BY MOTORHOME FROM ENGLAND TO ROMANIA

Click here to view many images of our travels in Romania

Click here to open the first part of this log – 25 to 31 May 2006

Click here to open the second part of this log – June 2006

Click here for our onward journey to Finland

We retraced our route for 30 miles west on E68, pausing again at the XXL Supermarket just before Sibiu. Lonely Planet describes this Saxon town as 'arguably Romania's prettiest city' – so we must be the ones who argue! Again, we saw nothing attractive as we negotiated the badly signed Transit Route through the workers' flats on the east side, eventually turning right onto the quieter road 14 north (for Medias and Sighisoara).

8 miles on, in Slimnic (or Stolzenburg), the hay-makers were loading horse-drawn carts in the fields, while the older folk sat on benches outside their gates. Each village had an alternative Saxon name and we passed through Rusti (Reussen), lunched by the railway siding at Seica Mare (Marktschelken), then Agarbiciu (Arbegen) and Axente Sever (Frauendorf). All very pastoral until we reached Copsa Mica (Klein Kopisch), a horrendous industrial and railway town 24 miles from Sibiu, at the junction with road 14B. The carbon plant closed down in the 1990's, though its blackened shell dominates the town and the chimneys of the metalwork factory are still smoking.

Medias (Saxon Mediasch), 7 miles north-east along road 14, is a thriving town, with a pleasant old centre around the 15th century fortified church of St Margaret. We'd made a previous visit, while based at another Dutch-Romanian-run campsite in Blajel, 5 miles north on road 14A. Today we just got a fill of diesel, where use of a credit card required a PIN-number, 3 separate signatures and production of a passport (they weren't taking too many chances!)

We continued east, through Brateiu after 4 miles – a Roma (gypsy) village with colourful characters selling copper pots and pans along the roadside. In Danes, the last village 3 miles before Sighisoara, the campsite listed in our Lonely Planet book had died a sudden death. The sign for the brand new Hotel Denis pictured a caravan among the symbols, but investigation offered nothing more than a place on its car park, right against the busy railway line and with the Saturday wedding party disco booming from the foyer! Preferring somewhere we might sleep, we drove on!

Sighisoara (or Schassburg, another of the 7 Saxon Towns) has a splendid medieval walled citadel overlooking the town, well worth a visit, but we've explored it before and know that neither of the campsites (one in the town centre, one on a hill behind the railway station) are accessible for larger motorhomes. So we turned north for Tirgu Mures on the smoother but much busier E60 (from Brasov). The maniacal driving of the Romanians certainly makes us prefer the slower bumpier minor roads!

In Tirgu Mures we left the Saxons behind – it was a Hungarian stronghold in the Habsburg era, with fine baroque buildings in the centre and is now a lively university town, up at 1,100 ft on the River Mures. Driving through, we saw no signs for a campsite (reputedly on the river bank), so turned right onto road 15 towards Reghin.

After 4.5 miles, the new Hotel Apollo on our left had a huge car park and an outdoor thermal baths complex. The manager said we were welcome to park overnight, with no obligation to eat at the restaurant as it was busy until 10 pm with a (thankfully quieter) marriage party. Saturday night is Wedding Night throughout Eastern Europe, as we well remember when cycling and looking for rooms!

On a quiet Sunday morning, we drove the 4.5 miles back into the centre of Tirgu Mures, parking easily behind the National Theatre on a free car park. We strolled round the main square, Piata Trandafirilor, past the colourful tiled steeples of the early 20th century Culture Palace, housing a stained-glass window museum, and the green spires of the Prefecture. The Greco-Catholic Cathedral, once a Greek Orthodox Church until it was persuaded to accept Roman Catholicism, had a good congregation and we had a quick look inside, to see the strange mixture of Orthodox iconography with Catholic saints on the stained-glass windows. At the opposite end of the square, the massive Orthodox Cathedral, built in the 1930's, was also busy. Its plain exterior belied the wealth of frescoes inside.

Then we took road 15 again (past the Hotel Apollo), following the River Mures through 17 miles of rolling countryside at around 1,300 ft, crossing the broad river just before Reghin. The storks' nests on the village lampposts look crowded, now that the young are almost full-grown! In Reghin, a big new church was being built, its massive wooden rafters clad in shining copper. From here, it was 2.5 miles west on road 16 (towards Cluj), before turning north-west on the 15A for Bistrita. This was a narrower quiet road, climbing bumpily up to 1,580 ft then down to 1,100 ft.

51 miles from V-Dornei, we met E576 (its road surface disappointingly no better) at Saratel, a village of quaint wooden houses and garden wells, all with zinc roofs. We turned right, north, for Bistrita (or Bistritz, another of the Siebenburge), 4 miles later at 1,230 ft. Villagers along the way were selling pots of tiny wild strawberries or large yellow fungi, gathered in the woods. We followed the River Bistrita up the Bargau Valley, the narrow road climbing east to the Tihuta Pass, past farming villages, the slopes grazed by sheep and cattle below the line of the pine forest, honey for sale alongside the hives, wild flowers in profusion.

