Mariska Dekker

My trip was scheduled on the 12th of September 10.30 pm. I was leaving for a study abroad program in Wales. But my trip didn’t turn out the way I planned. A train with highly flammable stuff caught fire in the Channeltunnel from France to England.

The fire heated the tunnel up till about a 1000 degrees and made the authorities force to close down the tunnel. Luckily I was leaving for my ‘study abroad’ by plane. Wait, not so lucky, I wasn’t going to fly. No I bought a bus ticket and my bus was supposed to go through that same tunnel, just two days after the fire (that at that time still wasn’t over). Thanks Dad!

You see, my dad, bless his soul, saw an add that advertised that Eurolines was a very cheap way to travel. Well maybe it is the cheapest way, but also a very uncomfortable way. Believe me! After 24hours sitting in a coach (as the English call it) my butt not only began to hurt very badly but also my brains began to fry themselves.

As I was waiting in the cold at the busstation inUtrecht (still in the Netherlands) I began to wonder why my bus was taking such a long time. None of my fellow travelers seem to wonder, but who why wonder when you have your best friend called cigarette with you. Helaas, I was just by myself (don’t mind my mum, dad and dog). So I called the Eurolines office. Guess what? Because of the fire, our bus, excuse me…I meant coach, had to take the ferry and due to this little detour it got delayed. What a shame. So instead of 10.30 the coach arrived at 00.30. But as soon the coach arrived and the driver called me ‘luv’, I’d forgiven Eurolines (for a short period of time.)

The second delay came to life at the immigrations office at Calais. I know I should not make assumptions but there were all these people on the bus. They looked like they belonged together but they were not sitting next to each other or even talking to each other. At customs/immigrations they took one of these people (later I understood they were from Ghana) out and the driver had to get his luggage. They took another guy from our bus after we got of the ferry and we never saw him back either. Oh yes, I almost forgot, before we even got on the ferry we had to wait another 1,5 hours. And here I quote the driver: “‘Cause the channel’s a bit busy, sorry mates.”

Still enjoying the story? Well I wasn’t enjoying the trip. I missed my transfer in London to Swansea so I had to wait till 2.30 English time. I was supposed to arrive in Swansea 13.45 their! time! But finally I made it. Staying at Leonardos Guest House. When I step outside I see the waves hitting the beach and I know that this is just the beginning of something so much better.