A very belated Q&A

To everyone who sent me questions for a Q&A over 6 months ago I am so grateful and a BIG thank you, but also a massive apology it’s taken me so long to publish my answers.

I wrote these answers halfway through my trip on a rocky ferry journey across the Black Sea from Bulgaria to Georgia. Suffering from seasickness, I put pen to paper to answer people’s questions about my trip up to that point.

So here they are, in no particular order:

• So far, is the trip what you expected? 

For the most part, it has been. I have been surprised by a few things in the Balkans, for example I was blown away by how much I liked Belgrade and my route along the Danube but also by how few places take debit cards here, so you really do need to carry cash always! That has caught me out a couple of times, normally when there’s food involved which has brought on some serious hanger. It’s also been easier than expected to get water in the Balkans as there are many mineral water springs at the center of a village or even on the side of a road. Unfortunately, getting hold of good food hasn’t been so easy. That’s mostly because I would have to buy the ingredients and prepare it myself but I don’t want to stop for long times during the day.

Here’s a snap of my stunning Reilly Gradient at the old fortress in Belgrade. I could have included a picture of the city but you can never have too many pictures of the Gradient.

Below are some snaps of my route along the Danube.The blue water, white cliffs and rolling roads made for some of the most scenic riding I could have hoped for!

Another thing that has surprised me is how travelling solo can be frustrating in odd ways. For instance, most portion sizes are for two people, so when I buy food for dinner it has had to double up as breakfast, too.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised that I haven’t once felt lonely but I think that’s due to staying with Warm Showers hosts wherever possible and having conversations with fellow cycle tourers. However, from here on out there are fewer hosts and life is going to get much more challenging which I think is likely to make me homesick. 

• Have you had moments of feeling vulnerable and alone? 

Yes! The first time was in France and it was my first night wild camping. I really didn’t know how to choose a good spot so I ended up spending 45 minutes riding around the outskirts of a little village looking for somewhere. At one point I went into the village to see if the church was open as I was hoping to kip on a pew but, alas, no. I was also half-hoping someone would see me, stop and ask what I was doing and offer me their garden to camp in but ultimately I had to solve my own problems! Eventually I found a spot just outside the village near a farm but there was so much noise coming from the farm during the night I was so worried someone would see me, wake me up and move me on. Needless to stay I didn’t sleep well that night.

Here is the scene of the crime for losing my wild camping virginity.

Luckily, so far there have been few points on the route that have been really remote, so it’s hard to feel alone in that respect. But there have been times recently when people stare a lot and don’t speak English which makes things just that little bit harder, so then I almost feel alone in a crowd. This is something that is only going to get worse from now on, so I’ll just have to deal with the stares. 

• What do you wish you’d packed but hadn’t? 

There isn’t anything else I need but in terms of want then the list is long! Probably some proper face wash, so I don’t have to use soap, and some shampoo would be nice, but these are luxuries, not necessities.

• What do you have but don’t need? 

Nothing. I have no space for anything but necessities, I have posted a couple of things home like a charger that I had two of and third cycling jersey I realised I wouldn’t need. But so far I have everything I need and nothing I don’t. 

• How many changes of clothes do you have? 

I brought two sets of cycling kit and two sets of civvies. Then I also have some warmer clothes to wear on top such as a fleece, two gilets (one for on the bike and one micro-down for off the bike), a waterproof jacket and a merino base layer which can all be worn on or off the bike. I’ve found that the best things are the ones that have a dual purpose. 

• Is your hair growing fast and will you get it cut on route? 

Yes! It’s growing super fast and now it’s a bit like a mane as i don’t have the chance to wash it often. I don’t think I will get it cut again as I’d prefer to grow it out. 

(Note: for anyone who doesn’t know (and cares), my hair had been really long but before the trip I had a big chop done for practicality, safety and charitable reasons. I donated it to The Little Princess Trust who make hair donations into wigs for children who have lost their hair due to illness or treatments)

• Tell me more about wild camping. Do you mean alone, hidden somewhere in the wilderness? Do you actually manage to sleep on those nights? 

That’s pretty much it! It isn’t always deep in the wilderness, sometimes it’s somewhere I can blend in. For example, a great spot was on the balcony of a derelict house on the outskirts of a city along the Danube, and another was a disused gas station. They’re not exactly out in nature but it takes a bit of effort to find them. I’ve actually found that the deeper into nature you go the harder it is to sleep as not only are there significantly more wild animals making noises but you’re also further away from civilisation which can be a bit unnerving. 

