Trâmnicu Vâlcea to Dragodana. 7 July.

Up bright and early to the sound of roaring lions. Breakfast was at 6.30 and we set off at seven. We started along Highway 7 with a couple of long climbs of about 7-8 kms each. The road was very busy with hundreds of truck and trailer units going past. It was hard going, no chance to look at the view or what there was of it. Crazy overtaking by Romanian truck drivers, peasant farmers with horse and carts, pedestrians walking along the road edges, the road was very busy and required utmost concentration to stay alive. It was probably the most difficult and unpleasant ride we have ever done.

We had lunch at Bascov on the forecourt of a disused garage. There was a queue of a couple of kilometers of traffic to get past, it was waiting to get past roadworks. We carried on through Pitesti - row after row of 10 story apartment buildings in Communist style. We did not stop but rode through the chaotic traffic as fast as possible. Stopped at Gaesti for an ice cream. It was like Pitesti but on a smaller scale.

Throughout the day we took only one photograph. Certainly not much to take photos of. We rode with Manon, Graeme and Mike C in the morning, and were joined by other Mike, Nicole and Dan in the afternoon. Arrived at our campsite at Dragodana around 2.30pm. There was only a small area to pitch tents in, so many of us are having a slumber party on the foyer of the Motel/Hotel. The manager will not allow is to pitch tents on the front lawn, so after much discussion we were allocated floor space and sofas in the large foyer. We showered and went for a drink at the adjoining restaurant to celebrate Manon's birthday.

Dinner was pasta and chicken, prepared and eaten in the car park. Today's trip was 111ks, in 5 hours 22 mins. Average was 20.6.

Targu Jui to Râmnicu Vâlcea. 6 July.

We slept with our earplugs in to try to counteract the noise from sirens, plumbing, people and dogs. There was a truck emptying a large rubbish container at 2am. Hotel breakfast was from 6.30am so we were ready to leave by 7. We rode today with Jos, Manon and Graeme. Leaving town we travelled on Highway 67. After 8ks we turned onto Highway 655A. The first hour was on new chip seal over steep hills. Passed through a number of villages and had many dogs to contend with along the way. There were hens, ducks, and geese along the road, lots of locals on the sides of the road waving, cows and horses grazing on the roadsides. Carts of hay being moved. Again some brand new beautiful homes set amongst decrepit houses.

Lunch was at Baia de Fier, at 53ks. This was after we had ridden for 3 hours 45 mins, average 15kph. It was a hard ride on a very rough road surface. Total climb for the day was 1400 meters, most of which was climbed in the morning. It was through the rolling of the Carpathians. We rejoined the main highway (67) about half an hour after lunch. The road was excellent. Very smooth and wide. So the speed was easily improved! There were some amazing examples of bad overtaking that we witnessed. Romanian drivers are appalling at overtaking in a dangerous manner.

We stopped at 75ks for an icecream and cold drink. The temperature had risen to mid 30s. At 90ks we has a snack stop with fresh fruit on offer. The last ten ks were onto a head wind. Our camp is at Râmnicu Vâlcea. We arrived around three, set up the tent, showered and then relaxed in the shade. Camp is at a Pensione with a bar and restaurant attached, about 2ks from town. It is set in grasslands, with a local man-made lake and swimming pool about 1k up the road. When we arrived and cycled past the pool there were hundreds of cars and thousands of people there enjoying a day at the beach.

The shower was retrofitted to a large bedroom, just a small circular shower stuck in the corner with one edge of tiles to ring the carpet, certainly not a good waterproof addition to a second story. It was hot and clean though. Dinner was fried chicken and sausages, and corn on the cob. We are also camping beside a zoo. One thing we have noticed since entering Romania is the amount of rubbish along t he sides of the road. Plastic bottles mostly, and occasionally places where it looks like a non-official site for everyone to drop their household refuse. Unlike NZ there is hardly any broken glass though - only about two patches in the last week. We zipped up our tent at 9pm. It was a lovely evening. There was noise until ten when the other campers and patrons left the restaurant and bar area at the camp ground, locals by taxi. Then it started ... There were dogs barking for miles around. An unorchestrated "symphony" of barking which carried in all night, with the occasional roar of lions thrown in. It was unbelievable. Again we resorted to earplugs which helped to muffle the sound a little.