We've driven this route before, in a truck taking aid to orphans in 1990 and, more recently, by motorhome, so we expected slow-going through such magnificent scenery. This time, however, we came to regret the decision and there was certainly no turning back! A sign leaving Bistrita warned of 'Road Works for 8 km', which should have read '80 km', seriously. The road had deteriorated drastically since our last passage, only 2 years ago. It was barely surfaced, with single-file sections, unfilled trenches, crumbling edges, continuous potholes, narrow temporary bridges, totally unsuitable for anything larger than a car – and this, the main access road to the north-eastern quarter of the country! We could only assume that Romania had given up work on the road, trusting to EU money to finish it. We hoped it would be better on the descent from the pass – it wasn't! Even the Road to Hell is paved (with good intentions).

After 26 slow miles from Bistrita, we reached 2,000 ft; after another 7 miles our GPS recorded 3,000 ft. Two miles later, just past Piatra Fintinele, a village of wooden houses on the tree line, we saw the grotesque outline of the modern Hotel Castel Dracula (3*). We had driven 90 miles and were well ready for lunch in its car park, watched by the stall-holders trying to sell baskets and embroidered cloths to the few tourists who had braved the road. It was fine and sunny, with a cool wind up at 3,590 ft. The Tihuta Pass summit was 4 miles further, at 1,205 m or just short of 4,000 ft. It lies on the boundary of Transylvania and Moldavia.

Over the next 8 miles to Poiana Stampeii we descended to 3,000 ft. At Podu Cosnei, 3 miles on, we saw a young monk walking round a new monastery, rapping on a piece of wood (a custom dating back to the Ottoman occupation, when Turks forbade the ringing of bells). The disaster-of-a-road now followed the railway and the Dorna River down the valley, through Dorna Candrenilor where there was a huge wood yard by the railway line and also the Dorna Dairy (whose long-life milk we'd bought in far-off Sibiu).

At last we reached the spa town of Vatra Dornei, where the campsite is well signed by ADAC: left at a roundabout, then half a mile up a fairly steep track. It's in a lovely position, tucked below the forest overlooking the town, with a bar/restaurant, plenty of little wooden cabins, space for tents and the odd motorhome. It was a great relief to settle in and allow our engine to cool down in the mountain air – still at 2,665 ft.

It's just a short walk, down a steep flight of steps through the woods, to the small town of V-Dornei on the Dorna River - a fashionable spa in Habsburg times, with mineral water still bottled here.

We liked: the warm days and cooler nights, the hiking trails in the forest above the camp, the pedestrian shopping street, the large park from which a ski-lift climbs the hillside opposite the campsite, the coffee at the Hotel Maestro, near another new Orthodox Church with striking frescos inside, the good book shop where we got a better map of Romania, the chicken & chips at the campsite restaurant… It's a nice town!

The first British-registered motorhome we'd seen since Germany arrived one afternoon. To our mutual surprise and delight we met Keith and Jenny, who had emailed us several times for advice when planning their 2-month tour through Eastern Europe. They are now returning after a very successful foray into Greece and Turkey, so we had plenty to talk about for an evening before they moved on.

6 July 150 miles VATRA DORNEI to TIRGU MURES Hotel Apollo Car Park

We took E576 north from V-Dornei for 10 miles, paralleling river and railway up the valley to Iacobeni. Logging is the only industry round here, with huge woodstacks waiting to be carried out by train. The road was still in a terrible condition, but here we turned off north-west on road 18, which seemed a little better at first. We crossed and followed the Bistrita River through the pretty village of Ciocanesti. Haymaking was still in full swing, the haystacks varying in style from rows of little mounds to those strung along fences, like hairy Dougal-dogs – and all hand done by villagers (men and women alike) labouring in the sun with wooden rakes and pitch forks. Horses stood patiently while their carts were piled impossibly high, then driven along with the workers balanced on top.

The villages of wooden houses were delightful – but the road was not. It quickly deteriorated until turning back appeared a better option! At least it was shorter to return to Bistrita than continue to Satu Mare, and the worst of the route back was at least known. In fairness to our motorhome, we reluctantly retreated, back to Vatra Dornei to retrace our route. We later heard from Keith and Jenny that the road they took was indeed terrible.

It was less of a climb to the Tihuta Pass from the Vatra Dornei side, reaching 3,000 ft about 6 miles before the top (3,951 ft). We again lunched on the car park of the Castel Dracula hotel, before descending to Bistrita. We had been mistaken in thinking the roadworks had been abandoned when we drove over – it had been a Sunday! Today, the roadworkers were out in force, constantly impeding our already slow progress with red flags and traffic lights, dumper trucks and shovels, though all to little avail.

Approaching Tirgu Mures in the early evening, we again spent the night on the large car park of the Apollo Hotel. The spa pools were busy, but closed at 8 pm.

7 July 139 miles TIRGU MURES to CARTA Camping De Oude Wilg €12.20

Before setting off for Sibiu, we drove a mile back towards Reghin to the Selgros Cash & Carry. We had more luck than at Sibiu's Metro, as a kind assistant gave us a pass (while explaining that it was against the 'rules'), enabling us to stock up on food, superglue, batteries, power-steering fluid for the motorhome and a pair of sandals – all for under ₤35! Then it was 5 miles into T-Mures and another 35 miles to Sighisoara, all on the smooth tarmac of the busy E60.

