Odessa - Climbing gym

On Thursday morning (02.08.2018) the alarm clock rings around six. I get out of bed, feed the dog, and start packing up our campsite. Shortly after seven, we are ready to go and head to the train station in Tiraspol. We arrive there just before eight, I leave Rango and my luggage in the station hall and buy a ticket to Odessa. Upon closer inspection, I realize that I have just bought a bus ticket. Stupid. After some persuasion and a small discount, I am able to return it. Back with Rango, we encounter some trouble with a uniformed officer because Rango doesn't have a muzzle on. I correct the mistake and apologize. The officer, who had been acting authoritatively, decides not to issue a ticket. At the ticket counter, I am in for a nasty surprise - there are no more seats on the train to Odessa. The uniformed officer now acts as a friend and helper and ensures that I can get on the train. I can sit with Rango in an in-between space. The 8 euros I give to a conductor for this seat are multiple times the regular fare, and I don't receive a ticket for it, but we arrive in Odessa shortly after half past ten - so everything's good! In front of the train station, I have a cup of coffee and some cookies before reactivating my Ukrainian SIM card and topping it up with credit. Then we take the tram south, as I have found a campsite right on the beach on my map. Around one o'clock, we can check in there without any problems. The place is relatively small and already quite full. Nevertheless, I find a shady spot for our tent. After setting it up, we head straight to the Black Sea for a good splash. In the late afternoon, we go shopping and meet our neighbors at the campsite for the first time. They are a family with a dog-like pet (could also be a larger guinea pig). Of course, Rango is immediately identified as a problem. The man has to go to the campsite manager, and shortly afterwards we have to move. The new spot is not ideal, but the main thing is that we are allowed to stay.

We spend most of Friday at the campsite and the beach, enjoying the sea and the sun.

On Saturday (04.08.2018), I wake up shortly after five in the morning. The dog has vomited in the tent again (as it later turns out, he had enjoyed plenty of treats from the new neighbors the night before). I throw the culprit out and clean up the mess. It is only about 15 minutes until sunrise. I find a nice spot on the cliffs and take the opportunity to watch the spectacle. After that, I go back to bed for another 2 hours. In the morning, we make our way to the port in Odessa. I want to inquire about ferry connections to Georgia. We reach there along the coast, mostly protected from the sun by trees, heading north. After an hour, we reach Shevchenko Park and take a short break with a view of the sea. We continue past the container port and an old fortress wall to the northeast. At the Sea Station, I receive the bad news - the ferries to Georgia depart from the port of Chornomorsk, about 20 km to the south. I can't find out more on the same day. We go back up the Potemkin Stairs to the Old Town. We spend the next four hours walking south through Odessa. For the last 3 km to the district 'kleine Fontäne', where our campsite 'Skalodrom' is located, we treat ourselves to another tram ride. Once we arrive there, I cool off in the sea immediately. Wonderful. The dog is put under the beach shower and clearly enjoys the cold water.

On Sunday, I continue my extensive exploration of Odessa. The Old Town is very extensive and still has plenty of attractive streets, parks, and other sights that we haven't seen yet. The streets are wide, shaded by plane trees, and mainly flanked by old facades. The Old Town of Odessa again has a much more Western European character than the one in Moldova. In the outskirts, there are partly old, partly newer buildings reminiscent of high-rise apartment blocks. Near the coast, there are countless large hotels, from which plenty more are being built. In the late afternoon, the dog gets another cold shower, and I jump into the cool water of the local pebble beach.

On Monday (06.08.2018), I have some minor repairs to do in the morning before setting off for the port of Chornomorsk in the early afternoon. Due to a few wrong directions, we walk a few unnecessary kilometers near the port area before I can get the necessary information at the ferry company's service desk around four o'clock. The next ferry leaves on Friday, takes about 2 days for the crossing, and is supposed to cost about 166 euros for Rango and me. So far, so good... For the return journey, I try once again to catch a bus, but without success. So we walk along an almost completely unshaded country road to the nearest tram stop. The heat causes the dog a lot of distress again. We pause at every shady spot we can find. Nevertheless, the dog almost collapses at the tram stop. I manage to get some water from a kiosk owner and pour it over the dog, causing him to "sweat" artificially. I also offer him something to drink, of course. Fortunately, the tram takes a bit longer to arrive, allowing Rango to acclimate. Back at the campsite, we go through our usual routine - a cold shower for Rango and a dip in the sea for me. Rango seems to be looking forward to it by now.

On Tuesday, it's time to relax at the beach and on the shady campsite again.

On Wednesday, 08.08.2018, I leave without the dog and head to Odessa. I am unable to run the errands I had planned or withdraw the money for the ferry ride, as it turns out after a few attempts that my credit card is empty. A phone call to my financial advisors back home finally solves the problem. So, on Wednesday, I continue to explore the port city on the Black Sea.

On Thursday, there is nothing else planned except going to the ferry company's service desk to purchase the reserved ticket. After almost 2 hours of travel, in conversation with an employee, I find out that the ticket is supposed to cost almost 100 euros more because of Rango, and the ticket office is closed on Thursday. So I return to the campsite empty-handed and quite annoyed. After a few hours of researching alternative routes, I decide to bite the bullet and take the expensive ferry to Georgia on Friday. In the evening, I enjoy the sea and the beach one last time with Rango before leaving Skalodrom. There is a bit of sadness, but the information I have gathered about the Caucasus and its inhabitants fills me with excitement for the upcoming stages, and I fall asleep.