Today was a slow trip. First 53ks took 3hours 44 mins. Total day trip was 126ks in 6hours 28 mins. Ave. was 19.5.

Baile Herculane

A relaxing night's sleep, as it was cooler we had the window open with the net curtain closed to keep out mosquitoes. Worked better than the air conditioning unit. There was a hose on all night in the hotel terrace garden, so slept to the pleasant sound of water being sprinkled. Awake at 5.30 by the light of the new day. After our hotel breakfast we set off, around 7.40am. First 1k was heading up the valley on the flat, then it was a 36k climb up through the mountains. Bit hard straight after breakfast! Baile Herculane is at the bottom of a mountain chain, and we were heading up the side of Muntii Mehedintulului on the 67D.

It was a good climb, in some places the road was extremely rough but the gradient was OK. Occasionally it had a sign 7% or 10% gradient. So it was up and up and up, at first alongside the river. As we got higher the views became more expansive. We went from forest, like Arthur's Pass, to large views through to the background mountains which still had some snow on them. The scenery was spectacular, absolutely magnificent. There were only a few settlements, some horse drawn carts, a few wild dogs - only one group which showed any interest. We rode with Manon and Graeme. The climb was up to 1100m. The temperature was cool and it was overcast with a bit of a breeze - excellent conditions for riding up a mountain. Once we reached the summit it was a 5k ride down to lunch. Just before lunch we passed through the town of Obitsia Closani.

On the outskirts was a flock of sheep being moved along the road. Around the corner Liz had an up close encounter with a large dog, but proved she could yell and bark better! Lunch was at 45ks, with lots of fresh fruit. There were lots of little settlements along the way down, with people going about their business. The fields on the mountainsides were all planted, and there were many workers scything and raking hay. Often they called out and waved to us. A number of horse drawn carts and cows were on the road.

There were plenty of hens on the sided of the roads, haystacks, some corn crops and lots of grassland. There was another fruit snack stop at 80ks, and from there it was gently undulating into Targu Jui. Traffic was light, roads reasonable. In the last 20ks the temperature rose, and it was 37 degrees when we reached the hotel. Another 2 star hotel, bathrooms are decrepit but clean. We have a view from our 6th floor over apartment blocks which are of a very functional design to say the least. Like many places there is a drop straight down outside the window! Dinner was pizza on the terrace, with ice cream for desert. They had been out to get new glasses as obviously did not have enough. It is an extra hotel night as not a rest day tomorrow. Instead we are looking forward to our longest and toughest day! It is a lovely evening, doves cooing, children playing on the streets, older folks sitting on the benches chatting, dogs roaming. We have been to the supermarket to get fresh water for tomorrow, and are heading to bed early (9pm). Today we travelled 102km on 5 hours & 4 mins. Average was 20.3.

Baile Herculane. Rest day. 4 June.

We had a lovely sleep in - luxury, hot up at 8am. After the hotel breakfast Liz went down to the hotel spa, smells just like Rotorua! There were a few other cyclists enjoying a relaxing soak. Then we walked the 2km back along the river road into town. There are a large number of once grand and now derelict buildings, some undergoing renovation and others the subject of disputes regarding ownership in the courts following the collapse of Communism. Some are substantial structures, 3-4 stories high with about 1000 m2 per floor. They have crumbling grand staircases and concrete statues at their entrances. A sign of what was once a vibrant, trendy society.There were a number of stalls selling swimwear and clothing, fur coats and hats, and other tourist products. Also a large number of beer garden/outdoor cafes. Not much else! We walked up and down the (only) main street. The town sits along both sides of a deep ravine. There is a relatively clear river running through, fed by hot spa waters. A few bridges cross the river. There are a number of 1960s style apartments and hotel complexes. After exploring the few shops and stalls, we had a coffee with Jos, Garis, Manon and Graeme.

Wandering around in towns and cities on our non-cycling days we always meet fellow tour cyclists!Manon is Dutch, works in Sydney, and she is carrying on from Istanbul to Beijing - a journey of 11000 ks over 110 days. Graeme is British, works with Manon in Sydney, and is also carrying on to Beijing. Others on the trip who are doing the extra mileage to Beijing are Stewart, Nicole, Dan, Young Al and Mike. Stewart has done Paris to Istanbul two years ago so is using it as a warm up for the bigger and more demanding ride to Beijing.

