TOURISM
Romania is not a country particularly unfriendly to female travelers, but it is better not to expose yourself unnecessarily to lonely night walks, especially in Bucharest. A woman traveling alone is a sight rather unknown to Romanians; may cause surprise, admiration or unnecessary interest. It is safer not to get into empty compartments on night routes or on long-distance trains and not to go to pubs for a drink. There are complaints about verbal harassment in Bucharest or Constanta, but you don't have to worry too much about them. A few blunt words (leave me alone! – leave me alone) or the screams of politia usually scare off intruders.
SEXUAL MINORITIES
Homosexuality was a crime in Romania and could be punished by up to five years' imprisonment. W 1994 r. in a parliamentary vote the proposal to liberalize this law was rejected, suggested by the Council of Europe. Romanian gays and lesbians must beware of manifesting their sexual orientation. The Orthodox Church considers homosexuality a sin, and faithful followers are ready to track down any "unnatural” Compounds, what can make life difficult for travelers, when they stop at a quarters with some godly family (a weary couple of tourists, not revealing any "evils"” Tendencies, may suddenly be inspected by the vigilant owner of the room in the middle of the night). Happens, that even hotels do not accept homosexual couples, so it's better to be discreet.
TOURISTS WITH DISABILITIES
For disabled tourists, the conquest of Romania will be much more difficult, or maybe even completely unrealistic. The road surfaces are terribly uneven and no one here has heard of such facilities, such as driveways or specially equipped toilets and hotel rooms. There is not a single wheelchair accessible train in the whole country.
DANGERS AND PROBLEMS
Romanians show their southern egocentric character, when for example, not caring about others, they listen to music played at full blast, they push themselves into the lines, they occupy the entire width of the pavement and insist, to handle them first. Some are so bold, that they rudely interrupt the conversation at the information counter. The queues and buses are usually crowded; “Personal space” has a slightly smaller dimension than in Poland.
On the other hand, a Romanian can stray from his own path, to escort foreign tourists to the place, they are looking for, help them order a meal or make sure, to get on the bus, about which they asked. What is amazing, Romanians pay attention to the ban on smoking on trains and usually go out to the corridor for a cigarette.
You have to be prepared for a large amount of pollen (spring is deadly for allergy sufferers), year-round pollution in large cities and clouds of annoying mosquitoes in the summer. Disruptions in the supply of gas and water are not uncommon, and in winter even the bigger hotels lack hot water.
It is forbidden to take photos in the vicinity of barracks and military facilities, it risks confiscating the film.
Be especially careful about thefts. In a poor country, it's better not to show your own wealth. There are robberies, therefore, it is not recommended to take a walk in the late evening hours. It's best to stick to well-lit streets and try to appear firm. In a critical situation, there is no point in counting on the help of passers-by or the police. Apart from that, that the best opportunities for thieves are camping or currency exchange on the street, it wouldn't hurt to be careful in the hotel – better not to leave valuables even in a locked room. Another thing, that if someone is asked to take care of the left luggage, np. on private accommodation, you can really count on help; you just have to be careful with the choice of a kind person.
Motorized travelers will do it safer, by storing expensive items in a hotel instead of in your car. (Most break-ins occur on the Black Sea coast and in Brašov). Nor will it be overly prudent to make sure every time, that all doors and windows are properly closed.
Beggars can be a real pain, especially a gypsy woman with a baby in her arms, which methods we know from our own backyard. Sometimes groups of kids mingle with the crowd, which are waving and smiling to travelers, at the same time they search their pockets.
It is not uncommon for various types of unfair practices to occur, especially in places frequented by tourists. A Japanese tourist lost 800 $ in the following way:
Some guy came up to him with a question, whether he would like to exchange money. When he refused, Suddenly another individual appeared and "arrested” the first. He flashed the Japanese in front of his eyes with some false ID and presents it! himself as a representative of the "tourist police”, asking for proof and cash. As soon as he got their hands on them, requisitioned them as "evidence”, then the two crooks hurried away with the prey.
Of course, the money exchange served only as an excuse throughout the whole affair. The fraudster pretended to be an officer of special police units looking for counterfeit banknotes. Under no circumstances should you show anyone your passport or cash. It's best not to react at all. If someone uses a badge, you can suggest, that you would go to the nearest police station together. It's not a very good idea to get in one cab with a shady guy. It is best to try to provoke the intervention of a uniformed guardian of order.