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I arrived within the mountains of Vrancea by a coincidence of life and found a very stunning, wild and clear space. I had a whole lot of firsts.

It crossed my thoughts to remain barefoot on the primary day so I walked 15 km barefoot up the mountain with 12 kg on my again.

We noticed free bears, deer and extra deer.

We walked the volcanic paths, by the spruce forests and barefoot by the grass to the barn.

I slept within the pen within the tent, subsequent to the sheep.

And I paid with my blood for it, the mosquito tribute.

I had by no means been to the Vrancea mountains earlier than and I used to be very curious to see what it was like. My picture of the Vrancea space and the Sequoia is of a extra wild and genuine nature. And so it proved to be. The tour was to stretch from June 14 to 17 – Pentecost, coming on the suggestion of a pal who surprisingly appeared in my movie.

Let me let you know now, earlier than I am going into the tour description. A 12 months in the past I used to be contacted by an individual, on the advice of a colleague. She had heard that I had been to Nepal, within the mountains, and she or he wished to do the identical in 2019. She contacted me on-line, I advised tales, we exchanged hyperlinks and data and it stayed that approach. Then, amongst different issues, I began the ATGR information faculty, after 8 months I obtained to the exams. I took the examination and the initiatives in entrance of some examiners. One among them was more durable on me than he ought to have been, asking me very detailed questions in regards to the challenge. I noticed that they have been biting one another. Properly lengthy story quick, the lady from the examination board was the one who, beneath a pseudonym, a 12 months in the past, had requested me in regards to the Himalayas. She knew who she was in entrance of, I didn’t. I discovered this out only some days after the examination, from my workplace colleague, who, together with her mouth as much as her ears, revealed the coincidence to me. So, then our shared ardour for mountain excursions, then introduced us collectively on this tour in Vrancea.

Coming again..

I didn’t have one of the best begin on this mountain tour.

Went to mattress late on Friday, slept very badly. Saturday morning awoke at 4:30 then 5:41.. at 5:40 was the assembly. One of many ladies was already downstairs, ready for me with the automobile – being very type to supply to select me up from house – to depart Bucharest for Coza.
Being in an enormous hurry, I packed my baggage on the machine – sure, I can’t pack my baggage lengthy earlier than departure – and with out processing an excessive amount of I packed my baggage for the winter tour.. for June within the Carpathians.. Properly.. after a really lengthy break with the information faculty and others, it was solely in June that I obtained to do the primary longer summer time shift.

I managed to take my winter bag, snow guards, gloves and extra with me. Good factor I didn’t take my technical boots and cleats although. Cabbage… I nonetheless left them within the automobile, a whole lot of them, after I awoke.
Nonetheless in a rush, I put solely a bag of oats and a pair of cans of soy milk in my baggage.

We arrived within the city of Coza, at the place to begin of the route. There we waited – and took a shower within the close by river, the Putna river. I waited for one of many 2 automobiles we got here with – a bunch of 6 – to go to the Finish level of the route – the city of Herăstrău.
As I advised you, neither I personally nor we as a bunch had one of the best begin – on the finish of the primary day of climbing we have been to search out out that we couldn’t get into the automobile from the Finish – the important thing being left within the automobile from the Begin.

However then the novel experiences of the tour and the wildness of nature compensated for these small setbacks.

I took it in the direction of the mountains alongside the valley of the river Putna. On the first river crossing I took off my sneakers. I favored. Then I mentioned to remain like this for some time, though I had about 12 kg on my again – tent, meals, winter bag and different unexpectedly placed on. Then I mentioned let’s see how far I can go. Then I couldn’t actually stroll barefoot anymore, I used to be struggling however I mentioned let’s see if I can finish the climbing day like this. That’s how I ended up strolling barefoot all day, about 15 km per hour.

Concerning the route.