There are some other lovely people on our trip whom we have been fortunate to meet. Janice and Garis are from Melbourne, Jim, Lady Al, Win and Bill from USA, Maureen and Glen, Karen, Mike, Philip, Terry and John Ross from Canada, Carl and Rita and Jaco from South Africa, Jorg from Switzerland to mention a few. Some have done the most amazing adventures previously. A collection of forty randomly mixed individuals when we set out, who have joined together over the last month and shared every day and night together to become good mates. After coffee it was almost lunchtime, so we purchased bread, cheese and salami and cold drinks and headed for a park bench in the shade. Then back to the hotel for a siesta. It was too hot to sit outside!

At 5 Liz went with Janice, Lady Al and Karen for a ladies dinner. We walked down the river to the spot where Liz and Karen had dined last night. Liz had a delicious grilled chicken breast with boiled potatoes, something we have not had a lot of on this trip. Then we caught a taxi back to the hotel for a grand total of 4lei, or about NZ $2, to be in time for our massage. The hotel has a massage and therapeutic unit at one end, and Liz and Lady Al had booked a massage for seven pm. It was wonderful to have tired old muscles given a firm but relaxing workover! Then back into the hot pool for twenty minutes before having a shower and preparing for the morning. Meanwhile John went out with the boys for dinner. He joined Philip, Garis and Allan for dinner in the hotel restaurant for a pork and bacon roll. Then later we joined Graeme and Manon for desert on the hotel terrace. It was a lovely, still evening, a little cooler than last night. Went to bed at ten.

Resita to Baile Herculane. 3 July.

Hotel breakfast was at 6.30am. It was laid out waiting for us on individual plates - slices of cheese and ham, tomato, and fresh bread as well as coffee or tea. The Tour organisers came to the rescue with some muesli. Set off just before seven am with Jos, Manon and Graeme. It was 17 degrees. From the hotel it was 1k through town, then up for 20 ks to the summit of the hill. These were the Carparthian Mountains. It was through forested land in the lower slopes and then through open grassland. We climbed up 800 metres, and had the most amazing views over the beautiful rolling countryside at the top. It was pleasantly cool, often into a headwind Passed the town of Carasova near the top, built into a hollow among slopes of olive trees and forest. There were hobbled cows grazing alongside the road.

Just past the summit was the town of Anima, a sprawling town which was once a coal mining town. The collery had closed two years ago and the town was looking a bit worse for wear. While it looked pretty from afar, it would be a bleak place in the winter. The roads were all very good, smooth tar sealed two lanes. Offroads to the side were all just dirt and gravel. Locals were all very friendly, giving us a wave as we biked past. In Anina the rubbish man said "Bon voyage" and another road worker "Have a good trip". One man stood at a crossroad and pointed out the way for those who were checking maps. Many older locals in all the villages sat in the shade outside their houses, women dressed in heavy skirts and socks with a scarf on. Lunch stop was at 10am in a forest clearing just before Bozovici, after 45ks. We had lots of fresh fruit with lunch, delicious sliced pineapple, watermelon, nectarines and bananas. Well replenished we set off again. From lunch to Bozovici the road became increasingly rough and even though it was downhill it was hard to maintain a decent speed. There were a number of roadwork sites along the way - and plenty of future work for them!

We stopped in Bozovici for a cold drink. Since leaving the forested area and coming into the open grassland the temperature had risen to about 34degrees. There was nothing much redeeming about Bozovici, apartment blocks which would be condemned at home were still fully occupied. Dirt side roads were well used, making the air dusty. Lots of cars driving through, and dogs on the road, young men scooting around on motorbikes. We knew other shop patrons were talking about us as they said "Paris" - we have Paris to Istanbul signs on our bikes. From here on the landscape became increasingly pretty, with mountains in the background. There were lots of people working in the fields taking and scything and turning hay, most waved at us. Dozens and dozens of handmade haystacks, people carting hay by horse and cart, often with the family all sitting on top.

