From Oradea, we caught a regional train back to Cluj which took about 5 hours. Probably more, as the train kept randomly stopping in the middle of nowhere. The train ride was a bit cramped at first, but the people gradually dispersed, until the only people left were us and a couple of university students. I suppose Oradea-Cluj isn't a particularly popular route. I was a little pensive at leaving Romania, and leaving Lital, and closing the book on this particular chapter. The days had gone by far too swiftly.
We arrived in Cluj-Napoca at long last (8ish), and we both staggered off the train, glad to be back in Cluj, which oddly felt like home after all of this. We walked back to the same place we'd stayed at last time we were there, and had to wait for about 20 minutes for the hot landlord to come back, which was a bit annoying as it was cold and dark, but at least there was Wifi there. I've never travelled in off season before, and for the most part I think it's vastly superior to travelling in peak season - but I really cannot get behind how all these landlords and hostel owners are almost perpetually MIA. It's incredibly annoying, and it is no joke standing outside the door with your luggage in the chilly night, even if you're indoors.
After this we decided to go out for a drink, and celebrate our last night there, and our last night together. And so we did.
The next morning I went out, as I always do, to Carrefour. One last time. And one last coffee machine.
Then I took the bus to the airport, which was surprisingly quick. I was the only passenger on board, and the friendly bus driver alerted me when we reached the airport stop. I thanked him, and got off.
Hello and goodbye, Cluj.
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| My plane to Bari |
My experience of Romania this time round was quite different from last time - the weather this time was much more enjoyable as last time really was too hot, except for Oradea where it rained incessantly, but more so, I felt that the racism was much less overt (except in Alba Iulia), which can only be an improvement. I wanted to come back to Romania again ever since I first came here three years ago, but never really got round to it. It's not the best place to visit on your own if you're not from Europe, and different regions differ in terms of safety. There was a reason why I only came back to Transylvania this time. I did want to cram some of Moldavia and Bukovina into this trip (such as Suceava and Iasi), as well as other cities such as Craiova, and Transylvanian towns I haven't yet been to like Bistrita, but there simply wasn't enough time. Romanian trains have a lot to answer for, unfortunately I don't really see this changing in the next twenty years or so, and by that time I probably won't be haring all over Romania and eastern Europe with nary a care in the world.
Sighisoara was easily my favourite place this time round. Me and Lital couldn't stop raving over it. Everything about Sighisoara was perfect - the residence, the food, the view, the weather, the citadel, everything. I'd arranged Sighisoara because it was the birthplace of Vlad Tepes, but it is so much more than that.
Cluj was nice but I don't really see myself returning there again, unless for a layover/starting point to other cities in Romania. Alba Iulia and Oradea really scraped the bottom of the barrel and I don't see myself going back.
As for Romania, my beloved Romania is still beautiful and ugly, and proud and vulnerable and hair-raising and majestic, and endearing. I left a bit of my heart there when I visited in 2014, and I've left a bit more of my heart there now, too. Again, I am not sure whether I will be back - but I probably will be. Ciao!
On to Italy.
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| Romania calling.. |
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