Moldova in a round-about sort of way

[Mr H]

The three 'beds' were occupied, two by the selfish. The one closest to me wasn't occupied, but they left there stuff there to reserve it.

I would have been tempted to move the stuff after five minutes.

 

[RooFlyer]

In the early afternoon, the arrivals and departures board went blank - not an outage, but for about 5 hours, there are zero As or Ds from this terminal (T3), which is really surprising. The lounge got very quiet!!



Went for a walk and on the way across to T1 and looked back on the FLounge, reminiscent of the look of the lounge at SYD International (but not as good views).



The new mid-field terminal. I was a bit peeved at missing it by about 2 months. Certainly the current terminal looks very old and small.



Much later, the bars (there are 2) were still in abeyance, but it was time for dinner. Boarding was about 11pm, so I had no desire to wait to eat on board. Same menu, so green pea soup



duck breast



and, dammit, raspberry crostata. All excellent.



A better shot of the dining area. There were never more than 6 tables occupied at any one time.

 

[Seat0B]

10 min stroll back to my hotel, I pop into a supermarket for a few things, and took a few pics

Visiting a local supermarket is always a highlight of my trips. I just love seeing how the space is allocated. For example, in Japan, almost a whole aisle to soy sauces of different types, and a half a row in the fridge for miso pastes. In Italy, the size of the deli counter! In Hungary, it was liqueurs and jams. in the USA it’s often “artificial foods” like twinkies and pop tarts and spray cheese and spray cream….

 

[Seat0B]

I hope no one from QF is reading your report and getting menu inspiration from the Moldovan stewed pork you enjoyed.

Pretty sure I’ve been served things that look just like that in QF Dom J in the past couple of months!

 

[Daver6]

Pretty sure I’ve been served things that look just like that in QF Dom J in the past couple of months!

Not sure if the laughing or crying emoji is more appropriate.

 

[RooFlyer]

Time for the next flight. The Flighty app helpfully superimposed an airplane icon at my gate, and labelled the gates



An 11 year old aircraft, all on time so far.




I don't really like the EY J set-up; although the footwell is a good size, when deployed as a bed there are things sticking out that needn't be, and the shelves are cluttered with several little 'thing holders'. But it'll do



I have a confession. I boarded early, put my stuff on my seat (wondering why I had chosen the last row of the forward cabin, right on the galley) and went to the bathroom to change into pyjamas I brought with me (QR top - oops). When I returned, a guy (Aussie) was there and asked me if this was my seat - showing me his BP. OMG I had plonked down in the wrong seat! I was THAT moron. Apologised profusely - fortunately he had only that moment arrived and was totally fine. I moved forward one row to the seat I had selected.

Crew were excellent. I, and most of the cabin went straight to bed after seat belt sign off. There are 2 wi-fi packages. free, for 'chat' between seats and paid for complete voyage - US$20 from memory (corrected - thanks Mr H). I selected the chat, as it would then keep Flighty app updated.

As were were approaching MEL, arriving at 6pm, I had an early dinner, all very nice; steak tender and moist.





Hitting the WA coast, always a nice sight.



And nice also to observe that which keeps WA (and a good chunk of Australia) afloat









We arrived a bit late, no biggie; immigration was easy, in spite of a plane arriving just before us and customs similarly, although bags predictably took a while. Off to the Parkroyal over the road before my Qantas flight down to HBA in the morning.

 

[Mr H]

There are 2 wi0fi packages. free, for 'chat' between seats and paid for complete voyage - US420 from memory.

I do hope that’s a typo.

Off to the Parkroyal over the road before my Qantas flight down to HBA in the morning.

It must be tantalising to be so close to shops, restaurants and nice things, yet so far. I lived in Stornoway for a year so I understand the privations. At least with the Internet now you can get things shipped across to Tassie.

 

[RooFlyer]

I see the Parkroyal is undergoing renovation - it needs it! Definitely looking tatty in the check-in area, and my room. Asked for usual away from elevators and not facing the runway, and this confirmed. But of course when I got to my room - right down the end of the corridor, it was runway facing , so all the way back down to reception. This happens about 50% of the time these days - staff have no idea about where rooms actually are. The lady I got this time knew even less - had to go back office to ask her manager about what rooms are "city view". I got one, eventually. $320 incl breakfast, as my flight was late morning the next day - Grand Final day.

Late morning a MEL Qantas domestic. Not many people about. Self bag-check is a novelty (we still have people at Hobart!!) then off to the lounge. Boarding called, but I can see the plane just taxiing in to the gate, so hang back.

