August 1st, Saturday
I woke up not very early in Tallinn, took a tram to Viru center for currency exchange and bus terminal. In currency exchange they said: "no paying by debit card. Credit cards only ". I don't have one. So I went to a bank machine, took money out and forgot my card there... luckily there was a woman with kid right after me and she ran after me and gave me my card. I would have canceled my trip without the card...
Then sat on a bus to the hitching spot in Laagri. I hitched the first ride in less than a minute. Opel Vivaro van. Unbelievably comfortable. And I was taken to Pärnu. The driver offered to take me "over the bridge". Actually that's not very good offer. It takes you to big shops but for good hitchhiking spot you need to walk through half of the city. It's better to stay at the start of Ehitajate road.
I had to wait there for a while and a car stopped. A woman and a child in it. The ride she offered was to intersection of Kilingi-Nõmme. As it was only 14km, I politely refused.
Right after that an SUV stopped. Two women and one kid were in the car. And they were going to aerobics-trainings as trainers. Anyway, the offer was again to junction of Kilingi-Nõmme. I didn't refuse the second time and hopped on. The women were very interested in CS and I gave them Internet links to Hospitality Club, CouchSurfing and HC Eesti and my user name (they haven't contacted me so far).
The ride ended soon and I was standing on the highway, only fields around me. The weather wasn't the best - chilly, cold wind over the fields, no sunshine and rain started to drizzle.
After about 30 minutes of standing and feeling cold, I was offered a ride. To shop of Uulu. It was only a couple of kilometers but still very great, as standing between forests is better than between fields - at least no wind.
In that car were father and son. My bag was on the trailer during the ride. I have such a good rainproof backpack. :)
There I stood for a while and one lady stopped. It was a beige Nissan Primera. Quite new. She told she stopped out of reflex and needs to make a stop on a cemetery. (Fine by me.) She had been traveling quite a lot and she planned to go to Madagascar as a freelance tour guide.
I don't know is it was an omen or something... but I had been thinking about Madagascar lately myself. I haven't seen the cartoon... but I guess I felt fascinated about this island already in primary school.
After visiting cemetery we were also talking and she missed the road she was supposed to turn off. And she took me to last gas station before the border. I guess our conversation wasn't the most boring :)
Next man who picked me up was a Latvian. He took me to the Estonian-Latvian border.
From that point the long-long-long waiting began. The weather was sulky, my mood was down, I had every warm outerwear on that I had with me, also the cape but still felt cold.
I was very seriously considering turning back, going to the country to refurbish the flat. But decided at least one week out of three and half I have to hold on, even if I can't get further from that border. I definitely didn't want to refurbish the apartment whole 3,5 weeks. And then wait for another vacation for a year. And I had hosts waiting for me...
The next ride started quite late in the evening but it was still light outside. It was for a few kilometers to a big restaurant by the road. Then (if I remember correctly) to the junction to Limbaži. It was a very (Cili Pizza) small car, full of stuff me so far.
At one point some young guys passed me (coming from where I was going) and yelled something. It's really unpleasant. But after some time they came back and offered me a ride (in Russian). Quite short ride they offered so I refused. The car was overcrowded and old.
I walked to get some warm and at one point one van passed me, stopped, came back picked me up. It was getting dark already. It could have been 10 p.m. or later...
Woman was driving, man was next to her. I'd rather call it a driving lesson, because sometimes there were mistakes like... but respect for the man for teaching. This is the job of Hardcore Men.
In Bauska we made a "coffee-tea-buns" stop. And changing drivers - the man continued driving. Their destination was Vilnius, mine used to be Panevežys to do some sightseeing and/or relax in a park and have a beer. But as it was dark, sightseeing not possible and I didn't have a host (looking for a place for tent isn't that easy in darkness) and I decided to go to Vilnius.
Especially as from Vilnius to Lublin (my destination for the next day) is as much as from Panevežys. And I started bugging my friends with "Emergency Couch Request" by SMS. But almost all of them were out of town (it was Saturday, after all) or other things to do (quite popular during whole trip was the sentence "my friend's wedding". Sounds like the classic wedding thing is back again :)
The (super) positive response I got from Kinderis - no problem!
We arrived to Vilnius and as Kinderis is living in such a comfortable place, the driver dropped me very close to it. The clock showed about 2 a.m.
Even though Dainius had to wake up early in the morning he didn't make a problem about it.
Only yeah... sorry we didn't talk for longer. I was hoping to get to his Entertainment Camp in September (but I didn't make it there).
Kinderis gave me instructions how to get out of town next morning and... sleeping time arrived.
August 2nd, Sunday
I woke up after 8 in the morning. Kinderis had gone already long time ago. I had a breakfast and continued my path (streets actually).
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/Now I know we have a reason too - it's actually grave marker for Ivan Orav/
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Quite many people were passing as she was playing. They also donated but didn't listen. Come on! A street musician is not a beggar. Listen!
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The ride didn't begin that quickly but it was interesting - little old car, bohemian-looking man, a bit over 30 who drove... quite badly : ) At least in good speed.
On the road he picked up one more hitchhiker - an Ukrainian living in Vilnius and going to see his girlfriend. He was only a couple of kilometers with us.
The ride ended little bit after Alytus. Perhaps near Seirijai.
There I was walking and hitchhiking... two cars passed me and in one the driver was showing with hands (spreading them - don't know the expression in English) can't take me.
Actually gestures of drivers is one of the hardest things to understand (that was one of the few I do understand. Sometimes). They wave to the right when there's not going to be any road to the right for a long time and so on. But they have so many different...
Funny drivers... are the ones with country flags waving on the sides of the car. "Patriots" (actually another expression for patriots is "flag-waver") :)
I'd understand if their "fellow-feeling" was greater than others... so I'd expect them to stop more easily if I had name of their capital city on my hitchhiking poster...
Anyway... after a while one of the cars just passed me, came back towards me, sounded horns, turned around and picked me up.
These two cars were together and 7 women in them. They didn't talk to me much but before Via Baltica they asked if I was in hurry or would like to got with them to a lake to visit their friends for a while. I had nothing against seeing a lake in Poland, I was in vacation. Especially as they promised to take me to Bialystok later.
The lake was very nice and one girl was quite interested in conversation in English. She was telling she'd like to go to Barcelona (which was desired location for many I met on this trip), telling me autumn in Poland is depressive... I advised instead of Barcelona take a trip to Estonia in the autumn so she could appreciate living in Poland :)
Anyway I suggested her to check out CouchSurfing.
Then we left for Bialystok. They let me out on the south-eastern side of Bialystok in a gas station. It was dark outside. Lucky me, there were street lights.
After some time a truck stopped. General questions about my age, crisis in Estonia, etc. And as he was bored, asked me to talk something. As neither mine or his skills of Russian language were so good... I couldn't say much. He offered, he'll tell me something.
And the topic was - Prostitutes! About some kind of whorehouse that's close to his road to work, prices there, "cheap offers". And that his wife does not know about it... Then the prostitutes on roads, prices... I pretended interest, wondering about something and a couple of questions...
The ride ended at a gas station near Bielsk Podlaska and he advised me to continue in the morning.
I tried also that eveningto hitchhike for a while but then put up my tent in the forest near there. Rain was drizzling...
Because of spending (too much? No!) time in Vilnius, I didn't make it to Lublin that evening.
It wasn't that bad because Michal who had promised to host me was away from the city anyway (but he had found me another host). I sent him a message I'll arrive the next day.
August 3rd, Monday
In the morning I didn't wait for my first ride very long time. The driver had just finished technical school as water systems engineer and now driving to a job interview. He told he doesn't know if he wants that job or not. I guess the economical situation is not that bad if you can choose...
I guess it was Miedzyrzec Podlaski where my ride ended. I was standing, waiting, and got hungry. I walked back to the town center. Absolutely no place to have lunch... or anything.
I went back to the town border. Quite a long time I stood there, finally a van stopped.
He was growing champignons as work. The ride was nice but for his question "how much is a kilo of champignons in Estonia" I couldn't answer.
The ride ended (I guess) somewhere near Radzyn Podlaski on the highway. He gave me a pack of juice for the road. This was perfect. The day was hot and I drank it quickly. He promised to ask someone to pick me up by the radio...
