1700 Finally into Belgrade and I manage to shake off concerned tour-guides who think I won’t make it up the hill to the hotel - but I do and keep up with the field the whole way. My bike has performed brilliantly - not a puncture, snagged cable or snapped spoke to complain about.  The rider hasn’t done too badly either!  This tour (or blog) wasn’t about my disability.  But more eagle eyed readers will have noticed that I walk with sticks. This is as a result of a spinal injury some years ago.  Getting back on a bike and taking part in this tour is part of my answer to anyone who tells me what I am not able to do.

The groups who have ridden from Romania and Hungary now combine in  crazy mass of nearly 400 cyclists through the streets of Belgrade. This is far scarier than any solo riding I have done even around some of the busiest streets of London, Delhi or Istanbul.  We gather in Kalemegdan Fortress overlooking the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.  The British Ambassador to Serbia, Stephen Wordsworth has been kind enough to come and meet the Embassy team at the end of this route and my wife, Melanie, and the kids are also there.  A final spin on the rowing bike for the cameras and it’s time to spend some time with the family.