Our maiden trip with our custom-built expedition vehicle should take us into difficult terrain, but still in an area where a breakdown of man or machine would not lead to a major disaster. It is summer 2022, most countries in Europe have started to lift their COVID restrictions, so we believe Romania is the best choice for us at this time and for our purpose.

We set off at the end of June, more than five weeks behind our original schedule due to a disappointingly slow Swiss truck registration process. After the Prologue across Austria (1.1), which includes several visits to relatives and friends as well as a two-day off-road training in Burgenland, we first cut short the crossing of Hungary, as the outside temperatures are far beyond what our bodies can bear. We soon Escape to the Carpathians (1.3), where we find our little paradise and are  Recovering in our Shangri-La (1.4) high up in the Apuseni Mountains. The adventure continues with some Romanian must-sees. From salt mine to Dracula castle (1.5), we enjoy following some tourist attractions for a few days. Soon after, Transalpina - the mountain is calling! (1.6) For the first time we test our off-road skills in rugged terrain at 2'000 m.a.s.l.. We love the mountains as much as the sea, so we spend some time in solitude and abandonment in the heart of the Romanian Carpathians.

Now it's time for our first FRAME charity project, a visit to a children's home (1.7). It is simply amazing to see how these children have developed, not least thanks to many years of donations, but especially thanks to Cornelia and her great team of caregivers.

From here, our adventure takes us first to the south, then to the east, litterarily, from the Red Wine to the Black Sea (1.8). This includes a two-day stay at LacertA, arguably one of the best wineries in the country, followed by  a little vacation on the loneliest beaches north of Constanca.

It is now the end of August and time to begin our return journey. With our 8.5-ton expedition vehicle, we dare to conquer Romania's capital, not least because we learned to drive a truck in this city, our former second home. After discovering real insider tips in and around Bucharest (1.9), we head north again for our final chapter, a Romania contrary to expectations (1.10)