"Driving in Sofia is like stepping into a video game. It is a lot of fun as long as you are winning." This is one of my husband's favourite statements. For those foreigners who come from countries where getting into the car is a little less, shall we say, adventuresome, taking to the roads of Sofia can be frightening. One might choose to opt for a taxi instead, but that alternative can also have its challenges. My personal repertoire of Bulgarian experiences is rich with taxi stories. Permit me to share a few:

Just last week we welcomed a group of Americans to Sofia. Jet lagged and tired, they had a short afternoon reprieve complete with cola and pizza. Then from Sofia, they would take a bus to the northern city of Razgrad. At the appropriate hour, we loaded most of their luggage and several passengers into our van and we called a taxi to transport the remaining two guests and their luggage to the bus station. The dispatcher of the taxi company promised a taxi within 10 minutes, so I took the full van and departed. It was rush hour. The 10-minute mark came and went and still there was no taxi. Again, the dispatcher promised a time, and again that time passed with no taxi.

As I arrived at the bus station with my weary group of sojourners, the two remaining passengers were still waiting for a taxi on the front steps of my home. There was no possible way that they were going to make it to the bus station.
We had a dilemma.

In the end, we had to make other travel arrangements for the travellers who had been left without a taxi; they eventually made it to their destination richly rewarded with a taxi story with which to entertain family and friends back home.

The moral of the story is simple and logical. During peak traffic times, calling a taxi may not be a dependable option, even if you call well in advance. Have a back-up plan.

Have you ever been in a taxi and realised that the driver was charging you too much because you were a foreigner? This does not happen as often as it used to, but it does still happen. Probably the best advice is to pay attention to the metre when you are travelling in a taxi. If you think you are being over-charged, simply ask the driver to pull over. Pay the fee and find another taxi.

Engaging in an argument with the driver is never a good option - trust me on this.

A story from my past, which caused me great embarrassment then but brings a smile to my face, now, is actually a testimony to one of the best Bulgarian characteristics - helpful neighbours.

The story takes place one summer evening when I was hosting a large group of foreigners. We were planning to go to a restaurant in Dragalevtsi and we intended to transport the group by taxi. Knowing that we would need six taxis, I called the company well in advance to make arrangements.

Unfortunately, the dispatcher was less than helpful and our conversation ended with her hanging up. I assumed, therefore, that the taxis were not coming. My apartment was bulging with hungry tourists and I needed six taxis. In a huff, I marched down to the corner and spoke with a taxi driver, asking him to call five more colleagues to transport my group. Feeling victorious, I then returned to my group, readying them for transport.

The sight that met my eyes on the street below was a fiasco rapidly escalating into a brawl. The rude dispatcher, though hanging up on me without completing the transaction, dispensed six taxis anyway. Just as those taxis were arriving, the taxi driver from the corner and his five colleagues also began arriving, so that in a matter of minutes, I had not six but 12 taxis from competing taxi companies waiting on the street below.

The tension mounted as the drivers began to argue with one another. Our neighbour came to the rescue just in time. He calmed the tempers and sent the entire ensemble of taxis home, offering to help us transport our group up the mountain with his van and our vehicle and averting a potentially volatile situation.

I learned two lessons that night. First, when you are unsure of your Bulgarian, especially with the taxi companies, ask a Bulgarian to make the call for you. Secondly, and more importantly, Bulgarians are most willing and able to help someone in need. It is a great cultural trait.

For those readers who have lived in Bulgaria for a while, this information is already a part of your knowledge base. There is nothing new in these paragraphs for you but a smile at my expense. Perhaps you have had a similar experience. For the new arrivals to Bulgarian soil, here are a few tips passed on from the school of experience:

1. Always watch the metre and if you feel that you are being misled, do not hesitate to politely ask the driver to stop and exit the vehicle after paying the tab.

2. There is a consensus among the foreign community that two or three taxi companies are more dependable than the others. Ask around and you will discover who those are. Use those companies and avoid the rest.

3. Taxis are a relatively safe form of transportation. There were reports of a driver committing crimes against women passengers last year. That seems to be a rare incident. However, use common sense, especially when travelling alone: have a mobile phone available, pay attention to the streets the driver is taking, and appear confident and knowledgeable.

4. When you cannot explain where you need to go, offer to let the driver use your GSM. Drivers are usually willing to speak to another party who can explain.

5. Many taxis still have no seat belts. If this is the case, opt for sitting in the back seat. In case of an accident, you have a little more protection.

6. Do not be surprised when you have a "taxi experience". We all have stories - so file it in "stories to tell my family" and shrug it off. Experience is a good teacher.

Video game anyone?