Is the black sea calling us?
N 48°21'722'' E 013°58'859''
Day: 41
Sunrise:
06:22 am
Sunset:
7:45 pm
Total kilometers:
1017.74 Km
Temperature – Day (maximum):
28 °C
Temperature – day (minimum):
22 °C
Temperature – Night:
16 °C
Latitude:
48°21’722”
Longitude:
013°58’859”
Maximum height:
271 m above sea level
It is a pleasant, relaxing time with our friends. Of course, since Tanja’s birthday I have been busy writing down our and my thoughts and experiences. However, it is nice not to have to sit under a draughty barn roof under which the rain stretches its damp fingers to make you shiver all the time. We feel at home here. I get a taste of the people through the Ukrainian harvest workers, whose friendly conversations and the liberated laughter in the courtyard filter up to me through the window. Getting to know them makes me forget all the horror stories about Russia.
Some days, Franz and I sit at the kitchen table late into the night and talk about times gone by. But we also talk about our gigantic journey ahead of us. “So if you want to go from Hungary to Ukraine, you still have to cross the Carpathians,” he says, pointing with his index finger to the gray mountain range on the map. “That’s right, but our muscles will be better trained by then.” “You heard what our foreman Lyuba said. The mountain passes there are remarkable. Maybe you should drive all the way to the Black Sea and enter Ukraine from down there?” “Hm, let’s see. It’s a hell of a long way down there. And then we have to go all the way back up again.” “True, but you’re bypassing the Carpathians and the area around the Black Sea is supposed to be beautiful. You’d even pass the city of Odessa. That’s where all the Russians with money hang out. They also know where it’s beautiful.” “Well, I don’t know. If we want to get to the Black Sea this year, we’ll have to hurry. That’s another 2000 kilometers. But on the other side? Why not? What do you think Tanja?” “You know that I follow you everywhere. If you think we should cycle to the Black Sea first, then we’ll do that. But we definitely have to be back in Germany at the beginning of November. You know that we’re giving a lecture in Brixen on 11.11.05.” “Sure, that’s what I’m thinking. If we drive from Hungary to the Ukraine, get stuck in the mountains and can’t find a way to get out in time, we’ll have a problem. Maybe Franz is right and we really should drive our horses towards the Black Sea. I’m sure we’ll find a way back there sooner,” I ponder. “We could continue the trip down there next spring,” Tanja suggests. “Sure, we have to. The only question is whether we’ll reach Siberia before the start of winter? But what the heck, it’s an adventure anyway and these uncertainties are part of it. I think we should consider changing our itinerary again and actually make our way to the Black Sea. What do you think? Isn’t that an appealing thought somewhere?” “Yes, I could get on board with the idea. The Black Sea is calling,” smiles Tanja confidently.
