June 7

For me, there are a few good reasons to visit Sardinia. Of course, it is a rider’s paradise with amazing roads and scenery; however, you can find that in many places. The primary reason is to visit a friend. Good friends are the salt of the earth, they are the persons who, when you see them again after a long time, give you a long tight hug, and when you look at each other you feel emotion.

Please come back with me to 1997. I am on my longest ride ever. With two friends I ride from Southern India all the way to Holland, a trip of 21000km, taking three months to do so. Towards the end, we crossed from Greece over to Italy and were riding north along the east coast from Bari to Ancona and beyond.

One of us had left the group of three to visit relatives elsewhere in Italy, so it was just Charlie and me that entered the city of Rimini on a busy Sunday afternoon. There were many motorcycle riders going in both directions. For a while, we were followed by a small group of riders. At one of the traffic lights, a motorcyclist pulled up next to me and said in English. “Excuse me, could you tell my friends where you are from because they don’t believe me.”

 Apparently, they had been discussing our AUS plates and had come to the conclusion that we came from Austria. The guy who asked me the question had told them otherwise. I turned around and said, “Yes, we are from Australia. Look at our number plates, Qld and NSW.”

Immediately they got excited and asked us to follow them to the beach where they wanted to share a pizza with us. The guy who had spoken to me introduced himself as Gabrielle. (This is a man’s name in Italy unless spelled with an “a” at the end, in that case, it is a female name)

Gabrielle took us to his parents’ home that night, a three-story mansion where he used the bottom floor as his own domain. We stayed with Gabrielle for three days/two night and had a great time taking in the sights. I have been friends with him ever since. This is my third or fourth visit, and Gabrielle has visited me in Australia.

Also, a man who can’t sit still, we have many things in common. When he was in Australia, he rode a smaller trail bike from Western Australia to South Australia a journey of 2000 km of desert. Instead of using the main road, he travelled along the maintenance track next to the railway line. 

Having only a small tank, he strapped a dozen coke bottles filled with petrol around the bike to give him enough fuel to last the distance. (Plastic 2-litre coke bottles can handle petrol and the pressure.)

Gabrielle no longer lives in Rimini but has moved to Sardinia where he purchased a large camping/caravan resort, along one of the beaches south of the city of Olbia. The park can accommodate more than 1000 people.

June 8

The ferry is running late, the 12 noon arrival time in Sardinia has been adjusted to 2 pm, I heard over the P.A system.

By 2.30 pm I ride down the ramp and enter the city of Porto Torres and start on my route which I rode down on a bit of paper using my Michelin Europe map which shows the scenic road with green lines.

 I have learned that if you start a route via various smaller country roads and then set the GPS to the shortest route, you will come across some very interesting stuff. I follow the main road north when I am directed to turn left along a road barely two meters wide. The road turns into a track which is obviously used for farm machinery. For a while, I am closed in by green stalks of grain on either side of the track and end up on a farm. The area in front of the barn must be part of some sort of the main road as it is listed on the GPS.  I pass villages reminiscent of scenes from old films where to old man sit on benches discussing the things of the day. I enter a village where all the narrow streets consist of cobbles stones and where the women do the washing at the water well.

 I don’t think they see many strangers here as nearly everyone stops with what they are doing and look up when slowly pass. It feels like I am travelling in the 1950s. The other day my route also carried me via a farm and then entered a churchyard and cemetery.  

A few hours later I pass the city of Olbia and enter Gabrielle and wife Louisa’s Caravan Park.

I had him paged from the reception area. Being a busy man had hadn’t read his email. Gabrielle looks after all the maintenance 7 days a week. We gave each other a long hug.  During dinner Gabrielle told me that Louisa and he had been travelling around Europe on their BMW 1200 for a few years ago looking at hotels, caravan parks, hostels etc. for sale.  Two years ago, after a long search, they came here and immediately fell in love with the place, also because the scenery around the camp reminded him of Australia.

June 9

During breakfast, Gabrielle suggested that this afternoon we could do some riding together. He would show me some amazing places. Ok, great!

Early afternoon we set off. I just ride behind his Yamaha XT600. We follow the road south and than head for the mountains. The scenery is breathtaking. The mountains are formed out of granite and are covered by perhaps 20-30 different species of scrubs. Most of them are in flower showing off a kaleidoscope of colours. Red, pink, white, blue and yellow colours everywhere and the fragrance of Jasmine.

 Being on a motorcycle has many advantages as you are closer to nature with a 180-degree view. You feel the temperature changes per degree and notice all the smells around you.  The pictures I am taken do not do it justice. It is getting warm, even at 1000 meters, it is 34 degrees but bearable.

Via 1000 twists and turns, we reach the coast again and speed upon the freeway at 120 kph as it is getting late.

A fantastic dinner at the campsite restaurant (which is packed) follows.   Back at my cabin, I check the ferry website for the ferry to Sicily. Bummer it only goes once a week, the next ship goes in 4 days. I book the ferry to Naples instead and will work out later where to go and what to do. Perhaps I give Sicily a miss and head for Greece. When you travel on your own, you can go wherever you want even if you change your mind twice day.

New mailCopy