In the 80s trips by coaches were still organized. They left Bucharest at 6 a.m. and came back in the evening. Registration was made for the following week to the driver.

The track from Predeal had a two-seat chairlift, 5 lei a person, but we knew the staff and paid 5 lei for two persons. Sometimes we pretended to give them one ticket only for there were many inspectors (usually we gave them an already used ticket) torn for the inspector's sake and, at the end of the day, we counted how many times we went down and gave them their share or a bottle of vodka.

We used to sleep in a chalet if we spent a longer holiday. There were many people in a room to be chaper or registered to Bucharest O.N.T. for second-rate villas because prices were low.

Except for Sunday, there was also "Youth Thursday" (just like this, according to the manifestations organized by youth organizations on Thursdays at cultural houses). Some fans who wanted a comfortable job went skiing.The tracks were empty and you did not bump into those who slid on a piece of plastic sheet or even on a WC cap. On Sundays, some producers sold illegally such objects at the bottom of the track and recuperated them when they were disused. Sometimes, during the week, television staff came to shot a winter sports frame. The cameraman could hardly find a skier who did not cover his face lest he should have been seen on the evening news. (129)

We went to a doctor to ask a leave certificate in order to go skiing. A week cost 50 lei and 100 lei for a whole week. The doctor asked me if anybody could see me and said that once a lady came to him ans aksed the same thing to go to the Golden Stag Festival. I prescribed her a leave certificate and I saw her on TV on the very first day of the festival. She was sitting in the first row, wearing a big cross on her chest. She qwas my patient who suffered from flu. (C.V., 129)

One winter I came to this doctor too. I was very ill. He made me wait on the corridor for three hours. I think I was dying. I gave him 150 lei and he gave me a three-day leave certificate. I took a rest leave to survive. (111)

I remember when holidays got nearer and the shops were empty. I had a cousin who used to help me. If I saw she didn?t call any more, I called her and said: ? well, don?t you miss me anymore?? She worked at the slaughter house. She told me: ? Come tomorrow evening, after hour X?, and I?d go and she?d give me 7-8 kilos of meat. The meat cost about 34 lei. She?d give it for 20 lei, then increased the price to 22 or even 25 when the crisis got worse. There wasn't anything you could do! (S. C., 110)