București Nord 2006.9.11 01:30 train1011 04:30 Ruse 06:20 R4612 12:45 Sofiya
Sofiya 2006.9.11 16:15 BDŽ8603 18:39 Plovdiv
Plovdiv 2006.9.11 23:05 Balkan Express 1663 9.12 09:37 İstanbul Sirkeci
I had a talk with three Romanian people before getting on the train at half past one. I found this country was still under the influence of communism. They said it would need more time for people to be civilised. It was not too bad experience so that I’ll be able to be careful in the future. But it was also unlucky that I found the conductor in the train. I was able to get on the train as a free of charge but the first door I opened was conductor’s. I realised each coaches were all different country’s and I was on the Czech coach after talking with German. The train had only sleeping coaches so I had to pay for €14 but I didn’t have. The train’s atmosphere was like Mafia’s, I guess. I just paid 36 Lei which was all I got. I changed my clothes because I was still afraid of being followed by the pickpockets. I woke up after crossing the border line and took another train to Sofiya. It felt much better. I felt I might have been in ghost train. I changed my clothes again and felt asleep after sunrise.
I arrived at Sofiya, Bulgarian capital, they were using cyrillic letters which was difficult to read as well as Russian. I didn’t want to stay long time in the countries like this, so I just walked into centre quickly. I was able to manage the time so I took a train from Sofiya to Plovdiv because I couldn’t get good map even I bought one in a bookstore. It was not easy to read what it meant.
So I am back to station but the train to İstanbul has been delayed so now I’m waiting for 70 minutes more.
traBelLog™ 