Day 15 of 22. Fri Aug 21. Bucharest (Romania) to Ruse (Bulgaria

Distance: 84 km

Time: 4 hrs 03 min.

Speed: 20.6 km/hr

Climbed:  820 ft

AHR (Average Heart Rate) 97 bts/min

Cum Distance:  1402 km

Cum Climbed: 22,926 ft.

Punctures:0.

Today we started on the final section...’Into the Orient’. Six sectional riders left us and one new addition and he’s Irish. Now 3 Irish in a United Nations group of 24. Punching above our weight again. Feargal from Ballinteer in Dublin but living and working in Hong Kong for years and we’re rooming together.

There had been heavy rain overnight but had stopped as we lined up for a 14 km convoy out of the city heading southwards. All had rain jackets on just in case. And from 50 km on till the end they were needed, but at least we had a slight tailwind from the north-east, the drops were not blowing into our face.

Within a few hundred metres we passed by the palatial Marriott Hotel and then. The convoy was halted many times at lights etc but we still kept together. The road busy with cars coming in, crowds waiting for trams and pedestrians. Got a few waves and cheers even at this early hour.

As far as Ruse we cycled on Highway 5. Early on it was just a busy road with no cycling facilities but the rain puddles from last night. After 20 km the condition improved and we had a respectable hard shoulder to cycle on. This was a flat straight road and trucks approaching from behind were spotted in good time. They gave an assisting draught but also a good deal of spray.

Our group had swollen to 8 today as we careered along at 25. Ahead was Denise (Aus) on her own fixing a puncture and Cathy and I dropped back to give her a hand. A decent sized nail was the culprit but all fixed and the wheel back on in 10 mins as cars and trucks still sped by. The three of us then picked up the pace to 28 km/hr and caught up with the rest within 10 km. And Denise remained with us for the rest of the trip.

Lunch was at 65 km (just short of the border) in a very open area with the rain still falling healthily. (None of the rain today bore any resemblance to the torrential downpour of last Monday). Rides didn’t hang around too long although a few stray dogs hung about hoping for some scraps.

Passing out of Romania was no problem but we cycled (in the rain) past a long long line of cars and trucks queued up for the Bulgarian controls, we presumed. At the head of the line was the Bulgarian Customs car and he explained what the holdup was. A counter-flow system was in place because of work on the bridge ahead. We had to stand there in the rain for a half-hour slowly stiffening up before the all clear was given. At least we were first away and a line of a km of cars/trucks behind us.

This bridge spans the Danube (Dunarea in Romanian and Dunav in Bulgarian) which is the border between both countries.

This bridge, the Friendship Bridge was built by the Soviet Union in 1952-54 and till 2013 was the only road/rail link between Romania and Bulgaria. It’s 2 km long with 1km of it over the Danube waters. Some difference from that little river back at the source in Donnaueschingen! The surface in the road works section was hairy and demanded constant attention. But, at least, the body was heating up again. Raindrops on the camera lens took from clarity of images.

Down off the bridge and ’Welcome to Bulgaria and passport control. The officer collected all the passports ahead of me, looked at mine ’Ah, Irelande!’, handed it back and waved me on. Liked that special treatment but later I checked and all the rest of our group were non-European. Indeed they weren't held up too long.

Next to the currency exchange and changed all remaining Romanian lei into Bulgarian lev. ( 1 Euro = 1.96 lev approx). And the rain was still falling.

Ruse is our first city in Bulgaria with a population of over 160,000. It’s the 5th largest city in the state and a very important river port and oil refinery and sometimes referred to as ’Little Vienna’. We didn’t investigate this aspect but cut through the city on our way to the suburb of Luliaka where we check in to the Luliaka Island Hotel.

Plenty of wet cycling gear but drying that isn’t urgent as we have another Rest Day after tomorrow. But the shoes are stuffed with newspaper to dry them out. Couldn’t even read the paper first wit the Cyrillic script. More of that later.

And, Saoirse, I didn’t forget you on this special day. In fact, we all, from all different countries, remembered you and we wish you a most enjoyable and happy 8th birthday. Have a great celebration. Hip, Hip, Horray.

So, back on the road again, a new country (and currency) and conditions like so many cycles at home.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.