The next ride stopped quite soon. And I guess not because of the last driver had asked people to stop.
The car was quite new and fancy SUV, a businessman behind the steering wheel. He took me straight to Lublin, to a very comfortable corner.
While on the road we had to stop a couple of times because some groups of pilgrims had conquered half of the highway. Nice weather for walking but I guess highway is not the place...
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Then I met my host. Not very hard to recognize a Nigerian in Poland :)
We went eating to Irish pub. Good enough the food was rather Polish style. Then small sightseeing tour (including "inside" of the Palace) and we stopped at a monument. It was for victims of communist and fascist crimes but we wanted someone to translate it word-for-word.
So we asked passers-by. Then one drunken over-middle age man stayed with us. He was very keen in shaking hands, hugging... especially Niyi. Telling that girls love blacks there :)
Most Polish we asked help with translating this really simple text just ran away. The best explanation was from a young man with a guitar (actually that's not the first time when only person who's helpful in English... carries a guitar!) who translated from up to down. But not the full lines. The text was on the right and left of the picture on the monument.
Then I changed some zlotys and we left to Niyi's place. That was (at least) a two-family house. Three floors if I'm not mistaken.
I got to use computer. I logged into FaceBook and Laura asked me: "nu, sa polegi Africas?". That would mean "Well, you're not in Africa?". But the "Africa" was not written Estonian way. I was confused, because I told my friends I'll go to Ukraine and Romania... and my host was confused.
Then Laura explained that she didn't know about my travels and she meant restaurant African Kitchen in Tallinn.
Niyi was a wonderful host - knows a lot about Lublin, about Poland, have been traveling a lot there and generally having a very broad field of view. And has been hitchhiking in Poland.
August 4th, Tuesday
That morning my host made breakfast and as he had free day from work (gosh, it's great when people are not in hurry!!!), we went to outskirts of Lublin to see old concentration camps.
An excursion group of Israeli police officers was also there. And Jewish clerics.
We were walking around, stepping into buildings (except where they held shoes - the stink was horrible).
We were discussing about the smell which must had spread to the city when the furnaces were working, generally about World Wars and the people who made biggest profits from misery of these people who suffered.
At some point two Jewish clerics walked toward us, talking something and one of them laughed. I didn't feel it like a place for anecdotes... they greeted us quietly.
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Then I decided to start hitchhiking. Niyi tried also. But it wasn't the best road for Lviv. I thought the better road is just over the field and left Niyi goodbye. It really was over the field but further than I thought. And there was no hitchhiking spot. I had to walk back to the center. Damn, it was long way.
After long waiting dusk arrived and I got a ride (again - no logic in hitchhiking. Kind people appear chaotically). The driver, one of the Jehovah's Witnesses, in cool pick-up truck took me to Krasnystaw. The weirdest during this ride was... the driver made happy sound when he drove over a frog...
We arrived to Krasnystaw, he offered to make quick sightseeing tour in the town in car. Nothing special there but it was totally dark already so I wasn't hurrying anywhere.
He dropped me off to very good hitchhiking spot under street lights.
About 1,5 hours of waiting in darkness, only street lights showing light a small truck stopped. In it was a couple from Ukraine. They were over 30 years and actually Polish but I guess they were already born in Ukraine. Wonderful people! They fed me with bread, cooked warm meat, juice, peaches and our conversation was smooth and fun. No problem understanding each other in Russian. And one question they asked (not surprising at all, it occurs in ex-Soviet countries) was in the form of an anecdote:
- Who are these walking there?
- They are not walking but running, they are Estonians.
"Why do people say Estonians are slow?" And they added an apology they don't mean to insult me. Of course I didn't take it as offense but gladly brought out all I had about this topic:
a) Actually Estonians arethinking also before doing (sarcasm about asker's nationality - quick, but not thinking). Actually we do have a proverb - "nine times measure, one time cut".
b) Tell an Estonian, Russian and Spanish (no offense, please) to do a job. Probably the Estonian will be ready first. Then comes the Russian with "почему Я... блин" (Why me... fuck). But the Spanish has only "siesta", "fiesta", "mañana". I got laughter on this one. Actually the "Soviet Estonian" born "Russians" I've seen in Estonia (in the army, for example) were mostly just like I described.
And one Spanish guy I told it before... he said they are only fast in talking.
Stereotypes... but it's fun :)
c) I gave historical reasons why it has been smart not to speak out what you think but delay...
The actual reason is probably The Soviet Army and Soviet times, where decidedly all Estonians and other nations had to speak Russian. But our Russian accent is "slow", clearly recognizable.
At least in the Baltics when I start speaking Russian, people tell I'm from Estonia.
We got to the border. The woman gave the man money several times. I didn't understand it...
At some point one official ordered to take out all stuff from the truck (my couple were shopping in Poland) and then even didn't look at us.
Then the passport check. Almost always one border guard calls for another to check my passport. Because of cool security stuff it has.
When looking at my passport, the border guard asked if I had the immigration card. Of course I didn't, I was supposed to get it there. The official said: "it's a problem". I got interested - some suspense? And I asked: "how come it's a problem?" No answer. I asked again and without getting the answer, I decided to leave him alone.
He gave me a piece of paper and asked to fill it out. Apparently these guys don't understand neither Russian nor English (the piece of paper is the Immigration Card, written in two languages) because they asked me to fill also the "leaving section". So the leaving section also had stamp with current date and name of this border, number of the car that brought me in. That was a hitched car and I had no plan leaving on it. Especially on the same day and same checkpoint.
August 5th, Wednesday
We got over the border and the woman asked if I wanted some tea. I did. She gave me some grivnas and indicated to a bar: "you'll get it there. I asked if she wanted anything. She wanted coffee. "With cream and sugar?" Yes. (By the way, I am always suspicious these moments as I have all my life on their car).
I went to the cafe, ordered tea and coffee. Then cream for the coffee but they wanted extra money for that. I didn't have enough. And she had coffee without cream. She stayed positive: "we'll have it black then :)"
When I was ordering in cafe, then characteristically to Ukrainian servants (probably because of our accent again) bar maid asked if I was a tourist and from where.
While talking she used the expression "na Ukraine" (on Ukraine) and when I corrected her "v Ukraine", she agreed with me.
My driver's wife gave me grivnas and promised to give me some more after she's been in currency exchange. I told her I can exchange my money also and went along.
Fortunately she didn't offer more. It's quite impossible to refuse with these people when they want to do good :)
The ride continued. We made it to Lviv, time was about 2 a.m. It was hard to understand road signs but they wanted to drop me to the center. They asked directions once. Before railroad, on a very bad street they stopped because driving around railroad wasn't reasonable, we were so close anyway. They pointed which way is the old town and left.
I walked to the city council building, along quiet dark streets in the center when suddenly jumped out aggressively several street dogs yapping and barking.
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I walked around more and went to theatre park. Little further in front of me I saw some cops walking in neon vests. I followed them a bit saw some more and turned away before some kind of statue. Suddenly I heard holla behind me. I turned around and suddenly there was a cattle of cops around me.
One relatively swellheaded-looking stripling tried to be wicked, showing attitude. But I didn't give a F.
So they asked questions... several questions in row and two-three at a time. Probably some scaring-strategy. But it worked the other way. I got to pick the questions I wanted to answer :)
The "brightest" questions were: "What are you doing here?". My answer: "walking, looking around". Question: "Why at night?" Answer: "Why not?", etc.
For the question "do you have a gun" I used expression "well, no..." using the advantage I'm not native Russian speaker and having weird accent I could have the fun adding words which actually change meaning of the sentence.
The question "do you have vodka?" I replied "no, but I have rum!" Question: "How strong?". I couldn't remember excatly, but knew it's not exactly 40%, so it took a while but already one asked "40?". "Almost 40", I replied.
So they left, advising not to sleep on the benches in park - it's dangerous (later I found out why it's dangerous - actually only because of the cops themselves). I said I won't, rather go to railway station. Of course they used the chance to check my passport.
