Day 52-53 Siret RO – Clayton UK 19&20 Aug’26

05:00 19/08, almost 2 days since leaving Kosmach our bus had a comfort break at Moisei, Romania so thought I’d check progress. Kosmach was still only 100 miles due north! I’d travelled east then west, equidistance – the miles to home remained unchanged!

We had a slow nighttime ride south through the Romanian, Carpathian Mountains but still awesome. On the south side, the land quickly flattened out, the road straightened & quickened as we moved west. By 09:00 19/08 we’d entered Hungary nr Urziceni. Though both countries are in the Schengen Zone, passports needed showing. Then, by 16:00 19/08 we were skimming the eastern edge of Slovakia. And by 07:00, next day, 20/08 we were at Calais ferry port.

Until Belgium, our 15min rest-stops every 3hrs allowed me simple conversations with the two Ukrainian guys we’d collected at the Romanian border. Their certainty of being drafted had kept them away from their homes & families. Instead, they’d chosen a nomadic existence, picking up any work they could find within the EU. For now it’s Belgium until January’27. One said their lives were just an existence.

At Calais a UK customs officer took great interest in one of our drivers, even scrolled through his phone contents. I was surprised he answered in English after having been told he didn’t speak it. Eventually we got through, but the delay caused us to catch a later ferry.

Once in England, new information. I learnt we were to first deliver some of the Romanian cargo in London & Birmingham. As the day went on, I’d given up counting how many we’d done. There were quick exchanges: a bag for money, other times it was time consuming: locating/unloading, weighing, recording, pricing & paying.

London drop offs: 12:00 to 20:00

Birmingham drop offs: 21:00 – 00:30 (21/08)

Home: 01:30 (21/08)

Travelling nonstop on a minibus for 2days, with no English speakers wasn’t that bad. Spotify, internet (sometimes), the occasional chat with my outside world, lots of drowsy thinking & an extensive supply of food & drink – thanks to Oksana. Sleeping was a challenge but when I got really tired, I slept.

Well that’s my diary blog done. 29June thru 20August’26, Ukraine & back.

My ride took me through seven countries & I met many amazing people along the way.

However, Kosmach, Ukraine, was on a different level altogether. For 10 days I had the privileged to call this my home with the opportunity to immerse myself in the hutsul way, providing memories I will treasure for the rest of my life. Here it is truly Gods country. Surrounded by nature, the breathtaking scenery, the central role of the church, the rich culture, & the friendliest, caring people. But for the war, it has it all. Here, church & community endure. Money may be tight but is not everything. The cultural places we visited in Kosmach were opened just for us, purely to share the village’s heritage. We gave a contribution but were never asked. The war is having a huge impact but here neighbours are on hand to help those in need – nobody feels isolated.

My huge thanks are to my amazing Ukrainian hosts, Oksana Topuziak, & her parents Peter & Miroslava Kushnirchuk. Also to daughter, Mariia, for translating & being a charming 11 yr old. Despite the language barrier, by way of Oksana, Mariia, Google translate, & unspoken interactions, her parents & I got to know each other quite well.

They planned & executed every moment of my stay. Oksana managed the itinerary, Miroslava supplied her wonderful hutsul dishes, doing an excellent job of fattening me up before my return to the UK, Peter provided the transport & together they gave me an experience of a lifetime.

It’s hard to say if I will ever get my head fully around my Ukraine experience but, I do believe, even in my short stay, it made me a better person.

A final thanks to you for following & joining me on this adventure. For now I have no idea how I’m going to find another experience to top this.

THE END