I am planning on flying into Rome this December, buying a bike there and biking around the Adriatic sea until I get to Greece (or whenever three and a a weeks are up! I would sure appreciate any advice from people who have undertook a similar adventure. I turn thirty five this month, its funny how a person can suddenly realize time is ticking for you to start making your life more than mediocre, isn't it? After I complete that, I'll be flying out of Rome to Tanzania to try Mt. Kilimanjaro. Again, any good advice on who to hire for a guide would be great. Its nice to know there are other people out there who are interested in seeing what's out there instead of hiding away, watching television while you get older waiting for something incredible to happen. Hazard

Check out BootsnAll's Mt Kilimanjaro guide for a ton of info on climbing the mountain.

Wow, biking from Italy to Greece in December... I dunno, sounds a bit... tough! You would have to be a pretty fast peddler to make it all the way to Greece, going through where? Albania? In December???

Might be an idea to head south instead of north, head down to Bari and then take the ferry over to Patra (if you are keen on seeing Greece that is).

Don't want to be the doomsayer, but it seems like a tough warm up for a mountain climb. Be interested in hearing how you get on though!

You would have to be a pretty fast peddler to make it all the way to Greece, going through where? Albania? In December???

Speed isn't the problem - such a trip would only need to cover 100km/day - anyone in good enough shape for such a trip can do that in 4-6 hours depending on terrain. Most touring cyclists I know plan for between 120 and 150km/day, so there's ample time for days off.

Weather, though, could be a problem. There's some mountains on that route, and they won't be overly hospitable to cyclists in December.