Mega Balkan trip 2021, episode 4

With a little delay it’s time to continue the trip.
Coincidentally the trip also had a break here which i mentioned in the previous episode.
It took a bit to get out of town but after that it was completely different as the way i came in.
The roads where in almost perfect condition for the majority of this whole section.
Some long straight sections with wide views and not long into the first straight a group of bikers stood beside the road so i stopped to see if everything was fine and if not my toolkit might be of use.
They where okay but one of the bikes not and even my extended toolkit was no use. There was coming smoke out of a part of the engine where there should not be a hole but a van was already on it’s way.

They send me this picture later over mail which was very nice, they also send another with the message that the bike was fixed and it was not a cheap fix so i hope this time the bike will last a very long time.
It was nice to meet some local bikers, i did not see a lot of motorcycles after i left the Transfagarasan.

I actually planned another route but the GPS was not willing to follow that and even trying to make a route from the track was not working no matter what i tried.
Of-course i could just follow the line on the GPS (the track is just a line on the GPS and does not give directions) but for some reason i decided not to this time and when i got to the border with Ukraine again (there was still a part Moldova in between Ukraine and Romania) it confirmed that it was probably the best choice.
They didn’t let me pass and had to turn around. Unlike the other borders they didn’t spoke English, not even a little but what i could make out of it there was no customs at that border and they couldn’t tell me where the correct border was or didn’t understand, even with help of the GPS.
Only direction they tried to give me was back and left. I wanted adventure so i got it.
Even with the language barrier that caused a little frustration we all stayed friendly and it proved again that you never should go on bad story’s and unfamiliar country’s are not dangerous by definition. When there are wars going on you should stay away but only because of the situation and never because of the people, they are almost always victims of politics and/or religious believes and in the latter a bad and wrong interpretation of it by the leaders.

After about 30km i was kind of back on track, not back on route yet but on a road that should get me there just before the border with Romania and also back on the originally planned route.
Just 12km after getting back on track i arrived in Galati where i planned to stay the night but it was just 13:00h.
Change of plans. Find a place to lunch, fix the camera issue and start the next section to continue the ride as i was not ready to stop after a “resting” day.
After lunch i went to the ferry to cross the Danube river. I had to wait a bit but not very long and once on the other side i was glad i didn’t had to cross from that side, there was a line that went on for a few kilometres and even with a motorcycle it would take a long time to pass.

I really wanted to go through the mountains more west but it was too far out of the way for the connection with Bulgaria.
At the crossroads just out Sarighiol de Deal another group of bikers stood halve on and halve beside the road. They just where waiting for a friend who fell behind.
When you ride a bike full of gear and a foreign licence plate a talk always start automatically, bikers or not.
They asked me where i was going and i gave them a general direction and that i was not sure where i was going. That already seemed mind-blowing for them but when i couldn’t tell where i was going to stay the night at somewhere around 16:30h they got a bit confused.
Showing the route on the GPS they told me that there was a nicer route and they invited me to join as it was somehow in the same direction. They where from the Constanta region and my route was getting there also.

Never turn down an opportunity to get a free tour from locals and my route was a lightly glowing barren farmland, better than the pictures in Google maps made it look but still not real exciting so i had nothing to loose.
At Râmnico de Jos my route was going left but we went straight and in between Cheia and Târgusor out of the blue there was a huge rock formation.

We had a little talk there and they gave me some options for towns where i could find some cheaper accommodation as the coast mostly is a bit more expensive.
The place might be a bit too far but i told them i’ll see, we already said goodbye and i followed them to Constanta where they went to their different directions ans i got back on the original track.
I stopped to check for a place to stay and ended up in Vama Veche anyway, the town the guys mentioned.
The guest-house i picked was another win that day, i fitted in with the guests and host who also where free spirits and after diner in town we had a great evening with lots of laughs and story’s. Every day had something special but this must be just the greatest and most crazy day of the trip.

Good thing i don’t get hung over very easy because the next day i have to cross the border with Bulgaria before the tyres and engine had the change to heat up.
There was just a short line and while waiting they asked about the corona status and i showed them the QR code in the app but even though it was a European system they didn’t had a reader. Luckily i knew i could open the info also which i had to explain and i could continue but i had the idea they didn’t understand anything, welcome to the one Europe with all the same rules and regulations… oh wait… NOT.

Now i’m going towards Varna to get a final look at the Black sea and find a place where i can get some sort of breakfast/brunch.
After 50 minutes i arrived at the place where i was planning to stay this night but i screwed up my plans yesterday so take breakfast a day early and continue, the plans are just guidelines anyway and only to keep track of time so i don’t have to call my employer that i stay longer en don’t know how long.
The building on the right is where i had something to eat.

From here on i’m starting to get closer to home as i go on and timewise i’m literally halve way, a good time to start going back. The most direct route back home from this point is 2311km but i’m not taking that route.
I do start with a little section highway when i get out of Varna, that’s because the secondary road is just as straight with the same view and only about 25km before it ends into a normal 2 lane road.
A YouTube channel i follow, Nomad Sweden https://www.youtube.com/c/NomadSweden did a Balkan trip a few months before i went. They where asking the followers for tips on where to go in the region i was about to head and i gave them a few options but they where more offroad orientated like i am on the next trip.

However, the series came out just before i left and they visited Motocamp Bulgaria and i checked where it was and it turned out it was just of the road i am on now so i planned to make a short visit just like they did but with the new plans a have to make up on the fly it made sense to stay the night and i did.
A great place by bikers for bikers and when you’re in the neighbourhood just go there.
As you can see i put my sticker just under the one from Nomad Sweden in the big dining room and also close on the fridge in the self service bar.

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Also got a tip from a visitor but that’s for the next episode.
Not sure where that one will end but i think it will cross Macedonia, Kosovo and i think it will end in Albania or maybe where i stayed the night in Montenegro but it depends on the video. The first 2 episodes where just a bit too long i think.