Another old Qantas bird



So that was that. In summary:

Qantas domestic flights - serviceable, aircraft all 20 years or older
Qatar flights - usual excellence in hard and soft product.
Turkish flights - short international flights catering was amazing. IST airport is a marathon; Turkish eVisa very simple to get, with multiple entries.
Etihad flights - no complaints.

Moldova. Go! I couldn't say its a "must see" , but once you are in Europe its easy to get to and a great experience.



Chisinau (by the way, pronounced more-or-less like Kish-now ) is lively, safe (as in personal safety, walking around) and the restaurant and wine bar scene seems to be developing well. People very friendly. The wines of Moldova are mainly drink-soon varieties, and the wine varieties themselves are of course not usual in Australia and definitely worth trying. You could stay and eat in Chisinau much cheaper than I did.

Winery tours (or at least the 2 I went on) are not necessarily for an excellent wine experience, but the experience of the winery. I'm in contact with my guide and have asked if there are any wineries you can just turn up and have a tasting, with informed people from the winery.

Transnistria - I didn't feel the slightest bit unsafe or concerned while I was there, on a day trip, with a car and a guide. I think any deterioration in safety would be obvious at least a few days beforehand, and if so you could then choose not to go. Be careful what you photograph; government buildings seemed OK. Russian soldiers are mostly discretely posted around the place.

Gagauzia - yes, worth a day trip, but not as interesting as Transnistria.

Tipping. its a poor country, so I was happy to tip for good service, which was most of the time.

Moldova Tours. I can't really recommend them. I got firm, invoiced pricing and then they didn't honour them, even on the first when it was just me; I had to ask for original pricing for that (agreed). With the other 2 tours, when 2-3 others joined, it took a bit of back-and-forth to get my price down. The guides are all freelancers and of variable quality as guides, which is usual. The first guy smoked while outside and if leading, left me to follow in his smoke trail.

I'm in touch with my third guide, who also runs a small car rental business as well as his own guiding business. He'll take you for a day trip to Odessa for about US$250 If anyone wants a guide for Moldova, I can give his details in a PM.

Drive yourself. Yes, I think you could; you'd have to check the rules for Transnistria I guess. If there was an accident there, it would be awkward. Chisinau traffic is bad in peak hours; there are trolly busses around the city.

------------------------

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks for the trip report on some places that I will all reality never go to. Everything seemed surprisingly clean and tidy which of course probably just reflects my own mental biases.

 

[Mr H]

I see the Parkroyal is undergoing renovation - it needs it! Definitely looking tatty in the check-in area, and my room. Asked for usual away from elevators and not facing the runway, and this confirmed. But of course when I got to my room - right down the end of the corridor, it was runway facing , so all the way back down to reception. This happens about 50% of the time these days - staff have no idea about where rooms actually are. The lady I got this time knew even less - had to go back office to ask her manager about what rooms are "city view". I got one, eventually. $320 incl breakfast, as my flight was late morning the next day - Grand Final day.

Late morning a MEL Qantas domestic. Not many people about. Self bag-check is a novelty (we still have people at Hobart!!) then off to the lounge. Boarding called, but I can see the plane just taxiing in to the gate, so hang back.

Another old Qantas bird

View attachment 347131

So that was that. In summary:

Qantas domestic flights - serviceable, aircraft all 20 years or older
Qatar flights - usual excellence in hard and soft product.
Turkish flights - short international flights catering was amazing. IST airport is a marathon; Turkish eVisa very simple to get, with multiple entries.
Etihad flights - no complaints.

Moldova. Go! I couldn't say its a "must see" , but once you are in Europe its easy to get to and a great experience.

View attachment 347132

Chisinau (by the way, pronounced more-or-less like Kish-now ) is lively, safe (as in personal safety, walking around) and the restaurant and wine bar scene seems to be developing well. People very friendly. The wines of Moldova are mainly drink-soon varieties, and the wine varieties themselves are of course not usual in Australia and definitely worth trying. You could stay and eat in Chisinau much cheaper than I did.

Winery tours (or at least the 2 I went on) are not necessarily for an excellent wine experience, but the experience of the winery. I'm in contact with my guide and have asked if there are any wineries you can just turn up and have a tasting, with informed people from the winery.

Transnistria - I didn't feel the slightest bit unsafe or concerned while I was there, on a day trip, with a car and a guide. I think any deterioration in safety would be obvious at least a few days beforehand, and if so you could then choose not to go. Be careful what you photograph; government buildings seemed OK. Russian soldiers are mostly discretely posted around the place.

