7th of December, 2021.
It is a long walk from Maria’s house to where I finally can hitchhike. Luckily, soon enough Johnny stops his pick-up and tell me he can drive me to outside of Pitesti, in a good way to Bucharest. He is right, it is better than where I was but is a quite fast and big road, right before the highway. But at least I am sure somebody will stop soon. Even though the weather is shitty!
Christie picks me up and drops me outside Bucharest. Oh! I have to walk quite a lot. And I am dying! I don’t know why I feel so tired. When I arrive at the centre of Bucharest, I know I still have to walk for more 45 minutes. No way. I decide to use one of the metro cards Gabi gave to me. I have no clue if it will work.
I try to pass both of them but the cards are denied. So I ask the lady who is selling the tickets. Many times they are rude but this lady not only could speak English but also she is very kind. She makes a mark on my card and open the big gate for me from her cabin.
I am glad I can easily figure out which metro to take and in a few minutes I arrive in Gabi’s flat again. I have no idea if she is still there or already went back to her home. Or she could be away with Tommy. I wish I had managed to warn her that I was coming.
Nobody answers the bell. I check the time. It is not the usual time for her to take Tommy out but it could be. So I sit and wait. In a few minutes I see them coming back. For my total surprise and happiness, Tommy recognizes me and try to jump from Gabi’s arms (that part it was scary, not happy) but we manage to calm him down with some cuddles.
I quickly explain everything to Gabi and she tells me that there is a chance that her brother will come back to spend the night, and his / her cousin is also coming. I make a plan of going to a monastery, which is near to the road where I will hitchhike next morning to Bulgaria. And both places are near to the clinic where I will make my Covid-test. Yeah, that’s is why I am coming back to Bucharest: in the Bulgarian official website it says I need a Covid-test, even though I am vaccinated, just because I am coming from a red zone country.
After all, Gabi’s brother does not come back so I stay overnight. We have another good last night together, eat and drink. I say goodbye to Tommy again and again he behaves as he knows I am leaving, which is pretty cute.
Next morning, after one metro (another nice lady check my card again and after she opens herself the big gate for me again) and one bus, I arrive in the clinic / laboratory. The ladies at the reception are quite rude and impatient. And I think it is, in parts, because they cannot speak English. I cannot believe that in 2022, in Europe, there are still people AFRAID of speaking English. They are really afraid. Is like as if they even try to speak with someone in English, they will die. It is embarrassing.
After a long wait to be called, at least the ladies responsible to make the test are nice. Result comes almost immediately: negative. Uhul!
Walking out of the city it takes time. And I am starving! I want to use my last coins to by some pretzels, this delicious ones with sesame and sunflower seeds. I finally find them! And everybody working in this small bakery is shy and cute.
Hitchhiking spot is shitty! In front of a gas station, between the big and busy road and the road which gives access to the gas station. I am in this small grass area which divides the roads.
When John stops he tells me he will drive me only a few kilometres. I totally accept because I know that anywhere outside of Bucharest it will be better than here. But after a while he tells me it is not a long drive to the border so he will drive me there. I tell him he does not need to do it but he insists. He is a very nice guy and he tells me about his family, his daughter Sofia (who was born on his birthday) and his wife. He cannot drive me right to the border because cars are checked before the border. What? Yeah, it is ridiculous! So I start to walk.
And I keep walking, and keep walking… Oh, Dear Loki! What a mess! It is about 3 kilometres plus a huge bridge! Stupid police officer asks my passport and take some time inside the cabin checking something. It is super windy and I cannot fit into the pedestrian pass, actually I think only a child could fit there. So I keep walk in the road. When I can finally “fit” at the side of the bridge, I am almost carried by the wind.
By the end of the bridge it is written “Bulgaria”. All I can think it is: shit! I now believe that they didn’t check my passport when I left Romania. And I am super crossed!
When I finally arrive in the border, a nice and charming police officer asks my passport. I tell him I have just left Romania but nobody checked my passport. He answers: “I am a Romanian officer!” Uhul, sure you are, babe! Laugh. So I get both stamps and, of course, THEY DON’T ASK TO SEE NEITHER MY CERTIFICATE OR MY COVID-TEST. Clap you hands to the system, ladies and gentlemen.
Hi, Bulgaria!