The above quote is from "Planes Trains and Automobiles" and applies to the bus ride from Prague to Krakow.
If you remember some of the other bus rides I have taken, they we're with a line called "Student Agency"-the JetBlue of buses-leather seats, individual tv screens with choice of tv, movies and hundreds of songs, WIFI, a "bus attendant", and announcements made in English. The buses we're all painted yellow with the "Student Agency" printed across the side, and even a motto "Fun and Relax".
Not this time: The bus from Prague was just painted a dull silver gray with no name on it. When I arrived at the platform, about 10 minutes before the departure time of 10:00 am, I should have thought it was an ominous sign that the mechanics we're working on the bus right at the platform.
On the bus, the seats we're upholstered using the old throw-rugs from your bathroom. There we're no tv screens and no wifi. The only entertainment was a tv program in Czech broadcast over the bus' loudspeakers (shown via drop-down tv screens). It promised to be a funny show, because most of the people we're laughing. A woman came onboard to collect my ticket, and we we're off. The only saving grace was that the seat next to me was empty, so I had a place to put my bag.
This was going to be a long ride.
After two and 1/2 hours or so, we stopped at Brno to pick up more passengers. Since we we're here for a few minutes, I walked outside to stretch my legs. I came back on the bus, and a man came asking to see my ticket. This guy didn't speak much English. I explained I gave it to a woman before. He insisted on seeing my ticket. I said once again I gave it to someone. He just said ok and that seemed to get rid of him.
About half an hour after leaving Brno, a nice breeze came up through the floor, the carpet was blowing up. I guess there was a hole in the floor, and it was cooling off the bus. Someone came and fixed it-which was too bad-it was a nice breeze.
After about 1/2 an hour more -the driver pulled over to the side of the road. There was some problem with the bus. I am not sure what it was-it sounded fine. But two mechanics onboard fixed the bus while most of the passengers got outside and waited. We waited for probably about 45 minutes or so. I had to go the bathroom, so I urinated next to a tree that actually was growing little round fruits-I tasted one-they must have been peaches, as they tasted as such and we're very sweet. So while waiting I had probably around 10 or these little peaches.
Eventually we made it to Krakow around 7:30-9 1/2 hours after starting. The bus was stopping somewhere after Krakow, and to get my suitcase I had to ask the bus driver to dig through 4 layers of bags which he had to promptly put back to continue the journey.
I walked to a nearby train station (where the directions to the hostel we're from), and took a tram to the hostel. Later I had some good perogies at a Polish Restaurant for dinner.
After dinner I had a few drinks with some guys at the hostel. I could swear one of the guys looked like the one from the Czech tv program on the bus. Afterwards, I went to bed in my co-ed room. To get from my side of the room to the bathroom, I had to pass by two ladies. One was sitting up besides the bed wearing nothing but her bra and panties, (she was in her twenties I thinkand quite attractive). I made several more trips to the bathroom over a few minutes.
