Esztergom, where the heck is it?
Such, or similar, was our big question, as we heart the first time from the WIMA Rally from 10th to 16th July 2016 in one of our winter meetings.
Wima Rally? Yes, once a year all WIMA clubs worldwide, gather together at one location somewhere at this globe and celebrate, talk and ride their (rented) motorbikes.
And, this year our hungarian WIMA Collegues honoured us with their invitation to Esztergom for the Rally 2016.
As the distance between Vienna and Esztergom, especially via highway, is only an 2 1/2 hour drive, something different has to be found. Driving through the hungarian puszta isn’t chilling, too, so?
Finally the hungarian prime minister helped us with his temporary closure of the border to hungary, thus meaning, that a direct border crossing wasn’t recommended at all, so we decided to enter Hungary via Slovakia. And, fortunately so we found the perfect alternative route:
We started in Aspern (the site of the one and only victory of the austrian army
over Napoleons army, crossing the danube), at 10 am
Then we went up NorthEast to the Slovakian Border at Angern/March, where we used the ferry to cross the river to Slovakia.
from there we rode to Malacky and further on into the little Charpathian Mountains (Maly Karpaty) –
quite similar to our Kalte Kuchl 
– a famous motorbike meeting and show-off point in Austria.
from there via Senec to Galanta.
Unfortunately my Smartphone overheated during the long drive in the hot and sunny weather, so the screen blackened, and the backup map wasn’t quite clear at one point, so we endend in the middle of nowhere close to the little danube (Maly Dunaj)
A really nice and pleasant place, but unfortunately only with a rowboat the right way. But, with our bikes, we had to head back for a short period and then circle to the right side in direction to Galanta.
After Galanta we headed south, along the Waag river to Komarno at the Danube. Now we had to decide, which side we would choose for our further approach to Esztergom. Should we stay on the slovakian side and cross the danube at Sturovo? Or should we cross the danube and head to Esztergom along the danube, or over the hills via Tata, Bajna and Tat?
We decided for the hungarian side, and so we crossed the bridge to hungary to Komarom, no border controls, as expected 😉
As all of us where more or less dehydrated (despite constant drinking water) we decided for the assumed easier way along the danube.
But unfortunately, village after village, a lot of sunday tourist car drivers, made the last 35km to Esztergom an unpleasant and boring ride.
Approx. 6 hours riding time was calculated, finally -with some interruptions – 8 hours driving was the result.
My camel back had helped, and so we started to assemble our austrian camp, after the first welcome rounds.
As Lily and Birgit will arrive tomorrow with their transporter van and the big tipi , we decided to make kind of a circle with our tents, below some shady trees.
Chris did errect her tent too, despite the fact that she will have to drive back in an hour, or so, to vienna, as she had changed her job only a week ago and therefore lost all her vacation for the time beeing . :-/
But she’ll be back – on friday afternoon – for sure.
At 8:30 pm she started the engine again, and headed to Tatabanya, the closest highway driveway, she found a pleasant, challenging road with no traffic, and arrived at the highway only half an our later, and from there headed back to vienna into the black night.
Unsurprisingly, there was a queue at the border of 2,5km, but, as she had left her paniers at the tent, it was easy to sneak through the cloumns and cross the border without to much time lost.
Finally, at 10:45pm she arrived at Vienna. Tired after a 13,5 hours tour, and 11 hours ride, but looking forward to friday.! 😉
We used the evening for nice chit chat and den rolled into our sleeping bags, awaiting the days to come.
Monday was registration and get to know, get in touch day. The first, and only one, weak spot of this week surfaced at the breakfast buffet: coffee was a rare and precious good for the whole time. But fortunately, Elsbeth, our Swiss friend, managed to put a smile on our faces, thanks to her own-brewed coffee that she kindly offered to us.
During the day, all participants arrived and settled down on the camping ground and bungalows, and then registered with the “Wima Office” on site. As a gift all received a full bag with T-Shirt, chain spray, visor cleaning fluid, folders about Esztergom and Hungary and 2 small sacks of paprika powder – spicy)
The weather was hot, so the swimming pool was well used to get some refreshment.
In the meantime Lily and Birgit arrived with their van, and erected their tipi in the gap of our tent circle, so now our camp was fully established.
Anneliese was staying in the bungalows as accommodation.
Heidi, Manuela and Simone, our German “Wima-Austria branch” also arrived and pitched their tents in one of the many german corners of the camping ground.
In the evening hours, we were all invited to the welcome dinner, and our experience showed that Hungarians are real gourmets and gourmands as well.
The food was really good and the portions available were huge.
But our Hungarian colleagues know what’s necessary to compensate the food. 
The evenening and the night ended with music and disco sound. J
Tuesday
Naturally, we woke up late, but an irresistible smell wandered over the camp site. It was like wood coal and barbecue and so we were attracted by the smell and ended up around this huge Ox roast-
Jep, this week will not be the best for vegetarians 😉
But, there is another kind of distraction.
The tree within our tent circle seemeds to host a million Mealy bugs. And now, unfortunately, they decided to leave the tree and enter our tents.
They were all over the luggage, in every gap, brrrr.
We fought back with insecticide and this helped a lot, but still they were falling. :-/
The afternoon was well spent with the pool and party, and so the night was a little bit longer then the last one.
