From Romania to Cyprus, 48 days of adventure 26 May to 10 July 2021

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Hello cycling friends,

 

I will share with you my cycling tour that changed my life.

After 1 year and a half of staying at home unemployed in pandemic times, I decided to try my luck and start a huge cycling trip towards Cyprus, the island that offered me a better life in 2016.

Here is my fully loaded bicycle that cost me only 100EUR plus another 120EUR for spare parts and repairing it.

This bicycle already saw interesting tours, enjoying Turkey, Italy, Cyprus, Slovenia, Hungary and Romania.

 

Day 1, Ineu – Lipova, 26 May.

 

 

On 26 of May I start my journey. I am full of excitement. Will I Make it to Cyprus?

 

 

I say good bye to my parents, my dogs and soon I say good bye to Mocrea's Hill, the hill of my childhood.

Here I trained a lot dreaming to travel the world one day by bicycle.

 

 

I cycle toward Siria, the place where the great writer Ioan Slavici was born. The fields are full of flowers. I am so happy again.

In the distance I can see The Zarand Mountains.

 

 

First stop I make in Siria where I visit a church close to the place where the great writer, friend of Mihai Eminescu, was born.

 

 

At Lipova I will have a lot of rain and after talking and drinking some beers with some villagers, I will sleep under the old bridge in Lipova.

 

 

 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 2, Lipova - Timisoara - Deta

In the morning I realize I have problems with a pannier. Actually I can not attach one pannier to the rack any more, so I will throw it away and I have a new set-up.

 

 

I carry on cycling towards Timisoara. I stop for a small break at Neudorf. Then in Alios it is time to eat something.

 

 

The road is in good shape after I enter Timis district. I encounter many crosses, we are christians.

 

 

 

In Pischia I stop to drink some water from a natural spring.

 

 

In Timisoara I eat a cake.

 

 

Here in Timisoara I see a white bicycle in the place where a bicyclist was killed.

 

 

I continue my journey and I will set up my tent near Deta, a small town.

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 3, Deta - Stara Moravita - Oravita

 

In the morning I am dismayed to find out that a bird took a shit on my tent. I slept so well in this grassy paradise!

 

 

 

Now it is time to grease my chain and fix my luggage.

 

 

 

Near Stara Moravita I meet so many flowers.

 

 

 

Unfortunatelly I can not enter Serbia so I will change my plan, heading for Bulgaria.

I must admit that initially I would have liked to cross the Balkans through Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, trying to get a job in Corfu Island first.

But Cyprus seems a better option.

 

In Stara Moravita I visited the catholic church and a nice and cheap pub.

 

 

 

Then the owner of Anastasia Fast Food gave me a shaworma for free. Such a kind-hearted fellow!

 

 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

So I will head for Oravita. From Moravita I turn right.

Soon I will pass a stream bearing the same name.

 

 

In the distance I see some hills in Serbia near Vrsac.

 

 

After more than 200km of plain route, finally I encounter some hills.

 

 

 

Right at the entrance of Caras-Severin district I am happy to be able to feed some hungry dogs with my baguette.

 

 

 

 

In the evening I arrive in Oravita, I will have something to eat and than I set up my tent near the locality.

 

 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 4, 29 May, relaxing day in Oravita

 

Today I relaxed all the day in this historical town and I rediscovered the theatre Mihai Eminescu which was undergoing restoration works.

 

 

Some other buildings looked quite bleak and gloomy.

 

 

I admired some flowers and ate well at a restaurant.

 

 

 

Than I pitched tent near a waterfall close to 7 fir-trees Chalet.

 

 

In the morning I lost my pegs and I wondered at my glorious load on my bicycle.

 

[Tolstoievski 763]

Si zici ca toate astea-s traduse automat? 

Adica tu scrii in romana si asa sunt traduse? 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

To T. - This is my own English, if I let the laptop translate, it will be even worse, but we are not in the Academy here.

 

Today I am cycling on DN57B, a very scenic road crossing a national park.

First I have a 10 km long climb in Aninei Mountains on a perfect road with light traffic.

Right on top of the pass I meet an apple tree in full bloom.

 

 

 

Then I have a nice descent towards Bozovici. From Anina I will follow the Minis River.

Near Poneasca I find a nice restaurant where I eat well and here I meet some fishermen and I have a nice chat with the waitresses.

