Romania: Relationship crisis on the train to Bucharest

On the train to Bucharest: A border official checks our passports – nothing new. But next to that we have to deal with a new team of conductors who tell us that now we have to pay even more money for the bicycle transport. At the counter in Bulgaria we have been assured that we would not need to! After an intense 20 minute enduring discussion with the new conductors we are not paying! We do not have Romanian Lei yet anyway. Oh boy, I hate taking our bikes on a train in these countries already. Going by bike and not being dependent on third parties such as a train has been so easy and we could simply enjoy every single day.

Shortly before arriving Babs and I are outraged ourselves due to the endless discussion with the conductors and start fighting too. Built up anger plus the stress of the past days causes the glass to overflow and we become emotional at the main station in Bucharest. After three months of traveling together, we suddenly go separate ways. Uff, what a moment! Maybe this was what my tummy feeling has tried to tell me back in Sofia regarding the train to Bucharest!?

Alone and aimlessly I am cycling around in the twilight and eventually find myself in the dark side of Bucharest: Drunk people, whores, junkies, stray dogs, homeless people, abandoned children and trash is what I see. I am starving and do not have any money. At the ATM I manage to enter the incorrect pin three times in a row – the card is blocked. Wtf! Really!?

Here I am standing, late Saturday evening without any money, without internet access, without a plan. I am only telling myself: “Welcome to travellers’ life, Matthias! What are you going to do now?” I keep on cycling through the night, aimless but with a lot of thoughts going through my head. Some hours pass by and I sit in front of a bar with Wi-Fi and contact Babs. We are texting each other for an eternity before we finally meet again in a hostel in the middle of the night. After a long discussion and the clarification of some misunderstandings we are thankfully good again. On a long, intense and exhausting travel trip like this such a crisis is hard to avoid. The good thing: They may offer the opportunity to grow even closer together.

Now you know what can happen on the train to Bucharest or elsewhere…
What about you? Did you also experience any kind of crisis during your previous travel?