Dear all,

Brasov has been excellent so far. After the last post I didn’t really spend too much time doing anything particular or exciting, just chilling really and playing too much N64.

Yesterday we went on a day trip around the sites outside of Brasov. We paid 10 quid per person which is well over what you could do it in seeming as that didn’t even include entry fees to places but at the end of the day we went for the company because there was a good group of 11 of us going around in this minibus. However we did look like a stag party since we were all lads.

We went to a the citadel at Rasnov first off, which is like a fortification at the very top of a large pointy hill which looks out onto the floodplains below. It was really interesting since they are restoring it all and on the inside there are artifacts that they have dug up from there. From there we went onto what was the most touristy of places, Draculas castle, even though the chap who is behind the myth of Dracula never lived there – although he should have done. From the outside it has stone walls and lots of tall towers, very fitting for Transylvania and on the inside it is all whitewashed walls and dark wood, with a gorgeous little courtyard in the middle of it all. After a bite to eat of some sausage shaped burgers and a pint [40p] we went off to our final destination which was the weekend retreat of the King of Romania. The house was fantastic, it was called a council house and it would be where the King, borrowed from the German aristocracy, would receive guests from all over Europe. Unfortunately we could not take photos of the inside so I will be unable to show the ridiculously ornate rooms of various styles including Turkey, Venice, Spain and another place in italy which my memory evades me.

Last night got a little messy – for some more than others. All the lads on the trip – Christian, Ricky, Zach, Stuart, Strach, Alex, Tarik, Dan, Claudio and myself thought it’d be a great idea to have a few beers. Of course a few beers quickly escalates to a lot of beers when you’re paying 56p for a half litre bottle or 60p for a draught. After a while the barman refused to serve us at this place we were at, i think because they were also a restaurant and were shutting up shop, or maybe they just didn’t like the look of us. So much for 24 hour European lisencing laws. We went to a club with some funky house music and drank some wine, the beer being no cheaper than the UK in this place. We did a little dance, had a little boogie and then around 2am moved on… to another club. This one I remember was called Tequila and was busier and cheesier, and also included several young ladies ‘shaking what their mama gave them’ on the bartop. By this time I have to say I may have been slightly under the influence but of course in complete control and entirely respectable – a true english gentleman. Claudio on the other hand, was not. I didn’t see a great deal of him after the most inebriated and slightly sweaty Brightonian decided to wander off somewhere. I myself was indulging in traditional Romanian dancing with a number of the local Brasovians and subsequently decided to walk home on my own with the vaguer idea of which way the old town was. As it happens I got half way to the new town and realised I was going the wrong direction but from there got my bearings and headed home. Or at least I had the intention of walking in that vague direction, but as my puddle soaked dancing feet walked past the first club that we went to again I couldn’t help but go for a bit more of a jiggy before the night was out. On me tod. The music was good and included the King Unique remix of a Mylo track. Which was nice. Bed time came around 5:30am after I got back and had a lengthy discussion about middle eastern politics with a rather narrow minded Israeli girl. All gravy.

I’m currently giving claudio time to nurse his hangover before we go up the hill/mountain in Brasov. Probably a good 2 hrs up and 1 down. Not the best of things to be doing after only 5 hours sleep but it’ll probably sort claudio’s hangover our – the poor lad [he says he doesn’t feel too bad, just a little dicky (my words not his) in the stomach, but I don’t believe him, the bugger]. Also not the best thing to be doing with my foot. I’ve ye ode walking boots on right now to keep a bit of moisture in there and stop them cracking up further. I have to say Savalon is a gift from the gods and has healed up my 3-4 lacerations on one side of the ball of my left foot but after last nights debauchery the crack on the other side of my foot resembles a small scale version of the Grand Canyon. Ah well.

It is our last day in Brasov today and we’re off to Bucharest for one night tomorrow and then off to Varna early the day after that. We have a place booked, as recommended by some Manchester Uni graduates we met here but our extended stay of a week cant be accommodated on the last 3 nights so we may have to move on to another place, but we’ll see.

I must really go on a hunt for a new toothbrush now. I lost it yesterday morning, i think it fell into the small black hole at the bottom of my rucksack which seems to accommodate all the things that go missing whilst traveling, even when you empty the bag you still cant find the stuff. Needless to say the current state of my dental hygiene has much to be desired for and there’s only so long one can kid yourself that the Wrigleys adverts are true and that chewing gum really does fight plaque.

Until Varna, probably.

Andy