Tatras & Transylvania |
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"...We have to push the bikes half of the time. It starts to rain as the sun goes down. When it's dark and it's already snowing. It's getting steeper again. I'm exhausted. I can hear Geoff cursing further down, but I can't see him. This is not a good situation..." Slovakia - a mountain lover's paradise. We entered the most spectacular part of the High Tatras and later cycled past the Lower Tatras on our way to the Danube. People were friendly and hospitable, but the weather gods had no mercy. "...We should have listened to the news. The river is flooded. Even the ferry jetty is under water. The river crossing is closed. This means a long detour, with a strong head wind. Our smiles are gone. It's dark when we get to Szolnok Camping & Motel..." "...The situation is weird. After a few minutes the man comes running back with a big book in his arms. This turns out to be the big taxi atlas of Budapest. -Get in!, the man demands. Before I know it, he's loaded our bikes into the back of his van. Is he going to take us to our hostel?..." Hungary. I really enjoyed the long rest in the capital. Romania. The most exciting country so far. I'd love to come back to Transylvania in the summer. |
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October 29 1998 - Slovakia Here I Come!(Zelene Pleso 1458 km) We turn right further down the valley, and follow the mountain road along the southern side of the Tatras. The next town is the ski resort of Tatranska Lomnica. We stop for lunch before we get there. It's macaroni again. A few cars are parked near our pick-nick spot. No people are there but we see a trail that goes up into the forest. The sign says "Zelene Pleso 8 km" and there is a bicycle symbol. The trail looks steep, but it could be a mountain bike route. We decide to check it out in Tatranska Lomnica. We ask about the route in the fancy hotel in town. It sounds ok. The rest house up in the mountains is open and we don't have to book in advance. It's late in the afternoon already, but we think we could just make it. It's only 8 kilometers from the main road. It doesn't take long to get back to the parked cars. Now the hard part starts. I go as slow as I can without loosing the rhythm or balance. After 200 meters I stop to rest and drink. Then I go for it again. Without the luggage this would have been fine. Now it's a difficult test. It's getting steeper and more rocky. We start to think that the bike sign was a bad joke. We have to push the bikes half of the time. It starts to rain as the sun goes down. When it's dark, it's already snowing. It's getting steeper again. I'm exhausted. I can hear Geoff cursing further down, but I can't see him. This is not a good situation. We can't go back down in the dark. It would be very difficult to camp in this terrain. The only realistic option is to push ourselves the last kilometers to the rest house. I do push myself. Finally I see the light from the rest house. The road is not so steep here and I can cycle most of the remaining distance. I don't hear Geoff any more. I see the light from his bike though. We made it. The other guests in the rest house look very surprised to see us. The bike sign must have been a bad joke. Most people here have trekking boots, ice axes, and crampons. Not mountain bikes! The house is much bigger than I expected. There must be beds for at least fifty people. There is a big restaurant downstairs and bunks upstairs. The dining hall is almost full. We put away our stuff and order food and beer. We soon find a new friend, Vlado. He comes here every year to trek between a few of the nine rest houses along the mountain range. Tomorrow, if the weather permits, he's going to cross the Baranie Sedlo (Pass) and continue down to the next rest house to the west. -Join me if you like, he says. -Just bring your crampons and ice axes. |
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October 30 - An easy Climb or a Tricky Trek(Zelene Pleso. Altitude: 1551 m) After breakfast Geoff and I decide to follow Vlado as far as we can, and then return to the house. That way, we only need to bring some clothes and food for the day. The first part presents no problems. It's an easy trek up to the steep side of the "bowl". Then it's different right away. We have to get up a very steep rock face that has been covered in a thin but slippery layer of snow. There are fixed chains along the way. The chains help, but they too are covered in snow, or frozen to the rock face. We slowly make it up all seven chains. Sometimes I slip with my gloves. Sometimes with my boots, but It doesn't feel too dangerous. -Don't look down, I think to myself. After the chains, it's just flat enough to walk. The snow is deeper up here. We walk in Vlados footprints. He stops and points up a steep couloir. -That's where we get to the pass. It's not far away but, as it gets steeper, the snow gets deeper. We stop for lunch when we get to the base of the couloir. The slope is already around 35 degrees. If we drop something here, It would take a long time to go back down and get it. Vlado drops his glove. He goes down to get it. Geoff and I go up. The snow soon reaches above my knees. About one hundred meters from the top, the snow reaches my waist, partly because of the slope. It's more like 45 degrees here. As the snow gets a bit harder we can make steps in the snow. I make grips for my hands as well, for safety. Vlado and a few other mountaineers catch up with me and Geoff near the top. It's great to reach the pass. The view is excellent. We're at 2384 meters and can see all the way down to the lowlands. -Cheers! One of the climbers is sharing his whiskey. -Cheers to Baranie Sedlo! "It's always more difficult to get down", that's what they say, isn't it? Not this time. We slide down on our bums. The snow brakes under our weight and slows us down. The chains are more difficult. At one point I slip with my gloves and boots at the same time. Fortunately, there is a ledge just a meter below me. It's nice to be back in the warm cabin in the afternoon. |
