Day 59
My plan is to head south and pick up the Eurovelo Danube path, I’ll need to be on the other side of the Danube as there are few places to stay on the west side.
After a massive home cooked breakfast, the road to the border has a number of short steep sections that I need to walk. I’m a little later than expected. Then the border has huge waits. Normally cyclists and pedestrians can jump to the front of the queue, but here there are several gates, each requiring a wait before being let through. The guard at the first one suggests crossing to Ukraine instead (2 km away) then taking the ferry to Romania (this is not shown on the map).
I’d forgotten how good Romanian roads are, and they really are a delight to ride after Moldavian roads! Galatsi is a big port town on the Danube and I take the opportunity to pop into a bike shop. The chain I bought in Poland is completely shagged, it has stretched so much the gear cable is on the last few threads of the adjuster. I’m not sure why, it’s done less than 2,000 km. Shimano branded, maybe a fake?
When I get to the ferry, it seems I’ve just missed one, there’s an hour to wait and the crossing is 30 mins. Crossing further down looks sensible, I’ll be going in the right direction, however the bridge is closed to bikes and the next ferry is also out of bounds even though google says it takes pedestrians. I’ve now got the option of retracing or heading on for at least 120 km to the next bridge.
Neither option is appealing, nor is staying in this town. There’s camping a little further south, and a local tells me the Lacu Sǎrat is wonderful, not to be missed. It turns out to be a resort in a very Romanian style. Abandoned soviet hotels and holiday apartments overlook the salty lake, with a few new ones behind. The beach costs £5 to get on to, and people are painting themselves with some black stuff and standing in the sun before going into the lake for its health-giving properties.
The camp site offers me a pitch (put your tent anywhere) for 100 Lei, or a cabin with electricity and a bed for the same price.
Day 60
I head south through the flat, fertile farmland of the Danube delta. With a light tailwind I make good progress and sail past my initial destination, Slobozia and end up at Călărași, just before the Bulgarian border. 160 km for the day.
Day 61
Over the Danube to Bulgaria on a very simple flatbed ferry. Romania and Bulgaria are both now in Schengen, so instead of checking passports at the border post, they’ve molished a thing to spray all the cars with disinfectant.
