It’s cloudy and rainy when we walk into the piercing shop in Brasov, Romania. One of those bone-chilling days where the right idea is to stay inside and do nothing. But, with a new city outside my hostel door, sitting inside is the last thing I want to do. So, with a new friend atContinue reading “How Piercing My Nose Changed Me”
Tag Archives: Romania
Daily Wanderlust: Brasov’s Town Square
Located in Transylvania, Brasov, Romania is a small city (and one of the most visited in the country). Here, people can explore the nearby mountains and local Dracula lore, rent cars and go on day trips, even wander the narrowest street in Europe, measuring a whopping four feet across. My favorite thing to do whileContinue reading “Daily Wanderlust: Brasov’s Town Square”
Daily Wanderlust: Nighttime in Cluj-Napoca, Romania
After taking the photo of men playing chess at Budapest’s train station, and heading to Brasov, Romania, for five nights of friends and fun, it was time to venture to my next stop — Cluj-Napoca. This college town was gorgeous. One of the main squares, by day, was incredibly beautiful. But, once the sun wentContinue reading “Daily Wanderlust: Nighttime in Cluj-Napoca, Romania”
Daily Wanderlust: Brasov, Romania
Brasov, Romania is where I got back in touch with my travel bliss. Thanks to staying at a superfly hostel, Â a roadtrip complete with steering wheel death grips and an afternoon black out, this quaint town in the Transylvania region of Romania forever captured my heart.
The A-Z of D Travels ‘Round
Happy 2012! Well, Happy 2012 a few days early. While everyone is either dragging themselves into work for the short week, or spending time on a lil’ holiday, I figured now is the time for some fun travel stories. I’m not doing a “Best of” this year, but when the opportunity to participate in theContinue reading “The A-Z of D Travels ‘Round”
Romanian sunsets, Hungarian mornings and Polish afternoons
I stood outside at 22h 40 (I know, very European of me), backpack strapped tight to me, messenger bag slung across my front and purse on my arm. Whew. It was time to depart Cluj and head to Krakow. Via bus. Back to Budapest. When Arpad first told me I had to take a busContinue reading “Romanian sunsets, Hungarian mornings and Polish afternoons”
“GLEE” in Cluj-Napoca
“GLEE” was one of my favorite shows in America before I left to travel. Since I had began my journey in March, I had not watched a bit of American television.
But, in that kitchen, watching Sue Sylvester bash Will Schuster’s curls, it took me back to such a happy spot … sitting on my butter yellow couch in Atlanta, cats curled up at my side, nice glass of red to sip on.
Ginny and I sat, heads planted on the kitchen table, watching the episode, trying to drown out the chatter coming from the reception room, and allowing ourselves to be taken back to America.
An American in Cluj
Ginny sat, blonde hair pulled back, on a bed in the adjacent room, examining her belongings.
“Hello,” I said, exercising my voice for the first time pretty much the entire day.
And, that was it. Ginny, a former Peace Corps volunteer, and I were instant friends. Originally from South Carolina, Ginny was in Transylvania doing research. She’s a historian studying at Oxford, so for the few days she was in Cluj, she spent some of her time meeting other historians and researching in the library.
The rest of the time, we spent together, exploring Cluj, eating and drinking.
Next stop: Cluj-Napoca
The day following our little Romanian Road Trip, it was time to head out. Tommy and Benjamin had left the previous night, Chris was leaving at the crack of dawn for Istanbul (and an Anzac Day event), and I was boarding a train northeast to Cluj for some more time in Romania.
The trip from Brasov to Romania was beautiful. The clouds hung low in the sky, gray against bright green rolling hills and the odd trees poking out of the ground, boasting the first blooms of spring.
And then, there it was in the distance, spreading up one of those rolling hills in red and yellow and all sorts of pretty, Cluj-Napoca.
Steering wheel death grips and driving in Romania
Remember, 10 and 2, D. 10 and 2. And, go slowly. Very, very slowly.
Car packed with the three Aussies, I pulled out into Brasov’s traffic.
Oh. My. God. I hope we don’t die. I hope I don’t kill anyone. I hope I don’t hurt this car because I really, really cannot afford to lose the 400 Euro deposit.
My shoulders were tight and nearly touching my ears. My arms were locked straight out. And my hands kept tight on the steering wheel as nearly six weeks of not driving paralyzed me.
How did I get roped into being the driver?
D Travels 'Round 