Tips on visiting romania

When you come to Romania it is better to know some useful tips:

1. On the border or in the city if someone asks you to change money, avoided without any explanation. Don’t change the money on the street – is illegal! and risky

2.Be careful to protect your luggage in especially in bus or railway station or airport. normal in any country

3. If someone asks you for entrance tickets or fees, or any taxes and fines, politely ask for his identity card or authorization.

4. When you want to take a car from the road or a taxi, you must think to pay the driver (about. 3 – 4 Euro for 100km, or to ask the driver about the price, before getting in the car.

5. Don’t visit the gipsy community or marginal streets from the big cities alone. You can normally tell these areas as the people are generally much darker skinned than most Romanians in essence just remain streetwise

6. If you come with your car is better to respect the rules and to use all most national or European roads. Communal roads are very poor!

7. Be careful where you park. It Is hard to find a parking place in the centre of the cities and you must to pay for that place.

I removed 8 , don’t leave luggage at a railway locker

9. The prices in hotels of three, four and five stars are almost similar to the West in cities but still much cheaper than the uk. If you have a low budget try to sleep in guesthouses or pensions

10. You can use your tent only in special places around tourist towns and resorts for an accessible price. Not every town has special places for camping or tents. But most locals will let you pitch for a price

11. For entrance in these areas you must to pay a ticket: Retazat National park, Ceahlau National park, Turzii Gorges Reservation, Danube Delta Reservation.

12. In the mountains you can put your tent in special and recommended places. Or anywhere you feel safe to do so at your own risk

13. Don’t leave the tent all the day. I know some shepherds specialized to steal everything.

14. A very big problem in the mountains is the shepherd’s dogs – very aggressive with travellers. Sometime I saw shepherds urged their dogs to me. Some shepherds have more then 10 dogs. (Only three dogs for 100 sheep are legal)

15. in Bucegi, Postavaru, Munceii Predealului, Piatra Craiului, Iezer and Ciucas mountains are domestic bears sometime, when you don’t take their any food and they are hungry can be aggressive and to tear tents, finding food. I don’t recommended to put your tent alone in these areas.

16. You need a good map or a good professional guide for trekking, hiking or climbing in Romania. In some areas the touristy marks are very old and invaded by vegetation. Is not so funny to spend a night lost in large and wild Romanian woods? I recommended you a guide service. Is more secure and affordable.

17. …also for rock climbing is more important to have a good guide with you. many climbing routes are old full of vegetation and insecure. I renamed that route “kamikaze”. Some tops are dangerous made. Also in Romania are a lot of very beautiful and secure route, but you need someone to show you those routes and to help you in difficult moments.

18. in winter the avalanche danger is present in all the mountains higher then 1800m. If you don’t have any experience I recommend you do not go alone or without someone experienced.

19. When you visit a monastery you must to have your legs cover. The shorts aren’t recommended and are considerate immoral.

20. When you visit an important cultural sight, is a ticket for entrance very affordable and a special ticket for photos and shootings. This last ticket can be expensive, much more then entrance ticket. After you pay will be surprised when you will see inside the monument a sign with “no photo and shooting”.

21. Romanian wine is very good and cheap, but don’t drink too much! Try to buy certified wine bottles. Or if you feel adventurous go for some home brew

22. In the villages and in small towns majority people speak only Romanian.

23. Romania is full of dogs without owner land. Everywhere you are, somewhere there is a dog. Some are pretty some are aggressive…depends on your luck.

23. Many Romanian maps are old, poor and inaccurate. Don’t trust 100% in maps.

24. In remote villages all the people salute! Is better if you use a salute like: “Buna ziua!”, (Good afternoon!) or “Doamne‘ ajuta” (God help us!).

25. Romania is a very beautiful country with nice and friendly people. Be cautious but friendly and open hard and I assure you will not be disappointed.

 A modified guide to Romania the original can be found here written by Valeriu (Vali) Catargiu – national tour guide from Romania

Things not to bring on a first business trip to romania

Tounge in cheek but depends on your business here i am joking somewhat but most is true for your first trip i still belive that today.

1. a state of the art mobile phone or other mobile pc or portable (nickable) hi tech gadgets that cost a fortune.
2. heavy product literature or baggage
3. your prized laptop with all your most important data on it.
4. expensive clothing or shoes unless you intend wearing them all the time
5. a damn fine watch or other expensive jewelry
6. your boss
7. your wife or children
8. lots of money and your personal credit card just use company cash or plastic
9. tons of irrelevant clothing like several suits and different shoes, just one suit and some jeans and some tee shirts is ok
10. high expectations of immediate results
11. impatience remember the moto chill out and go with the flow
12. anyone you are trying to impress
13. anything you would rather keep
14. tools of any description all these have feet, any you bring make sure you can replace.
15. cigarettes if you smoke

Theres a load more sure but these are basic i will try to make a list of stuff to bring later

Doing business in romania any type

Today i have been reading a few articles and blogs but one in particular caught my attention from a romanian, he accrately described some types of business men here and in particular something about the romanian mentality toward business and in genral. i thought it was great, but i would like to make it more simple to read and straight to the point. i will do this over time but you can start by reading his posts here

http://romaniansurvivalbook.wordpress.com/2007/03/08/romanian-business-man-%e2%80%93-a-possible-profile/

great post and loved some of the other content too,i will try to put it in a nut shell

dont ever trust a romanian business man completely, err with caution at every single thing, part with no money until you have seen and can physicaly take possesion of any transaction.

sterr well clear of people with big flashy cars and especially those dripping in gold and designer watches etc, pointed white shoes are also a dead giveaway to a dodgy deal.

romanian business is dog eat dog i was going to write dog eat everything the dog being romanian of course.

there is no such thing here as a win win situation its romanians win you lose so beware.

your new found business associate will seem like your best friend and you may consider him to be the best man at your wedding after 3 days of him showing you romania….take a second opinion and dont commit to nothing on your first trip. and certainly dont part with any cash.

dont get me wrong romania is a good place to do business but caution is the best plan.

there are many good business people here that are good at what they do, and after all its just business, but dont be fooled into thinking its any thing other than business, the business of exchanging money from you to them.

if like me you were selling british goods or other for that matter, (i came here to do that in 1993 for a big firm from the uk)

you will find that the colour of the money is what speaks make sure before you waste your time in lengthy discussions they actually have the cash first and get some gaurentees,normally done via the banks there is a system in place for this.

having said this the people i met on my travels on the whole were pretty honest, i say that a bit tounge in cheek but any one living here will know what i mean.

dont sign any documents until you find the translator to check them out for you, dont let them find one for you, also even if you are offered a document to sign in english and one in romanian, do check they match via your translator, do this in private away from your new found business partner.

the old boy network exists here the same as in the uk so does the old brown envelope not entirely corruption but i would like a uk business man say that hes never used either tactic before and still drink his beer without choking.

still on an upbeat ending romania has a lot to offer for business with europe, its not a scary place to do business, just tread carefuly and think well on your feet, you are dancing with wolves. nice friendly ones at that.