When I leave one girl try to cheat me with some money, adding me to the bill one more beer.

Such a lovely lady! I had a nice time on the terrace of this restaurant overlooking a lake.

 

 

 

Inside the restaurant there are some nice traditional costumes.

 

 

I continue my journey and soon I encounter a waterfall.

 

 

 

Then a heavy rain will catch me and I will be soaked through.

 

 

I meet soon another waterfall that is quite famous and here I stop at a pub to protect me from the rain.

 

 

 

 

I will cycle till Bozovici where I spend good time at a petrol station, and I will pitch my tent in the vicinity.

I still have 4 pegs to be able to set up my tent.

 

 

Next morning after the sun drives me away from my tent I will sleep another two hours on a tomblike slab in a nice shade.

 

 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 5, Oravita - Anina - Bozovici

Day 6, Bozovici - Iablanita - Baile Herculane

 

I will enjoy a spectacular day again with fabulous landscapes, traditional villages and lot of sunshine.

After Bozovici the nature is very generous, I admire fields full of flowers.

 

 

 

I pass through interesting villages like Prilipet, Prigor, Borlovenii Noi.

 

 

 

I am glad to discover lots of amazing haystacks.

 

 

From Iablanita I will leave the national road and turn right on a newly asphalted secondary road, I will have a nice climb then I enter the busy road E70 and soon I will be in Baile Herculane, my favorite spa in Romania.

[majikstone 4,907]

11 hours ago, Claudiu Moga said:

if I let the laptop translate, it will be even worse

 

I really have my doubts about that.

[Tolstoievski 763]

Kursha Waterfall, from Keys of Blackie Drinkishtza.

Scuzatz, nu m-am putut aptine.

Edited February 24 by Tolstoievski
Mai m-am gandit.

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 7, 8, 9 - resting and bathing days in Baile Herculane

 

3 days I will enjoy life in this genuine decrepit gem of Banat Region.

I admire the dilapidated buildings.

 

 

 

The scenery here is stunning better than in Karlo Vivary or Baden Baden.

 

 

 

Most of the day but also the night I will take a dip in a hot tiny lake. The thermal waters here are second to none.

 

 

I will sleep next to the thermal pool in my sleeping bag.

 

 

I speak to interesting holidaymakers and one priest tries to persuade me to quit drinking.

I eat a delicious pizza.

 

 

I find a bookshop with interesting photos of yore.

 

 

 

I drink good wine at my favorite old tavern.

 

 

Life is good if you travel well!

 

[mchereja 82]

On 2/24/2022 at 12:20 AM, Claudiu Moga said:

To T. - This is my own English, if I let the laptop translate, it will be even worse, but we are not in the Academy here.

Păi nu ziceai tu că:

"The problem is that everything I write in Romanian, my laptop instantly translates into English so I will have to post in the international section!"

 

???

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

To Mechreja - actually I need to practice my english, I used to be a teacher and translator of English in the past but as I am growing older I forgot it a bit, life sucks sometimes.

 

Day 10, Baile Herculane - Drobeta Turnu Severin - Hinova

 

After resting in the tent near Herculane it is time to continue my journey.

 

 

I enter an important Nature Reserve.

 

 

 

I will cope with the most dangerous section of my itinerary, the road between Orsova and Drobeta is horendous, too many trucks, 2 tunnels and the road is too narrow, no shoulder for cyclists.

 

 

 

Across the river I can see Serbia.

 

 

 

I get to Drobeta where I will visit the medieval fortress.

 

 

 

Here I discover interesting depictions of the glorious past.

 

 

 

I meet wonderful guys at a pub who offers me a powerbank as a present, then I eat something good at a cafeteria.

 

 

I will sleep in a forest next to Danube River near Hinova.

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 11, Hinova - Cujmir

 

Today I will cycle a bit along the Danube River on DN 56A.

 

 

 

I stop for a break in a dense forest where I see some mushrooms.

 

 

 

The route today is quite boring and the terrain remains very flat.

I will spend the night near Cujmir in my tent.

 

 

Day 12, Cujmir - Calafat - Vidin.

 

Today I cycle in a very poor region in Dolj district.

The landscapes are quite dull.

 

 

 

I will pass the border to Bulgaria and sleep in my tent near Vidin.

 

 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 13, Vidin - Oryakhovo

 

First I cycle along Danube on a road with light traffic. I stop to relax and admire the river.

