The law in Hungary stated that no Hungarian money was tobe taken out of the country. I felt that there would be enoughshops in the railroad station to spend the forty dollars’ worthof Hungarian money in my pocket. There was no limit to whatforty dollars would buy in Hungary in 1985. To compound thatfelony, there were nothing but food and cheap souvenir stands inthe railway station.I ended up giving the bulk of my money to the porter as anenormous tip but nevertheless stocked myself with many bottles oforange soda and countless chocolate cakes. I looked like aconfectionery salesman on a business trip. The station hadresembled most railroad stations in large European cities, exceptfor the preponderance of Russian soldiers in their service capsof unusually large diameter.This version of the Orient Express was not at all what Iexpected. It seems there are many different versions of theOrient Express. This one was very much like an ordinary trainexcept that it was old enough to have wood panelling and theseats seemed to be at least a replica of the old plush seats ofyears gone by.I was really looking forward to the overnight trip in asleeping car.
