Transylvania and Beyond

From childhood Dervla Murphy harboured a desire to visit Rumania. Two weeks after the fall of Ceausescu her dream was realized, and this is the story of her journey, by bicycle and on foot. Fate struck at the start. Crossing the border by train, she was robbed of her rucksack and all her possessions, and a week later she was lucky to survive a serious car accident. Undaunted, she continued to explore the country, staying in urban blocs, small towns and traditional villages, on the plains and in the mountains. Wherever she went she found people both exhilarated and bewildered, as they emerged from the gloom of an oppressive communist regime. On a second visit the following year, she discovered a significant change in the national mood. She also experienced overwhelming hospitality, making friends from all walks of life. The book was shortlisted for the Thomas Cook Travel Book award.