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When staying in Lublin I made Emergency Couch Request for Lviv. I got one reply and I sent her a message in the evening that we could meet next day. I sent her a message again but no reply. Then I looked up hotel Lviv. Already two years I had been writing on my Immigration Card (the officials told me to. Even though I told I'm going around in Ukraine) that I'm staying in hotel Lviv so I had to see it. Boring and ugly Soviet architecture. One dude (young, bad clothes, drunk) came to me, telling do I need help (I was taking picture of that hotel) and he's glad to meet me, etc. To be polite I answered something but (of course) he didn't understand why I just wanted to look up hotel and that's it.
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I put on my sun glasses and started taking a nap, also waiting for reply from my host.
I guess it took about 15 minutes when I heard someone talking next to me. I scared awake and saw... fucking cops! Different ones at least. La-la-la, here we go again...
Where you from? What are you doing here? Show the passport, etc. Said I can't sleep in the park (what's actually the fucking difference if I'm sitting with my eyes closed or open.
I told I'm not sleeping, just... ( couldn't say the right word in Russian). I told I didn't sleep last night and eyes just closed. They threatened (not warned) they'll be back in 15 minutes and if I'm still there... I told they won't.
Still interesting... on what basis would they arrest me... serious violation of law and order? Unfortuntely I didn't have time to find out...
When they asked for my passport, then as usually, I took it out between my mother's old passport covers with Soviet coat of arms. But one guy was attentive. He pointed to the covers and asked "What's that". I didn't know Russian word for "passport covers". So I said "simply..."
One of them also wanted to ask something but was too slow thinking out what exactly and they left.
I decided to leave Lviv and find hitchhiking spot for Ivano-Frankivsk. So I started walking out from the city. For a moment I went to a shop and bought a bottle of Mernaja (based on milk something) vodka. Also the last cops had asked if I have vodka. Next time...
I guess they all felt a bit sorry I was hanging around, totally sober.
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Also I saw a bread delivery van, which was operating just like here in Soviet times - bread without plastic bag, smelly... nostalgia :)
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My way out from Lviv went over a hill. Narrow road, asphalt with holes in it and no hard shoulders... speeders, big trucks (in bad condition).
If I'd knew before... I'd never take a bus there! And definitely not on a bike. On the side of the hill, next to the road below were people's houses. It could feel interesting if a truck would fall in through the roof...
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I had a hot dog in small kiosk and drank kvass, which was from plastic bottle but tasted almost right.
Then back to the hill and farther from Lviv. On the other side of the hill was nice little town (officially these are mostly villages, but when comparing to Estonia, they are towns). At least in the centre the place looked maintenanced - eateries, market full of fruits, good road (at least the main street). I bought peaches and tomatoes and went to the end of the village to hitchhike.
I waited for a while and two Uzbeks offered me a ride.
They were businessmen and moved to Ukraine two years ago. Their best question was about religion in Estonia. The answer was... we don't really care about it. Their attitude was like "this is really bad..."
The ride wasn't very long, they dropped to to next junction for Ivano-Frankivsk (near Kurovichi).
There weren't many cars going, rain was drizzling. I stayed more in a bus stop.
At some point stopped Niva "off road car" (in weird colors) in front of the bus stop and men with automatic guns jumped out. Then Niva backed half of it to the booth (where also I was standing) and the driver started to change tire. He changed it and they left. Said no words during staying there. I guess I just didn't want to risk taking a picture.
I waited for some time and as mini buses were passing all the time, I decided to take a bus.
I stopped one but it went only to Peremyslyany and turned other way. I went this few kilometers by bus. There one chick told that right away will be a bus for Ivano-Frankivsk. I waited for a couple of hours there. None of the buses had sign "Ivano-Frankivsk".
It's actually not that easy to understand names of place when on my maps they are in Latin letters and everywhere else in Ukrainian Cyrillic.
While waiting I talked to a 17 years old boy, who looked like 13 or something. He promised to show which one's the right bus. We waited together... I gave him a chocolate, he asked if I didn't have any sandwiches. I didn't. He gave me Russian 10 rubla coin as a present. Then tried to give me a wallet. Weird color and empty. He asked me to take it but no... no crap needed.
To continue the conversation, I told if one's lucky, hitchhiking 600km per day is not a problem. He told he knows, just came from Ivanopetrovsk. Most rides were buses... but he made "no money" gesture and got ride for free.
I got fed up with waiting and decided to continue hitchhiking. I walked two kilometers and next bus approached. I saw on my map the only bigger places are on the road to Ivano-Frankivsk and I stopped the bus. The driver told he won't go towards Ivano-Frankivsk and I have to turn back to Peremyshlyany.
I got off the bus and was quite angry and confused. Isn't it the way then?! I decided to ask from a house and walked back little bit. In 5 minutes a truck stopped and his destination was - Ivano-Franksivsk!
There was also another hitchhiker on it - an old woman, about 80 years. Luckily she didn't want to Ivano-Frankivsk, but to a close village because the truck's cabin wasn't very spacious.
I didn't really get for what - only when road was down hill or they spotted church somewhere... but the driver and old woman made the signs of cross quite often. Perhaps being afraid to lose breaks?
For the evening we arrived to Ivano-Frankivsk. I walked to railway station. Still not good with eateries. Pizza place didn't serve me because they were closing in 30 minutes (it was 9:30 p.m.). I got a drumstick from a fast food kiosk. It was watery and bad.
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August 6th, Thursday
The distance was about 20 kilometers but I arrive to Vorokhta 7 a.m. Night trains - slow and more quiet so people could sleep there a bit.
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But none of the houses that looked like restaurants had opening times.
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Then I had lunch in a restaurant near railway station. They had the best green tea I've ever had. Even though they had it in menu, they couldn't make me borsch. I had some kind of bouillon with pieces... local special food. I ate the pieces, then waited for the waitress to ask am I supposed to eat also the liquid (rather mixture of vegetable oil and fat) and with bread or how... she finally came, explained and I ask her to bring me bread then...
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Then I went to a shop to buy some food for the trip. They didn't have half of bread so I had to push this huge thick disk into my bag. Instead of small change I got candies.
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I got to Verkhovyna, the checkpoint and ticket sales for Hoverla and touristic village.
I paid 5 grivnas for entrance, registered and got a map - sports resort 8 km, to the mountain 4 km and down - 3,5 km.
I thought "no problem" - 4 hours and I'm down again. The check point official VERY strongly advised to spend night in sports resort or camp there. I though "we'll see... perhaps another way to get money from tourists?
Continued gravel road and pretty quickly ascending. I thought perhaps at the end of this 8 km road there's no height left to climb. Vorokhta is 800 meters above sea level. And Hoverla 2061 meters (Buachaille Etive Mor in Scotland I climbed in 2007 was "only" 1022m).
It was nice road (despite of all the holes in it) between fir forest, river next to the road, wooden tables for picnic quite often. But still 8 kilometers up and then I got to sports resort area I was pretty tired. I remembered the official's strong recommendation.
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He asked "Do you have a wife? How are you going to sleep then? With him?!". Yeah... also a funny guy...
Then suddenly appeared two Polish guys and a girl - hikers. And the same guy with golden teeth who had offered me a ride before.
The Golden Teeth started giving me hints about money straight away. Then they went eating - Golden Teeth and old man, leaving us there.
The Golden Teeth had asked money from the Polish also. In the beginning as much as hostel night in Old Town hostel in Tallinn, but then the Polish refused to pay that much... agreed with a lot less.
However the Polish decided to rather spend night in tent than in this doghole. I went along because I didn't like this business - one offering a shelter and some jerk giving me hints...
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August 7th, Friday
Probably because of soil that holds water, quite quickly my sleeping bag was all wet and my tent like a pool (my tent cost few years ago € 7,70). It was disgusting and making me mad. I decided to put my stuff together and go back to the boiler house. Not the best experience - putting together wet stuff when it's raining and totally dark.
I thought perhaps I'll just stay in the garage - at least shelter from rain. But I was lucky, because when I got there, also a car was leaving sports resort and the old man came out. I appeared. The old man was mumbling it's impolite to disappear like we did... but he was still cool and invited me inside and I put my stuff drying.
The man kept talking and percentage of his talk I understood was decreasing rapidly. He was drunk. We went sleeping. Luckily to different beds :)
In the morning he woke me up and told it's better to go it the morning. I asked if I could take a picture of him. It was OK by him. He wanted me to definitely remember his name, repeating it for few times - Дмитро Дмитрович Золочук (Dmitro Dmitrovich Zolochuk).
