Trip Stories

"The Journey is the destination!"

Well, this is the idea, but nevertheless we have planned a rough itinerary for our trip. The idea of this page is to share some experiences/insights/thoughts which go beyond the pure itinerary.

Trip-Story No.3: Building a MacGyver-Light-Spot ;)

Some of the preparations had not been finished. One of them was the purchase of additional lights e.g. for the bathroom but also for our table. Unfortunately they were out-of-stock at our camping-shop and none of the stores, whereever I tried (Germany, Hungary, Romania) had the right lights (12V LED). The fact that the bathroom had no light caused quickly soe bad vibration among the crew members (Paul not included). So providing a solution became more and more urgent. 

Since I had already the light bulbs I started looking for the pieces, which I eventually found in a hardeware store in Hungary. 

Pieces to build the desperately wanted light (no screws)

The prototype took quite some time but after.The second was built within minutes. 

Cheaper & more practical: Our MacGyver-Light-Spots.

Problem solved. Crew happy. Tick in the box.

Trip-Story No.2: Crossing the Borders of the former Iron Curtain

Our 1st stay on our tour was Point Alpha, a museum of the former Iron Curtain between West & East Germany. This border is rather famous and received a lot of attention throughout the lat decades. While continuing our trip we crossed also  border which was a lot less known, but also a scene of tragedy: The border between Bulgaria and Turkey.

Back in 1961 when the border between east and west Germany was built, there seemed to be a back door for many East-Germans in Bulgaria. Since the border to Turkey was not immediately closed a s tight, some took their chances and passed the border line to Turkey and therefore to the other political hemisphere. some hundred people managed to pass the border but step by step the cooperation between GDR and Bulgaria intensified to close this hole in the iron curtain. German Secret Service (Stasi) started granting incentives (bounties, extra days of vacation) to Bulgarian border patrol staff to stop escape attempts of GDR citizens - no matter how!
Individual, but also entire families were killed without warning, even when being asleep. However the myth of the easy-to-cross-border remained in GDR, since little became known of the tragedies at this border. All together about 100 people were murdered in the border area (attempting to escape or being accidentally  at the wrong time at the wrong place) .
Today the scene is different, but reminds of the past. We were travelling through the marvellous Strandzha National Park, stopping next to a river and playing in the water.

We haven't seen cars for miles and miles on a road which is about to be reconquered by nature. Some kilometers to the south is still a new heavily fortified borderline. Today most modern technology prevents passing the border the other way around: from Turkey to the EU-Member-State Bulgaria.
We try to explain all that to our kids and we enter enthusiastic discussions when passing the landmarks like Point Alpha or the Bulgarian-Turkish-Border Area. We get the impression that both develop a first understanding for it. However it remains so difficult to explain to people who have not experienced these times and do not accept to understand that people are hindered to pass a border.

BTW: The Member of European Parlaiment Michael Cramer has initiated and established the Iron Curtain Trail, which can be ridden by bike passing also the landmarks which we have crossed. More information can be found here.

Articles on the Bulgarian-Turkish-Border during Cold War:

• Escape Bulgaria (German) 
• Death in Bulgaria (German)

Trip-Story No.1: Finding someone to protect our diesel fuel repository

Since some of you asked me how we actually found someone for the welding job, I decided to start with this anecdote. Starting Point of the whole story was the problem that our plastic diesel fuel repository:

1. was not protected against damage & burglary
2. was too small

So the idea was to box the tank and build a shelter for some jerry can next to it. When I asked for this welding job in Belgium I fell off my chair, how much money I would need to spend. So I decided to postpone this for the time once we are on the road. Since I worked with colleagues from Roumania for the last year, I asked one of them if he would have an idea and ... surprise ... he came up with an address on our itinerary: Rebels Grup in Brasov. 

When we came to Brashov the shop was already closed. So next day I took a second attempt when parking the family at a attraction park. The master of welding named Uwe immediately understood the challenge and within minutes he developed the concept for the project. The problem: he did not have time nor material, which was a pity since I he seemed really trustworthy in his business. We agreed that I can come back next day if I manage to find  the material, but I didn't. This track lead to nowhere. Moreover, they didn't even know who else to ask who could do the job. Anyhow if you ever need a professional welding in Brasov, Uwe is the man!
@ Alex: Thx for the contact to Rebels Grup. They seem to be really good

That first experience brought me back to start: how to get this job done? :(

When passing an industrial zone when we first came to Brasov  I remember a shop which seemed to do all kinds of fences. Not to far away from a metal protection ... . As you can tell I was really desperate.

Emma wondering why he had to stop at a sho aking fences

The guys didn't speak any English, but explained me that they would not be able to do it, BUT they know someone. He passed me his cellphone and a voice told me that they could do it. I received rough directions on a piece of paper on how to get there and to my own surprise found it immediately. About 15 km outside of Brasov in an old Kolkhoz-Stable was an iron door which meet the description. I called a cell phone number and the door was opened by a well-sized black-smith. Unfortunately he did nit speak any English, but remembered some pieces of French. We somehow managed to discuss the project, so I though he would start his work, but ... he didn't have time that day and asked me to come back next morning. I returned to the rest of the crew members, we spent a wonderful afternoon and decided to drive for the night-stay to the Kolkhoz-Stable and sleep there. This way the guys could start next morning right away and we would not need to move too early. I must admit we saw better places to park our car, but for the purpose it was OK. 

Early next day they started pulling off pieces from Emma, measuring, cutting, welding and assembling the preliminary parts. And, much more importnat for our kids: they shared their breakfast. Home-made fruit-cake and apples from their trees. However the first guess of finishing around noon turned out soon to be unrealistic. The rest you can read in Friday-part of my weekly-post:

2nd week: Transsilvania, Carpathian Mountains, Black Sea, Arriving at European Borders

... here the copy-paste ;)

***snip ***

First guess for the work was 4 hours. Soon they corrected their estimate and asked us if we were interested to visit Brasov, since it would take at least ‘til the evening.

Building the fuel-tank-protection 

Work in progress.

We agreed and co-owner of the company gave us a ride and showed us around in a personal tour starting in Prejmer (Tartlau) with its wonderful and very famous fortified church, then taking a great view over Brasov before visiting the historical centre with the black church and beautiful marketplace.

Fortified church in Prejmer from the outside ...

... and from the inside.

One room for one family.

Great view over Brasov

Marketplace in Brasov

Time-out!

During all that time we had long discussions about Roumania in the past, present and future as well as personal topics. Somehow we overcame the supplier-customer relationship and ended up in the garden of the owners eating ice-cream and eating all kinds of fruits in their garden. The sun went already down when we returned to our truck where the workers had just finished the paint job. Incredible what they managed to do within one day!

***snip ***

We were then invited to pass by at the farm of one of the workers to refill our water tank and getting ready to contnue our trip. Saying good bye became quite emotional, although I did ot know this man 48 hours ago.