Wednesday
Its Rally day!
Over the night it rained heavily. Our bikes’ side stands had sunk into the soft ground and were falling over. Berti’s bike even droppped on to her tent, but it could have been worse with her lying at that spot and rain poored into the tent, and her boots were now filled up to the top.
No big damage to the bikes though, only one mirror on Berti’s bike was bent, but still worked.
After this adventurous night the rally started in the morning and some clouds were still in the sky, so we went prepared for the worst.
But, the day got quite a pleasant twist. The rally was carefully prepared and so we get to know the surroundings of Esztergom.
The rally ended at the local HQ of the Hungarian Police (Rendörség).
As a remembrance to killed motorcycle riders , Wima representatives placed a wreath at the site.
After the ceremony we headed back to camp where we recovered from the challenges of the rally, because the evening challenge is quite as tough.
The prison band gives a live concert at the main tent and the vibes are hot and high. They even treated their music instruments in a really bad manner. 😉
And so, this evening ended, for some of us, really late too.
Thursday
In the morning, it was quite the same situation as yesterday. The clouds were thick, but it’s only raining occasionally and feeble.
So we started for our parade to Budapest, the capital of Hungary. As our parade was under the auspices of the breast cancer prevention organisation, we all carried a pink ribbon. One Hungarian tv station was also present and they are interviewed Claudia Fehrer (our international president) and Emese Melicher (The national Hungarian president)
Report from 21:05 minutes
Guarded by a really impressive police escort the large column of motorbikes set in motion and we headed to Budapest. Our police colleagues did a very good job in guiding us through half of Budapest until we arrived to a central square, where the campaigns donations were handed over to the responsible Hungarian representatives.
After the ceremony we headed back to Esztergom, always surrounded by Hungarian police officers on bikes. I think, the Budapest car drivers will remember this day with some horror 😉
We were back at the camp in the late afternoon, and so we tried to get some food and something to drink.
In the evening there was the Wima president’s dinner for the national Wima presidents, where they discuss national and international issues, which are more or less strictly confidential, so we cannot post them here in public. 😉
The dinner was followed with the occasional night pleasure: Disco, and as always the night is too short .
Friday
Budapest, wait weren’t we there yesterday?
Kind of, but as we were surrounded by so many police bikes, we hadn’t the possibility to check out the city, itself. 😉
So we crammed together in a few busses to Budapest, there we got a lot of information from the guide, shortly afterward we were transferred to a boat on the river Danube, to visit the riverside as well. And, afterwards back into the bus for further rounds through Budapest.
It was hot and there was no time to consume some drinks, or to eat a snack, so we were really glad when we arrived back in the camp in the late afternoon to revive our spirits.
I had arrived in the meantime and already got aquainted with the Mealy bugs and their accompanying earwigs 😉 and I tested the pool, as it was a hot day.
As the others arrived late, there was not enough time to freshen up and pretty ourselves.
All others do had the same problem, as nobody was at the main tent. So we easily sat at our favourite table (as far as possible away from the loudspeakers) once again.
Then the whole ceremony started, all the official announcements, the thanks to our hosts (Wima Hungary) and the introduction video from Wima Estonia for the Rally 2017 in Jäneda (pronounced Joohnada, or so 😉 ) is shown.
This all lasted a long time, and we were really hungry now.
Finally Emese announced that the buffet is open and the queue started to grow.
But, as always, there was enough for all of us and we got fed more than enough. The selection was fabulous
And it all tasted excellent!
Luckily the disco started and we were glad to do some moves, after all the sitting in the bus and the heavy food load J
A colourful sun set finished the day as night fells in.
It fitted very well to the melancholic mood we were all in, as a wonderful, inspiring and entertaining week was now over, and we will have to wait a year, to meet again.
Due our early departure in the morning we went to bed early. At midnight we all had finished our bed time routine.
Good night Anneliese, sleep well Su, Good night Birgit, sleep well Chris, Good night Berti, Good night Renate, sleep well Michaela, Good night Lily, …… :-0
Saturday
Ouch, rain started to poor down during the night. It started with a harmonic rhythm, but now it was heavy rain and the dark clouds to the north were not looking promising.
Nevertheless we enjoy our last breakfast, then all paniers are packed up, and the wet tents are folded and mounted on the bikes to.
Birgit and Lily are the fastest, no wonder, as the can use the whole space of their bus. They kindly offer to take the bigger parts with them. And soon after they are leaving the camp.
They are followed by Su, Michaela, Berti and Renate, this group is heading back to Vienna
They are facing heavy rain and strong wind, as all Wima groups heading north.
Thank gods, they all arrived safely.
Anneliese was still waiting for her partner and so did I too, as I will join them on the first part of their holiday journey.
Finally, at 12 pm, Michi arrived at the camp (Border controls and weather were really bad) and so we start into the west in direction to Szombathely.
Anneliese will then proceed further to Slovenia for Holidays, I to the Pannonia Race Circuit for my first race training – as it seems, I cannot get enough of riding!!!!
This tour is quite uncomfortable too, 12° temperature, heavy rain and strong side winds are accompanying us over 5 hours the whole way. We are glad as the we approach our tragets. In Jánosháza we parted and proceed on the final section of our day’s trip.
Finally, we arrived wet but without any harm at our designated targets.
But that is quite another story 😉