At 80ks we started another climb over a low pass of about 200metres - again on a very rough surface. There was a snack stop at 82ks where we could refill drink bottles and again have some tasty fresh fruit. It was getting warmer, heading to 36 degrees. We drink at least 3-4 sports bottles of water and electrolyte solution during the day, and need to keep replenishing fluid levels in the evening - hence the 'need' to have a beer at our camp or hotel. Plenty of liquids and sunscreen are important. We also stop every 10ks or so just to stretch legs. At the one road town of Iablanita we stopped for an ice cream. A young boy went past on horse and cart collecting metal, and some gypsies walked along calling out to see if anyone wanted to buy pots and pans. From there we turned onto a side road- at one stage would have been a lovely concrete road, but was a very rough broken surface, partially overgrown with vegetation at the sides. It was uphill for 3 ks then downhill, surprisingly still used by local cars and heavy trucks. Tiger country for pushbikes!

At its end we went onto the E70 which was a newly sealed road. New roads here have no verge, just a sharp edge and the bitumen can be up to a foot thick. So care is required. Fortunately where we joined the road there were roadwork and so traffic as restricted to one lane. This allowed us to get through and not have any traffic passing us for a few kilometers by which time we were on a wider piece of road. After 7.5 ks we turned onto the road to Baile Herculane. (Baths of Hercules) and soon could smell the sulphur in the air! Alexander the Great is said to have visited here.


It was 5ks to the hotel, at the end of the town which is situated between two very high, steep bluffs with a river running along the bottom. There are many thermal and "spa" pools, and buildings which would suggest that it was a trendy place to visit in its heyday, but now they stand empty and derelict.


The people we seeks our travels now are not of Hungarian descent, as they were in Timisoara, but of Romanish descent. Much darker skinned and more "solid" build. The Romanian language is a Romance language, so easier than Hungarian to try and decipher. Arrived at the hotel and showered. After a rest we met with a group of others and headed to a local restaurant. Had a delicious meal with Maureen and Glen, Graeme and Manon. Liz had steak and John had pork schnitzel. We were sitting beside the river. On the opposite bank a man came down in his underwear to have a bath in the warm water flowing into his man-made "pool" from a pipe! Probably his daily ritual.

Returned to the hotel, saw a firefly buzzing through the forest, its "tail-light" flicking every 3 seconds. There were some wild dogs around but they scampered when someone shouted at them. Off to bed for a good nights rest. It was a long ride today at 125 ks with lots of hills, 6 hours 25, average 19.6. We had a really pleasant day, riding not too tough and scenery very pleasant.

Timisoara to Resita. 2 July.

We were all ready to leave the hotel by 7.30am in a big group. As it was a busy city we left all together with "outriders" - some of the cyclists rode along ahead to stop the traffic to allow the group to pass safely through intersections and roundabouts. The group ride was only for 5ks, then we carried on by ourselves. Timisoara was a city in good heart, and in a few years will be a lovely place. The ride started in the new time zone, so was an hour earlier than we had been starting in terms of light and sunrise. So it was relatively cool at 24 degrees when we set out. We carried on along a local highway through Cheveresu Mare, Bacova and Buzias. The road was in good condition, a busy narrow two-lane flat road. There were two dead dogs along the side of the road in various stages of decomposition. The road was the only way to get out of town, but was really too busy for safe riding. However all managed it safely. After about 20kms we could see in the distance the outline of the foothills of the Carparthian Mountains, which we will be climbing through in the next few days.

Turned off after 32ks at Buzias onto a quiet country road towards Berzovia and lunch. It was market day in Buzias. This road was a great ride through rolling hill country with lovely scenic views over the route we had just come over. There was a young lad standing beside the road herding his cows, to prevent them wandering onto the road- no fences here. There was open grassland on the sides of the road. Peasants were hand raking hay into bales with pitchforks, then loading it onto 4wheeled rubber tyred trailers to tow with their horses back to the farm for storage.

Stopped at Izgar at a small store to buy a cold drink. It was a small she'd in the middle of nowhere, with one petrol pump and LPG bottles for exchange. Had a broken down tractor in the yard, and a ramshackle house over the road with a TV satellite dish - not uncommon despite the poverty. The chap at the shop seemed mildly bemused to have a number of foreign cyclists descend on his shop.

