Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving… I spent the turkey day in Orihuela the next largest town from the one I live in……but first I spent the night before wondering if I could get to the next town Orihuela as I was unsure if the 7 am bus would be on time. And so I was up damn near all night anxious…I figured ide pay for a taxi just to guarantee ide get there. And I took the day off, because it was the police department appt to apply for and get my TIE card ( identity card)… and fingerprints. If successful It also extends my student visa until June of next year. So getting there was a priority….but I couldn’t guarantee the taxi….. The ONLY taxi in town didn’t answer the phone …
First I’ll digress a minute.. , last week I decided on a cold rainy day to try and take 1 of only 2 one-way busses from Albatera to the town of Orihuela just to see could I do it and not end up someplace else with no way home… So, There’s a 7 am or a 3:15 pm bus that goes to Orihuela from Albatera. . Of course I chose the afternoon, as my 9 pm dinners interfere with getting up early as you can imagine. So I figured I’ll wing it, get on and take a train back ..time to test my ability to use public transportation and use Spanish.

 So Sunday I ran out of the apt, and in 13 minutes I found the un-marked train stop on the un-named main road in the far north of Albatera. I found it on a random Google search that showed a photo of a cafe, and a dumpster next to the said stop. So at least I had a visual. Using my GPS, I, found the dumpster and lucky me an older person was standing there. In bad Spanish yi asked este autobus parar aquí? The lady said yes .. and then looked up the road in direction of said bus. Well, it was late. 325 it rolled up… So unsure how to pay, I watched her go first. She said something gave the driver money and he took her phone #.? Hmm, I wonder why ..So with prepared Spanish in my head I got on, said  Orihuela. He punched something into a machine, and I guessed it was less than 2 euros and  I was right. He gave me a change and I asked can you tell me when we arrive in Orihuela? He nodded and said nothing. Ok…. It was a large comfortable warm bus, but I knew it would go through 3 towns first and I sweated it out wondering if ide get off in the wrong place. I knew I wouldn’t die, but I also knew there was no other bus…and if I got off in another town with no other bus coming, Ide be screwed… But low and behold,  we rumbled 35 min later into a larger town and the bus stop was in front of the train station too! whoopee I made it …my first try and I arrived.

With my GPS I proceeded to go to a shopping area to find a scarf. I had a great time wandering the town…ah… stores shops,  a movie theatre everything Albatera didn’t have .. civilization… … . Then it was time to go back. I go to the train station and it was deserted but for a lone skinny man behind a counter who was completely disinterested in my looks of questioning eyes, trying to figure out how to buy a ticket. Being poor customer service the norm here I have up, instead, I  found a machine, and figured out how to buy a ticket myself. Success! Then I went to the train platform, and in broken Spanish asked someone which was the correct platform….. Then 5 min later I was on my first train ride back.  In 14 minutes the train was in Albatera. I got off…. The wind whipped from the mountains…and other than a busy highway, nothing around me.  So, my last step to independence: call the only taxi in town and ask for a ride in Spanish on the phone.  I did it! uh estoy in frente a tren Estacion I mumbled…since there was only one station in these parts, he didn’t even ask me which one…

…He arrived, I got in, 10 min later I was dropped off. Hallelujah! I was free!!!! So now I had a plan for how to get somewhere even if it was one way…So Back to my Tie appt. Figuring I successfully called a taxi, Ide do it again and set up my ride to Orihuela to make sure I didn’t miss the police appt plus I could ride in a warm car…… then come back in the train easy peasy…But..,.. the taxi guy never answered…. great, was he on siesta???  Problem!!!!! what the??

Now I’m thinking my only option: take the 7 am bus and hope it shows up .. but I read there was a transfer in another town ..oh no, what if I don’t find the transfer bus???? I’ll miss my  Tie appointment! And the stupid taxi guy never answered the phone!!!!! Damn it I wanted to start drinking but can’t do that, I have an appointment at a police station!!! Can’t go in smelling like alcohol at 8 am!!! So being up half the night, I worried and never slept. I got up at 5 am and started drinking coffee…then I said oh well, here goes nothing! I walked to the unmarked stop in the dark .. and waited in freezing cold alone at 7 am….But, it showed up!!!! And only two other people on board.

This time the driver rolled his eyes at me when I asked about the transfer in broken Spanish. So I sat near the couple hoping I could follow them…. 15 min later he pulls into a gas station … Ok he needs gas?..no he motioned for us to get off.  We get off and the other couple asked where do we go?…the driver ignored them but suddenly the next bus pulled up..we got on…phew!!!!! So I made it again to Orihuela. For a whole $1.35… I got off and stopped at a cafe and had coffee…life was good… I looked at my watch I had 30 minutes to find the police station… I was way ahead of time…

Then my GPS failed… I walked in circles looking for the police station…walking walking, over the river, Shi….where the f*$* was I ???? Suddenly I had 6 min left to get there! Oh hell, if I missed it, I was in danger of no visa !!! I felt my gut tighten and my anxiety shooting up… Suddenly the GPS came on, thank God. It said I was 4 min from the police station..

I started fast walking like a crazy woman …. Flew past kids going to school, and a magnificent ornate medieval-looking church and over the river again! ..through narrow cobblestone streets wondering oh please show me the place…..until I saw it … Sounds like a Xmas song I think “over the river and through the town….to the police station I go… la la la…

Ther it was a brick-arched building. Phew, sweating, gripping my life in a folder, including that darn Padrón from the town hall .. I went in exactly at my appointment time of 9 am. ..35 minutes later, I’m sitting in front of a busy-looking lady who took all my papers, and took my prints!!! As soon as she did that, I’m in! I’m in!!!! No mumbling in Spanish, nothing… She handed me a stamped paper and said come back in 45 days to get my card. I got up and walked out,…. Time to celebrate!!! I stopped and got breakfast, and then walked the rest of the town all-day…. and had lunch at a little place; a 3-course menu del dia…. that always comes with wine and coffee for a measly $10… .. Then back to the train, back to Albatera… And got the taxi home.  Now if only there was a darn bus to the other towns. I could find an apartment that I actually like… But for now, I’m stuck here with 2 one way buses only…..sometimes small successes are as great as the big ones …