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Sunday 10th October The sunshine of the previous evening had given way to rain overnight and so the riding started off damp and dreary. Yippee! At least the dampness brings out all the snails and fat slugs, testing our single-track skills, keeping our minds off the miserable weather. As we headed off towards the border we frequently stumbled across noisy white carpets in the fields that on closer inspection were huge goose farms - literally thousands of them with their wings plucked! Chilly effect! By the time we reached Mako, the last town before the border, we were damp and very cold, and in desperate need of a hot chocolate. Stopping for a brief (2 seconds!) moment to check our map, we were accosted by a group of men who had been drinking quite a lot ('quite' being an understatement) - what else is there to do in Mako on a Sunday afternoon!? They were still animatedly discussing what route we should take as we quietly (as quietly as spokee dokees would allow) left them in the road. We did eventually find a great cafe that did great hot chocolate and very creamy cakes, which perked us up for the last push into Romania.... and made Kate feel a bit queasy due to all the cream! Being a Sunday the border crossing is really busy so we had to queue in the pouring rain with the dozens of cars trying to get through to Romania. Although we had wanted to push on further into Romania that afternoon the long border crossing and the now torrential rain left us with no choice but to book into a cheap motel in the border town Nadlac. The only available food outlet was the dingy restaurant in a service station down the road. The food was cheap which was probably the only positive thing that could be said about it. It was so bad that despite our hunger it was left pretty much untouched. Never mind there's always biscuits back in the bedroom! Monday 11th October The next morning we woke to a cold start but at least the washed out sky was clear. After discussing route details with a man at the bar and confirming that we were actually a further hour ahead in Romania, we set off along the main road (yes we can actually use them again in Romania) towards Arad. Despite the wind we made 30miles in good time and we were there in time for an early lunch of kebab and coke! We then pushed on towards Timosoara. The landscape here started to become far more dramatic than the desert landscape of Hungary, with shallow valleys cutting into the plain adding interest to the riding as well as the view.
Another 35miles on, and we were in the bustling city of Timosoara. Asking for directions at a drink stand we got talking to two young men with perfect English; one of whom it emerged was a reporter for the local newspaper. Before we knew what was happening, an interview had been arranged for us with another reporter on our way out of the city. It was a very surreal experience giving an interview on a traffic island whilst holding logo flags from the newspaper! It wasn't long though and we were back on our way heading south to somewhere we may be able to camp. We had done a total of 77miles that day (our longest yet) when we arrived in a village called Jebel. We were in luck when the local church caretaker offered us the churchyard to camp in. They were a very friendly family in an overtly Christian kind of way. Kate felt that she might have made a slight booboo when she let it slip that we weren't married! Tuesday 12th October 1,820 miles, Racajdia, Romania It was an extremely cold night and perhaps we should have taken up their later offer of sleeping in the heated church kindergarten. In the morning after we had packed up they generously fed us traditional Romanian tea with bread and jam and allowed us to wash with piping hot water from their boiler. A tour of the church and the kindergarten and some presentations by the children meant that it was nearly two hours later when we left the hospitable family to continue on our way. Even compared to the Hungarians the Romanian people seem to be the most generous and friendly so far. It was another pleasant day as we pedalled through villages overrun with chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese lining the road and blocking traffic (startled geese flying at you using the road as a take off runway is an odd experience and a dangerous one if you don't swerve in time...Kate?), as we grew ever closer to the shadow of the Carpathian Mountains, finally landing us this evening in Racajdia. So here we are curled up in a musty old bed with a dirty old feather duvet in a drunk man's house. We arrived in this village earlier this evening looking for somewhere to stay or pitch our tent and we ended up stopping a man in the street. To him it was obvious that there was no camping, no hotels and no guest rooms in this, the next or the previous towns. He mulled over the problem for a wee while and then beckoned us to follow him to his house. He, with no English and