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“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together” African proverb
Today started off like most of the others.
We woke up at 6:30 a.m., got ourselves ready, ate breakfast at 7:30, said goodbye to our fantastic hostess, and started walking around 8:00.
A very normal morning.
Except for one small detail.
We had walked almost a kilometer when I suddenly realized…
We hadn’t paid for our stay!
Oops. It was my turn and I forgot.
So we made a U-turn, walked back to the house, paid our bill, hugged our hostess again, petted all the dogs again, and headed back out.
Again.
At least we got a little extra mileage out of the day to make up for what we missed.
It was another gorgeous hike through Romania, and specifically through this final section of Terra Romana.
Massimo and I have talked a lot about the different sections of the Via Transilvanica, and we both agree that the two bookends have been our favorites.
Bucovina, with its lush green forests and fairytale-like scenery.
And Terra Romana, with its dramatic mountain peaks and those spectacular views that make you stop and stare.
After nearly two months on this trail, we’ve seen a LOT of scenery. So when something still manages to make us stop and say, “Wow,” it’s pretty impressive.
Today also included a little rock climbing, which was a welcome change from some of the more repetitive terrain we’ve encountered.
It was challenging. It was fun. And thankfully, I managed to avoid falling off a mountain, which I consider a successful hiking day.
We also met Tuca, the driver of the mobile grocery store.
Yes, you read that correctly.
A mobile grocery store.
Tuca’s big dream is to visit the United States, so his eyes lit up when he discovered that I was, in fact, American and not German, as apparently my appearance makes many people believe.
“Ahhhh! America!!!” he yelled.
And then came approximately one million questions.
What paperwork do I need to visit?
How long can I stay?
How much is a round-trip airline ticket?
Sir, I am not affiliated with the United States government, any airline, or Google.
But I did my best.
After the immigration interview, he asked to be Facebook friends.
Then he wanted to know how much my Garmin watch cost and if he could buy it.
This guy was a piece of work and provided plenty of entertainment for the rest of our walk.
He’s been sending me Facebook messages ever since our encounter in the middle of the road.
We turned down a free ride today.
I know, I know, but I’m really not kidding. We walked another entire section today – with our own two feet. I swear.
A guy in a little black hatchback pulled up beside us and offered to drive us a few kilometers to the Magazin – the local convenience store.
We politely declined.
Yes, we really did decline his generous offer..
We waved goodbye and continued walking.
When we eventually arrived at the Magazin, it was time for lunch: our standard Romanian hiking meal of salami-and-cheese sandwiches and a Coke from the store.
I walked inside…
…and there was the guy from the little black hatchback.
He was working behind the counter.
So we basically turned down a ride from the guy we were going to see anyway.
A little over halfway, Massimo pointed ahead and said, “Look, it’s the Danube!”
The finish line of this incredibly long adventure.
I made him reenact the moment so you guys could enjoy it as well.
But the moment wasn’t funny to me.
It actually stopped me in my tracks.
For the rest of the hike, I couldn’t stop thinking about how many difficult little moments had brought us to this one.
The cancelled flight. The wrong turns. The rain. The heat. The blisters. The broken sandals. The food poisoning. Stepping in cow shit. The seven-week UTI. The questionable bathrooms. The uncomfortable beds. The low doorways.
Pork and potatoes almost – every – single – night.
The days when we had absolutely no idea where we were going. The days when I wasn’t sure I could keep going. And somehow, step by step, we did.
Tomorrow is our final hike.
And for the first time, the finish line isn’t some abstract idea somewhere hundreds of kilometers away.
It’s right there.
We can see it.
And that made me realize something else.
This is my first long-distance hike that I didn’t start alone. I brought a partner.
And without Massimo, I would have quit.
I’m not saying that for dramatic effect. I genuinely don’t think I would have finished this hike without him.
He stayed positive and encouraged me every single day. But more importantly, he took care of all the things that needed to happen behind the scenes so I could keep walking – and, during the times when I was sick, so I could heal.
He gave me space and time when I needed it – especially to write the blog. He suggested rest days when he could see I needed them.
He never made me feel guilty about stopping, slowing down, taking a taxi, hitchhiking, or changing plans when my body needed something different.
And he somehow managed to do all of that while maintaining his famous roll-with-it attitude.
Here are just a few of the things he has done for me over the past nine weeks:
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The daily laundry and washing my sandals.
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Making our sandwiches every morning.
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Grocery shopping.
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Carrying all the snacks and sandwiches.
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Helping me deal with every medical issue under the sun: blisters, food poisoning, cuts, scrapes, and various other medical adventures I would have preferred not to experience in Romania.
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Sitting in the waiting rooms of two hospitals – for hours.
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Going to the pharmacy. And then going back to the pharmacy.
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And when one pharmacy didn’t have something, he went to another pharmacy.
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Carrying my bag when I couldn’t.
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Carrying extra water for me when I was sick.
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Planning our routes.
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Navigating as we walked.
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Researching accommodations.
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Contacting guesthouses.
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Making reservations.
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Translating when people spoke Italian.
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Used Google Translate in Romanian when he could tell I wasn’t in the mood to make the effort to communicate.
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Taking days off when he’d rather have been walking.
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Hitchhiking when necessary.
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Doing pretty much anything I asked without hesitation.
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Making me laugh when I wanted to cry.
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And, perhaps most importantly, always having my back.
He supported me emotionally when I was frustrated, exhausted, sick, or simply over it. He never made me feel like I was a burden. And he did all of it with a smile on his face. Even when I was probably not particularly pleasant to be around.
That is a lot to ask of another person. And I’m sure I’ve missed many things he did effortlessly or quietly without me even taking notice.
Massimo, you are the best.
Thank you for literally everything.
I couldn’t have asked for a better hiking partner – or a better person to share this ridiculous, exhausting, unforgettable Romanian adventure with.
We are almost there. I owe you one…or several.
We are staying at the cutest pension called Pensiunea Happy.
Which is exactly how I feel.
And, as if things couldn’t get any better, I got to soak in a hot bath for more than an hour.
Heaven.
*Please ignore the really dirty water and the hilarious tan lines on my feet – a not-so-cute side effect from the sandals.
Tomorrow is our final hike.
I’m so happy to be finished.
And I’m a little sad it’s over.
Those two feelings somehow exist at the exact same time – and that’s okay.
Much love & gratitude. Namaste 🙏
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