Bus No. 6

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Today I want to go to a hockey game in Salzburg. I ask around and am assured that an advance ticket is not necessary, and to get there I simply needed to take a bus. Bus number 6.

This is repeated to me a number of times, complete with directions to the bus stop so off I head as the hour approaches, allowing lots of time for wrong turns.

I arrive at the bus stop and wait patiently after confirming I am at the correct stop. Along comes a pretty full Bus Number 6.

I get on with my fare in hand, and ask one more time: 'This is the bus to the eis stadium, ja?' He looks at me like I have two heads and says 'Whaat?'
I repeat my question, this time adding, 'Eis Hockey'.

No! he tells me. This is not the right bus! You need to get Bus number 1 going the other way. I don't really believe this, since I have a pretty good idea of where the rink is and it isn't the other direction. But he says again, very very firmly: "Not this bus!"

So off I get, and wait 10 minutes for Bus number 1. The young driver does a double take when I confirm whether the bus goes to the ice hockey rink. "Whaat? Eis hockey? No! You need Bus No. 6!"

I explain that the driver of Bus number 6 told me it was not the correct bus, and he rolls his eyes and spins his finger at the side of his head making the universal sign of crazy. It is Bus number 6 he insists.

And it turns out he was not lying. I catch the next Bus number 6 and find myself at the rink, buy a ticket, and wait patiently for them to let me in (you can't enter the arena here until the zamboni is done). I read an interesting sign detailing all the things I will not be allowed to bring into the arena with me, while I wait.

A bit of a mystery as to why the ticket takers are all bundled up until I actually get into the rink - holy smokes! This is the absolutely coldest arena I have ever ever ever been in! I watch the game, the good guys win, and I catch bus number 6 (eventually) back to the centre. Except he doesn't stop where I need him to, and he takes me another couple of blocks. I am not convinced that this was an accident.

Finally off the bus I stumble half frozen to my hotel. It takes me two hours and one hot shower to thaw out. And I give thanks once again on this trip, for hot water and central heating.

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