Long Overdue

Clarification – some of you mentioned confusion regarding the paper that has been accepted. I’ve submitted two papers. One written as part of a group, the second on my own.

The one on my own has been returned and requires a lot of revision. I’ll revise it as soon as I get my computer back from the shop. The day after Swell and I arrived in Atlanta we headed to the store from whence I purchased my computer. Since it was under warranty they took it and sent if off for repairs. I hope to get it back in a few weeks.

The one written as part of a group was accepted by a different Journal than my paper and was accepted, surprisingly and uncommonly, without revision. I am listed as the second of five authors. This is important as you need to be one of the first three authors (generally) to receive credit for a paper. The paper should be published in the next few months.

Our trip home

To say we were excited on the day of our departure from Romania is an understatement. Every day in Romania our excitement grew. Our home, our things, our bed, our life called louder and louder every day. By the time July 4th rolled around we were bouncing off the walls in anticipation for our departure.

With our anticipated departure we began also to once again enjoy Romania. We spent more time with Swell’s cousin and his two oldest kids, as well as her Grandpa. Swell’s cousin took us around some of downtown Bucharest. We went to a very large and quite beautiful park. We enjoyed that time. We were even beginning to think that we might miss Romania.

Our departure day would soon make me wish that we never visited in the first place.

I’ll freely admit that some of the problems on this departure day were our fault. And when I say our I mean Swell’s.

On the evening of July 3rd we finished packing. Upon lifting the suitcases I broke the sad, sad news to Swell that we needed to start sacrificing things. All our toiletries no matter how full or empty were left behind. Books were left behind. Some clothing and a few small but heavy electric devices. I ‘spose we can get them back next year.

Swell also tried to arrange a taxi to take us to the airport for the next afternoon.

Here is the only part of the disaster that is our fault. During our many travels in Romania we met a taxi driver who drove a station wagon. He gave us his card.

We lost his card.

So we phoned a number that I had read off of a station wagon taxi earlier that day.

The dispatcher (by the way Taxi dispatchers in Romania have a very easy job. They only need to say 1) Hold and 2) No) gave us hope that we would easily have a ride by indicating that we should phone first thing in the morning to arrange for a pick up.

We were specifically requesting that the company send a large car, preferably a station wagon because we had A LOT of stuff.

Our packing finished we went to sleep for the last time in Romania this year. We woke up quite early to phone the taxi folks. Our plan was to leave at 11ish to give us plenty of time at the airport – just in case we needed to repack.

Swell phoned the same taxi company she had phoned the night before. The dispatcher (a different one than the night before) said: “We don’t have station wagons” and “We only accept phone calls 15 minutes before you want pick up” and CLICK. That’s right. She hung up on Swell.

Let me be clear. The preceding three things were said/done during three different phone calls.

Swell phoned the first time and the woman said that there were no station wagons. Swell was a little confused so later she phoned again (you’ll see why in a few minutes) and the woman upon hearing her question hung up on her. The third phone call was basically saying that they don’t have station wagons and they don’t “pre-book”.

Now I want you to recall where we got the phone number for this company. Think back. I told you earlier.

I read the phone number when we were on the maxi-taxi the day before (we were taking the Sick one out one last time) off of a STATION WAGON!

After the first “we don’t have station wagons” response from the dispatcher we became slightly concerned. We began to phone other taxi companies.

No. No. No. No. and so on and so forth.

Nobody was willing to come and get us from Pantelimon (aka Hell). Nobody. In between phone calls to other companies Swell would try the first company again. They hung up once upon hearing her question – remembering her from before. And insisted they don’t have station wagon taxis.

With overwhelming disgust and anger we were resigned to take the maxi-taxi to the Cora where there are always taxi’s sitting around doing nothing.

We left our luggage at the house thinking we would grab a taxi and go home and then to the airport.
We headed on to the dirt, pothole filled streets. We walked past the unfinished houses and the rabid dogs. Eventually we got on the overfull maxi-taxi and headed toward Cora.

I’ll admit I was angry. I was disgusted. My anger and disgust grew 100 fold when while looking out the window of the maxi-taxi I saw an empty taxi driving down the street. It was a taxi from the first taxi company. The company that said they don’t have station wagons. The company that we phoned at least 4 times.

This empty taxi was a beautiful yellow proudly proclaiming TAXI LEONNE on it’s side. It had the same phone number we had been calling painted on it. It was (and I trust still is) a station wagon.

Romania would not let us leave without getting a few more jabs in.

We ended up at Cora and saw the usual 5 or 6 taxis sitting in the parking lot. The first guy we asked had a trunk full of junk so couldn’t take us. The rest were either too lazy or too “conny” to take us. Some insisted that we would need to take two taxis to fit all of our stuff and ourselves in. We didn’t fall for it.

We left the parking lot with even greater anger and disgust beginning to be concerned that we would be stuck in Romania forever.

Our plan was to hail a taxi down on the street and hope for the best. My concern was that these little Dacia Logan taxis would not be big enough for all of our stuff. WE HAD A LOT OF STUFF.

Long story short eventually a guy stopped and asked if we were looking for a taxi. We explained the situation got in the car and he took us to the home. We said our quick good byes while we was able to expertly squeeze our stuff into his tiny car.

Off we went.

Now I didn’t hear the conversation between Swell and the Taxi dude so I just watched the meter.

Upon arrival at the airport the meter read slightly over 50 Lei.

I was feeling generous in spirit because this guy got us to the airport on time and with all of our stuff. I figured I’d give him 100 Lei.

Swell said: “No give him 120 Lei.”

We did.

He said: “That’s not enough. Give me 150 Lei.”

I was dumbfounded. Speechless. Aghast. Disappointed. Angry. But so ready to leave.

We gave him 3 times what the meter said just to be done with Romania.

Only to walk into the dumbest airport in the world.

Only in Romania.