Gagauzia - yes, worth a day trip, but not as interesting as Transnistria.

Tipping. its a poor country, so I was happy to tip for good service, which was most of the time.

Moldova Tours. I can't really recommend them. I got firm, invoiced pricing and then they didn't honour them, even on the first when it was just me; I had to ask for original pricing for that (agreed). With the other 2 tours, when 2-3 others joined, it took a bit of back-and-forth to get my price down. The guides are all freelancers and of variable quality as guides, which is usual. The first guy smoked while outside and if leading, left me to follow in his smoke trail.

I'm in touch with my third guide, who also runs a small car rental business as well as his own guiding business. He'll take you for a day trip to Odessa for about US$250 If anyone wants a guide for Moldova, I can give his details in a PM.

Drive yourself. Yes, I think you could; you'd have to check the rules for Transnistria I guess. If there was an accident there, it would be awkward. Chisinau traffic is bad in peak hours; there are trolly busses around the city.

------------------------

Thank you for taking us along with you. I found it especially interesting as I had been to Kishinev and Pridnestrovie in May.

I agree that Kishinev is quite missable. Nothing actively wrong with it but there's no compelling reason to go there. Half the fun for me was the journey to get there by train from Kent (Maidstone - London - Paris - Munich - Budapest - Bucharest - Kishinev).

On the other hand, I spent a few days in Pridnestrovie and saw four cities and a bit of the village life and thought it was fantastic - even though our "fixer" was a bit melodramatic and tried to make everything seem risky rather than simply interesting. There are apparently good wines on Moldavia, and they can even be found in the supermarkets at prices of $50 and more, but I had heard from others that the winery tours were really about selling tourists x glasses of mediocre wine - with really sketchy transport to get there and back. I did enjoy the food - basic, filling comfort food with scarcely a vegetable in sight.

 

[kileskus]

The wines of Moldova are mainly drink-soon varieties

Moldova has the highest alcohol consumption per capita in Europe and even that figure is likely underreported due to the omnipresence of homemade wine. The joke goes that they guzzle wine by the gallons because it doesn't keep for long and it's better than wasting.
Great TR

 

[VPS]

That all seemed to go so quickly. Thanks for the TR

 

[RooFlyer]

I agree that Kishinev is quite missable.

That's not the sentiment I meant to give - its not somewhere I would say you gotta see, but, along with the rest of Moldova, its definitely a good place to visit and easy to get to, from other European ports. Should be included in any trip to Romania

There are apparently good wines on Moldavia, and they can even be found in the supermarkets at prices of $50 and more, but I had heard from others that the winery tours were really about selling tourists x glasses of mediocre wine - with really sketchy transport to get there and back. I did enjoy the food - basic, filling comfort food with scarcely a vegetable in sight.

By good wine, do you mean cellarable? I would say that there IS good wine in Moldova, and cheap too - like A$15-20 a bottle and up - but its 'drink now' stuff, as we would enjoy around a BBQ or on the deck watching the sun go down. Not what you'd produce in honour of a freshly caught crayfish or nice bit of wagyu.

Veg? Lots of mamalega! and spuds.

due to the omnipresence of homemade wine. The joke goes that they guzzle wine by the gallons because it doesn't keep for long and it's better than wasting.

Yes - we were told everywhere that everyone produces their own wine

 

[RooFlyer]

Two I brought home with me. Interesting grape varieties

 

[Mr H]

By good wine, do you mean cellarable? I would say that there IS good wine in Moldova, and cheap too - like A$15-20 a bottle and up - but its 'drink now' stuff, as we would enjoy around a BBQ or on the deck watching the sun go down.

I no longer drink alcohol so I was not particularly interested but I assumed that some of the really expensive reds were cellarable.

This is what interested me (and yes, I did eat them all in one meal…

 

[Seat0B]

Thanks for your TR. Armchair travel is all I can do for the next little while, so I really appreciate being able to tag along with you in this way.

 

[drron]

Very interesting TR. Thanks though I am unsure I will ever get there. If we do go I will certainly get in touch for the name of your guide. These days Europe is likely going to be private tours with driver and/or guide.

 

[Flashback]

It's also very doable in local minibuses too! Cheap, easy, very regular.

 

[Mr H]

It's also very doable in local minibuses too! Cheap, easy, very regular.

Is there an issue in being the passenger with an overseas passport when the other passengers just sail through the border?

 

[Flashback]

Is there an issue in being the passenger with an overseas passport when the other passengers just sail through the border?

Not at all, we were in line before them. Didn't take that much longer to process us than some of the other pax travelling with us.