Back in the EU

Day 128 6^th August 2011 

We woke quite late for us at around 7.45am and after messing around on our laptops for a while we went for breakfast which was pretty much a waste of time save that it did allow Mark his regulation two cups of coffee he needs each morning to get him going. Outside it was blue sky and sunshine yet again and we worked out that on the whole of this trip we have probably ridden less than a couple of hours in rainfall – not bad for over 4 months of hard riding.

We got ourselves ready and went to check out. In the hotel lobby we met a couple of dozen members of the Welsh hockey team who were in Ukraine for some International championship. We spoke to a couple of the guys and wished them luck as we said our goodbyes to the hotel.

Hotel Podilla in Vinnytsa

Mark’s Tom Tom did its job again and we were soon on our way through the Ukranian countryside towards Chernivsti which sits just 20 miles or so north of the Romanian border. We made good time and at a short stop at a fuel station to take on some food we bumped into Tatiana who was very pleased to speak to us English guys so we said we would give her a mention on the blog – so “Hello Tatiana”..... We also decided that instead of staying in or near Chernivsti we would head on to the Romanian border and try and find somewhere near Suceava which is like a mirror to Chernivsti sitting 20 miles or so south of the border.

Ukranian countryside

Tatiana aboard my steed

......And one of me with Tatiana and the trusty steed

We arrived at the Ukraine border and got a slip of paper for our bikes. We then had to have our vehicle details entered onto the computer and pass through customs – no problems just took quite a long time. Then we went to passport control to be stamped out of Ukraine and also have our vehicle docket stamped again. We then drove to a barrier – gave the Ukraine guard our vehicle docket which he snatched ungraciously with a terse face and we were free to enter passport control on the Romanian side. The guard looked at our passports, smiled and gave us a big handshake and said welcome – no customs formalities and we were waved through – Ukrainian exit took 1 hour Romanian entry just 2 or 3 minutes but that aside we found Ukraine and the Ukranian people to be very welcoming and friendly so don’t be put off by horror stories – these only happen to those that break the rules.

The Romanian countryside was rolling hills scenery and sunshine complete with horse and carts and Romanies with glittering gold teeth. We found our first hotel just outside Suceava but the coach and the vast array of Italian overland vehicles gave a hint for the answer to the question “Do you have any rooms available”. There were, of course, no rooms at the inn and the stable had been taken by a virgin, a donkey and three wise men so we went just a half kilometre down the road and came across the Polaris Hotel which is where we did find a room and cheap as chips at around £30. Another surprise was the cost of the evening meal for two, two courses (including 6 beers) which weighed in at around £21 – luckily all acceptable by debit card payment because we still had no local currency. We had to eat outside in the cool evening air as the restaurant was busy with a Romanian wedding – the couple looked very young – but we enjoyed watching the photographer busy herself with said wedding couple getting them to pose for pictures that they will look back on (hopefully) over the coming years.

Stuffing my face