Budapest-Bucharest: On the Night Train

1. The Romanian Sleeper Car

While we dressed for bed, enjoyed a nightcap, washed up, and generally settled into our sleeper car for the night we were interrupted four times. Twice by the conductor asking for tickets and then returning with coupons for breakfast, and twice by customs agents while departing Hungary and again while entering Romania. After watching the latest episode of Dexter (Rob downloads them for the train rides) we retired to our bunks for the night.

2. View of Car Hallway

As usual, Rob was up before Beth and went in search of breakfast. He returned a few minutes later to report that the club car was very smokey and that breakfast consisted of one slice of processed cheese and one piece of ham between two slices of Wonder bread accompanied by the worst cup of coffee to be had in Europe. Instead of going to breakfast, Rob made Beth a sandwich of Camembert cheese, roasted red peppers, and slices of fresh cucumber between two delicious grainy slices of bread. To wash breakfast down, the sandwich was accompanied by a cup of chamomile tea (Beth always travels with a small kettle).

As the train’s arrival was still two hours from its destination Rob prowled the hallway talking with 'neighbours' and taking photos of the scenery out the window.

3. Romanian countryside  view from train

4.  Conductor spotting stragglers

While Beth was catching up on her daily journal one of the train conductors came by with breakfast on his tray for her, clearly concerned that she hadn't come out for breakfast. She thanked him profusely, tucked the sandwich away to possibly give to someone later, and drank the coffee that wasn't nearly as bad as Rob had relayed - although perhaps the smokey atmosphere had something to do with discolouring his opinion. When she finished she went in search of Rob to let him know how thoughtful the conductor was. It was a good time as any to seek him out as the train was at a stop making walking that much easier.

6. More Fall Countryside.

5. Rob cooling down

As she neared the end of their car the following happened in quick succession: she heard the train doors slide shut and saw a man on the inside of the train car frantically pushing the "open" button. At the same time, she heard someone bang on the outside of the door while letting out a yelp. Without seeing the person Beth knew immediately that it was Rob who likely stepped outside to take photos. Frantically she looked around to see what she could do and, with strength that can be described as superhuman, she pried open the double doors between the cars thinking perhaps Rob could enter through this alternative entrance. However, with one look she realized that no walkway existed between the cars, not realizing that the next car was indeed the engine, and there was no way Rob could enter that way unless he possessed the double "0" ranking status granted from MI6.

8. Beth reenacts  her feat

 7. Robs'  off train vantage point

Thankfully, the conductor arrived, likely in response to the calling of the gentleman who was trying to help, overrode the door lock, and Rob jumped back into the train just as it began to move. The four of us looked at each other somewhat shocked and had a good laugh...

Once we stopped laughing and, admittedly our hands stopped shaking, we decided to create guidelines in case separated while traveling.