I have crossed the continent for a third time! July 1, at 3.30 pm I arrived at the end of the Road to Odessa: Potemkin Stairs, overlooking Odessa Port at the mighty Black Sea. The prologue to Lausanne this spring included, I rode 4350 km from home, crossing 14 countries. I have lived the great life on the road to the fullest, more than I even had dared to wish for, the adventure never stopped and I... never stopped riding!
I am out of Ukrain now! Though, in my very last moments in that damn country, the angels started singing once again and more warm hearted than ever, it’s insane. I had planned to take the international evening train to Chisinau, Moldova. Hell yeah, nobody speaks English at the train station’s box office.
A guy notices me and offers to help. Nice to meet you, Ivan! It turns out the train is fully booked and the next one is only going next weekend. Other trains are not an option, they wouldn't get me closer to home at all, to the contrary. Together we walk to the bus station a few blocks away. Ivan sorts it all out for me, he finds a bus to Chisinau that is going at six, after some negotiations with the driver, my bike goes in the back and I am ready to go! I am both euphoric and deeply touched by this great act of random kindness to a stranger, humanity as it should be, it’s even more than I deserve, a life lesson. Ivan actually had to deal with his own troubles, his aunt had just missed the train to Moscow, but they chose to help me first and Ivan did that in the most incredible way possible.
Ukrain and, by extension, Russia, it’s a pity I didn’t really manage to go beyond the clichés, the horror roads, the used cars, the camouflage apparel, the youtube only-in-Russia kind of stuff. I didn’t manage to get any kind of real insight in this country, but than Ivan got into the story. One single meeting, one single talk, one moment of real human connection and concern changed the memory about Ukrain for good!
And now… I’ll lay my soul to rest in Moldova’s capital. The Road to Odessa is over, the Road Home is on! Six more nights and I’ll be there, thank you for keep on following me!
I am out of Ukrain now! Though, in my very last moments in that damn country, the angels started singing once again and more warm hearted than ever, it’s insane. I had planned to take the international evening train to Chisinau, Moldova. Hell yeah, nobody speaks English at the train station’s box office.
A guy notices me and offers to help. Nice to meet you, Ivan! It turns out the train is fully booked and the next one is only going next weekend. Other trains are not an option, they wouldn't get me closer to home at all, to the contrary. Together we walk to the bus station a few blocks away. Ivan sorts it all out for me, he finds a bus to Chisinau that is going at six, after some negotiations with the driver, my bike goes in the back and I am ready to go! I am both euphoric and deeply touched by this great act of random kindness to a stranger, humanity as it should be, it’s even more than I deserve, a life lesson. Ivan actually had to deal with his own troubles, his aunt had just missed the train to Moscow, but they chose to help me first and Ivan did that in the most incredible way possible.
Ukrain and, by extension, Russia, it’s a pity I didn’t really manage to go beyond the clichés, the horror roads, the used cars, the camouflage apparel, the youtube only-in-Russia kind of stuff. I didn’t manage to get any kind of real insight in this country, but than Ivan got into the story. One single meeting, one single talk, one moment of real human connection and concern changed the memory about Ukrain for good!
And now… I’ll lay my soul to rest in Moldova’s capital. The Road to Odessa is over, the Road Home is on! Six more nights and I’ll be there, thank you for keep on following me!