May 23, 2013
Bratislava to Dunasziget 36 km, Total 1003
10 to 16 C cloudy and wind in the back:)

Zátonyi Csárda Panzió (Pension)
Single ensuite room HUF 6200
Double ensuite room HUF 9000 ($40)
Triple ensuite room HUF 12000
….including breakfast

$1 = 224 Hungarian forint
€1 = 289 Hungarian forint 


 
Junko's birthday
 
A birthday card and a vase with wildflowers at Junko's table setting greeted her when she came down for breakfast.

We said goodbye to Bratislava, it had been a great stop on our route.

We crossed the Danube with Hiro in the lead. We passed our Botel on opposite shore and took one last picture. We were on bike path right next to the water. Soon it deteriorated into on narrow trail through the bush and underneath two more bridges before we popped out on the real and paved cycle path. A powerful wind in the back pushed us along. 

 

Crossing the Hungarian Border
 
The signage leaves a lot to be desired and several times we were left wondering which way to turn. We asked a motorist for directions and he said go straight. Dave wanted to turn right. That's when Junko's global internet access was invaluable. Dave phone has GPS but doesn't have internet access outside of Austria for the maps. He tethered to Junko’s global hotspot device she rented in Japan. We compared where we were on google maps in relation to the bikeline guide book. We needed to turn 'left’. Dave and the motorist we both off.

Just after Cunovo, with no more than a feeble signpost indicating that we were crossing the border we entered Hungary.

A few km later in Rajká, we found the first village in Hungary an ATM. We cashed up with Hungarian Forints. Hungary is part of the EU Schengen Agreement for customs and immigration but they are not on the euro yet.
 

Mostly we rode through farm-country, with wheat, beets, corn and potatoes. It's too early for the sunflowers to be in bloom which must be an amazing sight. We saw fields and fields of the young shoots. Colorful bouquets of wildflowers are never far away.

The road surface deteriorated once in Hungary with many potholes and worn patches. No mountains in sight. Still we enjoyed our ride.
 
At 1:30 we found a nice Hotel in the village of Doborgaz (or Doborgasziget) according to our bikeline cycling guide. It is a simple but nice place in the county with great Hungarian Goulash…. And first day spending was under $60. Our budget is going to like Hungary too!

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References: 

....1) The Danube Cycle Way; Donaueschingen to Budapest by John Higginson
... 2) Bikeline Maps & Guides; Donau-Radweg 1, (5 books in the series)

Our plan in a nutshell; 2900 total kilometers at 50 km per day - 2 days riding for 1 day off for a total of 58 riding days & 90 total days - April to July, 2013 :)