This is part of the fifth section of our around the
world trip.
Complete Trip Overview & Map
Coming from Ukraine
7/8/99 We crossed the border into Moldova near Teraspol,
entering the country with absolutely zero information. We had asked the embassy
for brochures but they had none and we couldn't find a guide book covering
the small country. A charge of $US 3.00 motorcycle insurance for our 48 hour
transit visa to enter Moldova, out and in in less than an hour. Were stopped
almost immediately by police after the border and another five times in what
appeared to be the first of the two provinces in which we passed. Road signs
in three languages, Russian, Moldovan, and Ukrainian we think, all three
written in Cyrillic. Then about 60 km over the border we went through three
separate checks, side by side, police, army and what looked like different
police dressed like American Sheriffs. After which things changed, road signs
in two languages, more Romanic and the "Sheriff" police not stopping us once
during the rest of the time in Moldova. It seems like this line, in the middle
of the country, the boundary between the ex-Sovietness and the more westernisation.
The first actual line between east and west mid country. Inflation here must
have been running rampant as lunch, less than $US 2.00 cost 17,000,000 lei,
but the economy, (judged just by riding through), derelict buildings, new
petrol stations, house renovations and roadside stalls, is moving ahead of
the Ukraine. With no easy visible accommodation and 60 km to the Romanian
border we left Chisinau late evening feeling Moldovans friendly after getting
the motorcycle greased, no charge, and a Moldovan sticker, again no charge.
Move with us to Romania
Story and photos copyright Peter and Kay Forwood, 1996-
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