Honestly, I don’t sleep that well when I’m wild camping and it takes me a while to fall asleep. This is probably down to lack of experience and I’ve heard from a couple of people that it takes a couple of incident-free nights on the trot to be able to really relax. I’ve also just been given some good advice from a woman on the ferry who says she likes to take a walk around the area she’s camping in, just to case the joint for peace of mind which is something I think I should be doing as well.

Here is a disused gas station that I camped in one night in Bulgaria. A perfect example of hiding in plain sight.

• Who is the most interesting person you have met so far? 

Oooh, that’s impossible to answer. Warm Showers allows you to meet so many interesting people, all with very different stories and experiences. I’ve had so many interesting conversations with people from all over the world who have traveled to all four corners of the world each with different takeaways from their trips.

• Do you ever think about turning back? 

Never. I guess that’s one of the perks of having a destination. I have to be in Kathmandu for my internship in November which gives this whole trip a purpose. Whereas I’ve met other cycle-tourers who are just going until the money runs out which doesn’t tie you down to any place or any date. Their experience is almost perfect freedom. 

• What’s your route from Georgia? Are there any dodgy areas you’re concerned about? 

From Georgia I head to Azerbaijan and then I cross the Caspian Sea to Kazakhstan. From there I then head to New Delhi in India – I’ll need to fly there to avoid Afghanistan, Northern India and Tibet, though I’m not yet sure from where in Central Asia. Originally I said Tajikistan but there has been a recent terrorist attack on four western cycle tourers in Tajikistan which made me rethink my route and it looks to be just as easy to fly from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan so for that part of my route I’ll have some freedom to choose, so I’m just going to go with the flow. 

• Why are you not cycling through northern Turkey to Georgia? 

I’ve heard some negative stories from solo female travellers in Turkey, so I thought it would be best to avoid it. If I don’t have to go through it then I’d rather not.

• Are there any areas in which you will need to be culturally cautious? 

Yes definitely. I won’t be going to any places where I will need to wear a Hijab or a Burka, but I think I will need to cover up a bit more. My cycling kit is discrete enough and I don’t have any sleeveless tops with me but my shorts for off the bike will be too short so I have some hiking trousers with cutoffs that make some knee-length shorts. I figure that if I do encounter any lingering stares due to my clothes then it’ll be very easy to pick up the clothes that I do need. 

• What’s the best food you’ve had so far? 

Oh man, that’s tricky – there’s been a lot! I can give you my top three but in no particular order. One was a lasagne at a host’s house in France; it was delicious and came at the end of a long stressful day so I wolfed that down (and a second portion, of course). Another great meal was in Austria with my hosts in Graz who cooked the most delicious food. I don’t think it was Austrian cuisine exactly, it was just really good food: think poached salmon, roasted carrots with rosemary and parmesan… And my other choice would be a meal out in Bavaria with another host family – I had a cut of beef with a mushroom sauce and some noodles on the side. I was told it was very Bavarian. I can add that it was delicious and an excellent portion size! The beer helped it go down nicely as well.

• Will you need to stock up with water and food for the ferry? 

I wasn’t sure if I would need to but was very glad that I did. The boat provides three meals a day but I’ve found that I’m suffering with a bit of sea sickness and even the walk from the canteen back to my bed is enough to upset my stomach. I won’t included any more details! Luckily, because I brought my own food I am able to eat in bed which keeps my stomach calm.

• Who or what are you missing the most from home? What music are you listening to? 

I think having seen all the strays on the sides of the road here have made me miss my two doggies back home – I would love some doggy cuddles right now! I’ve spent time away from home on study abroad exchanges and internships before so I’m used to being away from loved ones, I’m not missing anyone yet. Unless mum’s reading this, then I miss you mama! 

I’ve actually given up on music as it allows me to zone out too much and my mind just wanders for the whole day which is a dangerous place to be when you’re alone from dawn to dusk. Instead I’ve taken to listening to podcasts as listening to other voices make the days less lonely and it provides some mental stimulation. I’m loving Table Manners with Jessie Ware and her mum as it’s just people having a conversation over dinner which is really heart warming and makes me feel like I’m with other people. They also bicker just as much as my mum and I so it’s like listening to a recording of us trying to cook together….

Another is The Cycling Podcast from Rapha, especially their Feminin episodes which are all about the world of women’s professional racing. They really are so well done and I think it’s at the forefront of high quality media coverage for women’s cycling which definitely deserves kudos in my opinion!

If anyone has any other questions at all, feel free to comment below, email me at beccy_waters@hotmail.co.uk or DM me on insta (@bikepackingbeccy) and I promise to give you as comprehensive an answer as possible.