Instead of being saved by the bell, it's being saved by the taxi. There are times when the taxi comes through for me, but more times when they do not. It's not always the best experience with the taxi drivers and they can be dishonest, but there are those who are kind, they listen, and the do care.
This particular taxi presented as the "happy driver that is aloof to reality," but I told him I had ten minutes to catch the bus. This guy took all kind of short cuts, zooming through the streets, and I sat frozen in fear he was going to hit someone. He had his music blasting and a poor child dropped their hot dog when they saw him coming their way. I asked him why he was speeding because we have time to catch the 3pm bus. He said, "I catch 230 bus-no 3pm one." I asked three people and everyone said 3pm. Everything I told him, he would just repeat back or he would say, "Okay, okay."
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It was time to depart Leon and get some fresh air, which meant off to Matagalpa up in the mountains. As mentioned, there are only one to two buses per day. When you miss the last one of the day, you have to stay overnight. You show up back at your accommodation asking for your room back because you missed the bus. After all the running goodbyes, you are back and look irresponsible for missing the bus. That's a predicament I don't like to see myself in as it's already hard enough saying goodbye. This time the bus station was only ten minutes away, but I had to take a taxi.
This particular taxi presented as the "happy driver that is aloof to reality," but I told him I had ten minutes to catch the bus. This guy took all kind of short cuts, zooming through the streets, and I sat frozen in fear he was going to hit someone. He had his music blasting and a poor child dropped their hot dog when they saw him coming their way. I asked him why he was speeding because we have time to catch the 3pm bus. He said, "I catch 230 bus-no 3pm one." I asked three people and everyone said 3pm. Everything I told him, he would just repeat back or he would say, "Okay, okay."
When we arrived, I had my head out the window saying, "Matagalpa, Matagalpa" just like the bus guys. This guy says, "Si" and pulls my bag out of the car. This is the "last call" way of boarding. The bus keeps moving at a slow speed pulling through the bus park and then you try to get in while it's still moving. This sounds ridiculous, but this is really how it goes. Now when they see a tourist, they usually stop, but for a local they just keep moving and let them jump in. They think that if they keep moving the bus, they are keeping on schedule or it's a sales technique to make the bus look appealing while it's moving?
Almost always I make it on time and don't go running toward a moving bus, but the added adventure is always exhilarating.
Thanks to this taxi I made it to the bus just in time for my four hour ride to Matagalpa!
Almost always I make it on time and don't go running toward a moving bus, but the added adventure is always exhilarating.
Thanks to this taxi I made it to the bus just in time for my four hour ride to Matagalpa!
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