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He gave me a wooden stick - to help me. I thought I will throw it away quite soon to no to carry it up and down.
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Further... towards the mountain. It wasn't raining any more but it was cloudy. The Polish hadn't seen any view from Hoverla because of clouds and mist. I hoped for better.
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The climbing generally was rather climbing than walk on the hills. After the trip I checked definitions of hiking, camping, trekking and so on. I couldn't understand where does my trip belong... I had my all equipment with me, even though Zolochuk had advised to leave it to the resort. I didn't worry about somebody stealing it, I just felt more safe having my tent, food and clothes with me. And the bag also blocked wind. Also I thought perhaps I won't return through the resort.
The weather was good - not too hot. Sometimes there was sunshine, cloudy but windy. The flora was firs, fireweed, junipers, blueberries, grass.
When less than hundred meters was left, it felt too often very-very soon it's the top.
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Now I really wanted to get back t the sports resort. But no sign "down from the mountain".
At some point I heard bells of cows... what? Mountain-climbing cows??? But there they were... anyway that was a good sign. I really didn't want to go back to Hoverla to get down on the hard path.
Then I heard people yelling a way down I was a group of people. I though I'll go on straight. Even though I remembered the warning "stay on the path!" and it was pretty steep.
After few meters going fast it started raining... and impossible to see anything! I 5 minutes the rain was over and no people... and the little path I was using turned into fox trail. I was cursing and thinking how stupid can someone be to go straight... I felt quite lost and just mountains and far as I could see didn't look very encouraging... they continue through several countries...
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As I didn't want to lose eye-contact with the base I decided not to got up to another mountain but turn off the path again. After a couple of hundred meters I decided it was a bad idea.
I saw some people going down now... but not to the side of sports resort. Hard decision... follow then or try to find path to the sports resort. I saw some more people but they weren't so helpful.
I reached another top (where I was also before). It had four paths to four directions. Two were main ones and one for sightseeing on the edge and one... way down!!! I thought before both side ones were for sightseeing. I had a dinner and tried the path. I thought even if the path ends, not to lose eye-contact with sports resort. The path went more narrow but still continued.
The flora - just grass - got more interesting again... first blueberry plants, then Junipers, fireweed, little pines, firs... I reached to weather station and they showed me where the way down continues.
I reached a rivulet a weather station man had mentioned and took a break for washing, enjoying the sunshine and resting. Then I met a couple of Australia - the road was closed road for some Lviv University. I got moving again. Now I was confused which was I was supposed to go after reaching the river. Both ways got little bit up. I decided to ask a couple of women who were picking blueberries. I made them compliment for nice smiles. They had been eating blueberries all the long :)
I arrived to sports resort. Took my walking stick back to the gates. This little thing was amazingly helpful all day long! At the gates was another man working. I gave him also rest of my vodka the bottle was too heavy for carrying and there was about 200ml in it anyway. It cost 2,5 EUR anyway.
Of course my flask was filled because traveling without strong alcohol is not such a good idea.
The gatekeeper was wearing the badge - Estonian and Ukrainian flags - I had given the other guy... but it was upside down. The man didn't know which way Ukrainian flag colors should be...
So... I got back two hours before it got dark. Still decided to go to Vorokhta railway station.
This time I made the 8 km a lot faster than going up but then I got to Verkhovyna - the main gate where the the registering was - it was almost dark outside.
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The answers were "about 3 hours" and "about 900 meters". I felt like commenting it :)
Another guy was standing there and he came talking to me. He was from Kiev. At the end he invited drinking vodka with his friends and continue in the morning. But I felt like going.
I decided to hitchhike. Even though it was totally dark with no street lights. But I didn't want to waste time standing in the lights near Verkhovyna. After a couple of kilometers of walking - which was nice itself, because quite many people were coming on foot and everybody greeting and wishing good hike - a car stopped. A nice middle-aged couple in it. Quite happy-looking. I had a nice conversation with them. The woman had been in Tallinn. Long time ago helping a friend to write thesis in Estonian Maritime School.
They stopped near shop in Vorokhta. I and the woman went off. And both of us to shop. The woman was asking for chocolates. And I had the chance to give her one Estonian. Probably the dark cherry chocolate.
August 8th, Saturday
About 3 o'clock in the night I took train to Kolomyya. To not to waste the night. Also this short ride took 4 hours or so. In the morning I was in Kolomyya. As I was still carrying the book "All About Ukraine" with me, I had the map of Kolomyya and I went straight to town border.
It didn't take much time when I got to Chernivtsy. I had the feeling taking it easy and to walk through the city, do some sightseeing on the way, eat something and spend my last grvinas as I didn't have the feeling I'll go back to Ukraine that soon. Also... I had contacted my "host" and even though he had promised to host me, he was at Azov sea...
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He was talking a lot but still listening to me also. He mentioned smuggling, pointing at his cargo - big boxes but I didn't get exactly what was it about. Anyway we were very close to Romanian border. He promised to take me to the border.
At one point we turned off the main road to a house. He said it's gonna take a while now and the driver and other guy started unloading the boxes. I stepped off the van. And offered my help. The sooner ready - the sooner on the road again. And I was unloading boxes of illegal cigarettes with my driver...
And the road again... before the border the driver also bought me a tea. He said: "life is good in Belarus and how much everything is better there - butter tastes like honey, they have good sausages (and Ukrainian ones are crap) and Lukašenka has everything under control. If he doesn't like somebody (foreigners?), they will send the one away from the country. And that's right - it's their country after all". I said perhaps Ukraine could get to EU one day. He replied "who the fuck wants to go there anyway?". I told that some of my friends would like to travel more freely... but of course I agreed about sending trouble makers away and not being afraid of the "big ones" would be good idea.
Then I asked if he had been in Belarus... as I had met a couple of Belorussians and couldn't remember then talking about their country like that. His answer was "Yes, I was there in the 80's. In the army". Fortunately we got to the border. He asked a couple of men at the border to help me onto a car, because only cars were allowed to cross it.
While waiting they were asking if Estonia was also in Schengen. I replied "yes, but for Russia and Belarus we need visa". "Who the fuck wants to go there?!", they replied.
They got me on a small car. Middle aged couple was in it. They asked if I had cigarettes... I said "no, I don't smoke". I told it also to the van driver before even tough I understood what was the question for.
But they said they have : ) I told I noticed you have and pointed under the steering wheel where I saw end of block of cigarettes. The driver tried pushing it but it didn't move.
The border officer came. Was talking something and giving the driver (!?) money. Then a couple more "checks" and Romanian border. I gave my passport. The border officer girl was asking in English where was I going. I thought of a stupid answer and said "Romania". Damn, it was the border Ukraine-Romania. But she was happy with the answer, wishing me nice trip.
Soon after the border there was a police checking somebody. Probably somebody who didn't pay.
The couple dropped me to Siret. I had decided before I'll stay in Siret, because there is a river.
I got to the river about 3 p.m.
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August 9th, Sunday
After 12 hours I woke up when I hears many-many bells ringing. I had seen many footmarks at the river, but I thought deers or something go there sometimes.
I opened my tent's door and I saw at least thousand sheep and an old shepherd coming towards me. He greeted me, saying he is Costel. I told my name but as he was speaking Romanian and me English, we didn't talk more. He left.
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"Yes, it's nice. But not in darkness when you have to drive on these roads". I agreed. this sounded fucking scary...
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I thanked him, took my bag off the bus and said, I'll find an eating place first, eat, exchange money and then I'll see how will I go. I asked some girls which way is the Bucharest-side of the city, found a bank which was closed and when I asked I got answer that all banks are closed on Sundays. Thanks to the driver my bag would have traveled to Bucharest without me... The driver also suggested very strongly to exchange money only in banks. Other would rob me...
I found McDonald's... which, of course didn't sound attempting but I assumed they speak English and I can pay by card. After a 37-RON lunch I felt... OK.
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While waiting I noticed Romania is extremely popular for Italian tourists - so many cars had Italian license plates. Later I heard it's because of many Romanians going to Italy for work.
