Bălţi - Ungheni

On Sunday (15.07.2018) I start the day with a small breakfast in the sunshine and a wonderful view over Bălţi. Shortly before eleven, I make my way to the train station with my trusty companion. With still very summery temperatures and little prospect of shady hiking trails, trains are supposed to take us further southeast. The next planned stop is Chişinău. Shortly before two o'clock, a train from Bălţi goes there daily, so there is enough time to pack up in the morning and get to the train station with luggage. We continue walking towards the city, I treat myself to coffee and some cookies at a arcade while a short rain shower passes. So we meander through the second largest city in Moldova for a while, until we meet again at the camp in the afternoon. I upload some pictures and write a travel report before going to Daria and Dima at the university in the evening to watch football. Dima cooks up a feast, cooking is one of his passions. So the evening passes quickly with football, good food, and chatting. I receive plenty of food packed for the journey, and I will probably carry my own vegetables with me for a while.

On Monday morning I start the day with a swim in the nearby lake. In the morning, I recharge my batteries in the sun and read. Around noon, we make our way back to Bălţi and stroll around the city. We make another trip to the train station, as there has been a small change in the travel route. My mother was able to send a package with new hiking boots to Iaşi through a co-worker (Prof. Georgeta Salvan - many thanks!). So I need the departure times for trains to the border town of Ungheni. In the evening, I am invited to Daria and Dima's once again. I contribute a few small things to the meal, but I leave with more than I brought. As luck would have it, Daria was born in Ungheni and offers me and Rango accommodation at her parents' place. She is off the next day and insists on accompanying us to the train station. I am back at the camp around nine o'clock. Rango gets to enjoy a few more "pelmeni" dumplings and then it's time for bed.

On Tuesday, July 17, 2018, I use the morning for some minor repairs to my equipment. Around noon, we pack up our stuff and around two o'clock we make our way to the campus. Daria is already waiting for us and Dima also takes a short break from his work to say goodbye to us. We go to the train station, have a coffee on the way, and are seated in the train to Ungheni promptly around quarter to five. During the almost three-hour train ride, I work on Rango's paw protection and receive valuable craftsmanship advice from the train conductor. We arrive at the destination around half past seven and are picked up from the station by Tanja and Oleg. We walk to their apartment in a high-rise building, I can take a shower and shortly afterwards we sit down to a shared dinner. There is borscht, potatoes, fried fish, vegetables, cheese, and bread. I have kvass and the hosts have wine. Rango also gets his share, but has to stay in another room as there are three cats living in the apartment. After dinner, we go to a nearby bar for a nightcap. Around half past eleven it's high time for bed, as the train to Iaşi leaves at shortly after seven in the morning.