Turning west along road 14 through Danes, we noticed the hops growing tall up their poles, probably for making the local Cioc (pronounced Chook) beer. Vines, too, drape every house and garden, the grapes starting to swell.

The 'gipsy village' of Brateiu was peaceful, with no more danger than that of buying a brass cowbell, had we stopped to look! Lonely Planet's warning "Local Romanians tend to be afraid to enter the town" is absurd – how else do people get from Sighisoara to Medias, when it's on the main thoroughfare? We were only delayed by the tail-back from a nasty accident near Copsa Mica, attended by numerous police cars and ambulances. Along the way, the drivers were not a bit sobered by the sight, with crazy overtaking and racing through villages remaining the norm.

Chaotic traffic ruled in Sibiu, made more uncomfortable by the dust and heat - down at 1,300 ft we had left the cooler heights. The city surely needs a ring-road rather than a badly signed TIR-Route, but it certainly won't get one by 2007 (its European Capital of Culture date). Still, Patras filled that role without one!

Once round Sibiu, we paused on the XXL Supermarket car park – not to shop, but for a cool drink and to make a phone call or two. We decided to return to Carta, attracted by the sanctuary of Camping De Oude Wilg, where we could easily leave the motorhome if car hire from Sibiu proved possible. We rang the Tourist Office and also Advantage Car Rentals in Sibiu, but this was Friday afternoon and nothing would move until Monday!

So, back to Carta, 30 miles east along E68 in a sudden rain shower. Manette welcomed us with a jug of her tuica liqueur and we cooked the 3-legged chicken bought at Selgros (well, a pack of 3 legs). Coq au Van – a suitable meal for our wedding anniversary, of which we were reminded by a text message from our witnesses, John and Lisi, in Greece!

Time to catch up with laundry, cleaning and emails. Reports from Ian Hibell (China) and Dr Bob (Oz) were edited and added to our website. Our torn awning was mended as best we could - stitching and sticking it, with Margaret lying on the hot tin roof while Barry balanced on the ladder.

On the Sunday morning we set off cycling up the Balea Cascada road but turned back after Cartisoara village when we realised that the 'Sunday Run Out' is now a Romanian car-owner's pastime - 'Race You to the Waterfall' – despite the increasing cost of petrol. Safely back in Carta, we had a quieter ride to the power station lake, where fishing was a less manic activity for the villagers. Along the river bank we found an old hand-pulled ferry, its faded price list nailed on a nearby tree, still operating – though not on Sundays. The ferryman's cottage nearby looked barely habitable but washing hung outside and an argument raged inside!

A motorhome decorated with a Welsh dragon arrived in our paddock: the mobile home of retired farmers, Tony and Dee(lia), for the past 2 years. Over a glass of wine, we learnt that they had arrived via Greece and Bulgaria. Unlikely as it may seem, they had reached Greece overland from Croatia, through Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo (!) and Macedonia. More by good luck than good judgment, we felt. They had no insurance for these countries, but were only charged to transit Macedonia - €120 at the border. They described the roads in these countries as terrible, with no campsites, but helpful friendly people, including UN personnel in Kosovo who directed them away from a minefield. It will be some time before MMM needs Travel Consultants for this part of Europe!

Most importantly, we arranged to hire a car from Sibiu for 6 days. Two internet enquiries promised a reply within 24 hrs, which didn't materialise. Five phone calls (these 2 firms plus 3 in 'Yellow Pages') confirmed that only one office had cars available at present: Toro Rent-a-Car (named after Thomas Roth, its Saxon manager). He offered a Mercedes Diesel Automatic with air-con and air-bags for a mere €65 per day, or a Dacia (with none of the above) for about one-third of the price, so the choice was easy! We agreed to pick it up at 11 am Tuesday.

11 July 159 miles CARTA Camping De Oude Wilg

Train to Sibiu to collect our Dacia, then a drive over the Transfagaras Highway

The 8.30 am diesel train (Brasov to Sibiu) arrived at Carta Halta at exactly 8.27, left on time and arrived punctually in Sibiu just before 10 am, calling at several villages along the line. British Rail should be ashamed! The carriages were shabby and well-worn, the tickets (3.9 lei each, less than ₤1) were hand-written by the conductor on board, and the train almost full. We shared our compartment with a pleasant middle-aged couple dressed in their best and carrying a bouquet of flowers, clearly on their way to visit someone. There were many gipsy women on board, in red stockings, flowing red-patterned skirts, billowing white blouses and long dark plaits, interwoven with ribbons, escaping their headscarves.

Sibiu station was a mess of dusty restoration as we picked our way across planks to escape, for a cup of coffee and a 10-minute walk into the historic centre. The Piata Mare and Piata Mica (= big and small squares) are the heart of the 12th century walled Saxon town of Hermannstadt, built on the site of Roman Cibinum. It is still home to 5,500 German-speaking Saxons, one of whom is mayor (and another of whom hires out cars). After a quick look at the baroque RC Cathedral (1733, Jesuit-built), we were more impressed by the Saxons' gothic Evangelisch-Kirche (1300-1520) with Romania's largest organ (1772) – concerts at 6 pm Wednesdays – and the usual 5-pointed tower dominating the centre. Trivia: Vlad Tepes' son (ruled Wallachia 1507-10) was murdered in the square after attending service and is buried there.

