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

I'm smiling as I read this conversation, because I can empathize with both Daniel and Liam, even though they have expressed quite opposite opinions.

I've visited Romania several times on my moto, and plan to go back again sometime in the not too distant future. It's a fascinating country, it's generally not very expensive, and the people are - for the most part - pretty nice.

All that notwithstanding, I fully appreciate Daniel's frustration. It's not at all uncommon - in fact, it is almost to be expected - that people and businesses will "try you on for size", and if they can get away with charging you a higher rate than what they might charge their next-door neighbor, they will. On top of that, a couple of people tried to rob me (with violence) in Romania last time I was there, and that is something I have never experienced before (and hope I won't have to experience again).

Sometimes, the 'small rip-offs' aren't even worth protesting. If it is a 10% overcharge on a small purchase, it's not worth getting stressed about. For larger purchases (hotels, etc.), one just has to be mentally prepared to challenge and negotiate. For personal safety, I guess we have to be more alert and more judicious than we would normally be in our home country.

I wrote a fairly lengthy trip report about my visit to Romania (and neighboring countries), if anyone wants to look it over, it is here: Notes from a September 2011 ride through Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece.

Michael

I've enjoyed all of the Balkan countries, on individual merit
Loved Romania ,, loved the animation of the people ,, especially the middle ages looking sector,, with carts, goats and babushikas with warm smiles.
Had a great hotel for 57 euros, in Bucaresti ,, best erotic massage, in a long while,, just around the hotel. Food was excellent,,
You have to learn to deal with such mentalities ,, all a part of travelling.
Will I go back? Yes in a heart beat.
This is what I wrote in the Romania section of my travelogue,,, going over from Moldova to Romania
.
"Went to bed last night at 8 ,, took a snooze to wake up for the Olympic opening ceremony,, at 11PM ,, it looked like it will be an all night thing ,, turned the tube off and went back to bed, Woke at 4 AM ,,,last night's wedding party has moved to the pool.
Had reception brew me an espresso ,, took M1 out of Chisinau to west then south. Contrary to my feelings , Moldova is quite beautiful and well organized. The road was fantastic as well. 80 KM away was the border to Romania,, took 20 minutes from Moldova ,,, Romanians are having a meeting . Waited 45 minutes then another 20 minutes to clear the border ,, I feared bad road,, to my surprise ,, great road ,, with sporadic road work congestion. Romanians are very animate people ,, use lot of hands for gestures,, instantly friendly ,, and while I was having lunch ,, a very normal looking guy points to my bike and tells me to come ,, wondering I walked over ,, he says I must pay parking fee of 3 bucks ,, young people in the restaurant,, shaking their heads and fingers saying no ,, I yelled at SOB and he quietly went away ,, and when I was about to take off after the lunch ,, a bum showed up ,, hitting me for money. I just took off. I would face such beggars and scammers in Albania. Durres, by the ferry port.
If Moldova is Taiwan ,, Romania is Viet Nam ,, Surprising that Romanian GDP is bigger ,, earlier Euro zone entry. Romanian country side is like the Sunday Farmer's Market ,, horses ,, goats ,, sheeps ,, cows ,, people ,, carts are all out on the street. It's the Latin blood vs northern Slavic blood. Whew ,,
found a cute boutique hotel on Booking.com for 57 euros ,,nicely put together,, big bed. Hotel Christina http://www.hotelchristina.ro/pages/home/en
quiet street and no traffic noise. The owner is a very warm guy,, who understands bikers. Best erotic massage, in a long while,, just around the hotel. (Ask the owner of the hotel)
Tomorrow to Sofia, Bulgaria."

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Great responses, both in line with my experiences. I think to say that one is no less likely to be robbed / ripped off in Romania that any other country is a dis-service to most other countries. Romania has a bad rep for crime and hassle, and whilst this might be exaggerated, or even starting to become out of date (I rather doubt this), it has to be based on truth.

Yes, one can mitigate these annoyances to some degree, though I have no wish to be in a country where I can't let my guard down and relax. It's no fun arguing over every bill, keeping your camera bag locked to your body at all times etc etc. In my mind I can see bucolic Romania in Moldova and can see the Carpathians in SW Ukraine, so I have no real wish to go to Romania again. When I return to the UK from Istanbul this winter, I aim to specifically avoid it to be honest.

I guess people react differently to threats from the environment around. I for example am quite happy to hang out in parts of Pakistan or Afghanistan which are rather insecure, because the vibe there is still friendly. Places like Romania, (and urban Peru in my experience) are no fun.

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To be fair i found the Carpathian mountains more amazing in Romania than in Ukraine and once of the roads it is a wild country compared to other parts of Europe which makes it what it is.

Romanian Carpathians
WesleyDRZ400 Romania - YouTube

Could well be, but it is in those mountains where I was robbed in the middle of the night, in a National Park FFS.

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Yes i was advised by locals of some areas which are best to avoid but in all it was great for me and i plan to go back as i made some great friends there.

Romania part of my ongoing ride report
Tajikistan Or Bust! Solo trip from England to the Afghanistan border via Chechnya - Page 17 - ADVrider

However i agree in some areas i feel you need to be on your toes (i had a little "incident" also)unlike in Moldova

Which park? Just out of curiosity..

I have to say, I was sitting in a bar in Croatia in the late 90's when a knife fight broke out at the table next to myself and a couple of friends; but I've been back to Croatia and the rest of the Balkans since a few times and will probably be back there this summer, unless I head Romania/Moldova/Ukraine direction .

I think you should go back and give it another chance? Just playing devils advocate here really