Then I got my ride. It was a small van. One middle-aged happy guy and one quite young one. Neither of them was speaking English. So I just could relax. The older guy knew quite many words in English but he wasn't speaking... already these drivers made my head ache because they were honking the horn on everything... slow drivers, stupid drivers, pedestrians, workers by the road and especially girls. On half road the driver changed. Young dude was driving, older one drinking beer. When we got to Bucharest he had had 7 beers. And visiting "toilet" too often.
Both drivers were going at about 150km/h, some time even 165km/h. Even through small villages too fast. The most annoying thing... they had police radar and this thing was beeping constantly with awful noise. And second annoying - THEY were honking on every reason - nice girl by the road, somebody crossing the road... all the time. And not only them.
We arrived to Bucharest. Stopping behind traffic lights the driver suddenly put on central lock of the car. Felt weird. But in a couple of seconds one skinny gypsy man stepped to the car and tried to open car's door, holding infant in arms. I would understand knocking on cars window and begging... but this was too much!
Later they picked up a friend. And he wasn't speaking English. But they were good men, instead of leaving me in the centre of Bucharest they asked for address where I was supposed to go. And called my host Cristina. Unfortunately they didn't know Bucharest at all and we were trying to find the (actually very easy location) location half of the time we spent driving from Suceava to Bucharest.
Finally I met Cristina. I thanked the drivers and we left to Cristina's place. As I didn't have host in Lviv and in Chernivtsy, I could have extra day for Bucharest. The weather was dry, warm and Sun was shining. I checked my mail over many days and there was a letter I'm on the way in getting to be an CS-ambassador in Tallinn. I had been waiting for it all summer and in the letter it mentioned "perhaps we could get time extension as you are traveling all summer". (digression: now I've also passed the training).
It was very nice at Cristina's place. I had a shower, some conversation eating and it was already late - sleeping time. As Cristina's room mates were away I got sleep in her bed and she was in the living room - surfing the couch! :-D
August 10th, Monday
Cristina had to be at work early in the morning and it was going to be a hard day for her. Still she organized me a CouchSitter (a trademark by Janine :) ). We left together in the morning. First I made a walking tour around Parliament's Palace (before Ceaucescu's Palace - The People's House). It has a huge ugly wall around it so actually you can't see much. I heard later there is a movement to tear down that wall... I would support it! The politicians should be afraid of the people!
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I payed, left and went to a back to chance money. This was the only time in my life I had to sign some papers at currency exchange.
Then I met Dani (Cristina's brother) in front of a theatre. We made huge sightseeing tour all day - monuments, parks, old town. And a beer in very nice bar. Unfortunately I didn't remember which brand was it but it was good! So later I had to taste different ones. Like famous Ursus - it was boring! And we visited the Village Museum. This was a very nice place - by a lake, different very old machines (like booze machine) and old houses, a church. Also very green place.
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August 11th, Tuesday
The next day I took just for chilling. I went to the centre, laying in the Sun on the grass of Unirii park. Looking beautiful Romanian girls passing, fountains, some Jandarms at work...
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Or would they shoot a pickpocket to the back with it? I didn't care much about them. They just looked inappropriate there in sunshine and green grass.
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I went to buy a watermelon. On the way I needed bathroom and I spotted an ordinary looking pub where the sign said "a beer - 5 LEI (~1,3 EUR). I didn't ask how much is a tea, just ordered it. They gave me ordinary Lipton kind of thing and asked for 5 LEI... I didn't care, I needed a bathroom and I used it. I returned to the park, was eating watermelon and waiting for Dani. He promised to come also that day. Soon he appeared and we left to check out another park. On the way he remembered he hadn't shown me Tomb of Unknown Soldier. That was looking powerful.
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Also he told that many people think that gypsies are Romanians, but they are not. I told that at least in Estonia I don't believe someone is thinking that. Later I found out some actually are...
In the evening we left park and Dani went home, I went searching for Cristina's apartment, she had left work and went straight home.
I walked this couple of kilometers, found a block house, thinking that was the one... sent an SMS but I was wrong... had to walk a bit more and met Cristina outside.
Her room mates had arrived. A young couple about to get married and girl's mother.
It was so much fun spending whole evening with them. Cristina made another tasty meal and we stayed up quite long time.
August 12th, Wednesday
In the morning Cristina left to work early, I was still packing my things. Fortunately Cristina's room mates weren't in hurry... so I didn't have to rush.
Then I walked to the centre and next destination - Mamaia beach near Constanta. Always when I mentioned it to people and the possibility I'll also visit Vama Veche, because my friend Eve is staying there... people were heaving a sigh... Vama Veche... but also mentioning it had changed and not any more what it used to be.
I took a metro train to eastern side of Bucharest. Still managed to get on the wrong one. Had to go back one stop and then the right one... I just didn't remeber there must be graffity on the one I needed. Fortunately you have to pay only once - to get to the metro. Then you'll have unlimited rides : )
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Quite soon I got picked up. It was a smaller truck and driver was speaking well English. A man about 35 years old. He was talking quite a lot, but that was OK, because he was interesting. Showed me some pictures about architecture in Bucharest and telling me in free time he's also doing sculptures. Then he asked me if I've heard about sculptor [name].
I told I haven't (I'm really not interested sculptors - yeah, I like nice figures, but that's it). His response was surprising... he was very surprised: "Really? You haven't heard about him?! Is that possible?!" Like he had asked "Who's the President in Estonia?" and I wouldn't have known...
That was the first time a truck driver (I don't mean to be condescending with this) made me feel stupid, but that's cool!
Our ride continued... he was playing records, asking what would I prefer but still changing too often. At some point he asked: "in what are you interested in life?" Another hard moment... this philosphical question... he was surprised when I first mentioned food. Then it got more logical... I said I like different... as much as possible. Climbing the mountains, swimming in sea, going to theatre, then sleeping in the bushes... then he told in what he's interested in.
Even if the ride was enjoyable, it didn't get easier. Next request was: "could you please describe Estonian women..."Damn, that was hard. I took several minutes for thinking. I guess the answer was quite close... as close it could be in such... irregular matter... but I'm not going to write my anwers here (I expect to be tortured so I'll just start writing my last will).
Then he told me he's not going to Constanta, but turns away from the speedway to Calarasi. So he gave me map of Romania (many thanks to him for that. It became really useful later) and stopped... just on the speedway! I thanked and all but damn... it was a speedway! Even my map showed it but the Romanians I talked to before told it's just a highway...
But I couldn't hitch-hike there. Theoretically I could have - there weren't that many cars and enough room for stopping and speeds not that crazy, but I thought it's smarter not to. Mainly because of speedway patrols. It was a very hot day and I walked... in the ditch. Lucky me - it was concrete :) it went on and on... I saw a service station sign and got happier - a place for hitchhiking. But no... as the speedway is under construction they are still building the service stations and with most of them they haven't even started and all they have is a sign.
Finally I saw one "service station". Which actually was a toilet and muddy running waters.
I tried hitchhiking next to it on a speedway, luckily gave up just before road patrol passed me.
I think it was less than 2 hours waiting when I was sitting next to the toilet building and a microbus stopped, driver went to bathroom and when coming back asked something like "where's your car?". He wasn't speaking English that well and I explained I have no car, I'm hitchhiking. He offered me a ride. There was also one woman there. All the road the old driver tried to flirt with the woman. Then asking quite many times about the money. I ALWAYS have difficulties understanding the money-related topics :) But really I didn't get it - did he ask do we have euro-money is Estonia (it's quite common question) - or that was a hint. Then asking if I had any money with me... these moments I just love that somebody who invented bank cards :) And I'm telling people I keep my money in the bank (those people who might not know about bank cards) or that I pay by card. And at least in gas stations it's possible so it's all logical.
They dropped me off in Medgidia bus station, recommending me to take a bus.
Of course I didn't. Just bought a bottle of water (this muddy water with some molluscs swimming it didn't look/taste appealing).
Next ride came very quickly. Small car, inside many bags, Romanian man from US, his wife and infant in arms on the back seat. Seemed his wife wan't that comfortable with English so I just talked with the man. About traveling - I think the first person who talked about all the fun traveling though US (his words: it's a bad place for living, but awesome place for traveling). So I'm thinking about it :)
He was really surprised an Estonian alone in Romania hitchhiking. During the ride the baby puked in the car. Cristian (the driver) apologized and said it happens to babies. I told him it's OK, it "happens" to grown-ups also :)
When the ride ended we changed contacts and they dropped me to Mamaia beach.