More importantly, we found an ATM, as Thomas Roth wanted cash payment for his Dacia! We collected the shiny red 4-year-old car from his office on nearby Filarmonicii Street, promising to drive it no more than 250 km per day and to feed it with the best lead-free ("only Shell or Petrom") – and we've never seen Shell in Romania! Driving back along the main road, almost to Carta, Barry got to grips with Dacia-control.

He tested his skill by turning south up road 7C, the Transfagaras Highway, Romania's highest asphalt road which cuts through the Fagaras Mountain range of the Carpathians. Another of Ceausescu's megalomanic schemes, opened in 1974, it was built by the army – 37 men dying in the construction process. We started gently through Cartisoara, then climbed to the Balea Cascade (40 miles from Sibiu, at 4,000 ft or 1234 m), beyond which the road is closed for much of the year. Here there is a hotel/bar, souvenir stalls and a cable-car ride to the top of the waterfall. We took a walk in the woods by the tumbling stream, then drove on, zigzagging up below avalanche shuttering, past the top of the cable car, with views of the road below resembling a Scalextric set. The road was good for the next 8 miles, as far as Balea Lac at the summit (6,740 ft or 2034 m), where snow was still piled at the roadside and the smaller of the 2 glacial lakes was frozen over. Stout hikers came down from Moldoneavu (Romania's highest peak at 8,392 ft or 2543 m) to camp by the cabana. There was also a picturesque hotel, spoilt by its ferocious music.

We continued through the unlit tunnel, 887 m long, leading from Transylvania into Wallachia, to descend the Arges Valley. The southern slopes of the Fagaras are less dramatic than the northern and the road beyond the tunnel was in a worse state of repair and much quieter – clearly most visitors come up the Balea Valley side and return the same way. We dropped down through forest onthe east side of the man-made Lake Vidraru, then crossed the dam at its foot, built in 1966 for a hydro-electric power plant.

A mile or so further on, we saw the ruin of Poienari Citadel perched on crags above. Apparently much of it fell over the edge in 1888, having survived since 1459, when Vlad Tepes had it built (by Turkish prisoners) to defend the pass through the Arges Valley. Three years later, Turks laid siege to it - Vlad escaped, but without his wife. The people of the next hamlet, Arefu, claim to be descended from Vlad's supporters. We drove as far as the next village, Corbeni, 41 miles from the tunnel, down at 1,964 ft.

Returning, our map showed a road up the western side of Lake Vidraru, so we turned off at the dam to follow it. However, it was nothing but a muddy unsealed cart track, and we turned back to follow our outward route. The descent from Balea Lac was spectacular, with breathtaking scenery (and drops) round each bend.

Back at Oude Wilg by 7 pm, we parked the Dacia next to the motorhome (which ignored it), made a meal and packed a few things for our excursion to the Maramures. We had exceeded our daily mileage allowance by 5 km!

12 July 196 miles CARTA to ZALAU Vila Eliza Motel (B+B 212 lei)

Leaving the motorhome as secure as possible (bicycles locked inside, power off, awning in, 3 locks on each cab and side door), we set off in the Dacia – our hosts, Manette and Tudor, anxiously wishing us luck!

After 15 miles east along E68, we turned off at Voila for a back-road route to Medias, north-west via Agnita, through villages and hayfields where time has stood still. From Medias (57 miles), we turned north on 14A, passing Camping Benelux in Blajel after 5 miles, and on through Tarvaveni to meet the E60 (Cluj-Tirgu Mures road) at Iernut, 28 miles from Medias. Eating our lunch in the park, we learnt that Iernut dates from the 1200's but is on the route of a Roman road, from the first century AD.

Following E60 for 20 miles west, through towns with Latin names (Ludus and Campa Turzii), we reached Turda. The Romans mined salt nearby, to the east of the town near a curative mud-spa, Baile Turda. We actually went into a more recent salt mine in the town itself, Turda Salina, worked from 1271 to 1932. For 8 lei each, we had a remarkable half hour walking into and down the eerie workings, the shiny black walls running damp, the temperature a welcome 10-12 degrees C after the heat outside. The mine was lit but there was no guided tour, the wooden stairs were steep, and the caverns could be described as not for those of a nervous disposition! Coming out of the tunnel, we were glad of the modern toilets and the coffee-machine (beginning to miss our motorhome?)

Another 20 miles to Cluj-Napoca, a busy city which we reached at the tea-time rush. It was very hot (down at 679 ft) and we were glad to find our way across the Somesul Mic River and continue north-west, climbing through the Meses Mountains then hairpinning down to the uninspiring tower-blocks of Zalau (935 ft). We had passed no accommodation in over 50 miles since Cluj and it was getting late. Our (2-year-old) LP guidebook listed 2 hotels, and we spent some time looking for Unirii Street and Square, where the Hotel Meresul had disappeared without trace and the Hotel Porolissum was abandoned and closed! Working our way out of the town centre, we were lucky to spot a new restaurant/motel on the ring road to the east. The price seemed high (over ₤40 for 2), but it did include a buffet breakfast and a splendid room with air-con and satellite TV. We had an excellent dinner there (pork, followed by pancakes) and slept well. The car rested on the road outside, where we were assured it would be safe (who would want to steal a Dacia?)

