In Hungary things were a little different. It was much easier to get lost and far harder to find good things to eat. There was a sign indicating the Danube cycle route about once every 100 kilometres – generally in a place where the way was in no doubt. I got lost quite a few times: sometimes people were helpful and sometimes they were not.
I encountered my first hills in Hungary, too. The hills made me realise that 30 kilos is way, way too much luggage on a bicycle tour. I started to think about what I was carrying that I could get rid of.
Overall, however, I was predisposed to like Hungary because I know a Hungarian in Australia that I am extremely fond of.
I didn’t learn much Hungarian at all. “Köszönöm” means “Thank you” but I was never really sure of the pronounciation. However, my usage of this word generally elicited a smile.
I thought the people in the south of Hungary were friendlier than the people in the north but this may not be statistically true. This bicycle belonged to a man selling chilli peppers at a ferry crossing near the southern border of Hungary.
He gave me a yellow chilli.