• Elin Wyn Hughes
  • Elin Wyn Hughes

Eastern Europe

A 30-day adventure by Elin Wyn Read more
  • Trip start
    July 26, 2016

    Chișinău

    July 26, 2016 in Moldova ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    After an extremely long journey from Tudweiliog to Liverpool then a six hour sleeper bus to London and Stanstead, Stacey and I finally arrived in Chisinau, Moldova; the poorest country in Europe.

    We weren't off to the best start upon arriving in the capital city as it was well after dark and if you've been to this part of the world then you are well aware that street lights are few and far between. Our very friendly taxi driver dropped us off at the door to our accommodation and offered us various bits of advice for staying safe and getting the most out of our stay. The biggest problem we faced was when we entered the building of our Air BnB and found that it was in fact a derelict building that was falling to pieces inside.

    With no signal on our phones and no way of contacting our Air BnB host we were stuck and found refuge for a short amount of time in a cafe. Thank God for Wi-Fi as we located a hostel that was open - finding it however would prove to be another hurdle. A few tears and two hours later we were checked in and making friends with Connor our little Irish buddy.

    A few things you should know about Chisinau:-
    1. There's not a lot to do but the free walking tour was incredible (tips should be given).
    2. There's an outdoor public pool at the mall (around a 30 minute taxi ride and only around £2.50).
    3. It's ridiculously cheap - we were able to eat like Queens for less than £5 a day and a litre of Vodka will only set back £3.
    4. The streets are dangerous as the pavements are hardly that.
    5. We were two girls and we felt 100% safe - it"s a small city and it's relatively easy to get your bearings.

    Worth a visit? Only if you're in the area.
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  • București

    July 28, 2016 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Romania is one of these countries that would be worth revisiting in ten years. They have come so far since their communist days and although they have more developing to do as a nation I'd say that their tourism scene is growing quickly.

    The best and cheapest way to get from Chisinau to Bucharest was an overnight sleeper train. WOW what an experience! The carriages of the train itself were pretty cool, they resembled those from the Second World War, and as we crossed the border we had to stop for two hours to change the wheels; Stalin had thinner rails placed on the tracks to avoid an invasion during the war. All this aside however, I have never in my life been as poorly as I was upon arriving in Bucharest. The train ride was a 13 hour journey, there were no windows that opened and it was ridiculously hot. No amount of water will save you I promise, and even if it does the conditions of the toilet are not to British standard. But it was all part of the fun right?

    We were booked in to the cutest hostel called Little Bucaresti and I would 100% recommend staying here if you're not too fussy about hearing the party scene late at night. The customer service they provided was top notch, they let us check in five hours early after hearing of our "ordeal" on the train.

    Showered and tired it was nap time.
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  • Pele Castle

    July 29, 2016 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Ah Pele Castle in Sinaia <3 surely the place fairy tales are set. To get to Sinaia it's a two or three hour train ride from Bucharest, I can't remember which. But it's a train ride worth taking.

    You arrive at a small train station in Sinaia on the side of a road. There's nothing else around except trees and a stone staircase. Once up the steps you are greeted with a magical view of the castle resting on the side of the green slopes. As you ascend the slopes you walk through a quaint little park on the banks of a river, the path is laden with market stalls of locals selling handmade crafts; bags, sweets, art etc. and you can hear the sound of an accordionist playing.Read more

  • Trip end
    August 24, 2016