Romania

04.06.19

Only 50 km to the Romanian border. As I had never been to this area before, I had a bit of a sinking feeling about the country at the beginning, but this was to be cancelled out at the border. Very friendly border officials and people everywhere who approach you and want to know where you come from and where you are going. Cool, I like to be surprised like that.

The next surprise, however, was not so pleasant - for all those who complain about the mass of trucks on German motorways - try driving on the main roads in Romania. What has to be said, however, is that almost everyone behaves very politely and respectfully. They move to the side when someone wants to overtake, give signs when something is coming or the "race control" is standing somewhere again and there is actually no stress - bravo Romania.

In spite of everything, we have a nose full of diesel and we take the small side road through the villages, which is much nicer anyway.

In the villages you are catapulted back in time, I think that's how it looked in Germany after the war. There is a certain spirit of optimism, but with means that are probably no longer known in our country.

Manpower is probably the right word for it. They all help together when a driveway is paved or a wall is built, I am impressed.

Nature is extremely beautiful, wild with rolling hills, the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains and a railway that is nostalgically unparalleled.

I am slowly becoming a Romania fan.

Since there are only two motorways, which we don't use, we drive on the country roads, which are built like a highway. Almost always two lanes when going uphill and lined with ever wilder nature. There are always roadhouses at the side of the road and the food there is very good and above all rich, both in terms of quantity and calorific value.

We only pass Cluj Napoca because the guys from Heavy Duty are not there, we actually wanted to pay them a visit and I wanted to thank them once again for the help they gave me in getting my bike ready.

So we head for Fagaras in Transylvania to have a look at Dracula.

After a 300 km drive we look for petrol and a place to stay. In a run-down industrial district we suddenly see a restaurant that looks so la la from the outside. But when I go to the reception, it knocks my socks off. A posh place, 4 star hotel and as luck would have it, only one room left.

Easy costs us 30 euros and we are checked into a room with a balcony and a direct view of the bikes. We could leave the luggage on it, because they have 24-hour security.

05.06.19

7.00 a.m. the alarm clock rings, we pack our things and go to breakfast, which is very rich. From fruit to French toast, everything is there, so it's 10 o'clock again until we finally sit down on the mopeds.

07.06.19

At 9 am the engines are humming, we have an early start with beautiful weather and we head towards Focsani. For a while, the road is nicely uphill and we have the idea to make a little video. So off we go onto a dirt track and a little further into the wilderness.

"You can watch the video as soon as I have a good internet connection again."

I made the video, stowed my guitar away and drove on. Suddenly I saw a sign: Caution: Deer - Wolves - Bears.

Yes, I've seen that a few times on my hike from Bellinzona to Portofino and think nothing of it. Felix has a good move and rushes through the woods as if the devil himself is chasing him.

I'm strolling along a little further back when I see a car in the middle of the road after a bend. So I take my foot off the accelerator, put on my indicator and as I want to overtake it I see why it has stopped there.

A young black bear, probably in his teens, is scurrying through the bushes.

I stop for a moment and think about taking a photo, but unfortunately my camera is still in my backpack and my mobile phone in my pocket.

And to be honest, I almost pee my trousers, because Peter Pelz is about 5 metres away from me. I watch him as if spellbound and try to find out where the shaggy one is going. Ok, he's coming my way and I just think - forget the photo, first gear and step on the gas, who knows, maybe Mamabär isn't far away.

When I finally catch up with Felix, at least so far that we have contact via intercom again, there is already too much distance between us and the bear.

We have got hungry and take a break in a small village consisting of 3 restaurants, 5 houses and a pizzeria.

After eating, we get back on our steel horses and ride on.

Focsani is slowly approaching, but so is fatigue. I radio Felix and tell him to stop at the next opportunity.

He does, only he enters a dirt road that turns into a mud massacre after a few metres. We just managed to get through the first two mud holes, but at the third I sink in so deep that I step on the gas to avoid getting stuck.

The machine pushes forward, but it doesn't go in the right direction.

Then it goes really fast, the next thing I see is tall grass and suddenly I'm 3 metres deeper in the ditch. Shit.

First I turn off the engine and crawl up out of the ditch and see Felix running back. Then the torture begins, because it's not only the temperature that gets to us, but also the invasion of mosquitoes that take real pleasure in two sweaty tourists.

Result: First I have a drink and check if everything is still there. My knee hurts, but that's from the accident I had 3 weeks before the trip. So nothing new and nothing happened. Then unpack the mopet