us, with no Romanian, the next hour was spent communicating through a mixture of French, German, Italian, Spanish and actions! During that time he explained to us how to use the well, where the outhouse is, made us a bed, and cracked us some walnuts with a hammer, which he then thrust into Kate's hands. He then left us with his little dog in the yard and will knock for us at 7 o clock in the morning. Despite smelling of alcohol and not being too sure on his feet, he has been a genuinely friendly, kind and generous man who has refused any kind of payment for the use of his house. Despite the surreal circumstances, we are incredibly grateful for his generosity. All this has been at the end of a very hard day. Although riding fewer than 60 miles, we have been doing battle with the tail end of the Carpathian Mountains and the strongest headwind that either of us have experienced on the trip yet (reducing us to 2 miles an hour at some points, namely on the way into Oravita). Wednesday 13th October You remember those winds we mentioned when we were cycling into Oravita, the ones that reduced us to 2miles an hour? Well it kind of got worse! The next morning after exchanging addresses with Gheorge and giving him some gifts of chocolate and money for Schnapps he sent us on our way with Kate's bike heavily laden with a plastic flower and a couple of kilos of walnuts! Although he had wanted us to stay as the weather didn't seem too good, we were adamant that we were going to get another day's riding in. What a decision that was going to turn out to be! After 5miles of low-level blustery riding, we started up the first big hill of the day, leaving the shelter of the valley we were suddenly exposed to the true force of the wind. We found ourselves being thrown from our bikes (much to the amusement of passing truck drivers) and never being able to pedal more than a few turns before being forced to a standstill by side winds. After another 45mins of riding (walking!) we had managed another 4miles to a roadside policed checkpoint and cafe. Desperate for some shelter, warmth and breakfast we lent out bikes against the walls and bundled ourselves into the cafe. As our hands slowly warmed around the first of three cups of coffee we began to become aware of our surroundings. It was a small tin shack of a cafe and it rattled violently in the wind. Apart from two locals and the cafe owner we were the only non-frontier police in the tiny building. After an hour of stuffing ourselves with chocolate biccies, croissants and endless cups of strong espresso coffee we felt ready enough to brave the next 30km stretch into Maldova Noua, but were unsure whether we would make even half that distance in these conditions. As we got up to venture out (honest we were going to go) a local man stopped us and warned us that the pass would be extremely difficult and that we should take the bus that was due in an hour over into Maldova Noua. Already daunted by the prospect of another 30km of walking our bikes in extreme winds very little persuasion was needed. A policeman kindly flagged down the speeding bus as it passed bringing it to a screeching halt. Our bikes and panniers were quickly thrown into the luggage hold and we were soon on board. As we took our seats we felt slightly guilty for what we were about to do, but in these conditions it was the only safe option. Arriving in Moldova Noua, we unloaded our bikes and luggage expecting to be able to continue cycling. Instead the wind was just as strong and fierce here (just as Kate put it, it's as if you're in a 'vacuum') and we felt forced to stay in the only hotel to take stock of the situation. The city despite its attractive name was a grotty hole with derelict burnt out buildings and the wind finding you wherever you stood. At least the local youth hangout, Park Place, was friendly and warm and served great pizza and chips! As we returned to the hotel room to sleep off the morning's caffeine overdose a head popped out of a room just down the corridor. Who else could it be but Jeroen, one of our Belgian friends. They had also attempted to cycle that day but had turned back after 10mins for fear of their lives! It was such a relief to know that there were others in the same boat. Between the four of us we had spoken to a number of locals and it seems that this was the start of a long 3-4 month spell of incredibly windy weather in the immediate area. We decided to join the boys on a 5 o clock bus to Orsova the next morning which would hopefully take us out of the vacuum zone. Thursday 14th October The next morning we stumbled out, bleary eyed into the dark windy town to wait for the bus. It was novel to travel by bus after many days in the saddle but we were all a little gutted at having to whizz through the most scenic and dramatic section of the Romanian Danube, but we had to make a decision and keep the expedition moving. Orsova was altogether a calmer, brighter and friendlier town. We bought breakfast and supplies