Today I was on six different buses to get things done. Here's how they went, because all together they compose a pretty good idea of how I get around.
First bus: before it even came, I knew it would be bad. The taxis were swarming like mosquitoes, waiting for the suckers who are too scared by the overstuffed bus or who just can't squeeze on and are in a hurry. I scrambled and got the last spot on the front end, standing on the lowest step where the door swings open, minding where I placed my feet so they wouldn't get cut off if the doors suddenly swung open. All the rest of the people along the route had to get in on the back (not normal) and pass their money to the front (where the collection box is). The advantage was there was no one pressing behind me and I had lots of head space there. Also, I was the first one off the bus at the station, so the switch to Second bus went smoothly. I have to transfer buses halfway to get across town, and because a bus had just pulled out and I was the first one off my first bus, I actually got a seat in the back of the bus. A seat makes for a pleasant ride.
The third bus was tricky. I was going from the main university where we meet on Sunday mornings downtown to buy rare groceries: cheese and butter. The stop is always big, and so you have to wait for all the people to pile off the bus before you can get on. People push madly both ways, and the pushing is understandable, because if you are the first one ON the bus after all those people pile off, you may get a seat. I didn't push too hard, and so didn't get a seat, but I got some standing room in the back.
The fourth bus was rough, especially the first half. I had my groceries weighing me down (four pounds of cheese, two pounds of ground meat, a pound of butter, and some bacon and a package of tortillas--I was getting some things for other people) and had been trudging around paying huge amounts of money for the expensive and rare food items I was getting (including getting lost trying to find Fish Alley where the one hole-in-the-wall store that sells the cheese is) plus going up and over the street on the bridgeway. Then the stop to get the bus also has lots of other buses, so it was full of people and buses stopping early and it was hard to see my bus. I didn't see it until too late, and ended up wedged in my least favorite spot, right in the middle of the main part of the bus. We were three-across in the aisle between the seats, plus the ticket collector occasionally slicing her way through. The downtown is really crowded, and we got long red lights before the three Intersections of Death you have to cross to get back from the main downtown. No matter how I shifted my groceries, I kept bumping some one wrong. The windows were tightly closed and it was hot and smelly. Even the round-faced-kid sitting a person ahead of me didn't keep me entertained through all three Intersections of Despair. I kept reminding myself in my head, "just pretend it's a new extreme endurance sport." I had praise music in my earbuds. Nothing really helped make it pleasant, but after awhile (which felt similar to an eternity) some people started to get off at some of the stops and the ride got slightly better.
The fifth bus was my favorite: a blue double decker. I love these because you are MUCH more likely to get a seat. I got a seat on the first floor, in the back (there were probably seats upstairs too but I was happy with a first floor one). Other than a slightly malodorous seatmate and the stuffiest bus yet, it was a pleasant ride. My only concern was that I was too late to catch the last bus back home.
But when we pulled into the bus station to transfer buses, there it was! However, those end of the day buses are crowded too. I had a hard time getting myself situated (I still had a pound of cheese, two pounds of ground beef, and some bacon attached to my person in bags) but sure enough we made it. After the other longer bus rides, that last one flies by. I even eventually got a spot by a vertical bar (much easier to hang on to).
As I write this, now I see why I'm so tired at the end of today!!
