Jenny & Ahmed's Cycling Adventure

Paths 2 The Soul - Episode 018

 From Bovec to Ukanc (18 to 22 May 2025)

Countries Visited :

Emotions, kimchi and a soaked bivouac...

Between birthday pancakes, unforgettable human connections, the discovery of an inspiring Korean couple, and a soaked bivouac by Lake Bohinj, these days were full of emotions, surprises and road lessons. Despite the fickle weather, the warmth of human connection never left us.

From Bovec to Tolmin: climb, thunderstorm… and a beautiful surprise at the end...

Bovec → Tolmin - 34.8 km 🚴

Wake-up at 6 a.m. on our almost empty plateau. Only the kayaking couple remains, along with a new arrival, also here to paddle. We start packing up, but after several days, we’ve spread out a bit… it takes time. The sky is overcast, the sun tries to break through. Usual breakfast, then we each get moving. At 9, we head down to say goodbye one last time to Sacha and Jure, her partner, who tells us about their family life at Camping Vodenca (Instagram: @camp.vodenca) and their never-ending daily tasks, and shares an anecdote: the day they hosted 50 Germans even though the campsite was already full! Sacha, always smiling, wishes us a good journey. We’ll miss her, she loves travel, Egypt, and has a sense of humour we adore. We’d have gladly stayed longer. But a very steep climb awaits to get back to Bovec. We face it bravely, then ride through the town and take the same road as on the way in, back to Camping Lazar (Instagram: @campinglazar). There, a little bonus moment: we see Mineja again, enjoy a good coffee and of course… a Kobariški štruklji! Tradition calls. Just as we’re about to leave, a thunderstorm hits. We wait a bit, then put on our rain gear. We cross the Napoleon bridge, then the road toward Tolmin is pleasant, almost empty. We keep going despite the thunder all around, watching the rain move in every direction. A short stop to snap some cows, then we race to the campsite. Upon arrival, as we take shelter under the covered area and Ahmed feels a bit down, a light appears: a whole family of bike travellers! Clara and Romain, on the road for 9 months, a wonderful couple, with their three amazing daughters: Zoé, Lou and Maëlle. Three rays of sunshine. Zoé, the dreamy and curious artist. Lou, the mischievous live wire. And Maëlle, adorable, enjoying her honey cookies: “After this one, I’m done,” she says seriously. We talk, we connect, and come up with the idea of making pancakes together the next morning. Jenny quietly prepares the batter that same evening. It’s still raining. The campsite feels deserted, everyone has taken cover. At 10 p.m., another downpour. But in our hearts, the warmth is absolutely there.

Jenny’s birthday & a wonderful family...

Tolmin → Ukanc - 26 km 🚴 + 28 km🚊

Wake-up at 6 a.m. to prepare birthday pancakes. Jenny sets up outside with the stove and pan, later helped by Romain and his gear. The first pancake goes to the cook 😉, the rest take shape while Ahmed takes down the tent. Lou and Maëlle show up with eyes full of excitement, soon joined by Clara and Zoé who wish a happy birthday around a big table full of Nutella, jams, sugar, honey. A beautiful moment of shared joy with this touching family. The pancakes disappear quickly, Maëlle spreads her jam with great care. Everyone packs up camp, and at 10 a.m., we all leave together with souvenir photos. The climb up to the main road is steep, but the Ferrier family totally rocks it, even with the trailer. Zoé helps us make it to the top. We cycle together for a bit, the girls tell us what they saw yesterday. We’re getting attached. We stop near a small lake for a few final photos before saying goodbye: we’re heading to Bohinj, they’re coming from there. Zoé gives Jenny some beautiful drawings, and the girls give us blue ribbons for the bikes. Emotions run high. Gravel road to a small train station, the train arrives in 30 minutes. In the end, we transfer via bus/train to Grahovo then Podbrdo. In Grahovo, we try to reach a village by bike, but the steep slope and lack of coffee make us turn back. We settle at the station to enjoy the peace and post episodes 6 and 7. An kind employee, Bohyan, offers us an excellent little Turkish coffee. The next train again stops beside the platform, but two men help us: one works at Rossignol, the other is a young English cyclist (his girlfriend is sulking). The first tells us about monuments to visit. In Bohinjska Bistrica, we get off without too much hassle and decide to eat at the snack bar: fried cheese and potato-onion stoemp for Jenny, big burger for Ahmed, with two Cokes. A very nice restaurant break. We cross the village, skirt a construction zone near a beautiful church, then follow a gorgeous bike path toward the lake. We pass hamlets and fields, people are mowing by hand. A picnic basket at the edge of a field evokes another era. We see alpacas. Arriving at Lake Bohinj, Martina from the campsite (Instagram: @campbohinj) gives us 50% off! We set up in a quiet corner of the forest, close to the lake. Hot shower, then a special moment: Ahmed reveals two gifts, one “heavy” that’s light, and one “light” that’s heavier to carry. Jenny discovers them playing hot-and-cold. Thank you Ahmed for the surprise! Veggie barbecues, here we come! We finish with a leek soup packet by the lake, under a starry sky, lulled by the almost magical night sounds of the forest.