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People had been telling it's crowded with luxury cars near that beach but looks like it'll be the picture at the weekend. So I decided to walk out from the city to have a little longer look at it.
Quite at the start of this walk I broke my blisters under my feet and that (fucking) hurt. Bottoms of my boots were so worn the road was blistering my feet. I wore slippers but it was too late...
Still I walked out of the city, hoped to find a quiet place at the sea but that was somehow impossible. It got dark so I stayed near the road at the bushes next to a field.
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August 13th, Thursday
The busy road was too close but in the morning it worked like an alarm clock. I got up early and walked to hitch-hiking spot a few kilometers further. My feet were not that bad because I had bandage and band-aid with me. Also cleaning the blisters with Ukrainian vodka.
I bought some food and juice from a gas station and after some waiting a guy picked me up. He wasn't speaking English that well, but promised to take me to Mangalia. He had to deal with some problems there for half an hour or more. He stopped, I organized my bag and started walking. After about 200 meters a car was signaling - the same man again.
I sat in and we arrived to Vama Veche shortly. He was the owner of Chopper bar on the beach.
He asked if I want to help him opening the bar. I agreed to help. Why not? And I guess I owed him that. It was quite fun too.
I just wanted to point out the logo of the bar "Chopper" - this is cool art!
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She asked why I put my tent up that far... I didn't think it's that far until later I decided to move closer to her.
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I didn't watch the movie to the end. Got tired and went to sleep. Eve promised to wake me up before sunrise.
August 14th, Friday
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First ride started in less than a minute. It took me to Mangalia... railway station again. Luckily this town isn't that big. I walked to the border of the town, having perfect place... quite slow traffic, trees saving me from sunstroke...
The weird picture was some small gypsy kids crossing this very busy road (weekend) with a cart in very bad shape, loaded full of scrap metal. Then also old gypsy woman doing the same. But in the middle of road, car already too close... she pushed the cart over and then ran after it... :-/ That's dangerous!
Also the people working - standing next to the road, offering rooms "CAZARE" for rent to tourists are not making hitchhiking easier - too many people waving posters by the road.
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A car stopped, a middle age man inside. This was a rental car and the man - a professional driver. He was telling me about his strange accident with a quality tire that morning. The tire just broke with not reason - that's what I understood.
He was telling about the people he had to pick up that day. And lucky me - stops were Constanta, Bucharest - Craiova! Half way to Budapest in one day!
First we picked up a couple of French girls from Constanta bus terminal. Can't remember on which fields they were volunteering but it sounded hard job. They took a little trip before flying back to Paris. And quite several times during our road to Bucharest Costel (the driver) offered... "let's go to Paris with the girls, OK?" Of course I agreed :) Costel was amazing. Middle-aged big man. Had been working in a couple of different coutries but knew so many different languages.
About the languages he told he knows "some", I'd say he was good...
But... waiting for the girls in Constanta airport I think it was the only time I saw real assholes in Romania. Situation: little (I'd say 5 years old, not more) gypsy girl was begging there, going around cars, looking in, trying to open doors of cars... but there were a couple of young men and a woman at one convertible car, eating cheap junk food but looking quite rich. Gold chains and stuff... the kind I probably wouldn't enjoy conversation with... anyway they were mocking the gypsy girl, throwing pieces of bread at her... the REAL assholes... 2 meters tall.
And we drove to Bucharest. Costel chatting up girls and me trying to understand French. At the end I felt I understood something already.
We dropped the girls to some church (I was offered to stay with them) and we picked up Costel's girlfriend (or wife). The three of us were waiting for next passengers at Bucharest Railway Station. Costel's girl friend was working as a nurse in mental hospital. She had poor English but she wanted to practice it because she was offered job in UK. After her almost every sentence she asked: "you understand?". In the beginning I felt like a fool but then I got used to it.
I recommended her to practice it sometimes with Costel.
I went to find some tea in railway station. At kiosks there were drink machines but everywhere I saw some weird stuff not real tea... Finally I found one machine and it looked OK. I got 100ml of tea... maybe even less. Forget about tea in Romania!
The passengers arrived and we took off. Towards Craiova. It was already dark outside and I was in resting mode, not paying much attention until we made a stop for food.
Then one passenger started talking to me. Do I like music... do I like rock... do you know Ozzy Osbourne... do you know Bon Jovi... do you know... this was quite long "conversation" (series of questions) and ending with questions (when I told I'm not into Rock that much because of every question I answered I know a couple of song but I'm not a fan): what music do you like the? I told reggae, of course. He asked "Bob Marley? UB40". And again... I told these are not my favourites...
We made it to Craiova. Costel took me to a guest house and told they also have camping field and it should be free. Well it wasn't. But the guy at the gate advised to put my tent up between road and their place. I noticed before there are bushes and place for tent hidden enough.
August 15th, Saturday
In the morning I didn't walk much because the hitch-hiking spot looked perfect. Seen from a distance and only one way to go. I stayed there for hours... no luck and I decided to walk.
Sometimes stayed on small parking grounds for a while, asking truck drivers... no luck.
Finally I reached another roundabout exiting the city and my blisters broke. That hurt and I decided no more walking. After 30 minutes or so a very small car stopped, an old Romanian couple inside. They told me they can take me to motorway. I wanted to ask how many kilometers but being too tired I asked "how much?". The gesture was "for nothing".
Near the junction were also car shops and I could refill my water bottle.
I didn't wait there for long time holding my sign "Arad". A car stopped and the driver told me he doesn't know if he's going to Arad but it's the same way. I got into the car. The driver was Ilias, a Greek elementary school teacher. Quickly I found out he's driving to Budapest and then to The Netherlands. Boy, was I happy. My way was also to Budapest.
Our conversation went smoothly... from teaching to traveling (walking along rivers), politics, religion, history. He was quite an anarchist. But I agreed most of his views. Also we were joking a lot about different folks, army... about Jesus died for my sins before I was born etc.
Our road went through the mountains and the views were marvellous... only road itself was kind of shitty. If I remember correctly this was what Costel told is better road to Hungary.
At one point we even were in quite dangerous situation - we drove up hill and towards us came truck, sun was blinding us and road was so narrow. This was close...
All these couple of hundred kilometers were "road under construction" signs. But no workers, no asphalt or other materials, no trucks... we were joking that after 10 years we're flying in cars over Romania and see the roads are still like that. Some places really looked abandoned.
As Ilias was cool and he told he has no place to sleep in Budapest and he's sick of sleeping in his little sporty Hyundai, I contacted my host Lauren and asked if I can bring my driver over.
She agreed.
Passing Arad was weird experience... we had to drive three times into the city to get out of it and I believe we went always by traffic signs. At one point we saw a car with Austrian number plate driving in front of us and on one junction they stopped, waved and yelled something. We turned there anyway. They (didn't look Austrian, rather Albanians) passed us again and at another junction they stopped in front of, one guy came out. Not speaking English, went back to his car and three guys came out who didn't understand anything and we didn't understand do they need help or try to offer us help. But it was scary! We drove away.
Finally... we got to Hungarian border. Surprising but there was border check... Romania is not in Schengen. And I guess I know why...
It went smoothly and next stop was a gas station. Hungarian language... impossible to understand anything... Ilias got fuel and we started going when one guy came our running and told it's not payed. They were rookies using bank cards.
At the time Ilias tried again to pay one guy just bumped our car by backing onto us. He didn't have a reason to back up anyway...
I caught the guy, asking to wait little bit. Driver didn't understand English so he asked his boy to come out but he didn't understand it neither and I had to show I'm not the driver and they got to wait a bit. Ilias came, looked and said it's OK and we left.
August 16th, Sunday
Finding Lauren's place wasn't that hard because we checked maps in two gas station and Ilias has good memory. Even though we got there 3 a.m. we didn't wake Lauren and Lyla up because another day of Sziget festival had ended.
One funny thing... Ilias bought candies and a bottle of vodka to the girls :) I guess they use it for vodka bandage.
Little chat and we went to sleep. I didn't feel like sharing a bed with Ilias so I stayed on the mattresses on the floor and it was good.
