Danube: Fântânele – Ruse

We didn’t really get the hang of Southern Romania. Lodgings so far apart and village shops so poorly stocked that we mostly lived on spready cheese sandwiches and tinned puréed beans.

Though we found some outstandingly kind and generous Romanians. In Ziminicea, after half an hour’s cycling I realised I’d ridden off with the room key from last night’s stay. Wrestled with what to do. One hour round trip, or find the post office and post it back. At the counter in the PO, the lady is helping wrap the key, when a young woman walks and says “Oh, I know the people from the Pension in Fantanele really well, I will take it!”

In Corabia, Andrea, a teenage boy with outstanding English, approached and said: “This is gonna sound weird, but is there anything I can do for you?” Well funnily enough there’s this Pension we’ve been trying to book and they don’t respond to text or email and we’re too scared to call because we know they won’t speak English. “No problem, I’ll call”. He tried the three numbers we had. One wrong number, one disconnected, one no response.

This was a pretty big blow because this Pension at Ion Corvin is the only one in that region, and now we knew, thanks to Andrea, that we couldn’t rely on it. We were missing a stepping stone to reach the Black Sea.

But Ruse! Known as Little Vienna. A glorious pedestrian town square, surrounded by cafés​ and restaurants. Lovely room in a gorgeous, friendly hostel. Just what we needed. We quickly decided to stay an extra day, get some rest and take a Bulgarian train to Varna. Not exactly en route but it allows us to cycle on to later bookings on the Romanian Black Sea coast, and reach the Danube Delta at Tulcea.

Feared Bulgarian train would have wooden benches, nightmare to load bikes, etc, but nothing of the sort. Bikes loaded fine. Smiling guard: “OK no problem”. Comfy carriage to ourselves, will be in Varna by 10am.

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