A Living Nightmare

It continues to be miserably hot here - it is horrible at home where there is no AC but it is OK and work since all of the window units got fixed last week.

Yesterday was an interesting day. Alex and I had lunch (ok so far not that interesting) and since my car is out of service for the moment, I had no idea how I was going to get home for the better part of the afternoon. Alex was unavailable (doctor's apt), Stephanie and Bruno were also unavailable. So my only option (I didn't feel like spending a fortune on the cab fare) was the go to transportation method of the majority of Mauritians - THE BUS.

Now - I have never ever been a fan of the bus. I remember how excited I was to get my license back in high school so that I could drive myself. There is something about a bus that disgusts me - people everywhere, you never know what exactly they have touched before touching the metal handrails, etc. Not to mention, there is often no AC and the regular patrons of the bus do not exactly smell like roses if you know what I mean.

My adventure began yesterday at around 4:30 as I wasn't sure exactly where the bus station was located (had only seen it on a map) and the last bus that I knew of was due to leave at 5 pm. So I wanted to give myself plenty of time. To go the bus terminal (Victoria Square) was about a ten minute walk from my office. I have never been in a more confusing place in my life. I started wandering around and looking for my bus # that I had researched on the internet on one of the signs - it was nowhere to be found. I asked two people - one bus employee and one police officer - where I should wait. I ended up having to cross the street.

I came across a bus that was headed to Flic en Flac (near where I live) - the conductor said that the bus I was looking for had already left! I looked at the clock on my cell and the time read 4:45 - my bus was not supposed to leave for another 15 minutes!!! I of course started to panic a little but until the conductor said just to get on and get off in Bambous which is just before Flic en Flac.

I felt about 14 again as most of the seats were taken and it didn't look like anyone wanted me to sit next to them. Luckily, I squeezed myself next to an older couple. 40 or so long and smelly minutes later (no AC + plus people that dont wear deoderant = UNPLEASANT ODOR) I got off the bus in Bambous and promptly gasped for fresh air.

I was afraid that the next bus that I needed to take would never show up and I would be stuck in Bambous. Luckily - 10 minutes later it showed up. So I hopped on and got off again in Tamarin about 20 minutes later - at the wrong stop of course, I should have waited for the next one.

We had a good dinner last night as the Kathryn and Luc left to go back to Paris this morning. Emmanuel, having spent the weekend with his family in Reunion, was back as well. Rosaline and Hugo also joined us (even though Hugo now lives with Alex, something tells me that we will continue to see a lot of him).

I was exhausted and fell right asleep after reading a few pages of "Angels and Demons."

I have been at work all morning and will let you know how the day shapes up....


-Emmanuel got a speeding ticket yesterday for 100 rupees - equal to about $3.50 - the fines for talking on the cell phone while driving and illegal parking are more expensive - go figure