I knew as soon as I boarded the train for Brasov, Romania from Budapest, I was going to get out of my funk (and out of Schengen Europe for a few days).
I exited the station and was greeted with more rain, but I didn’t mind. I had a good feeling. Even when the cab drivers tried to swindle me (“I will take you to the hostel for 15 euros, it’s a good deal”; “I will take you for 10, it’s a better deal”; “The meter is more expensive, you don’t want me to use the meter”), I didn’t let it get to me.
SIDE NOTE: If in Romania, METER is the only way to go unless you work out a killer deal and hire a driver to take you outside of town. If you don’t have the meter on for small distances, you WILL be taken advantage of and spend more money than you ever imagined possible. Legit cabs will have their rates on the side of the car.
One kind driver heard me talking to the other cabbies and offered me a ride, meter on. So, much to the other driver’s dismay, I skipped the line and dropped my bags into his waiting trunk.
Exhausted, I arrived to Kismet Dao and dropped my bags in the common room, curling up in a little ball as I waited for a bed to open.
A few minutes later, I was wrapped in blankets in bed and asleep. When I awoke, I went downstairs, laptop in tow because Iย had to update Facebook so Mom and Dad would know I was OK (naturally).
And, there was Mark, an Aussie, on his laptop. He had been at the hostel for eight days and was ready to head to Istanbul. We talked for a bit about his time in Brasov (the places to check out), and then I met two other Aussies, Ryan and Amy, and they offered to walk around town with me. Then, Mark decided to stay one more night … the hostel was hopping with people.
The four of us headed out to explore Brasov. We walked up to the start of the hill containing the Brasov sign (like the Hollywood sign in California) with plans to take the gondola up to see the countryside, but it wasn’t open.
Instead, we walked down to the narrowest street in Eastern Europe and then, when it began to rain more, we decided to hit Crew Bar and get a drink, then some Mexican food (yes, I know … D, you’re in Romania).
That night, there was a birthday party in the basement followed by a group outing (Mark and Ryan donned togas for the occasion) back to Crew Bar. It was about 10 of us — the toga-clad Aussies, three Canadian gals, an American girl, a Brit and then Benjamin and Tommy (Aussies) — who ended up being there during my entire stay.
The next morning I didn’t feel the best, but I sure as hell was happy.
I was over the Lonely and deep back into my Travel Bliss.
That was Friday morning. The next four days in Brasov were much of the same … and even better.
Around the world cabbies try to convince you that no meter is a good thing and I have never had one that was cheaper without a meter.
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Around the world cabbies try to convince you that no meter is a good thing and I have never had one that was cheaper without a meter.
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Sometime you can work out a deal, but only if they really want to. You can get them to take longer trips outside of the area for good price.
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Sometime you can work out a deal, but only if they really want to. You can get them to take longer trips outside of the area for good price.
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Cabs in Honduras don’t have meters in them. They also don’t have working horns. Lol they hook up car alarms to the horn buttons. But I will look for meters in Europe. ๐
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Ha!! Hilarious!
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Cabs in Honduras don’t have meters in them. They also don’t have working horns. Lol they hook up car alarms to the horn buttons. But I will look for meters in Europe. ๐
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Ha!! Hilarious!
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You and Aussies. I see a pattern here. ๐
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Ha. I know. They’re just so cute with their little accents and shorter words. ๐
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You and Aussies. I see a pattern here. ๐
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Ha. I know. They’re just so cute with their little accents and shorter words. ๐
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I absolutely love your ability to make friends wherever you go. ๐
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I absolutely love your ability to make friends wherever you go. ๐
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Thanks, Candice. I love making friends everywhere I go. ๐ Speaking of which, when are you coming over???
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“the toga-clad Aussies, three Canadian gals, an American girl, a Brit and then Benjamin and Tommy (Aussies)”
Sounds like my kind of party! I love the Aussies myself. Bring a few back with ya?
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“the toga-clad Aussies, three Canadian gals, an American girl, a Brit and then Benjamin and Tommy (Aussies)”
Sounds like my kind of party! I love the Aussies myself. Bring a few back with ya?
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Ha!! Will try!! I’ve invited one to my house for Thanksgiving. ๐
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And I intend to take you up on that!
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I expect nothing less. Hope you like dogs. ๐ And realllllllllly delicious food. Mmmmm … just thinking about Thanskgiving makes me all happy.
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I can think of few things more entertaining than watching cabbies fight with eachother over a potential fare.
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Ha, me too. ๐
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Ha, me too. ๐
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