I had my first fight with a taxi driver coming back from the airport on Sunday night.  Here's the story: I called an OK taxi on my way to airport when I left in December.  It was maybe a 6 or 7 leva ride.  I paid this gladly.

When I climbed into an OK taxi at the airport on Sunday night after 24+ hours of traveling I wasn't paying attention and the driver didn't start the meter. In hindsight, it serves me right.

Well, we talk in Bulgarian about the weather, about Frankfurt, about the States and the economic crisis (I basically said the crisis wasn't good and that I think things are getting better--I am not sure I could actually say much more about the economic crisis in English but I do know that I could say it more eloquently than I did but I digress).  It's about two minutes from my house that I glance down and notice that the meter isn't running. <em>Great. <!--more--></em>

Nothing I can do now, I give the driver more specific directions to my apartment. We stop, he unloads my bags and I ask him how much.  He tells me 15 leva.  Which if you knew where I lived in relationship to the airport, you would know this is laughable.  It is twice as much as I should pay.  I say no. In Bulgarian. At this point the driver tells me the price in English. I say no. In English.

He tells me it's the New Year. <em>Really? How does this effect the price of the taxi?! </em>I get out 8 leva from my wallet. I am willing to pay this much at 12 midnight.  What I want right now is to climb into my bed and sleep for three days. I don't want to fight about the price of the taxi ride.

Get this. The taxi driver then counters my 8 leva offer with 10 leva.  <em>Are we really negotiating the price of the ride now?!</em> I shake my head no.  All I am willing to pay is 8 leva.  I hand this to him. He takes it.

I am glad.  I am glad I didn't have to pay more, I am glad I didn't have to yell, I am glad I am home.  I am glad that this whole thing is over.  I am out of the taxi, I have possession of my bags and I can go to bed. I am glad for all of this.

This is also when I make a mental note to never get into a taxi without confirming that the meter is running.  The thought also passes through my head: I guess this is why taxi drivers in Bulgaria have such a bad reputation. Still I am glad it's not as bad as some of the horror stories I've heard.