From the grey and stuffy White Russia Nicole and Ingrid arrive (after a few obstacles) in their 13th country. 

Are you two happy that you crossed the border ?

Yes, we are  not afraid or easily intimidated, but every know and then we were scared in White Russia.  We don’t have to report us anymore.  We used to do that every night !   We are still in a bit of a shock over our last experience.  Before we crossed the border, we stopped at a pub in Stolin, to have a meal.  Our lunch consisted of greasy meat.  The drunkards in the pub, bottle of wodka in their hand, started a heavy discussion.  Then they became palpable with us.  It was obvious that they didn’t want to check on the quality of our shorts only… We had to leave this place in total chaos.

How about cycling in Ukraine ?

It is a different world.  In the pub in Stolin, people warned us constantly not to leave.  Ukraine is a paradise for thieves !  Unbelievable.  At the border, the guard never saw a chip in a passport before !  Once we crossed the border, the local people waved at us and started singing ‘welcome’-songs.

Does people their have heard of Belgium before  ?

They do !  They say ‘Bruksel’ when we say that we’re from Belgium.  They also know that we play football well.   What strokes us where the graves beside the road.  They don’t have cemeteries, but individual graves, with a cross, a name and a stone.    People who get killed in an accident are buried straight away.  There is quite some work to do on the roads itself.  But that will take ages !  We drive from one whole in the road to another one.  Because we are driving a tandem.  She took a pill for not getting sick.