13 July 82 miles ZALAU to SATU MARE Aurora Hotel (B+B 170 lei)

A typical hotel buffet breakfast – cornflakes, yogurts, juice, cheese, ham, jam, bread, cake and coffee – and they kindly filled our thermos flask for later. (The only thing we missed was tea, with only Earl Grey on offer, if anything.)

With some difficulty (misled by both the LP guidebook and the motel receptionist), we found the way to the astonishing Roman site of Porolissum. It is not signposted out of Zalau: 5 miles east (on the Jibou road) to the village of Mirsid, where there is a sign pointing 2 miles south to Moigrad. From there, follow the track indicated for a mile, park on a grassy field, and walk! There is no entry fee but the guardian (who speaks a tiny amount of French) appeared, offering to guide us (no thanks), watch the car (yes please) or sell us a booklet in English (OK).

We shared the visit with a coach party of Serbian and Romanian twinned high-school kids, and had an interesting talk with one of the Serbian teachers, young Ivana Kokar from Novi Sad. Her subject is English, which she spoke very well despite never having been to Britain. In fact, she had only been abroad once before, on a school trip to Budapest. She described life in Serbia as very hard - she and her husband, both working graduates from middle-class families, rented a small flat and had no car – and yet she was surprised at the poverty in Romania. She was very excited about a forthcoming 3-week visit to a Summer School in Bournemouth.

The Roman fort and settlement of Porolissum (106 AD) stood at the northern limit of the Empire, on the boundary of Dacia. Like Xanten in Germany, it has never been built over and remains a virgin site on open meadowland, still slowly undergoing excavation, though lacking the kind of funds lavished on the reconstruction of the German colony. The front wall of the fort and its main entrance have been partly rebuilt, and there are the foundations of roads and buildings, including an amphitheatre behind the fort and the vicus (civilian settlement) in front of the walls, with baths, temples and taverna. The artefacts found here (bronze statuettes of Jupiter and of a lion, a bronze of the Emperor Marcus Antoninus, sculpted gravestones and statues, gold brooches, etc) are in Zalau's History Museum, along with paleo-Christian pottery and objects from the 4th century.

We wandered around happily until noon, then headed back to Zalau and continued north on E81 across a flat plain at around 500 ft, reminiscent of neighbouring Hungary which once ruled the area. Over the River Somes (flowing into Hungary as the Szamos and joins the mighty Tisza), we entered the main square of Satu Mare (= Big Village), at 450 ft.

Here, on Piata Libertatii, are several large hotels of varying standard and price, such as the grand and enormous Hotel Dacia on the north side, in the former city hall/royal court. We took a fourth-floor room in the Aurora on the west side, with no air-con but a splendid view of the square, which was surrounded by churches – the Orthodox, the Hungarian Reformed and the RC Cathedral (badly damaged in World War II and restored in the 1950's). Just one synagogue is still in use, though until 1944 there were 13,000 Jews, with several synagogues and schools. There also appeared to be a lighthouse overlooking the square, which seemed unlikely, until we found it was a fire-watch tower built in 1904!

The Aurora was a Communist-era hotel, charging 3 lei extra to park overnight (outside on the street!), and with an unwelcoming empty restaurant. Prices were (as usual) displayed in Lei and in Euros, but the credit card was charged in US$, and the Manager did not like having his exchange rates checked. Still, Margaret got a good haircut from the giggling Frizeur on the ground floor (21 lei), we dined in the more modern adjacent hotel, and breakfast next morning was an ample buffet. The square remained lively through the evening, with a choice of leaving the window open (too noisy) or closed (too warm). Next time, get a room at the back – or pay extra for air-con!

We rang Toro Rentacar to let them know that the driver's door lock had become useless and Thomas asked us to get it fixed and bring him the receipt. The receptionist at our hotel knew of nowhere to do it in town, so we left the car unlocked and made sure we left nothing in it, except locked in the boot. And still, no-one would steal it!

14 July 88 miles SATU MARE to SIGHETU MARMATIEI Motel Perla Sigheteama (B+B 130 lei)

Our exit from Satu Mare took 3 circuits of the town and over an hour, and then we only escaped by following a friendly motorist from a petrol station. GPS and map proved hopeless and there was no indication of any direction except the road west to the Hungarian border! Finally, we hit the E81 north-east to Livada (20 km on our map, 38 km on our speedo!) We continued east on road 19A to Negresti-Oas, 13 miles later at 750 ft, then climbed north for another 8 miles to a pass at 1,860 ft, the border of Jud Maramures, where we had a flask of coffee in the cool of a beech forest. In these hillier regions, we noticed the proud carts were 2-horsepower, often with a foal trotting alongside in training. Logs were the commonest load.

Descending, the road turned east along the River Tisza border: the hills on the opposite side are the Ukraine. About 18 miles from the pass we came to Sapinta, a village famed for its Cimitrul Vesel or 'Merry Cemetery', a name its originator disliked. The graveyard is thick with roofed wooden crosses, shaped and carved in the local manner, but with the addition of a brightly painted portrait of the person buried, plus a witty epitaph about their life. These gaily coloured crosses are originally the work of Ion Stan Patras (1908-1977), a triply skilled wood-carver, naοve painter and folk-poet. He even made his own cross, which stands opposite the door of the church, and his work has been carried on by his apprentices.

