To finish off Chapter 1, Europe, I ended Europe on a beautiful high note. I was cycling the East Coast of Greece, having a nice time. I remember rolling through beautiful lush farmland, and at the time, I was listening to some deep forest house music that was bringing my mind into a nice zen place.
I was rolling down a hill, very fast, connected to the music, when I spot a bike, and 2 hitchhikers with big packs on standing roadside. I slam on the breaks, turn around and see what the craic is. I met Tina, an Austrian Taiwanese cyclist, with a very sleek bike-packing rig. She talking to the two hitchhikers. It turns out they’re not actually hitchhikers. They’re two religious pilgrims from France, walking all the way from Paris to Jerusalem. Sometimes I think what I’m doing is mad, but when I meet people like these two guys, it measures me that I’m not mad. Walking is mad! After a chat, myself and Tina decide to cycle on together as we were both heading to Istanbul. We started heading East together. It’s always exciting meeting a new cycling friend.