At the crossing from Ukraine to Moldova (direction Galati in Romania) we spent two additional hours with custom officers, because apparently pepper spray us illegal weapon in Ukraine...

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I loved Moldova; bucolic countryside, great wine and can be pretty beautiful in places. Feels a lot less seedy than Romania which is surprising given that they are basically the same people. A nasty reminder of Caucescu's legacy. I guess this is what Romania would be like if there wasn't someone trying to rob, cheat and rip you off all the time.

Pics here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1136194...d?noredirect=1

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I would say it really depends.... I was asked to pay a small fortune for a hotel in Chișinău in cash (euros), I refused, price was lowered, and that continue for a while, but still price was too high.... and I left.

I would say that it looks really nice, clean, reasonably good roads, but lack any infrastructure, ie. camping, hotels outside the capital (especially in the north), but otherwise I would say that I like it.

Border Crossing is a bit bureaucratic though.....

Casper

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That's a bit harsh Daniel, I've been to Romania several times over the years and haven't found it like that any more than anywhere else. I've found the people very nice and friendly, although I'm not a fan of the new 'jazzed up' Bucharest. And there are 'tourist traps' developing in some of the mountain areas. I've never been to the coast in Ro. so I don't know about it.

I feel its comments like that which give it (and Albania) a bad reputation. I still think large areas of western Europe and the USA are where your most likely to get robbed/ripped off/stabbed etc. Within reason, the rest of the world seems safer!

Have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog by the way, and I do understand you had a bad experience in Romania so I do see where your coming from. And EU membership and all the crap that goes with it hasn't helped the place at all.

Yes, it was a bit harsh! Hope I didn't offend anyone

BUT, it's not unfounded; I was ripped off at the border (my fault for not knowing the exchange rate, but still...), then had my tent slashed whilst I was sleeping in it, in a pretty out of the way National Park. I thought the country had a pretty seedy air in general too, overcharged in restaurants, all that kind of crap. Moldova was so nice in comparison, I couldn't really reconcile the two. Perhaps several more years of travel experience, and speaking some Russian made the difference.

If I hadn't had those bad experiences, I'd have liked Romania a whole lot more, but I did, and plenty of others have too. Bad reputations spread like wildfire, and I should have reigned in my comments, but they are generally based on truth!

Anyway, I thoroughly recommend Moldova, and Transdneister

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Ha honesty is a lot more valuable than a few ruffled feathers!

Personally I thought that 'air of seediness' was one of the appeals of Romania, in some ways it was one of its unique features! Its all getting the big bland EU treatment now. A far cry from the 90's!!

Would like to see Transdniester actually, how did you find bringing in your own truck?

Transdneister is lovely. Had to pay a few dollars to take the truck in, but no hassles. I recommend driving up the length of the country and crossing back into MD further north, it is a beautiful place. I think it deserves more than its gimmicky reputation as a lost corner of the USSR.

I also like Gagauzia in the south of Moldova proper. I got on the main evening news in Moldova after being 'spotted' in Comrat... It was rather poorly cut so that one moment it showed me in a garden, pretty pissed and drinking wine whilst stroking a cat, and the next I was pulling out of town in my truck (filmed two days later!).. oh well

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Gagauzie, the Christian Turks. We have been there and visited the national museum, very nice!! We continued going to the UA side of the Dunai delta, not so touristic as the Romanian side and therfore super!!

GRTZ,

JP

Thanks, much appreciated.
Cheers
Chris

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To danielsprague, I think bad experiences can be found everywhere we go on this earth. But how is it someone would set out on an adventure without a bit of research on such things as exchange rates? What did you pay for at the border? All airports and border crossings have outrageous prices, for the dumbasses that wait until the last minute to get something they need. It's the same in the US, UK, Western Europe. Restaurants have menus with prices, if they don't that is a sign to leave.

I am an American living in Romania and although my Romanian is pretty good now I can't think of any instance of a situation that would have led to me getting ripped off. I foresee the worst and expect that from people, scum, con artists and murderers are everywhere. So your opinion is completely misguided about Romania. Bucharest can be a bit crazy sometimes, but it's fun.

I don't appreciate being called a dumbass by someone I've never met.

The thing in question was a motorway vignette, which I do not believe is available in advance. Maybe you too should consider thinking a bit before posting.

I agree, people can have bad experiences everywhere. But my opinion is based on experience. Maybe my experiences mis-guide me about the country. Maybe it was coincidence. But that is my impression, whether you agree or not.

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Hardly the statement of an intrepid traveller, if one deliberately expects the worst of people travel is unlikely to be a rewarding experience.

Perhaps being an American and coming from the sickening home of capitalism, with the worlds highest crime rate, litigation rate (and perhaps irrelevantly obesity rate) makes you more immune to thinking the best of people.

Everyone gets caught out once in a while, the man who thinks he has never been is probably such a 'dumbass' he doesn't even realise its happened. . . .

Back to Moldova a good idea?

Danielsprauge, I wasn't calling you a dumbass, but if you took it as that then so be it. Just so you know, romvignete is not required for motorcycles in Romania. My point was, even in western countries there are traps at the point of no return for those that haven't thought things out. Rompetrol gas stations just inside border crossing offer the vignette, if it's for a car I pay I think 120 RON (26 euro) for an entire year. They do offer it 1 week, 1 month and 1 year, maybe other durations as well. It's required anytime the vehicle leaves it's registered area. I only pay for my car as my motorcycle is exempt.

liammons, quite the contrary, I didn't claim that I had never been taken advantage of, but the last person that tried found out the hard way. I grew up poor, so I know what a dollar means. America isn't the only place in the world with high crime, high rates of obesity and capitalistic views, so you can get off that high horse of yours. You don't know my experience or what it is that I do, but I have seen the worst of mankind and I know that at the drop of a dime all humans are capable of terrible things to fulfill their own greed. This doesn't stop me from traveling or inhibit my joy of meeting new people. I love traveling, learning new languages and seeing the kindness of strangers.

On to Moldova, it's a wonderful country. Things may be a little uneasy with what is going on in Ukraine but for the most part those younger then 30 or so relate with Romania more than Russia. Research prices ahead of time and everything is open to negotiation in Moldova. Avoid fancy nightclubs or the guys that look like Russian gangsters, because they are. Other than that, you will have a great time.

Please put a picture as an example so we can recognise them :confused1:

GRTZ

JP