Plovdiv, Karlovo and GYPSIES!

Just coming down from the adrenalin rush of nearly being robbed blind by a group of gypsy women.

Heather and I were hopping onto a tram from the Sofia train station (have returned here to collect my Romanian visa) when, as I was stepping up into the tram car a woman paused in front of me, I wasn't sure why and all these other women were crowding around like they were trying to get onto the tram as well. Then I heard some squawking behind me (which I later realised was one of women telling Heather to get her hands off her) and my small back pack suddenly being lifted. I pushed past the woman in front of me and put my bag on the floor, only to notice that the front pocket was gaping wide open and empty! I knew my toiletry bag had been taken but I wasn't sure what else had been taken or whether Heather had had anything taken or was even getting onto the tram okay, such was the crowd of people rushing about making noise. So I jumped off the tram again through the crowd of women (noticing my guitar going into the tram and hoping that was Heather with it). As all the gypsies starting dispersing quickly hiding their hands I noticed my toiletry bag sticking out from under the arm of a 10 year old girl. She wasn't running away so I only had to pace briskly up to her, grab her by the wrist and tear my bag back from her, which, thank goodness, and for her own benefit, she didn't object to. The tram was holding up as the driver or someone must have noticed the commotion and was waiting for us, so I jumped back on board hoping that nothing else had been taken. And I think that everything is still intact.

Only moments after the tram started moving the ticket inspectors boarded the train and started asking for tickets (we had been fined on the previous tram journey for not having a ticket and had made sure to get them this time). However, the ticket inspector began demanding we pay an extra 7 leva (a ticket costs 0.70 leva) for our packs - obviously fining us for not buying tickets for our packs. After some pretending not to understand and protests from Heather (determined not to pay the fine), some of the locals intervened and gave the ticket inspector a hard time, informing us that he was trying to 'rob us blind', and one of the women used her multi-trip ticket to pay for our bags (and we paid her the 0.70 leva for it). They also tried insisting that Heather sit down.

I might leave it at that for now, as there are some other stories from our little adventures to Plovdiv and Karlovo. But I thought it might be worth getting this down while still fresh and the post-adrenalin feeling remains. Had the lovely people on the train not gotten involved to save us the fine, I think this return to Sofia would have soured my Bulgarian experience a little, but if anything I am more enamoured with the Bulgarian people than before. But also going to be more cautious with my belongings, a timely reminder!