This was before.
And this is Mutley's stealth like appearance after!
Overland from UK to Australia! May 2009
Ollie and Jenny are on route overland from the UK to Australia, travelling in a well equipped Land Rover Defender 200Tdi. They are part of a growing band of people taking a career break, escaping the rat race and travelling huge distances. There is a real sense of freedom travelling and living from a vehicle that offers both transport and accommodation. Ollie and Jenny joined us for 3 days camping in our garden for some relaxation; sightseeing; wildlife watching; and meeting the locals. We had a BBQ the first evening which was a great opportunity to hear about their plans and route for their remarkable journey.
The Vrancea is an ideal introduction to the vast forests and mountain ranges of the Eastern Carpathians within Transylvania. The weather was wonderful and the views endless. This also gave Ollie and Jenny an ideal opportunity to test their Land Rover off tarmac and give their winch a dusting off too!
No trip here seems complete without a wildlife watch. Where else in Europe can you drive into the mountains settle into a hide and watch wild bears! Ollie and Jenny decided on an overnight stay in a bear hide with makeshift beds, and with a full moon this meant that viewing could go on round the clock throughout night. We could never have wished to see so much and were treated to viewings of two bears, five wild boar and a fox. At one point during the night four wild boar grouped together and charged a bear at speed. The bear sensibly decided that making a run for cover was the best option under the circumstances! Unfortunately, with only moonlight available we couldn't catch much of what was happening on film :(
Ollie was determined not to fall asleep before seeing a bear and his patience paid off. The job of the person on watch was to wake and tell the others when something interesting was happening!
It was fascinating to see how much equipment could be packed into one Defender. Ollie and Jenny's journey may take two years to complete, so everything is designed for compact and long term living. A roof tent on top, cooker and kitchen utensils within along with spare parts and boxes that contained just about everything required day to day. They even had an on-board shower connected to their own water supply.
One of the highlights of travelling is to meet local people to see how they live and to exchange experiences. Ollie and Jenny were welcomed by my neighbour Pista baci. He was on good form and Ollie and Jenny had a great time meeting his animals and sampling home made wine and Palinka.
They even had the good luck to witness a wedding procession passing in front of our gates!
Ollie and Jenny have completed approximately 3000 miles so far, so before leaving David gave their vehicle an inspection before their onward journey.
Two Bikes! August 2008
Jon and Angharad (known as Harry for those like me that cannot pronounce Welsh names!) are on a 6-week tour taking in both western and eastern Europe.
During their stay here in Ojdula, Jon and Angharad wanted to meet local people and get a taste of their way of life. As usual my neighbour Pista baci was more than happy to oblige! Not only did they get to see the animals but they met them face to face.
Iren makes wonderful Vinete, a traditional sandwich spread made from aubergines. First they are cooked on coals, then the skin is stripped off and the inner contents are prepared with onion, salt, egg yolk, mustard and oil to make a delicious paste, ideal on local potato bread.
Here Jon and Angharad are driving along a dirt track to visit a local hill village close to the Vrancea Mountains.
Camping in my garden is a lot of fun and even in the height of summer shade can be found between the apple, cherry and plumb trees. The motorbikes were prepared by Jon a mechanic who has years of experience fabricating expedition equipment for such trips. I must admit the frame support and panniers looked to be very sturdy and well made.
Jon and Angharad were a constant source of amusement for the neighbours children and they were both happy to show them around their motorbikes. If they were really lucky they got to sit on them too!
After a good breakfast cooked on the smallest petrol stoves I have ever seen, they packed and prepared to leave. However, before making it to the gate, my neighbour Zsolt brought them some fresh tomatoes straight from the garden! They then departed for Cheile Bicazului a spectacular gorge further north.
All the way to China and back! May 2008
I was driving along a mountain pass when I saw two cyclists negotiating the ruts and holes along the track. I wanted to stop for a chat but hesitated not wanting to disturb their slow progress. However, curiosity got the better of me and I pulled over.
Brigitte Muench & Dieter Roth had been on the road for more than a year and had cycled from their home in Switzerland to China and were now on their way home. Brigitte & Dieter's story was so that we stood transfixed by their tales for about an hour. I was already late so I asked them both to stay in Ojdula for the night if they had not already made plans. They said they would see how they progressed, and agreed to meet in me in the village guest house bar if they decided to stay.
Several hours later after a nice visit to Putna falls I returned to Ojdula and found that Brigitte and Dieter's bikes were parked up against the fence, so had obviously decided to stay for the night! This was great as I heard many more tales over a nice cold beer.
Brigitte and Dieter needed quite a strict routine each day to make sure they maximised their mileage. Each evening they set up camp off the road, cook, sleep and then start the whole process again the following day after a daily average distance of 80kms. They were so relaxed and friendly and the one thing that grabbed me was the human element to their journey and story. They said the best part of the trip so far were the people they met. The generosity, hospitality and warm welcome they received wherever they went, and not once had they felt in any danger. So often people fail to fulfil their travelling ambitions as they tend to hang on to what we hear on the news about the isolated incidents of robbing and muggings. So to hear of such a trouble free trip gives hope that not everyone on route is out to get you and take advantage.
They told me a great story about one young man they met that was participating in the Mongol rally. He had a film crew with him and a personal Doctor! He was so interested in Brigitte and Dieter's journey that he decided to fim them. They didn't have a clue who he was and what all the fuss was about with his big entourage of staff so asked his Doctor. She was apparently amazed that they didn't recognise Jack Osbourne the adrenalin junkie!
Brigitte and Dieter were tired as they had only managed a few hours sleep the night before. They were very aware that they had entered bear country and were concerned a bear would smell their food. They were even more surprised when I told them there were approximately 150 bears in the surrounding area! They were very much looking forward to a peaceful nights sleep in my summer house with solid walls around them.
The following morning after a quick breakfast on the summer house doorstep, they packed and were gone within an hour. I was sad to see them go as they were such an entertaining couple and full of life.
Why not check out Brigitte & Dieter's fascinating journey on their blog