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October 31 - High to Lower(Vernar 1501 km) |
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November 1 - Camp Site #666!(Polomka 1547 km) The snowing is getting heavier as the road climbs to higher altitude. People seem to stay at home in this kind of weather. The few cars we see have no winter tires and no snow chains. We pass two cars that just can't get up the hill. It's a long climb and it's steep (12 %). I have to be careful not to make the back wheel slip. The wind makes it hard to go down on the other side of the pass. It's very slippery. I ride with one boot in the snow as an extra brake. We stop for lunch in the next town. The only place to eat is the Railway Station Restaurant. Three of the regulars are already drunk and want our company. The give us some kind of brandy. The landlady tells them off. It's still snowing at sunset. Finding a place to camp is difficult. We cycle across a muddy and snowy field toward a river. It's the only reasonable place we can find. It's very wet, but it's getting dark. We have to stop here. The level of the ground is just 10-15 centimeters above the river. Geoff puts down a stick measure the water level. After unloading the bikes, the water level has risen three centimeters. This doesn't look good. We look around for higher ground, and discuss the situation. There are higher camp sites, but they are out in the mud on the fields. We decide to stay. This is, no doubt, the worst camp site ever. Everything is wet and muddy. The snowing has stopped. It's raining instead. I feel miserable. |
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November 2 - Time Out!(Brezno 1571 km) |
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November 3-5 - To the Mighty Danube(Sahy and the Hungarian border 1713 km) We camp near Banska Bystrica and Domaniky on the way to Hungary. |
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November 5 - Hungary(Bôrzöni Tájrédelmi Körzet 1734 km) An hour later we're in the pretty national park. It's not allowed to camp anywhere in Hungary (except on official camp grounds), especially not in a national park. We do have this bad habit though. We look around for cars or people before we cycle down on a small track to the left. The track is flooded only fifty meters ahead. I cross barefoot, with difficulty and set camp in a field further on. A pick-up with park rangers passes by in the dark evening. I'm ready to fork up a fine and clear off. The men don't even see us! They must have been too focused on the muddy track. |
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November 6 - To the Capital(Budapest 1816 km) The weather is excellent. Not a cloud. We cycle over a pass that gives us great views of the surroundings. We try a military road, but get turned back by a dumb guard just outside the park. This means we have to get on the highway sooner or later. They don't allow bicycles on the major highways in this country. I guess it's good to try it out now. Then we know how strict they are with enforcing the rule. On the way to the highway we stop at Nograd. The Castle ruin makes a good sightseeing and resting spot. The highway gives us no problems. We get down to the Danube for the second time at great speed. In Vac I feel the pain in my knee coming back. We change money and catch a ferry across the river. This side has a smaller road to the Capital. After lunch my knee feels better again. We slowly make it into Budapest. It's dark when we get to the city center. No we're lost. We have an address but it's not on the map. A young woman who lives here can't tell us where Back Pack Guest House is! I'm tired and cranky. I don't need this hassle. A van honks his horn to tell us to get out of the way. I want to tell him to f... off. I don't. The man in the van gets out to help us! He's getting a city atlas out of the side of the door. The index must have a hundred pages, but not our address. -No, problem, the man says. -We call the hostel on my mobile. We call the number in my guidebook. It doesn't work. What is this?! Now I tell the man that he's done enough. I want to thank him, but he starts running away! He gets into a phone booth and signals to us to come along. He looks up a correct number to the hostel and I get to talk to the reception. They have free beds. Our helper gets a description of how to get there and hangs up. -Fine, I think. -Wait here, says the energetic Hungarian, and runs off again! This time to a house down the road. The van is open and blocking the road. The situation is weird. After a few minutes the man comes running back with a big book in his arms. This turns out to be the big taxi atlas of Budapest. -Get in!, the man says. Before I know it, he's loaded our bikes into the back of the van. He's going to take us to our hostel! He opens the book and gives it to me. -Hold the map so that I can see it. He drives fast through the dark city. It's far and I can't follow the map. After ten minutes he stops. -We're here. The bikes are out on the street before me. -Bye bye, says our Budapest angel and drives off. In Back Pack Guest House, we meet Per, a Norwegian cyclist. He's cycled here from Norway via Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Austria. |
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November 7-14 - Long Rest in Budapest(1896 km) |
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November 15 - In the Rain Again(Monor 1946 km) After lunch we only make another ten kilometers. We find a nice pension in Monor. I watch a movie dubbed to German before I fall asleep. |
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November 16 - Flooded(Szolnok 2060 km) We should have listened to the news. The river is flooded. Even the ferry jetty is under water. The crossing is closed. This means a long detour, with head wind. Our smiles are gone. It's dark when we get to Szolnok Camping & Motel. |