Early next morning Ilias left. We had breakfast and went to make a touristic tour in the city. The day was warm and nice. The city looks old and mighty but not taken care well enough. And I'd say too many violent-looking monuments.
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That day Lauren and Lyla had more guests - a couple of American travelers. Also nice curious people. Because they weren't couchsurfers they felt uncomfortable sleeping in the same room with other people, I got to sleep in Lauren's bed and Lauren in Lyla's room. Funny - again me on the bed and host - on couch :)
During the days I spent in Budapest we were shopping in supermarket, eating (super-small) pancakes, eating in a restaurant, visiting market (I bought real salami), visiting Old Town, cemetery (that's a weird place - all these statues and not only the person buried there. Some have kids on it...).
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August 19th, Wednesday
But the day arrived I had to leave. I was totally rested and felt good. Just because Lauren and Lyla are so wonderful hosts.
As usually I walked from the apartment to hitch-hiking place. It was a long walk but the girls walked me at least half of the road it didn't feel that long.
In that hitchhiking spot were already a couple of girls. Their method was "straight to Belgium or plane next day". "What a waste", I thought and went to next gas station. I waited there some time and as the other one looked more busy I went back. I stayed there many-many-many hours. In the mean time refilling my water bottle in McDonald's (even the water wasn't good there). Everybody else got ride quite quickly there. Even a girl with a huge dog.
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I think it was the most busy hitch-hiking spot I've ever seen. For some time there was a Belgian woman waiting for a while trying to get a lift and she got away...
Finally... I think it was 7 p.m. or something one car stopped for me and offered ride to Györ. Yes!
And another hitchhiker came to the car and asked if he could get a ride also. The driver agreed.
Lucky me because I was tired of that day and they did the conversation :) Or... the hitchhiker was talking all the time and laughing on his text.
I got to nice gas station near Györ. And who did I saw there... the same Belgian woman!
I talked to her a bit every once in a while. This was weird... even a woman alone had to stand for hours to get a ride... where are all the gentlemen or ladies who should be worried about another woman... anyway later I made her a sign with my almost-empty marker pen. She had to catch the plane from Bratislava in the morning.
I understood why people don't stop near Budapest - because the road also takes to Croatia - but why not there... about 1 at night. I put up my tent and went sleeping.
August 20th, Thursday
Waking up early and got back to hitch-hiking spot... soon three more guys joined me. One from Germany and two from the Netherlands. They were quite together but I stood few meters further. Sometimes going around asking truck drivers.
So I did for few hours. Finally changed my poster from "Praha" to "SK" and blue sun on it. I think it was half an hour I got a ride. Nice new car and IB M Baltic manager or something. Also this German hitchhiker approached and asked if he could come also but the answer was "no".
This was quite funny picture actually - from this gas station left so many fancy cars packed full of people and bags... cars with German number plates leaving for Germany, full of Albanians, Turkish and others. Poor German guy hitchhiking but none of them stopping for him...
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The reason he told why didn't take the German guy was he had company's car and there are insurance-problems. He's not allowed to take hitch-hikers.
He was quite surprised Estonians are also related nation to Hungarians, not only Finns. Also... even though he was IB M representative for the Baltic States he had never been here.
In one place he had to look for a place to park his car. One old man with very expensive sports car was about to leave but still talking to a woman next to him and the driver mumbled: "will you marry her or not?" :)
They took me to Slovakian border because they didn't want to pay for motorway and turned back on smaller roads.
On the border I got confused - sign said "Slovenska". I had to check the map... I was right, I was in Slovakia and Slovenia is actually "Slovenija".
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On the other side I saw there was a supermarket. I needed food so I tried to get there. Crossing the motorway when no cars were near and stepping over the road border before last road to cross it and almost ready to go when I heard alarm behind me. It was police van. One of them knew English so I explained I was dropped on another side but I can't see any crossing for pedestrians, where's the closest? No answer, but the policeman made a gesture covering his eyes and told that this time he will close his eyes (I told "okay") and that I can go this time but when they come back they don't want to see me there again. They said I should be careful crossing it. This is ironical - putting on alarm behind my back when I waiting for the moment to run over and then telling me to be careful...
I went to supermarket. First found a place to eat... but they didn't accept bank cards. I didn't want to change Czech money because I re-planned and decided - no Praha this time. Time to go home. I went to pub next to it and they accepted back cards but didn't offer food...
Then shopping... it was full of school-stuff - notebooks and stuff but the kind of notebook I needed - quite slippery paper for hitchhiking signs I didn't find.
I tried to buy some hot food from the counter but they wanted cash only. I didn't get why should I pay in meat counter anyway, why not when exiting... could I start eating there right after paying?
I got out of there, found a way around so it was kind of better place for crossing the motorway, ate and walked towards Olomouc. A few hundred meters on the side of a field. In every few meters I scared a rabbit :) the walk was nice and quickly I found a nice gas station. And there were more hitch-hikers. They looked weird. I understood they were Polish but still quite different from all the Poles I've met. Young man was very tall with a long face, woman is rags but they spoke English, were kind so I spent some time with them. I bought beer, some food and chocolate for us because I decided not to leave Czech Republic without having Czech beer.
The woman didn't know the country is famous for beer :)
Anyway these guys were hippies :) they had tried to get to Rainbow gathering in Ukraine but border guard claimed one's passport had a sheet missing. I though the border guard just wanted to "earn" some money because there should be one sheet looking like that...
Now they were trying to get to Belgium to another gathering. When I told I was going to Poland, the woman asked me to ask the guy to turn back to Poland also. When the guy refused, she didn't mention it any more. That day they had eaten only some apples. This is hard core!
One funny story they told me about hitchhiking was about a man who made and later wrote a book about hitchhiking with a washing machine.
I advised them to leave the gas station and search for another one after the big junction I came from. I guess they later went there.
There I was standing, trying to get a ride. Comfortable place and quite soon one truck stopped. With a Latvian license plate. The driver asked if I knew where I wanted to go. I got confused... isn't it the road to Poland, I thought... but answered, that I have maps. OK, I got a ride.
Step by step it got more interesting. The truck belonged to another guy in their company, he just had to take it back home. He was used to driving in Russia and Ukraine. He had no maps, didn't speak any language (not even a body language) but Russian (not even Latvian, even though he was from Latvia). He had GPS but didn't know how to use it. This thing had every other language except Russian. I didn't have time to look how it's working but I was more comfortable with maps anyway.
At some point I got hungry and took two apples from my bag and offered one to him. He took it, thanked and told he already felt hungry. I thought we're making a stop soon... but no.
Then I offered him water, sometimes candies or chewing gum... at one point we saw a cop waving to us on the road. We stopped and it was Sprava-guy (road control - weight of truck, road cards, etc.). During their argue I got to know my driver didn't have a road card, he didn't know he should have one or where to get it from.
The sprava-guys told that gas stations sell them and told him to follow them to a gas station. The place was a bit off from the motorway. He didn't understand what's he supposed to do. Even though I didn't hear their conversation I understood what's up and told (several times) to follow them.
Next to the gas station was bus station and big parking place. We were quite in the darkness. My driver and the sprava were talking for some time, then they went to the gas station to buy this road card (my driver didn't have absolutely any money, later I found out they have special "fuel and road card" bank cards. Can't buy food with those). More talking... at one point the driver came to me and asked if I had any cash with me. I understood he asked sprava if he could bribe them... but how can you bribe if you don't have money? As I didn't want to stay there for whole night and hoped to have some fun, I told I have 60 zloty's (he was blinking so I wouldn't say if I had more, because then sprava would want more) and not mentioning my Euros. Or the fact I could get money from cash machine... more talking - the driver and sprava... then he came back, asked if I have more. Sprava asked for certain sum. I told no... only coins :-D
We spent there long time... when we were allowed to leave, my driver went back to their bus for a couple of times, asking them to be gentle with fines... Sprava-man told that the fine he's get is quite nothing anyway... they could do awful fine...
Finally on the road again... my driver didn't remember how we got on the parking place and asked sprava... still I had to help him to turn down on right road to the motorway...
He was so nervous about the whole thing and kept complaining... mostly talking to himself. I didn't say anything after I told him he didn't sign anywhere, didn't give his ID or anything... they can't fine anyone by just sending e-mail to the company.