It was an unusual sight, but we were disappointed that many graves were untended and unweeded, despite the entry fee. A coach full of loud Americans completed the scene - 'Do they take credit cards?'! Surely a cemetery should be a place of respect and peace, and the postcards and booklet we bought seemed payment enough. Sadly, there was no translation of any of the epigrams hidden in the strange English prose. The church was built of stone in 1882, after the old wooden one burnt down on Easter Day 1880 – wonder how that happened, given the Orthodox resurrection rites with candles, firecrackers and bonfires!

We also visited the tiny house and workshop of the master-carver, crammed with examples of his art - wedding chairs, with a picture of the couple, their name and date; a portrait of Ceausescu and the Executive Committee marking their visit; lots of wood carvings. The Lonely Planet claims the villagers are 'utterly untouched by the fame …', so we wondered who ran all the guest-houses, cafes and souvenir stalls, with woven rugs and blankets for sale hanging on every fence? Or the bar and terrace opposite the cemetery entrance? We did like Patras's crucifixion there, with 2 soldiers in Nazi uniform spearing Christ's body.

Driving another 10 miles along the Tisza, we found a modern Swiss-style motel on the right of the main road, about a mile before Sighetu Marmatei. In the town, we checked out the border crossing to the Ukraine (a bridge across the river near the railway station, but closed and guarded – they are not friendly neighbours). We also visited the former political prison, right in the town centre off the main square, now open as the 'Memorial Museum of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance'. There was very little information in anything other than Romanian and the displays lacked the imagination needed to evoke a sympathetic atmosphere.

Back at the motel, we had a room with a balcony overlooking the large back garden, away from road noise, and an excellent meal in the restaurant (pizza, salad, and generous sweets – profiteroles and apple strudel!) An overnight thunderstorm cleared the air.

15 July 128 miles SIGHETU MARMATIEI to VATRA DORNEI Hotel Carol (B+B 202 lei)

At Vadu Izel, 4 miles south of Sighetu Marmatiei, we turned south-east along the Iza Valley, an area famed for its wooden churches (several listed as World Heritage Sites). The tradition of erecting wooden churches, their roofs clad in thousands of tiny wooden shingles with a delicate spire at the west end, followed the Hungarian occupation of Transylvania in 1278. The Roman Catholic forces banned the  building of stone Orthodox churches and the local artisans responded with ingenuity.   

First stop, 8 miles along, was at Barsana, its old wooden church (1720, with frescoes inside perhaps, but locked and disused) on the left as we entered the village. The much larger and grander wooden complex of an Orthodox Monastery lay on the left at the south end of the village. Entry was free, but we paid 5 lei for a 'camera pass', only to find that the Museum had a charge of 2 lei and photos were forbidden inside it! Worse, the 'museum' was a thinly disguised souvenir shop, selling handicrafts made by the nuns. Most of the buildings were modern, restored in 1993, the only historic part being the primitive visitors' toilets! It all felt like religious tourism, with none of the spiritual or friendly atmosphere of the painted monasteries of Bucovina in Romania's north-east corner (or of any Greek monastery we've visited).

Disappointed, we continued 5 miles to Stramtura, then did a 12-mile loop round a track to see the church at Poienile Izei. This being school holidays, we didn't have to ask for the key at the Priest's house – a serious 10-year-old boy was in charge, collecting 2 lei and intoning 'No Photo' and 'No Enter' when we edged towards the iconostasis. The little wooden church was built in 1604 and the frescoes added in 1783. The fiery portrayal of hell's torments (much exaggerated by our LP Guidebook) is inside the entrance, but all the inside wall and roof surfaces were painted with scenes, in the Orthodox tradition. Sadly, they don't last well on wood and they were difficult to make out in the dim interior. The village made a delightful detour, though, with ornately carved wooden gateways to the larger houses and friendly workers, making hay while the sun shone.

Rejoining the more main road at Sieu, we soon turned off again (3 miles each way) to Ieud. This village has the oldest wooden church in the Maramures, a small folk museum, women selling their crafts, and children persistently demanding 'Bonbons' or 'Biscuits' as we ate our picnic. The church was delightful, though – built in 1364 on the ruins of a castle on a little hill above the stream. It's made entirely of fir wood, with a solid staircase, carved from a single ancient trunk. A pair of quiet young schoolgirls took our contribution (plus bonbons), then continued with their colouring books. The wooden crosses in the churchyard were lovingly carved, and we saw the origin of the Merry Cemetery style. The first document known to have been written in Romanian (1390's) was found in this very church, listing the Catechism and church laws.

The next village, Dragomiresti, had a plethora of spires – a new wooden church to replace the old one (transplanted to Bucharest's Village Museum), as well as old stone and new concrete churches. (Indeed, there is a widespread church-building programme in Romania – be they Orthodox, Roman Catholic or Greco-Catholic. Schools or hospitals would certainly be a better investment for the future of their flock.) At Sacel, 12 miles on at the end of the Iza Valley (at 1,900 ft), we turned north-east on road 17C for 6 miles, then east on road 18, through Moisel for Borsa and the Prislop Pass.

