blending in, im pretty sure theyre from here
ive been trying to develop a measuring stick with which to measure a countrys progress independent of GDP and per capita income. i decided that a truer standard is public bus punctuality and cleanliness (next to godliness).
on a 1-10 pt scale (1 being you'd rather walk)
1.2 morocco -
schedule: no legitimate semblance of order or logic in scheduling. from my peacecorps village there would be 4 buses that would leave for town 3 hrs away; all at the same time at no regular hour and half full. i tried to explain to them "boys what about staggering your schedule so you could get more passengers and in turn make more money, huh huh?" nope it didnt take.
cleanliness: on the 5 hr bus ride over the mtn pass to marrakesh everyone would inevitably get sick and puke into plastic bags. common practice, whether we like it or not, is to throw trash out the window but when it came to the contents of their stomachs they dropped them on the floor of the bus and i remember watching as we banked on the turns, as little bags of puke floated by underfoot.
1.2 morocco -
schedule: no legitimate semblance of order or logic in scheduling. from my peacecorps village there would be 4 buses that would leave for town 3 hrs away; all at the same time at no regular hour and half full. i tried to explain to them "boys what about staggering your schedule so you could get more passengers and in turn make more money, huh huh?" nope it didnt take.
cleanliness: on the 5 hr bus ride over the mtn pass to marrakesh everyone would inevitably get sick and puke into plastic bags. common practice, whether we like it or not, is to throw trash out the window but when it came to the contents of their stomachs they dropped them on the floor of the bus and i remember watching as we banked on the turns, as little bags of puke floated by underfoot.
if you get a bus with 4 wheels youre in business. be prepared to have your crowns rattled free from your skull bc of the volume of the blown speakers that pump homemade mixtapes (dj fuzzbucket or master xmas) or tupac,
schedules: subjective to lunar holidays, lunch breaks, missing engine parts, mood of the driver, lack of competent driver (competence not required)
4.0 USA
it must be said because of our infatuation with the car and heavily manipulated fuel prices, the clientle of greyhound attracts the dredges of society and poor foreign backpackers. they come to the states wide-eyed and expectant and are instead treated to the most heinous experience imaginable. drugs, prostitution, and any other vice are available on our remarkable unaffordable means of transport.
amtrak on the other hand is surprisingly enjoyable, albeit an equally seedy and painfully slow, its redeeming quality being you can walk around and drink.
8.7 colombia
surprisely good, efficient, and cheap and if not for the numerous roadblocks and police stops, a punctual mode of travel. wifi available on some too! we did watch colombiana; a violent american movie about a colombian girl turned assassin who cuts off ears and other explicit scenes, with a bus full of pre-kindergarteners and no one seemed to mind.
9.0 austria/germany
"vee must keep zeee right schedule or zeee entire vorld villll explode!!!! yaa"
9.5 turkey
nathan and i took a 8 hr bus, which appeared normal at the start but 10 minutes in the movie screens flipped down and high quality tv produced specifically for the bus line played turkish films complete with well-made commercials. then a teenaged guy in a tux popped out from under the baggage storage with hot towels to wash up, followed by rose water, then a collection of perfumes and colognes, hot tea/coffee, bread, snacks, crackers, and free complimentary shave all for the guys (kidding but barely). well worth the 87,000,000 gazillion rubles or whatever we paid.
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