 

 

 

The road is in awful condition, full of potholes.

 

 

 

I find delicious canned food.

 

 

I pass through some nice little towns where time seems to remain placid and still and it reminds me of my communist childhood.

 

 

 

I eat some green fruits like in golden times of my early youth.

 

 

I will sleep in the middle of a field next to some flowers.

 

 

 

Life is good when you are a careless cycling vagabond!

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 14, Oryakhovo - Pleven

 

Today I will have a lot of rain.

I will enjoy a great kofte meal in a restaurant.

 

 

I stop for a while in an abandoned dwelling.

 

 

I will spend the night not far from Pleven

 

 

Day 15, Pleven - Lovech

 

Again I have plenty of rain.

I stop to eat some cherries in a spot where a tragical accident took place.

 

 

 

I will pitch my tent near Lovech next to some trucks. Across the road there is a petrol station

 

 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 16, Lovech - Karnare

 

After crossing the Carpathians, today it is time to cross Stara Planina Mountains.

 

 

I will have to beat a very long climb up to 1525m high.

 

 

I am cycling in the second largest National Park of Bulgaria.

 

 

 

Right on top I come across some nimble deer.

 

 

 

I will have a long descent and after I get to the main road and celebrate at a restaurant I will pitch my tent in a very nice spot and sleep very well.

 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 17, Karnare - Karlovo - Banya

 

Today it is time to say good bye to Stara Planina Mountains.

 

 

I find tasty canned food.

 

 

I pass through nice villages with interesting churches and buildings.

 

 

I meet so many roses.

 

 

I love flowers especially the poppies!

 

I will celebrate in Banya and sleep next to a petrol station after turning down some gipsies that invited me to a party in the middle of the night.

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 18, Banya - Plovdiv - Asenovgrad

 

I arrive in Plovdiv and the rain will be quite merciless with me.

I spend all the day in Plovdiv waiting for the rain to stop.

I eat some glorious cherries and ayran.

 

Only when the night falls I will be able to continue my journey.

I am impressed by the center of this second big city in Bulgaria.

 

I find even a mosque but a quaint statue delights me the most.

 

Very late I will continue cycling and in the next town Asenovgrad, beaten by fatigue I will fall asleep in my sleeping bag right at the bottom of a block of flats.

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 19, Asenovgrad - Kardzali - Zagorsko,

 

Today I see many stupid items beside the road.

 

 

I stop in Kardzali to enjoy a salad.

 

I visit a cemetery to meditate a bit.

 

 

I can admire lovely flowers.

#

 

 

I have some spectacular clouds.

 

 

I find a perfect camping spot on a meadow near a river.

 

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 20, Zagorsko - greek border - Kirkovo

 

Today I have a nice climb till the greek border where I am not allowed to enter so I return and have a nice time at a petrol station near Kirkovo.

Here I meet great young people and I almost fall in love with the beautiful Kamelia.

I party a lot, it is such a pity I am so poor and shy now and love will offer me no chance.

I will sleep in the area in the sleeping bag.

 

 

Day 21, Kirkovo - Momchilgrad - Vransko - Pelin

 

I stop in Momchilgrad to eat something at a buffet restaurant.

 

 

I continue my journey on a secondary road heading for Edirne.

I cross a nice river.

 

 

 

I meet Fulvio, a rebel turtle that will take a dump on my luggage, sheer good luck shall be bestowed upon me.

 

 

I pass through such a great forest.

 

#

 

Plenty of rain will hit me again.

 

 

I will find a nice spot to camp near a village after having a long climb.

[Claudiu Moga 4,714]

Day 22, Pelin - Ivaylovgrad

 

I cycle in the southern Rhodopes, a scenic and quiet area.

 

 

The landscapes are quite alluring.

 

 

I will stop for eating and drinking in Ivaylovgrad.

 

I set up tent and rest 3 km away from this little town.

 

One pole of my tent is broken. Will I make it till Cyprus under these circumstances?

 

Day 23, Ivaylovgrad - Svilengrad - Kapitan Andreevo

 

Today it is very hot and I have nice climbs.

 

My bicycle works very well.

 

I pass through some traditional villages.

 

 

I meet gorgeous flowers.

 

 

I pass by Arda storage lake and cycle along it for a few km.

 

I will sleep right before the turkish border at Kapitan Andreevo