Borsa has been a mining town since the Middle Ages (copper, silver and lead). We noticed that the road surface became (and stayed) much worse on entering town. About 6 miles east of the town we passed a sign to the 'Complex Turistic Borsa', a small ski resort on the foothills of the Rodna Mountains. The dreadfully pot-holed road climbed through the Rodna National Park and then hair-pinned its way to the top of the Prislop Pass (4,670 ft or 1416 m), where it was raining, snow still flecking the mountains above us. We had hoped for a cafι but there was only an unfinished new church with lots of turrets and a brass roof, and a half-built structure which might evolve into a hotel one day when the road is fixed.

We bumped and swerved our way down, past forestry workers and isolated cottages, glad that we hadn't brought our motorhome on this route! Through a couple of villages – Carlibaba and then Ciocanesti (where every other house was offering rooms) – and so to Iacobeni on road 17, where we turned south for 10 miles to Vatra Dornei, a spa town at the confluence of the Dorna and Bistrita Rivers, 2,000 ft below the pass (at 2,589 ft).

Saturday Night being Wedding Night, we found the Bucovina Hotel (our first choice) full with a lavish party, as was the guest-house nearby. We had more luck at the Hotel Carol, where we got the last vacant room. It was more of a suite – a splendid place for our last night, with separate hall, bathroom, bedroom (air-con, etc – even a kettle). The Carol (= Karl, the name of Romania's first King, a Prussian Prince), is a beautifully restored 19th century Austro-Hungarian building, next to the old Habsburg Casino which still awaits renovation.

Over a good meal in its restaurant, we met David and Jane from Waterford in Ireland, travelling mainly by train, who had just visited Chisinau, capital of Moldova. They confirmed that a visa was still required for that country but they had been able to buy one at the Albita crossing point, south of Iasi.

16 July 228 miles VATRA DORNEI to CARTA Camping De Oude Wilg €12.20

The day began badly – one of the Dacia's tyres looked soft and the weather had turned cold and rainy. The tyre was inflated at a Petrom garage in V-Dornei (and stayed up for the rest of the journey), the windscreen wipers worked with a squeak, and we had a clear run over the Tihuta Pass, this being Sunday with no road works. Over the first 19 miles we climbed to 3,000 ft, pausing to talk to a poor old gipsy couple we saw at the roadside, cooking in a pot over a fire, their horse grazing nearby, the cart (covered over with blankets) their only bed. We gave them bread, biscuits and cigarettes and wished we had clothing or shoes to spare – we had packed the minimum for this car excursion. The top of the pass, just below 4,000 ft, was shrouded in mist.

After the descent to Bistrita, we continued south via Reghin to Tirgu Mures, where we parked behind the Theatre and had a bite in McDonalds on the quiet central square. Then west on the E60 for 19 miles to Iernut, south for 25 miles to Medias, and back on the familiar road 14 to Copsa Mica and Sibiu. East on E68 for the final 30 miles to Carta, arriving at 6 pm to a warm welcome on the peaceful campsite.

We had travelled 1410 km or 881 miles in the 6 days with the Dacia, which had proved reliable and economical on petrol. Slow, yes, but so are the roads!

We drove the Dacia back to Toro Rent-a-Car in Sibiu by the appointed hour (11 am) and handed it back with no regrets! We had time for a quick coffee before catching the 11.55 am train back to Carta, arriving promptly at 1.20 pm.

The journey was written up, photographs sorted, website updated, emails answered – we had left the laptops safely at the campsite and taken a break from computers. It was good to catch up with news from Ian Hibell, Dr Bob, the cycling Watsons, Ian Shires, Kevin, the Barkers, and all …

We had a farewell evening meal in the Oude Wilg's dining room, and Tudor did us proud – 'an extra special meal for special guests'. Beef & veg soup, a fish course, pork steaks cooked with cheese and bacon, salad, pasta with mushrooms and onions, then ice cream with local berries. A wonderful chef (and artist). Better than any hotel!

And one last cycle ride, taking the hand-pulled ferry across the river in Carta village, then along the cart tracks to Poenta and Nou Roman (tiny villages with no cars) and back via the barrage-lake. Only 11 miles, but a glimpse of a world which will soon be lost. A man was making cheese (?), skimming a pot over a fire in a yard by the milk churns. An old woman wanted to chat, despite the language barrier. The friendly ferryman tried broken Spanish, with a brother and sister working there.

It's certainly hard to leave.

Water tank filled, waste emptied, farewells said (in a variety of languages – our fellow campers were from Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Hungary and Romania), and we were back on the road. Barry had to readjust to driving a 6-ton motorhome instead of a 1-ton Dacia – and quickly at that, given the dangerously busy E68 we followed westwards. A road-widening scheme has just begun, but eastwards from Sibiu the priority will be given to upgrading the Sighisoara-Brasov route. The number of heavy lorries grows by the day and Romanian driving standards are truly shocking!

