or Italy ... ( my experience ... )
Rided some years ago Peloponnese, great  VCIF_ThumbUp to visit our school history book
My choice will be to ride a trail, (that's why I have one) and not a roadster without protection  VCIF_ok but no problem with Tarmac quality in Balkans, not exactly the same in Greece, you can find every kind of coating.
 VCIF_salut
Thanks for all this insight, I think it'll be northern Balkans on Yamaha and another to to Greece on the Honda.

As a lover of nature, motorcyclist and single guy  ;), believe me I'm looking forward to Slovenia !

Jyrays

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2019, 13:10:50 »
As I am a a quarter of Slovenian now I can assure you there is roads for every kind of bikes here. I loved them with my Crosstourer and I love them with AT as well.

As I am also quarter Turkish you should know there is no trouble either. I have been most worried it south of Italy for my bike. Or maybe Bulgaria as the name is almost burglary already but I have not been there with a bike.

So just hop on and enjoy your ride, stay away from cities and fall in love with Balkans!
« Last Edit: March 03, 2019, 13:13:51 by Jyrays »
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Jyrays

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2019, 13:12:12 »
After watching these beautiful pictures again, I still hope for a VIM in Greece  VCIF_ok

Or in  Slovenia  ;)  VCIF_ThumbUp  ;D
We have a problem to find a venue with camping and hotel :( We could do one but others wont be happy...
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zebulon

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2019, 15:02:06 »
I know the main problem to organize such an event is to find the right place . But I do not doubt you will find  ;)  VCIF_salut
Alone we go faster, together we go further

I do not ride fast, I ride far / I'm not lost, I'm just exploring

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Djairouks

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2019, 21:08:52 »
As I am a a quarter of Slovenian now I can assure you there is roads for every kind of bikes here. I loved them with my Crosstourer and I love them with AT as well.

As I am also quarter Turkish you should know there is no trouble either. I have been most worried it south of Italy for my bike. Or maybe Bulgaria as the name is almost burglary already but I have not been there with a bike.

So just hop on and enjoy your ride, stay away from cities and fall in love with Balkans!

Thanks I'm really looking forward to that travel, but have to be patient till august, yeah usually I Don't really like going
to big cities, so not really my plan. In spain I had to rent park spots so my AT would be safe while visiting Cordoba.

zebulon

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #13 on: March 03, 2019, 22:00:28 »
In spain I had to rent park spots so my AT would be safe while visiting Cordoba.

Of course i have my Huge disc lock with movement sensor and 120db alarm

you seems a little bit worried ...  8) no ?  VCIF_37_ohh just breathe  ;D  ;D  ;D
Alone we go faster, together we go further

I do not ride fast, I ride far / I'm not lost, I'm just exploring

2016 AT Digital Silver - 2011 Shasta white - 2007 Bloom Red - 2001 Candy Phoenix blue

Djairouks

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Re: Traveling Greece and Balkans
« Reply #14 on: March 04, 2019, 08:58:09 »
In spain I had to rent park spots so my AT would be safe while visiting Cordoba.

Of course i have my Huge disc lock with movement sensor and 120db alarm

you seems a little bit worried ...  8) no ?  VCIF_37_ohh just breathe  ;D  ;D  ;D

No do not mistake cautious for worried, I was in a after sales job long ago for 6 years, I've travelled the world extensively and am pretty conscious of some
crap that can come to you if you're not prepared, heck I've lived in USA for a while so I've seen how most tourists just ask to be robbed with their attitudes
and how unaware some people can be.
But as I'm always traveling alone with my motorcycle and have this love relationship with my AT, the absolute worst for me would be getting up a morning
middle travel and bike gone, then you're alone and need to take a flight home vacation fucked, so I prefer to know before hand what I'm going for.

It's supposed to be fun after all, that's why i prepare so I don't worry then.
I'm too Swiss I think  :P !

 

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