To Banff!
September 19th Sunday
[This entry is overly long and detailed because it was an awful awful night. No pictures too, so I doubt many people will read this one]
So I got the call to board and stood in line as the passangers that were already on it got on. This is where the trip got bad...
I go on and it is pretty full. Up until now I've always been able to get dibs on some prime front-half seats. I knew I didn't want the back with people shitting near me, but I found 2 completely open seats, which was weird for a bus that full.
I took the seat, but an old couple came by and I let them sit with each other. I moved across the aisle to sit beside this fat older-than-middle-age woman. The bus driver asked who didn't give him a ticket and she raised her hand briefly before he could catch her, but didn't say anything. He started checking everyones ticket until he got to her, delaying the ride. A brief chat and I realized she was nice enough, if not a bit stupid or not all there. [Pretty sure she wasn't all there]
Before we leave this transient drifter looking dude gets talked to by the driver. He had long gross hair and looked disheveled like he was homeless, but clean shaven. After a minute I realize what was up. The driver grabs a Fucking Knife! from the dude. It was just a paring knife, but what the hell!? I felt so bad for the old bald guy beside him. If it were me, I'd constantly be worried of sleeping and getting stabbed in the chest. The driver stored the knife under carriage and left him on. [To put this into perspective, a dude going to Edmonton wasn't allowed on for a knife half the size inside his bag. They wouldn't even let him just throw it away and go on, so he had to wait for the next bus]
It was occurring to me that that indian body smell was pretty strong. Now, I have a pretty good tolerance for the curry smell from indian people, hell, I had curry that morning. This couple beside me though, they were older and the smell was rank. It was like this woman across the aisle never showered away her B.O., but instead just covered herself with cumin to hide (but not really) her B.O. to make things worse, the fat woman to my left had a disgusting odour too, like rotten burgers or something.
I fell asleep as it was close to midnight when we left Kamloops, and woke up at 2am. By this time the smell was overwhelming. I just kept thinking that I was sandwiched between the two most repulsive women on the bus. That word kept popping up as the rotten curry-burger B.O. smell just attacked me mustilly.
On top of this, I got a sense of claustrophobia with my legs. I've never really had leg room, and when I did sit beside someone before it didn't bug me THAT much. This time however, I couldn't take it. I couldn't touch anything with my knees without feeling like I was being bound up. [For those who don't know this feeling, it's like hell]
And then? the fat smelly lady beside me turns to face the window and eats into my seat by 1/3. Because I was so repulsed by her I didn't want to touch her, so I spilled my legs into the aisle. To give her the hint I stuck my elbow at her and leaned. How does someone have that much fat on their back!?!
She didn't get the hint and wake up so I leaned my head against the seat in front of me and kept wishing these 2 women would just disintegrate or disappear or just teleport 10 feet out of the bus so they could fall to the road and die. [over.. and over again]
One hour later of no sleep and torture we finally stopped. I rushed out for fresh air and saw the front seats were empty. They had 'reserved' stickers on them. The bus drivers were switching and I asked them if someone reserved the seat. The new driver said it was priority seating, but I could use it until someone else needed it. I JUMPED at this and quick-snatched all my stuff. The difference was incredible. I had fresh air from the front, tons of leg room and could put my seat back with no one in the one seat behind me. I fell asleep hoping the smell didn't carry onto me. I woke up 6 hours later here in Banff. It's freezing! I walked into town shivering looking for a breakfast diner. All the places here are night time restaurants. The one place open for breakfast had 11 bucks for a standard 2-egg sausage... really?!?
[This entry is overly long and detailed because it was an awful awful night. No pictures too, so I doubt many people will read this one]
Last night was awful. Probably my worse greyhound experience. My first bus was fine, until I switched to the Calgary bound. At the station I played some Strikers 1945 III and re-acquainted with Tuba's funky ape picture. I was starving so I bought a tuna sandwich and a V8. As much vitamin A and C you get, that v8 splash has a crazy amount of calories and sugar, which was fine since I needed it. The girl at the cashier looked pregnant but I think she was just fat. I didn't ask of course.
So I got the call to board and stood in line as the passangers that were already on it got on. This is where the trip got bad...
I go on and it is pretty full. Up until now I've always been able to get dibs on some prime front-half seats. I knew I didn't want the back with people shitting near me, but I found 2 completely open seats, which was weird for a bus that full.
I took the seat, but an old couple came by and I let them sit with each other. I moved across the aisle to sit beside this fat older-than-middle-age woman. The bus driver asked who didn't give him a ticket and she raised her hand briefly before he could catch her, but didn't say anything. He started checking everyones ticket until he got to her, delaying the ride. A brief chat and I realized she was nice enough, if not a bit stupid or not all there. [Pretty sure she wasn't all there]
Before we leave this transient drifter looking dude gets talked to by the driver. He had long gross hair and looked disheveled like he was homeless, but clean shaven. After a minute I realize what was up. The driver grabs a Fucking Knife! from the dude. It was just a paring knife, but what the hell!? I felt so bad for the old bald guy beside him. If it were me, I'd constantly be worried of sleeping and getting stabbed in the chest. The driver stored the knife under carriage and left him on. [To put this into perspective, a dude going to Edmonton wasn't allowed on for a knife half the size inside his bag. They wouldn't even let him just throw it away and go on, so he had to wait for the next bus]
It was occurring to me that that indian body smell was pretty strong. Now, I have a pretty good tolerance for the curry smell from indian people, hell, I had curry that morning. This couple beside me though, they were older and the smell was rank. It was like this woman across the aisle never showered away her B.O., but instead just covered herself with cumin to hide (but not really) her B.O. to make things worse, the fat woman to my left had a disgusting odour too, like rotten burgers or something.
I fell asleep as it was close to midnight when we left Kamloops, and woke up at 2am. By this time the smell was overwhelming. I just kept thinking that I was sandwiched between the two most repulsive women on the bus. That word kept popping up as the rotten curry-burger B.O. smell just attacked me mustilly.
On top of this, I got a sense of claustrophobia with my legs. I've never really had leg room, and when I did sit beside someone before it didn't bug me THAT much. This time however, I couldn't take it. I couldn't touch anything with my knees without feeling like I was being bound up. [For those who don't know this feeling, it's like hell]
And then? the fat smelly lady beside me turns to face the window and eats into my seat by 1/3. Because I was so repulsed by her I didn't want to touch her, so I spilled my legs into the aisle. To give her the hint I stuck my elbow at her and leaned. How does someone have that much fat on their back!?!
She didn't get the hint and wake up so I leaned my head against the seat in front of me and kept wishing these 2 women would just disintegrate or disappear or just teleport 10 feet out of the bus so they could fall to the road and die. [over.. and over again]
One hour later of no sleep and torture we finally stopped. I rushed out for fresh air and saw the front seats were empty. They had 'reserved' stickers on them. The bus drivers were switching and I asked them if someone reserved the seat. The new driver said it was priority seating, but I could use it until someone else needed it. I JUMPED at this and quick-snatched all my stuff. The difference was incredible. I had fresh air from the front, tons of leg room and could put my seat back with no one in the one seat behind me. I fell asleep hoping the smell didn't carry onto me. I woke up 6 hours later here in Banff. It's freezing! I walked into town shivering looking for a breakfast diner. All the places here are night time restaurants. The one place open for breakfast had 11 bucks for a standard 2-egg sausage... really?!?