We made it

September 10, 2012.

We never thought the day would arrive, but here we are, on business class, on our way to Bucharest, via Frankfurt. We have a 6-hour layover in Frankfurt, but we'll survive it in the Lufthansa Business lounge (see Oswaldo above). It is raining when we arrive and also when we leave:

- still, it's exciting to be on our way. Turns out we have to be bussed to the very edge of the airfield to find our plane, where the business class, now that we feel all entitled, seems a little improvised.

Nonetheless, the service continue to be the calm helpful one we've experienced since Rio. An hour and 50 minutes later we land in Bucharest, where I whizz through passport control on my EU passport while Oswaldo is given a hard time, because the young woman in the booth thinks he's arriving from Istanbul. Well, it's late - we're tired also. Outside waits dapper driver Dragosh - turns out he was a large animal vet before the revolution spoiled his career - who takes us to the unimpressive Siqua hotel in his black Mercedes. Once past the dim reception area, we're installed in a comfortable junior suite on the 6th floor with a view to surrounding low buildings. 

It's a 5 hour time difference and we don't manage to go to sleep - even with sleeping pills - until after 3am.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/siric/sets/72157631519584736/