Ljubljana was a great place for a day off yesterday. We went up the funicular to the castle, visited the town museum for a fascinating account of the transition from communism, and had a brilliant seafood platter. A varied and enjoyable day. It’s a very young city, with lots of trendy bars, so we fitted in well. Helen says all the old people have been banished to the outlying villages.

This morning we returned to a great breakfast cafe for English breakfast before hitting the road again. We spent most of the day following the Sava river valley downstream, through small villages, mostly on back roads, sometimes dirt roads. The cycling was fairly easy and we made good progress on rested legs.

We are no longer on a recognised cycling route, so coffee stops in random places mean that we are the centre of attention. We haven’t had this experience since Rumania. The valley grew gradually narrowed until it was a wooded gorge, with eagles passing overhead. At one point a sign announced that the road was closed 2.5 km ahead. (Yes, our Slovenian is improving – Helen can even order two beers) but we pressed on in hope and were rewarded with brand new tarmac just waiting for white lines. A smooth surface and no traffic! Just dodge the road repair trucks.

At Zidani Most we turned north up a side to reach tonight’s destination. This is the best and the most expensive spa resort in Slovenia. So we’ve checked into the cheap and cheerful motel and swimming pool complex just down the road! We’ve just had our chips while watching the kids playing in the water. Our holidays are nothing if not varied.