We paused after 28 miles of this, just before Sibiu, to shop at XXL supermarket and eat our lunch. Then round the crazy Sibiu transit-route (more roadworks) and 35 miles to Sebes, passing the turning for Garbova and Calnic – two villages we know well. After Sebes (much easier to drive through), it was another 36 miles to Simeria, where there is a new sign for a Tourist Complex and Camping on the bank of the Strei River, on the left about a mile before the town. However, the place was semi-abandoned and a surly young woman in Reception said 'Camping Closed', which explained the gathering of tents, litter and dogs just outside the gates! It was very hot, reaching almost 100 degrees F in the motorhome. We grabbed a cold drink and continued into Simeria, in seach of a place for the night and also a new Rovinieta – the compulsory Road Pass sticker.

We had bought a one-month pass on entering Romania (for €5), which had just run out. In our 3 previous attempts to buy a one-week pass (at petrol stations advertising these vignettes), we had 2 refusals plus one place trying to charge us an absurd amount, classifying our motorhome as a Bus or Truck on the basis that Tourists couldn't be over 3.5 tons! (They hadn't seen some of the tourists we have!) Success at last at the OMV filling station in Simeria – a 7-day pass for €2, proudly stuck on our windscreen in case there was a check at the border. (There wasn't!)

Then we followed an old camping sign from the centre of the town, pointing right and across the River Mures: 'Villa Dorr Pensiune & Camping, 2 km'. Arriving at the Villa Dorr guesthouse/restaurant, with no apparent campsite, we were surprised to be directed to a large flat empty field below. It lies on the minor road to Geoagiu Bai (a spa complex on the site of the Roman baths, 10 miles east) – a place we once cycled to from Camping Aurel Vlaicu near Orastie. We shared our field with 2 white goats and a guard dog, an unfinished cabin and a rusty hook-up connection. This didn't work at all until an 'electrician' was summoned to fix it, after which it delivered about 180 volts. Not enough to run the fridge or the much-needed air-con, but it did boil the kettle, given time, and powered a dim light! However, we had sole use of an excellent bathroom in the Villa Dorr, complete with towels and shampoo, after which we were allowed to dine in their air-conditioned restaurant. The waitress practised her English and stuck little Union Jack flags in our chocolate ice cream! It seems we were the first British she had ever met!

Continued west on E68 for a few more miles, through Deva with its dramatic hill-top caste ruins (the gunpowder store exploded in 1849). Then we left the heavy traffic to make its way west to Arad, turning north-west on the quieter E79 to Oradea.

This is a narrower and more scenic route, climbing out of the Mures valley and across ranges of hills. After 20 miles it bypassed Brad on a section of cobble-stones, but mostly the road surface was good, over a low pass and then a higher one, at 652 m or 2,150 ft (63 miles driven). We lunched in the shade of the forest, then drove through the town of Beius, home to a huge factory for bottling beer/water/fruit juice, where the 3 pm shift was just coming out – hordes of head-scarved women walking home. It was very hot again, in the 90's, and they looked pleased to be released.

We passed Baile Felix, the spa resort about 5 miles before Oradea, without checking its campsites - they would certainly be packed and noisy at this time of the summer. Nor did we pause to visit the faded grandeur of the Austro-Hungarian city of Oradea, contenting ourselves with finding the way round its circuitous and badly signed ring road towards the Hungarian border, labelled Bors-Artand (H).

A last fill of diesel (at about 70p or €1 per litre) used our remaining cash in Lei and we were pleasantly surprised to find only a short queue at the frontier – the crossing point west of Arad is much busier. There were no beggars, hawkers, hookers or windscreen-washers, unlike our last crossing here. Indeed, we were quickly through, with just a passport check and an internal inspection by both Romanian and Hungarian Customs Officers. The latter were more thorough, looking under the bed, in the wardrobes, the lockers, the shower …

Hungary again, north-west from the border on E60 - smooth tarmac and level crossings, passing tractors instead of horse-drawn carts, machine-baled straw rather than hand-scythed haystacks. Immediately more prosperous, but certainly less interesting!

After about 25 miles we came to the unpronounceable Puspokladany, a small town with a motel, cabins and camping, known from a visit in autumn 2004. It was much busier now, largely with Germans and Poles, but we found a place between the small fishing lake and the even smaller thermal whirlpool. Eventually, after tripping a few switches, we even discovered which of the hook-ups was 6 amp and which 10 amp (needed for air-con and microwave).

Tables of Distances, Fuel and Costs

The following tables of distances, fuel and costs are for our 60-day motorhome journey from the UK to and around Romania. We travelled through France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, spending 5 weeks in Romania itself.
 

1.  Camping means a pitch with electricity for 2 adults, typically between £5 (€7) at Vatra Dornei in Moldavia and £15 (€21) per night in Budapest, with an overall 60-day average (including free nights) of £8.40 (€12).

2.  Sundries include laundry, postcards, entry fees to museums, tolls, etc.

3. Post and Phone includes telephone cards for public phones.

4.  Diesel is slightly cheaper than petrol.

5. Food was usually bought from Lidl, Tesco or similar supermarkets en route to cook in the motorhome. The figure does not include the initial stock of food brought out from the UK. A truer total cost is likely to be around £4.50 (€6.5) per day.

6. Eating Out includes coffees, drinks and occasional fast food.