train to Romania

My train is crawling through dense forests, branches adorned with fresh fluffy snow. Slightly rolling hills offer a welcome change from the sometimes bleak, great Hungarian plains. I guess I'm in Transylvania, Romania.

Had a scare at the border. A police officer boarded the train, took my passport, said "give me patience" and left. A few minutes later the train crept forward a few inches. I ran up and down the corridors and it seemed abandoned! I whipped open a window, gazed out and saw the guy giving the ok signal to go. Where's my passport?!

It reminded me of crossing the Moroccan border from Spain when a guy started to collect everyone's passports in a big crowd. I saw locals sticking bills in theirs. Before I could determine what to do, he snatched mine and then disappeared for too long into a shabby building without saying anything. I did get it back that time and somehow crossed the border despite interrogations during which I was offered cocaine, accused of selling it, and back and forth like that for a while.

I found the ticket lady who said in Hungarian "relax!" as she rushed off the train. The police eventually returned after I squirmed for a while and said simply "we got you stamp."

Ack! Again! On the other side I guess. This one doesn't speak English OR Hungarian. I feel so helpless now! Great, he too disappeared off the train. Well, the view is bleak hear: just a run-down wooded station with broken windows, concrete steps turning to rubble. It's giving me time to type this all up on my iPod at least. Phew, what a relief; he just returned, winded and smiley, handing me my passport enthusiastically. But the train is still immobile. Welcome to Romania?

Ok, finally started moving, but back the way we came. That's confusing. Switched tracks, I suppose? This train is so creaky and clunky. Just tried two toilets, no water of course. Oops, here's the ticket guy. This used to be Hungarian territory, why doesn't he speak Hungarian? I felt so clever in Hungary, but now I feel dumb, and a little scared. Not knowing the language is disempowering! So I downloaded a "basic Romanian" app; I better start studying right now! La revedere!