From here the road became worse, with large potholes and patches of broken or completely unsealed road. We passed through some forested areas and immediately in the shade were assaulted by clouds of midges. It was 26 degrees, and so pleasant when in the shadier areas. Just before lunch a car stopped in front of us and the driver, a man dressed in crisp white shirt and dress trousers, signalled us to stop. He gave Liz a map especially produced for riders (motor and push bikers) for the area, and talked about our expedition. Said he would like us to send an email once we arrived in Istanbul. We are constantly amazed at the friendly locals along the way, many waving hello as we pass.

Lunch was in a clearing in the forest just before Berzovia, at 63kms. There were fresh rolls, plenty of cheese, tomatoes, meat and lettuce. Fresh fruit also. After a short break we continued in a little group with Manon, Graeme and Allan. We carried on till the road joined Highway 58B where it was busier again, then through Bocsa to Resita. There was some pleasant bush to travel through, a number of gypsies with carts full of hay or firewood. The road was a good one, curving around through forested hills. Resita is not a pretty town. We are staying in the Hotel Semenic right on the square in the centre of town. It is a six story, two star hotel. Everything is in the original Russian gulag style of the 1950s. It has a standard a bit like some of the THC hotels of the early 1960s! We arrived at 1.30 and had a very cold shower. No hot water before 4pm, and the water was was particularly cold. We have sprayed our beds with insect repellent to ensure that we are the only things sleeping in them tonight - though the sheets smell relatively clean!

John particularly likes the coal conveyor belt which dominates the skyline outside the hotel window, and the number of 11 story concrete apartment blocks. The city is comprised of these grey concrete apartment blocks. There is a rail track almost completely obscured by grass, along which a very noisy rail car ran. However, the little stream running along outside looks relatively clean, the cleanest stream/river we have seem in Europe. As we can't drink the water here, we went along with a group to a local bar for a cold need and an ice cream. The cost 5Lei each, about NZ $2.60. Then we retired to our very shabby, worn hotel room to snooze for a few hours. Reader briefing was at 6.30, followed by a brief history of Romania presented by Sebastian, our local guide. Dinner was at 7 in the hotel dining room, spaghetti bolognaise, then we were entertained by a local four-piece band. Three of the band looked very 'Roman' and they pales very well. The other chap played the trumpet and played the Slaves Chorus by Verdi. We were certainly well entertained for the evening. Went for a stroll around the square on the lovely evening air, then early to bed.

Timosoira Rest Day. 1 July

After a good night's sleep we woke at 8am - a luxury to have a sleep- in! Another hot sunny day. Hotel breakfast, then to the bank to change more money and to the laundromat. It cost 12.75 lei(NZ$3.50) for a load to be washed and dried, ready in 4 hours. We walked there with Jos, and by the time we got back to the hotel it was midday. Retired to our air-conditioned room to do emails and rest for an hour. Then spent 1/2 hour cashing a travellers cheque - it took a visit to six banks before we found one which would cash the cheque. We went with Jos to a local fast food restaurant for lunch at 2pm. It was a set meal- vegetable soup and a fresh roll, chips and chicken pieces. All for NZ$3 each, about 10lei.

There are a few groups of street urchins around, aged from 5 to 10, trying to get us to buy flowers from them. We saw them come into the restaurant and one took the plate with the leftover food someone had left behind and went outside to share the remaining chips with the others. We have seen a few beggars, but no more than anywhere else. Also a few disabled people begging. But generally a lot of well dressed, attractive young women, and a mixture of smartly dressed and sloppily dressed men, generally not so handsome! Most of the young people we dealt with all seem to speak English. After lunch we walked down to look inside the Greek Orthodox Cathedral, built in the 1940s. It is fairly dark inside, not too many windows. A lot of gold embellishment, gold candelabra, and icon paintings.

Sat in the shade at a cafe for a coffee and to watch the world go by. Many cafes have a fine mist spraying from the umbrellas, which has the effect of dropping the temperature about 5 degrees. After a walk to the supermarket to stock up on energy bars, we took a taxi, along with Janice, to the laundromat to collect washing for a number of people. This was a good move as saved an hour of walking in the heat and cost relatively little when divided up. Then out to dinner with Janice, Stewart, Mike, Karen and Garris to a restaurant a few minutes walk from the hotel. A beautiful calm evening, lots of people out walking and eating. Nice food - pasta dishes, broiled (=grilled) meats, etc.

Back to repack and off to bed.