Off to see The Man himself

Count Dracula at Brasov - Romania. Which also means the famed Transfagarasan highway is nearly ours to take on. That however will be tomorrow so you'll just have to wait.

I should jus say that I am having Real problems loading pictures onto the blog and everything in my blog instructions is coming up in a foreign language and I don't know how to change this. If you do please let me know.

Dinner last night was "interesting" to say the least! Goulash soup you would think in Hungary would be spot on. No, it was what looked to be watered clear warm liquid with floaty pasta and carrots. Totally bland so chilly flakes added but then some kind of meat on a vertebra was brought out we. Guessed that was the meat for the Goulash. The main was a take on Chicken Cordon Bleu. That wasn't too bad. It was a Windy meal out with some of the teams and the menu, not in English was explained to a point. By a girl who was brought over from the pool to help out. We were shortly joined but what looked to be the whole local police force. I have to say they build them big and fierce over here. You wouldn't want to mess with them! They have real guns too.

We're headed for Brasov in Romania. This means that tomorrow we hit the jumping off point for the much anticipated Transfagarasan highway. But today is the home of Dracula!!!!!

There had been some rule breaking yesterday in Slovakia when Team Sweden were pulled over by the Police and deported from the country because they had no Vignettes. A pass to use the motorways in some places we have been to and are going to. They had a €40 fine and a deportation order, fantastic! We by the way have not brought any either in any of the countries we have been through but so far so good, fingers crossed. We are getting one for Romania though, we can't. Miss the Transfagarasan highway!

The Transfagarasan Highway was built by Ceausescu in the early 70's as a military route. It is the second highest paved road in Romania, traveling 90km from North to South. It climbs to 2034 metres in altitude. Thus far Olly has been to 3500 so half as high and she and we struggled, it's gonna be a challenge and the next Blog will fill you in. We're "wild" camping tomorrow night so we will be on be on wild bear watch. It's officially closed until the 1st of July due to snow however, Steve says unofficialy it's usually open a few weeks earlier. Fingers crossed, the boys are so excited I' m nervous and we're all a little worried about what happens if Olly stops half way and we have to push.

Today will be a walk down memory lane for me. In 1995 I visited Romania with a church group and a Dentist to deliver some aid to an Orphanage the other side of Romania. We stayed on route in Brasov, tonight's destination. I'm interested to see how Romania has changed and in particular Brasov. Many memories from that trip, some very emotive and I am hoping to see a much better side to Romania. Just before I met Nik I had a job offer to return to Romania and put my Occupational Therapy skills to good use and work with an organisation working to help re-settle children leaving the institutionally regime of a Orphanage as they had grown to be young adults with very little life skills. The kind of work done in the UK years previously when our large Asylums were closed down.
So you could say I have unfinished business in Romania. Meeting Nik, I decided not to make a return trip but part of me has often wondered what life would be like now. Today I get to see.