We were pretty close to Polish border when another sprava stopped us. Dude got complaining again and told we were stopped already... sprava made a phone call and let us go. Quite soon we saw another sprava on the road.
Finally Polish-Czech border and we stopped at a service station. I bought tea and coffee for him... he told that drinking coffee and then sleeping is a bit problematic but he had it anyway.
He was parking on cars lots even though trucks' parking space was in front of us.
August 21th, Friday
In the morning he went washing and I ate my last chicken drumstick I had bought last day (couldn't share it or eat in front of him), then bought us hot dogs, tea and coffee and on the road again...
I was reading a map (not that easy in Poland), he was driving.
Then I got one thing - I had been thinking I have a big problem staying awake in cars. Big ones, small ones, day or night. I used to think my eyes get tired but sunglasses didn't help either. It's just I can't sit doing nothing. My brain switches to sleep mode and eyes close. Even when I'm not tired. But reading map was totally easy - not getting sleepy at all.
On the way a couple of times he asked "should I turn down from here?" when sign showed way to some village. One time he almost took the turn... off from motorway when we actually wanted from one huge city to another... but on the last second he made (a very bumpy) turn back to the motorway then I said "straight!!!".
A few hours of driving like that and he wanted to make a stop (as I understood, he should have done it already long time ago). First thing I did - went to the gas station to find some food. Nothing interesting there... so I asked him to join me at a restaurant there. He joined. I took steak for both of us. He was doubting but thankful. Said it's expensive. Well... a bit more than 3 euros is not that expensive. Especially as he was from Latvia.
Before taking off again I bought another bottle of water. When starting driving he always made a cross in front of him.
During driving whenever he had a chance he complained through radio, on another parking space... and me about the sprava.
On the way for one slow car he asked rhetorical question: "is he alive?!". This was funny. Also for hitchhiking he used word "golosovat". It's related with "voice" just like in Estonian. I didn't know that.
When we got onto Via Baltica (road E67) I was quite happy... finally no place to get lost... but quite soon I got smarter... there were still the roundabouts and the way over Warsaw... and I kept telling where NOT to turn. Before reaching E67 again we stopped at a gas station because he had to take a break. He should have paid there for parking. Lucky him nobody came out to ask money.
There he thought it's the perfect place for shaving (dry-shaving, as he told - without gel or foam), head out of truck's window. I was glad I had bought the second bottle of water so he didn't wash his face from my bottle.
As the weekend was beginning, he wanted to leave Poland at night and decided he's not going to take full brake, only wait for the darkness and continue at least to Lithuanian border.
It went dark, we left. We we almost on E67 again and I didn't feel like I need to read the map any more... driving became boring and I nodded off... at the same point we passed a traffic sign I opened my eyes and asked "did the sign say E67 to the right?" Very calmly because I didn't want him to take sudden turns. He told he doesn't know and took turn... LEFT. I said we're going a bit further and let's see what other signs say... and yes... he turned towards WARSAW again.
Very calmly I explained we're going to find a gas station, there we can slow down and turn around.
We managed to do it very nicely. In this gas station I saw a sign "ON ON". Like Hash House Harriers run.
He continued driving, me nodding off, thinking "this is E67 - straight to Lithuania - no way getting lost". Well, I was wrong. I opened my eyes when we passed an intersection and I asked... are we going into Bialystok, because I think there was a sign "left to Augustow"? He asked "are we in the city already?". I told it looks that way because that moment we passed city border sign. And cops were sleeping in a car next to the road. Then 10 ton limit sign and we had 17 tons.
He started cursing and it continued at least an hour. I told him to calm down, told let's find a roundabout and turn back. And repeating to slow down... we managed to do it...
Guess what was his cargo? Tempered GLASS!
Leaving Bialystok... in a truck 7 tons over allowed mass... he was definitely driving faster than allowed 50km/h, not had his rest before, bad road... going over a bridge so the full truck was in the air and we passed the cops again... they definitely were sleeping because I don't believe they walked to get the donuts.
We made the right turn and he was (between cursing) the intersection was new. So he had been there before. Can he drive only on the roads he had been before?
Road again... dark, boring... I nodded off again and woke up on roundabout near Augustow. Unfortunately after the sign so I didn't know which way to drive off it. And he took wrong one. It became clear very quickly it's the wrong one and we turned around on a very small road... backing on the highway at night... and continued. I think then I didn't fall asleep anymore.
We got the border and went sleeping.
August 22th, Saturday
He was up before me. I found a way and told him I'll continue there on my own... hoping to get a ride on a small quicker car to be in Estonia by the evening. No point of getting to Riga or smaller place (I wasn't sure what's exactly his destination) by the night. Also (of course I didn't tell him that) I was tired of his cursing, complaining and being stupid. But still thankful for the ride. And I wanted to eat normally during the day. I still had something left (for extreme cases) in my bag.
The hitchhiking spot was good but I didn't have luck that much. For a while there were also a couple of Latvian girls who had been in hippie camp in Ukraine. They were cultured hitchhikers (not like the ones - different nationalities - in Hungary) and went further from me to hitchhike because they came later.
Standing there, watching the cars passing, I thought it's easy to recognize a Polish car - they have huge antenna on the roof and they are talking to aliens.
Finally I got a ride. Estonian truck driver. I got to speak Estonian again! Last time I did it with Eve in Vama Veche (and we were also singing in Estonian).
The driver was quite young man, interesting fellow and we were talking almost all the way to Tallinn. The weird thing he told was about a Polish hitchhiker he once took. The guy had a sign "Tallinn" but wasn't Estonian (weird that the driver even mentioned this story). So the driver couldn't speak to him, the driver didn't know English...
Also he had not taken his rest because "he could see the home already". And hoping on weekends Lithuanian road control doesn't work. But we was wrong...
We were stopped... and it took a lot of time until they went through all the paper and stuff and my driver got a fine... very small fine because he didn't write his company's name on some paper.
No punishment for not resting... The driver told me a story about one Polish driver who had been driving for weeks in Scandinavia and then going to Poland. Polish road control took him down and he got crazy fine. And then was allowed to continue driving. From a clean sheet.
We both agreed these guys are (fucking) dangerous and a lot better punishment would be obligatory rest until the morning, for example.
Later the truck had some problems with fuel sensor so at one point the engine switched off and last few meters we rolled to a gas station. He switched to another fuel tank and I bought us hot sandwiches and chocolate. He thanked and told "feels a lot better now". But he didn't have anything to eat...
Almost in Tallinn there was a small car in front of us having sticker "roduaknad.ee" (rõduaknad means "windows of balcony") and when the driver told me that it felt so funny... absurd humour... looks like I really was tired when this looks funny : )
We got to Tallinn after 10 p.m. and he offered his wife could take us closer to the centre, but I wanted to walk and take a tram. When I got to the centre, I felt really weird... not like home at all. Centre, the most representative area in the city was full of drunks, homeless-looking people, young "cool" assholes loud and stupid... and thought about people telling me before Eastern Europe this-and-that... dangerous and ugly. THIS was ugly!
I got home about 11 p.m. Next couple of days was still my vacation and I left for country... relaxed and grilled meat : )
Then I surfed Internet and found some interesting links to share:
Leave No Trace - how to be... I'd say proper hiking enthusiast.
Hitch-hiking tips - from an experienced hitchhiker. From U.S. but still good to know.
The pictures are in Picasaweb!
Distances per day:
Tallinn - Vilnius = 603km
Vilnius - Bielsk Podlaska = 376km
Bielsk Podlaska - Lublin = 203km
Lublin - Lviv = 216km
Lviv - Ivano-Frankivsk = 138km
Ivano-Frankivsk - Vorokhta = 86km
Vorokhta - Kolomyya = 74km
Kolomyya - Siret = 122km
Siret - Bucharest = 478km
Bucharest - Constanta = 226km
Constanta - Vama Veche = 49km
Vama Veche - Constanta - Bucharest - Craiova = 500km
Craiova - Budapest = 724km
Budapest - Györ = 129km
Györ - Drysice = 245km
Drysice - Sadzawki = 885km
Sadzawki - Tallinn = 667km
All together = 5721km
Trains+Bus = 171km
Hitchhiking = 5550km
Disclaimer: This story is totally made up and this world does not exist. Unless you just go have a look... you actually could find similar one...