in the local outdoor market and then pressed on now riding as a four to Severin. It was such a delightful change to be talking to different people and sharing our riding with someone else. There is only so much time you can spend in the company of only one other person! After Severin we picked up a quieter road which cut off a loop of the Danube. By this time the weather was turning damp and miserable but riding in a group we were still in high spirits. As we rode, we were stopped by a honking German car and caravan. It was Extreme Tommy and his support guy. Tommy is a wheelchair bound, ex-German Big Brother housemate who was attempting to push his wheelchair from Koln to Istanbul. You can find out about this at www.extremtommy.de. We accompanied him for a short 6km stretch off his day's section before we stopped for coffee and beer to shelter from the rain. Because of the weather we didn't make it much further that day. When we got to a village called Pungina we started to ask if there was anywhere we could stay. After much commotion amongst the village inhabitants who were mainly Roma (gypsies) we moved in for the night with a large Roma family. They seemed to have travelled extensively and between them spoke Italian, Spanish and English. They entertained us in our room with a mixture of western and local singing and becoming more inquisitive as the night grew on. They eventually left us in peace so that we could cook our dinner and then we went out to buy beer and coke for us and the family at the local shop. Although we went to bed quite early we could hear the family in the room next door, chatting and watching TV into the early hours. Friday 15th October This pleasant shared experience turned a little sour the next morning when the family started pushily demanding money for their hospitality. Although we felt that they had gone about this in the wrong way, we gave them what we could and pressed on. It wasn't too far now to Calafat where we arrived around lunchtime, only stopping once on the way at the 'No Problems' bar for a quick beverage of the non-alcoholic variety to keep us going.
In Calafat we quickly got more money out and settled into the obvious restaurant 'Max' for fish soup and chips. By the time we had finished these, washed down with a couple of beers, it was late afternoon and no time to be setting off riding again. Instead we all booked into the Hotel Panoramic which compared to the previous few nights was positively luxurious. We settled in for the night with a few cans (again!!) and lots of chocolate and biscuits. Saturday 16th October We met together for the last time in the hotel restaurant for breakfast which was a little disappointing, as it didn't contain half of what was listed on the menu. Oh well! After which we had to say our farewells to Daan and Jeroen, leaving them to go pack (for these guys it is not a short operation...Jeroen??!). They were turning south to Sofia whilst we were continuing east along the Romanian Danube to Ruse. We hope we'll meet up with them in Istanbul (Daan...as soon as you get to Istanbul - first thing!). As the forecast predicted, the dry weather didn't last long. It went from damp to wet to soaking (even with mud guards Kate's back just gets black with wet mud and all sorts). We were riding now through small rural villages with the only tarmac road being the one we were on. Everyone travelled by horse and cart and us cyclists were definitely a novelty. We must have said hello to 200-300 people a day who cheerily said hello in reply. The Romanian people were truly friendly. The stray dogs however were not always so welcoming. Being animal lovers ourselves it is difficult to believe that we were preparing to kick the snapping ferocious animals on a number of occasions. Trust us, when you're pedalling furiously with a growling, snarling, snapping dog at your heels you feel very differently. As we pulled, wet and cold, into the town of Ostroveni, an old man stepped out of his yard to greet us. We asked him if there was a hotel nearby and he beckoned us into his house. We sat in the living space of his two roomed house trying to converse with him. He had a very similar approach to foreign languages as many Britons do (repeat it slower, louder and closer to their face and surely they'll understand!). He was a very proud man, constantly telling us that despite being single he had lots of belongings including 2 cows, 10 chickens, 2 dogs and 2 cats. We cooked him and ourselves pasta, soup and sardines which he scoffed at an amazing speed even though he said he had already eaten. We joined him in his bedroom to watch the evening news on his black and white TV set whilst he guzzled down his homemade wine at again an amazing rate. We felt very humbled by his generosity as he slept on his sofa with just a few jackets for warmth whilst he insisted we use his own bed. Paul and Kate x
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Challoner's, Fasiledes, Amersham, Buckinghamshire