Barefoot or bearfoot

It’s a brilliant mega fascinating expertise the place you someway handle to attach extraordinarily with the street, with the bottom you’re strolling on and with the current second – and I’m not saying this from a philosophical perspective however really, that’s how sensible it’s.
You get to comprehend, with out wanting, the various kinds of rock.
Additionally, I spotted yet one more factor from the barefoot journey. If you wish to be taught to essentially make the most of the climbing effectivity of poles go barefoot…you actually be taught to help your self with poles when your toes begin to harm 🙂

It was an fascinating lesson, how one can ignore the ache, how after a complete day of strolling unprepared in naked soles on the mountain you continue to don’t harm your self.. How can that be.
I used to be desirous about how Neolithic Cro Magnon man had a bigger mind capability and was extra strong than the typical trendy man. There’s far more info to course of individually. How we have now in all probability gone silly because the specialization of labor, although we have now grown technologically collectively.

And by way of meals, issues have been fascinating as a result of for 3 days I ate primarily from the bag of oats with soy milk. A big bag of cereal is sufficient to survive for a number of days particularly in case you have one thing to place in it – like soy milk, water or melted snow in case of a winter shift.

On the primary day the route was fascinating. The street took us by forests but additionally on paths on volcanic rock. There, the mountains of Vrancea are a bit completely different from the remaining. Their volcanic character may be very.. visible. It jogged my memory of the panorama of the Canary Islands, with positive volcanic gravel, apparently carved holes and in golden – yellow – reddish colours, how lava flowed or how they have been eroded by water and wind.

However that reddish volcanic gravel isn’t as exhausting on the soles as granite is.

Searching for the storm – pure present stage.

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As you climb the pine and spruce take the place of the hardwoods. The trail within the forest narrows and in some unspecified time in the future you emerge right into a sea of grass. The barn the place we took our lunch break is known as Cârnituri – I additionally realized from an article on Carpati.org – an deserted barn with a unprecedented, strategic place I may say if we’re referring to the previous. From right here you possibly can see the entire extent of Vrancea (..) Down is the Coza valley, and on the finish of it are the folks’s households. Additional, within the melancholy of Vrancea, you possibly can see the villages positioned on the banks of the Putna or its tributaries, villages that bear the names of the 7 sons of Vrâncioaia.

 

After an evening huddled collectively in a form of barn – the canton close to Stâna Hăuleșteni, us amongst ourselves but additionally with the mosquitoes… the following day we began additional alongside the route.

The shelter has 3 beds, desk and range, bedding. From the extent of the street, you possibly can already see the Hăuleșteni herd positioned on one other foot of the mountain, a bit additional on.

We wished to shorten the best way. The primary time I actually wanted the map and steering on my newest Garmin smartwatch – I used to be out of battery. Not the watch’s fault – the poor man hadn’t been charged for about 2 weeks. I made a bit mistake on the street and spent about 2 hours, loopy however stunning. And this time with sneakers.

I may nonetheless really feel the digital stones in my soles, even by my boots.

Bearfoot

The day earlier than, on the facet of the street filled with big leaves – image – we met a teenage bear. Initially he had proven no indicators of panic. He quietly continued his meal – some grass or berries – taking a look at us extra curiously than fearfully. Then I believe he abruptly processed that we could possibly be a menace – and effectively he did as a result of that’s what people are to wild animals – terror. He broke it working downhill, in the direction of the river with the underside as if coming over the again of his head in a rush. By the best way, I observed this factor earlier than, that though wild animals have a superb sense of listening to and scent, close to the river, due to the noise, you possibly can shock them.

Pure Jacuzzi

The attraction of the day, on the third day, was the tub within the pure jacuzzi within the stone dug by the water. The truth is, the evening earlier than I had taken a shower, utterly bare, within the toilet with cleaning soap and all the things else, earlier than going to the desk after which to the tent to sleep.

I had no concept about this pure jacuzzi, as if it was made for such a factor. I found it purely by chance. It was a bit to at least one facet of the tumultuous river. The water had an entrance into the cauldron after which an exit, and had carved a hemispherical quantity into the stone. The underside was, as I advised you, of fresh stone, about as deep because the water would come as much as the waist. It had a high and a few completely spherical pure holes, simply good for placing a glass in there, in case you had that form of factor.

Not even the waterfalls have been inferior by way of spectacle.

Different movies from the journey:

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That s all of us!