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November 17 - My Friend The Wind(Füzesgyarmat 2173 km) There is a hotel in the next town. But it doesn't look like the budget place we hoped for. It's a three star hotel. I'm ready to camp anyway, but Geoff goes in to enquire about the rates. He's smiling when he comes out. It's only twelve US dollars! We take it. We even splash out on a dinner in the hotel restaurant. |
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November 18 - To Romania(Oradea 2242 km) The border crossing is straightforward. Even for the cars it seems to be almost hassle free. We keep going, to the first city in Romania. Oradea is very ugly. At least the outskirts. Huge deserted factories, rusting pipes, smog and rubbish. Even the city center is not so pleasant. Only the pedestrians-only street right in the center can be called clean. We check in at Park Hotel. It sounds fancy, and it probably was, sixty years ago. Now it's worn down, but the chandeliers are still hanging in the corridors. We eat and try the Romanian beer. It's not so much to choose from. The food is so so, but the beer is great. |
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November 19 - More Carpathians(P. Piatra Craiului 2308 km) |
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November 20 - Cold Transylvania(Capusu Mare 2375 km) We find a very nice private pension just east of Capasu Mare. |
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November 21 - Too Much Snow(Cluj-Napoca 2398 km) We check in at Central Melody Hotel, right on the main square. |
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November 22 - Turda Gorge(Ludus 2464 km) |
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November 23 - Palinka and Vodka(Balauseri 2522 km) We find a dirty pension in a small village in the afternoon. We try out the Romanian Palinka and Vodka for less than 10 cents (US) a glass. |
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November 24 - Dracula's Birthplace(Sighisoara 2554 km) |
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November 25 - Pizza and E-mail(Sighisoara) |
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November 26 - Snow and Ice(Persani 2637 km) November 27 - The Dracula Castle(Bran 2684 km) The mist clears just as we enter the village. The snow clad Mountains in the distance are lit by the afternoon sun. At a gas station a radio is playing Indian folk music. The timing is perfect. It's a moment to remember. We cycle straight up to the Bran Castle entrance. This is the famous Dracula castle, but it's not even likely that Vlad Tepes ever came here. We pass the exchange booths and souvenir stall, and go for the ticket booth. The lady in the little window tells us about the opening hours and then invites us to come inside. She makes us comfortable before we get into business. First she wants us to buy a kilo of home made cheese. It tastes wonderful, but we promise to think about her proposal. At this point the offered price is five dollars. The next sales pitch is about accommodation. The woman's friend has private rooms for 10 dollars. We agree to five. Ten minutes later we're following a car through Bran. Our landlady is taking us to her house. After unloading our bikes, we go back to the castle. The lady in the ticket booth tries even harder with the cheese business this time, but she doesn't bargain with her own money. First she offers us to get in for the student fare if we buy the cheese. We hesitate. -OK, Romanian student fare, she says. Geoff and I look at each other. This is the lowest of all ticket prices. -OK, you go in for free, she adds. We accept with a laugh. She calls some guard up at the castle, hands over the cheese. -You can go. No problem. My friend in castle. There is only one other person up in the castle. A woman that could be the ticket lady's sister. She gives us some free guiding of the castle. -I show you a secret room, she says. I don't get it until she pulls out a knitted sweater from a store room at the end of the ally. -Very warm, you want to buy? -I also have painting of Vlad Tepe's uncle. |
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November 28 - Skiing for the Rich(Brasov 2727 km) We ascend up the mountain road after a coffee in the restaurant. The road condition is getting worse. It's very difficult not to make the back wheel slip on the hard packed snow. It takes a long time to get up to the pass. Unfortunately, there is more than one pass. Going down between the passes I have to ride with one foot in the snow. It too slippery to stop the bike with the brakes. An aggressive dog chases me up the last hill before the ski resort of Poiana Brasov. This place is definitely for the rich in Romania. I see a lot of BMW's and Mercs. The ski slopes look good. We ride the switchbacks down to Brasov. It's a beautiful city surrounded by mountains. We just need a place to stay. My guidebook tells me about Maria. A lady that waits for backpackers at the railway station. I'm not surprised that the first person I ask, knows about Maria. He's a taxi driver. He leaves us and his car to go and look for Maria. He soon comes back with a second man. He claims to be Maria's brother. -Maria will come in a few minutes. I get a bit suspicious, until Maria herself arrives. This is definitely the real thing. In two minutes flat she's given us the short version of the Brasov speech. She gives us the long version in the evening, when we're introduced to our landlady's family. |
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November 29 - Saxons in Harman(Brasov 2751 km) |
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November 30 - A High Pass and a Party(Cheia 2804 km) |
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December 1-3 - Across the Southern Plains(Calarasi 3062 km) December 4 - Ferry to Bulgaria(The Silistra border crossing 3072 km) © Tallabomba 1998-2005
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