Serbia: highs and lows, but mostly flat

Bike issues resolved and hangovers fading, we covered the distance from the border town of Backa Palanka to Novi Sad, host of the Exit festival and holder of prestigious title 'Norwich's twin town'. Serbia must be lauded for making a big effort to signpost the Danube cycle route, but it still needs to grasp the idea that a cycle path needs to be cyclable. Approaching the city we were joined by Sam, a French cyclotouriste (the first we'd seen since Budapest) on a much more suitable mountain bike, who was on a 10000km tour of Europe.

Novi Sad was an enjoyable place to visit with a grand Vauban fortress and a decent central square, unfortunately we took it in turns to succumb to mystery bugs and had to stay 5 whole days. Luke will remember with some clarity a day spent at the mercy of the Serbian health system being hooked up to successive drips. Apparently this is the first course of action for all patients in Serbia, but he can report on the treatment's efficacy. Soph will remember with clarity the mystery bureaucracy and charges associated, as well as the anxiety caused by being told her husband had a 43 degree temperature (the doctor added that she shouldn't worry as he was a very nice man, strong, and that she was very lucky to have him!). Throughout the ordeal, we were looked after in an exemplary fashion by Miki and his team at the hostel Sova - recommended.

Out of Novi Sad, we passed the 3000km mark, avoided Belgrade, sampled a Serbian communist era hotel, an excellent homestay with Olga and her breakfast burek and rakija; and an out of season campsite where Goran refused to charge us, but also refused to clean the squat toilets or control his dogs.

Serbia was a pretty good experience overall with friendly people (amazing considering we bombed the hell out of them in recent memory), reasonable road surfaces, hot sunny weather and brilliant TV, including three channels of relentless Balkan folk music and dancing. Landscapes were grand but we found it hard to stomach the amount of litter and fly-tipping which was sadly everywhere.