Rome to Bari

.. Continuation of part 3 ...

Yup, it is in fact harvesting time. The vineyard workers are here, and they will see me pretty clearly from that angle. Ooops!

I have already taken down my tent hastily and stuffed it into the packing roll, but when I'm getting up on the way to my bike I'm easy to spot. Someone shouts something, I shout "Buon Giorno" back, and then the 4 or 5 workers approach me.

A little nervous I'm trying to make clear that I stayed the night on the land and that I'm just about to leave. One of the guys, possibly the farmer who's land I'm on, looks around.

- "Sei solo?"
- "Si, si. Solo travel... to Bari." I reply.

And some 20 seconds later they all go back into the vineyard. I guess that went rather well :)

The stretch to Bari along the mostly not too busy main roads on the coast line is again very flat, sometimes even with reasonable bike paths (which are sometimes weirdly interrupted by driveways every 3m or so, which leads to interesting road sign line up)

During frequent stops in one of the villages I meet another cycling (or rather bike packing) enthusiast, Giovanni, who's expecting his child in a few days.

I spend 2 mellow nights in Bari chatting with the hostel volunteers, hiding from thunderstorms and exploring the local Gelato scene, before I catch my ferry to Durres, Albania: the first country for me on this trip that I have never visited before!