2 June 2008

I left the nomads after they feed me breakfast, I really appreciate their hospitality, it was great even we had no long conversation together.

I was heading off to Damascus and didn’t want to stay in the other town, because I had planed to apply for Jordan and Saudi Arabia visa, before getting late.

I arrived to Hama and I had lunch somewhere in one of the restaurant on the way, the weather was hot at the time but I was still eager to continue I needed 2 days more to reach the capital as I could cycle max 120 kms everyday, and it was 250 kms still left, someone at the restaurant start talking to me when I was ordering my meal, then we seat in a same table to have lunch at the end he paid for me and as he had a pick up, he took me about 60 kms after Hama, I really got surprised of his attitude, in fact as I was really eager to go to Damascus as soon as I can, I accepted his offer to have a travel with a pick up in some part of the road, it was really helpful after that, I cycled again down to my destination.

I could passed most of the road, then I reached in a small town, called DER ATIEH, I looked for a place to set up my tent but it was a bit late around 8:00 pm and I couldn’t, then I went in a good restaurant to have a good dinner, the weather was really cold as this town was located on the height of the mountain, then I ordered a good Syrian Kebab and fresh bread. It was a good and clean restaurant in that town.
When I was in the restaurant I asked some youngest about the park or any sport club that I could my tent and stay for over a night; they had no Idea but one of them said around the University you can, then I left them to the Al Kalamoon university, it was about 2 kms away from the town, the Uni area was really vast and all was asphalted, no place for me to put the tent pins in, I asked the gateman of Uni if there is any park or so……but when we were talking the weather got more cold and foggy he invited me to stay in the room for a tea until he could find a way to accommodate me somewhere, about 20 mints after he called to the dormitory manager of the Uni and told him about my situation, then they let me to use one of the room at the Uni dormitory ? I was really lucky, and I got very happy about this

I left the bike near the gate and went to the dormitory to get in my room, it was furnished and didn’t need to use my stuffs ? I slept there and early in the morning I left the university to Damascus, again I thanks all the staffs at the Al Kalamoon University.

I had something about 90 kms left, the road was good and still hilly, up and down, but after 45 kms pedaling the rest of the road was mostly deep downhill which I needed to break always, I arrived in Damascus at 11:30 am at the same day. It was a good journey even I got lots of smoke from the old Army trucks