I’m off to Transnistria..!

Back in August I bemoaned my distinct lack of success in securing any of the numerous travel bursaries I have a habit of applying for; indeed, in the last week alone I've received rejections from both the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and the Peter Kirk European Travel Scholarships fund. Needless to say these awards are extremely competitive and I guess I shouldn't really be downhearted.

Yet things might finally be starting to turn around. I've just found out that I'm one of the lucky winners of Wanderlust's brilliant 25 Trips for Under £250, a competition which invites proposals for a budget adventure starting and ending in the UK. Those deemed the most imaginative will have their trip paid for and - perhaps even better - there'll be the opportunity for the journey to feature in an issue of the magazine next year.

My idea is to visit Transnistria, a small de facto but internationally unrecognised state on Moldova's eastern border with Ukraine. Transnistria is chiefly famous for existing as if the Soviet Union never disappeared, with Hammer and Sickle emblems and public monuments to communist heroes aplenty. It should make for a fascinating visit.

I'm not going until January - I'll be flying to Bucharest the day after attending The Outdoors Show - but I'm already really looking forward to it. No doubt you'll hear all about it when I get back..!