Return journey

It was hard coming back to Tarnaveni after all the excitment of the wedding. For the first month and a half of my stay coming home for the wedding has been something to look forward to, now i wont be home again for four and half months and have a long romania winter ahead of me. the journey back was long and tiring. We left home before 6 but the M25 was packed and Steve only dropped me at the airport less than 40mins before take off, I really thought I was going to miss the flight. Maybe we shouldn't have stopped on the way to by tea bags and chocolate, but they were definatly appreciated when I arrived!!

The flight to was as normal full of bussiness men and was pretty uneventful. I was quite proud of my haggling at the airport and while my taxi to the station was still a rip off at least i didn't pay twice the going rate!! At the train station lots of people wanted to "help me" but i managed to find the right platform get on the train for Medias OK. This was when the trouble started. I found an occupied carrage (after a bad experience on the way to BuchurestI didn't want a carrage to myself) and was unloading my stuff when I felt a movement in my bag. I looked round and actually chanllenged the man I thought was responcible but didn't achieve anything. So I am now minus my camera.

I guess if you come to Romania getting stuff nicked is par for the course, but having had my phone stolen on my first day here, losing my camera before I had even arrived home left me feeling valnerable and upset. I was already tired and somehow feeling more home sickhaving just said goodbye than I had been in the last few weeks. So once I sat down in the carrage it wasn't long before I felt myself whelling up. To top it off i then got a phone call from my dutch neightbour who had also been out of the country, she was calling to say thank you for the volunteers feeding her cat. Neither of us knew what to do when i started crying down the phone.

Anyway my journey didn't end so badly. Firstly as the carrage emptied I struck up a conversation with a Lebenese guy (Roland) in my carrage who runs a flour mill in Buchurest, he was taking the night train to Vienna to attend a camera auction. I love good converstaion and having someone interesting to talk. I was also really pleased to see that it was snowing, Roland said i was a fool as I would be sick of the snow soon as it would now stay till March, but it cheered me up all the same. It was a long journey, but at least there was a cup of tea and friendly faces waiting for me when i got back to Tarnaveni.

Home

Coming home for the wedding has been so special. It was an amazing day, but I think having been away for 6 weeks had made me appreciate spending time with Mum and friends even more. I've got plenty of happy thoughts now to keep me warm through the -20 Romanian winter.

Bawdsey Manor

As you can see its jolly posh!!! It was a great setting, there was a room for dancing, one for eating and the green room for chilling out, there was also plenting of little corridores to get lost in which I did quite a few times but it all added to the fun!!! Lots of people stayed over so we got to make the most of the beautiful setting by going for a stroll on Sunday morning.

Balancing act

My Hair!!!

OK maybe this is a bit egocentric, but my hair was fantastic and I think you should all get to appreciate it!!!!!!

Beautiful Bridemaids

I like being a bridesmaid, which is good because it seems to be turning into my party piece, not so sure I like the whole "All ways the bridesmaid..." saying though!

Lisa and Barry's wedding

What an amazing and emotional day. The location (see above) was beautiful as were the bride aned groom, and if I do say so myself the bridesmaids weren't bad either!!!!!

Romania

Romania is a beautiful country. This is the the view from a mountain near Cluj which I climbed with Anca and her family.

The railway bridge

This is the way we walk into town, thought it looks kind cool in this light an eerie kind of way.

Broken things

Here is a list of broken things in our house...

The oven
One of the rings on the stove
Kitchen cuboard is currently on the floor
The heating
The back door handle
The wiring (things melt and smoke in plugs)

But three men came this week and between them they changed a plug so the washing machine works and they fitted a new light bulb. It only took them a few hour. I love this country!!

Whats in a name?

Fiona seems to be a name that most Romanians find difficult to pronounce. Alot of people want to start it with a V, and has there has resently been a volunteer called Voletta a few people have been getting confussed. I also have a few other new names including Pee!!

The best has to be the one Mama (not sure why but everyone calls her Mama) gave me which is Ofin. When ever she sees me i get a big grin and a hug and she greets me as Ofin with such enthuisum that I don't like to correct her. ANYWAY LIKE I SAID, WHATS IN A NAME ANYWAY!!!

Money, money, money

Ok firstly the title of this posting is proof that listening to ABBA Gold 4 times a day for a months leaves its mark on you. But hey what can i do the patients seem to love it and it is at least a change from Musica Populary. After a month in Romania I still don't seem to have quite got the hang of the money. Partly this is just me not having much of a head for numbers, but also its the resent switch from old to new lei.
In old lei the exchange rate was about 50,000 lei to 1 pound, now in new lei it is 5 lei to 1 pound. Sounds like this should be easier right. Well its not because both old and new lei are working at the same time. So you may see a price for something in new lei and pay in old lei or half and half. Plus prices are not what you expect, genrally everything is much cheaper than in the UK but somethings take you by supprise.

So its about 30p for a pint, which is the same price as two biscuits!!! The lovely huge fresh veg from the market is always dead cheep. This rabbish was bigger than my hand!!

Multi Ani

I've celebrated my birthday romanian style!! This involved drinking Romanian Silver, black beer and joining in with some Romanian barn dancing at a kids birthday party which was taking place at the same place where we were drinking. It was all good fun, but i really do think i am too old to be getting the bumps, shame my fellow volunteers didn't feel the same way!!!!!
Ani and Jen gave me some interesting presents too.