Published: 29.05.2024
This morning, after breakfast, I got on my bike again, but only 3km to the train station in Constanza. The train that left at 9am arrived 15 minutes earlier. So I had enough time to load my bike. There was more than enough space in the luggage compartment. The interesting thing about the train was that the doors didn't close automatically, but only when a conductor or a fellow passenger decided to do it. After 3 hours, I was in Bucharest and went straight to my hotel room near the airport. Afterwards, I wanted to go straight into the city. On the way, I stopped by a bike shop to ask for a flexible cover for the bike. But they only had cardboard, foil and the like. To be on the safe side, I checked with Eurowings again to see if you could hand in the bike unpacked and just turn the handlebars and unscrew the pedals (that's how it was the last time I flew with the bike). And unfortunately no, there are now very strict rules... You actually need a Ford bike case. In an emergency, a flexible cover will work if you have padded the bike beforehand (there have probably been too many claims for damages from Eurowings in the past). Then the rush began: buy a cover at Decathlon, pick up foil, bubble wrap, etc. from the bike shop and a roll of duct tape from the hardware store. All this in the rain and in rush hour traffic... But in the end I had everything together (thanks to Paul from the bike shop, who provided me with everything for free. He even refused a donation for the coffee fund).
Now I've taken an Uber to the old town and am ending my last evening. I think everything should be fine at the airport tomorrow. I can only put the bike up there and pack it up, as I'm still riding my bike to the airport. But I've already tested the Decathlon cover.