(SEPT 2008 - hell slow to post - it's my virginal attempt)

Back dry and warm if without sleep in Alba Iulia, Transylvannia - here's a pretty fatigued ramble to put my mind to rest if nothing else. 2.5hrs in the dark, rain, wind and cold last night coming off Balea Lac (high snowy alpine pass) last night for a sleep in a known bed. It's a beautiful country excluding the litter.

About 70% of time riding through wind, rain and ex-artic airmass - acknowledging that the cold reducing mozzies/midges (thanks Dixi). I'd still be out there I suspect without the fantastically generous hospitality and assistance of complete strangers - I think alot of Australians have forgotten some of this.

The Moldavian and Transyllvanian people are friendly as hell - Bulgarian influenced types in south are real pros at staring and tend to stinge on signs to mark sharp corners that terminate numbingly long straights. Wasn't a comprehensive peek, I might be wrong.

Conclusions and points of note from a 3,000km partial circuit. I'd suggest for the future:

++ timing trips to *finish* in mid Autumn and taking genuinely waterproof boots, gloves and to remember suit liners (Romania has weather)
++ tripe soup is the best tucker for cool weather riding
++ spending more than AUD15 on a tent or sleeping bag (was borrowed, cheers Dan)
++ not snapping off critical components in offroad alpine passes (Lake, Edy - what can I say - multsumesc mult)
++ not squeezing between fences if one of them is holding a wild lynx (I know what that smell means now - for both of us)
++ not lobbing toy koalas at military types in moving trucks with the cling out (a kind of mini-drop bear that sticks to a pencil; those that survived are damp)
++ further, waiting for another straight and attempting to exchange proffered weapons for further chinese-made marsupials
++ getting pulled over by the police for a feed, bed, Iasi tour and night out (great tucker; great drinks; friendly giant dogs - thanks bigtime Iulian)
++ ducking when passing waving gypsy girls carrying rocks (caca shots, thankfully - no pics; see below)
++ checking critical vowels in written place names to avoid extensive detours with minimal net gain mileage
++ related but separate - articulating place names then listening properly when asking directions to avoid unnecessary mountain crossings (Cheia is not Sinaia)
++ asking about where the bears live because they (I'm told) don't confuse you with cool porridge (the body-free crimson splashed clothing pics on the local news a couple of days latter didn't need translating - spend on pensions near big forests)
++ not being polite and letting others pass you onto a late ferry (great laugh for border police; extra pats for puppies)
++ noting that Aust isn't only place with deadly snakes
++ chatting to strangers instead of donkeys - they may just be fellow biker bros going to a pissy and very well catered biker fest and be inclined to ask you along - don't step into shadows on the floors of turkish bars - looks silly if you fall in the hole; hopefully the zeitgeist will get a push along with views such as these (Demi, Razvan, Dan - naroc si merci mult! Can you please forward this to Bogdan? Bike nuts in Ro - OOPS - get in touch for multiday mainly offroad shenanigans)
++ sourcing a helmet so you can see your crutch with your gear on because when it's freakin cold you can't feel anything below your elbows or forward of your hips
++ eating plenty of salad and fibre with lotsa fluids because all that vibrating tends to condense matters in arrears - what should be a dash turns into a dot (sorry about that, had to share)
++ And finally, note that kids, dogs and geese dig bikes more than chicks, turkeys or squirrels (so far)

Lastly, 'Drink or drive' as they say here. Also, 'better to fall down than up'.
Noapte buna and good morning.

---OCT2009---
I can't wait to head back to Romania - accidentally getting invited to a wake in the mountains near Bai Mare (I just wanted directions), drinking the moutain elixer of fresh goat/sheeps milk, freshly carved goat for dinner, spirit drinks by the cupful and all atop Dacian ruins for the party of an archeological dig (they call me 'blisters'...), women think you're something special because you have nice teeth and the food and hospitality has yet to be diluted into the westernised quagmire that so much of metropolitan western europe seems to be to me.

See you at HUM Australia in March.

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Very good Oscar, I find it strange you took bedding this time?? It must have been cold eh!

'Til next time

__________________
Feb 2014, currently travelling the America's on a Tiger 800XC

Live every day like it's your last, one day you'll get it right!!!