Ternopil – not Chernobyl

15.06

At the first hotel, they tell me that there is no room free. The hotel looked pretty fine. I assume that my appearance – dirty motorcycle clothing, sweaty – was not adequate.

I stop at the next hotel I can find. Cheap but ok for my needs.

My motorcycle already made problems since a few miles. The tachometer started going up uncontrollably. When I went to park the motorcycle at the hotel – it was dead. Damn, on the second day. I take a shower and afterwards had a look at the battery. Luckily there was only a loose screw. After thousands of miles with the same bike, I know the little problems.

When I said “Spasibo” (thank you in Russian) to thank him for helping me, the face of the hotel owner froze for a second. He explains that “Dyakuyu” is the right word in ukrainean.

Russians and Ukrainians are not getting along very well together at the moment.

I then did some sightseeing. Ternopil looks pretty nice. It has a waterfront to a lake, with a promenade.

There was a festival going on, where I get grilled meat and beer. School children spray themselfes with colored powder. Maybe school is over or something like that.

16.06

Roads are better today. I barely get off the bike, just to refuel, eat or pee.

Before Kiev I stop and can not find the campsite. A few meters away there is a  racetrack, where a motorcycle race is taking place. It does not take long and someone stops to ask me if I need help.

The guy belongs to http://motohelp.ua a non-profit organization that offers assistance to motorcyclists when in need – accident or similar. He also explains to me where to find the camping place.

Well, naming it a camping place would be an overkill. It is the parking lot in front of a hotel. You can use the toilet. There is no shower.

A German in a caravan, lends me a hose with shower, so I can use the garden connection to take a wash.

I then walk over to the racetrack for a while, watching the motorcyclists.