A few stats: about 10 km, about 330 m elevation gain, about 3:30 hours with breaks (from Garmin data). We got the Fundu Moldovei stamp from Braserie FM.
We started the day planning to do the entire segment, to Pasul Mestecanis. We went for breakfast at a guesthouse, where we saw the four hikers from Bucuresti who’d been on the same train as us. The butter and jam were really good.
We met our hiking friends again, chatted a bit, and agreed that the previous day had been the hardest so far. After our chat, we each went at our own pace.
I also like it when people stop their cars to ask where we’re going, how it’s going, where we started, and then wish us a good hike. It’s just so wholesome, and this wasn’t the first time it happened, but I do remember the car that stopped here to talk with us a bit.
So after some nice landscapes, a nice break on a hill in the shade of a tree, and the decision to make it a short day, we got up and hiked to Fundu Moldovei. We met our trail friends again, and one of them thought they saw something far ahead on four paws, so out came the whistling. We didn’t see any bears or other wild animals, though there were lots of berries and a river.
We camped at a campsite, warm shower, dish soap, all the amenities. There was also a market nearby, so cold beer, ice cream, and plenty of rest. We camped at de Vuurplaats.
This was also the day we met a family with two girls doing the trail; they were from Constanta. We also heard about a big group of Italian hikers.
So, a relaxing day: nap, drinking lots of water, and just resting.