The flight took off with 35 minutes delay. Next to me sat a nice friendly grandmother from Wales with her daughter. They are involved with a charity regarding Romanian orphans. They seemed to come right our of one of those British TV sitcoms: Julia, the grandmother, with her blond stiffly permed hair and her humorous straightforward way of talking; and her daughter, seemingly slightly bored and annoyed.
They invited me to visit Cardiff sometime and gave me their phone number.
Arrival at Bucharest Airport. Looks quite modern. A bit empty at this late hour. My luggage arrived ok. As I walk through the door into the arrivals hall, a whole croud of people waits there, waving signs with different names for pick-up. I look if there is someone for me - maybe the workshop organisers have sent someone - I had told them my flight data. Several taxi drivers walk around, trying to get people into their taxis outside. One immediately approaches me, offers his "legitimate registered" service. They all do have official looking badges around their neck. I decide still to look a little around, change some cash at a cash machine. After a while, this obnoxious taxi driver is still there, following me around, asking if I really did not want a taxi now. Well, he is so obnoxious that I cannot resist, and so I follow him. After all I do need a ride into town. He looks a bit like Boris Karloff.
It is half past midnight.
I must have gotten the slowest taxi driver in town. As he drives on the road to the center, avoiding the potholes as the road seems to be partially under construction, other taxis overtake us.
But he tells me about the sights which we pass, buildings, parks, so this is an interesting ride.
After arriving at the hotel, I already see my friend Ah-Lian from the university at the check-in desk, who had come one day earlier. So we chat a bit, and I introduce myself to the conference organisors who are also around.
My very first stay in Romania had begun.
