INTO TRANSNISTRIA - A COUNTRY THAT ISN'T A COUNTRY. DAY 261 3-9-23

ODESSA TO TIRASPOL, CAPITAL OF TRANSNISTRIA.  180km.

Thought I would get up there quick and easy, but that was not the case. Luckily I left at 7am and an hour later was at the Moldova border, took two hours there, a one stop border shop. 

Then went to a  small border for Transnistria where they wouldn'tlet me in because I didn't have insurance, so went back to the next town and found a place that issues it. Exchanged some money and bought a sim card ($3) for 20GB and 250 and then headed to another border where they didn't even ask for the insurance ! 

Transnistria is a sliver of land between Ukraine and Moldova, but is a defacto stay of Moldova with it'sown currency, flag, police, military,license plate and they only take their cash, no credit cards, won't accepted Moldova currency and have 1500 Russiantroops based there. Luckily I had some dollar that I exchanged otherwise i would have been shit out of luck.

Went to Tiraspol the capital and stayed at the new Park Hotel which is downtown, if you can call it that. The entire country is old and tired ,nothing like Moldova. Russian flags flying everywhere and the people aren't the most friendliest, and no tourists around, I can see why. I walked around town which doesn't really have anything attractive , statues and war memorials, it'slukę going back in time, the people are poor and the buildings and streets are unkempt, a depressing place.

    Entering Moldova.

    Entering Transnistria. 

At the hotelI checked the news and saw that Odessa was attacked last night, I heard the sirens, as you do most nights, and then saw the article below.