Choosing The Right Bus Is Far From Easy.

A holiday to remember.

The summer of 2010 saw just about everybody piling through the gates of Durban Intl to catch a month worth of World Cup games and we headed the other way, to Burgenland. Gosh, the planes were almost empty and queues non-existent.

A week or so into our holiday, Bob and I ventured out on our own for the afternoon. A bus trip to Güssing for a chance to spend our tourist rands. Those were the good old days with an exchange rate of 9-1...fast forward to today and it is almost 16 rand -1 euro.

At that stage there was an initiative of the Red Eco Bus driving up and down between Oberwart and Jennersdorf daily and for only 3 euros a ride.

Mothers being mothers, a lot of advice and info was given.

" Biggi, whatever you do, make sure you only get onto the red bus. Don't forget to get the red bus outside the Raiffeisenbank in Güssing and only there. No other bus, else you won't get home. "

Having understood the parental decree we set off to have a good time. We knew the buses ran every hour so we indulged in a delightful lunch of ice cream and cake to give us enough energy to scour the shops in order to leave our rands. Eventually we meandered up to the bus stop laden with parcels and bags. It was a quarter to the hour and thus we settled on the bench to while the 15 min away.

Buses of every shape, size and colour stopped to pick up passengers but alas, none of the red variety. The top of the hour had gone and Bob muttered;

" You should have asked that bus driver earlier! "

It was a hot day, tempers were a little bit frayed and I don't have to spell out the converstation during another hour of waiting, to you! The next top of the hour came and went with us still sitting on the bench. People were starting to notice. Bob was getting tetchy and hungry as we dared not leave our bench in case the eco bus came.

Oh, don't worry, I tried to talk to the various bus drivers but they are so quick to drive off or to lock up and go for lunch. Eventually I managed to speak to the bus driver of a green bus, one that had been leaving every hour as well.

" Excuse me, could you tell me when the red Eco bus to Deutsch Schützen is coming? "

" That's me. The eco bus is in the workshop and this green bus has taken its place for today. "

Those are the moments that one remembers forever. A nice dinner story, a nice adventure and a nice way to test the strength of one's marriage....

Biggi