📆 Day 5 | 15 August

📍Route: Szántód → Siófok → Sóstó 

🚴‍♀️ Distance cycled: 18,6 km

🏰 Places visited: “Heart of Balaton” 

First of all, credit where it’s due: Rév Kemping in Szántód was hands down the best campsite so far. Quiet, comfortable, and right by the water—exactly what a bikepacker dreams of after a long day on the road.

Today, however, the heat wave hit us full force. By midday the temperature was pushing 38°C, and riding felt like cycling through a giant hair dryer. Because of the heat, we couldn’t do much—our “ride” became a slow, steady shuffle from shade to shade, with plenty of water breaks just to keep going. At one point, Erzsike's blood pressure dropped from the heat, and she really wasn’t feeling well, so we had to take it even easier.

One of our more memorable pauses was at the “Heart of Balaton” statue in Balatonzamárdi, where we took the obligatory photos and enjoyed a rare breeze before heading out again.

By the time we reached Siófok, the busiest place on our route so far, the crowds and traffic were the last thing we wanted to deal with. We kept moving and finally rolled into SioCamp campsite for the night. Plus point for this place: they gave us a little grill, so we could fry some sausages in the evening—a small comfort that made the hot, exhausting day end on a tasty note.