Peaceful day around Lake Bohinj...

Wake-up around 7 at the campsite (Instagram: @campbohinj) by Lake Bohinj. After a shower and some tea, we head to the bakery as soon as it opens to enjoy croissants by the water, in the soft morning light. The campsite even shares the photo in their Insta story! We then set off toward the Savica waterfall, through flower-filled meadows and crystal-clear rivers. The entrance is paid (€ 4), and the climb is done via forest stairs. The waterfall is stunning, A-shaped, with turquoise and emerald colours. We enjoy it alone, before meeting Katy and Dave, a lovely couple from Seattle USA. Back at the parking lot, a quick coffee, then we start walking around the lake via the northern shore. Bohinj is peaceful, surrounded by mountains, with strikingly clear water. Along the way, we admire the small 11th-century Church of Saint John the Baptist (entry fee), then do our shopping at Mercator for the next three days. Cheese sandwich break before continuing along the southern shore. There, we meet Françoise and Jacques, a French couple travelling by camper van, with whom we have a long conversation on the path. They invite us for Tibetan tea at their place, with chocolate, figs and hazelnuts. A moment of simple and precious human warmth. In the evening, Ahmed invites Jenny to dinner at the campsite to extend the birthday. We end the day with a hot tea by the lake, but the sky is clouding over. Worried about the weather ahead, we wonder if the Seven Lakes hike will be possible. We fall asleep under the rain, despite a few insects between the layers of fabric.

A peaceful day, a surprising and unforgettable encounter...

Wake-up under the rain at the Bohinj campsite. No hiking today. As soon as it clears up, we settle under the campsite shelter: breakfast, office for Ahmed, and pain au chocolat in hand. We run into Bruno, the guy from Bovec originally from the Saône, and exchange numbers for this winter. At 9 a.m., we join Françoise and Jacques for one last coffee. They’re still just as lovely. On the way, Françoise notices a strange license plate: KR (= Korea, Republic of). Jenny turns around… and there, total surprise: a camper van registered in Korea, with a flag to prove it. Incredible! Time to say goodbye to our French friends, hoping to see them again very soon. Then, we absolutely want to meet the Koreans, but no one’s inside. So we set up a little alternating surveillance to make sure we don’t miss them. And bingo, just as the vehicle moves toward reception, Ahmed rushes over to meet them. Jenny joins later. We then meet a retired Korean couple who’ve been travelling for a year and a half across Europe, England, Morocco... They started their journey from Vladivostok where they arrived by boat. We connect quickly, exchange a few words in Korean, and they eventually invite us to have lunch with them. An hour later, we step into their camper van: a proper little dining room is set for four. White rice, muok guk, japchae, kimchi-style salad… A full and delicious Korean meal that amazes us. We even leave with some Japchae “to go.” We’re over the moon. In the afternoon, Jenny rests by the lake, feeling a bit queasy, while Ahmed sorts through photos from Venice. The sun comes back despite a gloomy forecast. In the evening, light dinner (tartines for Ahmed), then retreat under the tent just before the thunderstorm hits at 8:30 p.m.

Rain, tension and a bivouac lesson...

After a night of rain, a short lull from 7 to 8 a.m. quickly gives way to a full day of cold, relentless rain. Breakfast under the campsite shelter, Ahmed tries to work on the blog while Jenny goes back and forth despite the rain. Soon enough, rain capes or not, we’re soaked. At noon, a few sandwishes to keep us going. Around 1 p.m., Ahmed, frozen, takes refuge in the tent. Jenny, on her side, stays outside to write in the journal, make a few calls and try to stay active despite the cold. A large beer at the bar doesn’t help much: morale hits rock bottom, especially for Ahmed, worn down by the rain and humidity. Tension builds a bit. We each keep our distance to avoid spreading the bad mood. We cross paths at the end of the day without saying much. Ahmed eats quickly, Jenny heats up the japchae offered by the Korean couple, still delicious, but the mood takes away some of the taste. The dreaded moment arrives: getting into the tent soaked, taking off dripping clothes without flooding everything… tough mission. Water starts to seep in from underneath, the rain drums on without pause. Jenny had asked for permission to pitch the tent under a shelter if needed, but Ahmed prefers to refuse out of fairness to the other campers. A solidarity reflex, or communist one, she jokes. Takeaway from the day: always choose your tent spot carefully and never trust fair weather when arriving.

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Stay tuned for more in our next episode…

Jenny & Ahmed