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All safe and well in Banja Luka yes but man it was one helluva ride to get here (but not on a bicycle). That action is still to come. No, I bought my bus ticket as planned although I had wanted to leave on the Wednesday if it was possible. No, no bus on Wednesday. OK Thursday it is which means I can still go to see the Marionette Theatre in Duesseldorf perform Never Ending Story. Yay. I know I'm a big kid at heart. I love puppet shows, children's books and children's toys. My auntie thinks I'm weird. Not sure if she really appreciated being dragged along on Wednesday night to see the performance (actually I
know she didn't) but for me it was worth it. It was a wonderful way to cap off what was already a fantastic day. Earlier on I caught up with Reinhard who drove down (2 hours!!) to come and say hello and welcome me back to Germany. It's so nice to know people in other places.
But all this action meant not much sleep so after 5 hours of restless sleep it was time to get up again and make my way to
the bus station along with my cousin who helped me schlepp some of my stuff - at 6am! Ugh. The bus arrived and I almost missed that thinking that the bus driver just wanted a bit of time and space to have his smoke and contemplate the meaning of life because he never asked the people standing at the bus stop if they were heading to Banja Luka. In the end, with departure time looming and anxiety levels rising, I interrupted his peace by asking him if this bus was going to Banja Luka. He said yes and seemed positively surprised when I indicated that I was going to Banja Luka. He asked for my ticket and, as if not quite believing me, said yes, Banja Luka (there it was in black and white) shaking his head and handed me back my ticket with a puzzled look on his face. It possibly is a bit strange and random that someone from Germany who has no family or no real prior connections with BIH may want to head down to Banja Luka but strange and random is, what I think anyway, I do best.
Being on the bus was like
being in BIH itself just on wheels and smaller. There was a lot of chatter, a lot of stuff, and a lot of chaos. So much chaos actually that we all had to disembark in Munich and get on a second bus because there were too many people. Apparently 36 people had prebooked their tickets and the rest (23) had just rocked up on the day (!!). My lack of sleep and lack of tolerance found its way out in a hissy fit on board the second bus. After being forced to the back of the 'queue' I then got on the bus to find that every seat had been taken. I lost it and started ranting (rather loudly) in German. In the end I found a seat but man, what an effort. I actually have no great issues with chaos but when I buy a ticket in a country known for order, and I am still in that country, I expect order. Obviously need to reassess my thinking. Disappointment (and hissy fits) ensue when order turns to chaos.
So after 24 hours I arrived at 6.30 in the morning at Banja Luka bus station. Not the most welcoming sight first thing but I got here. And when the bus driver saw all my bags he came out of the bus, asked if I needed help, and offered to call someone. Er, I don't know anyone here. I asked him if he could tell me where this hostel was. He said it was best to take a taxi there. I said no. I have time. Yes, time I have but as it turns out stamina and strength are entirely other matters. Continuing on, lugging my stuff for the estimated 800m from the bus station to the hostel I stopped a lady to ask for directions to the hostel. She asked me if I had mobile. The second person to ask! She suggested I catch a taxi as it was too far. By this stage I was done and ready to lay down on the pavement and sleep (and, also very open to the suggestion of a taxi reading it as a sign that maybe I should stop being so stubborn). She called a taxi for me and five minutes later it arrived and five minutes later I was delivered to the City Smile hostel. Sweet.
Three days later I’m still here but have accomplished quite a bit. Slept like I’ve not slept for a long time – tick. Bicycle purchased – tick (HUGE thanks to Mirko from Shimano Shop who customised my bike ‘no problem’). Explored the city including a visit to the National Museum and Contemporary Art Gallery – tick, tick. Visited the multiplex to see Star Trek in 3D –tick (although I had planned to see Big Wedding but Vera and Vesna at the ticket booth somehow managed to sell me a ticket to see Star Trek instead. I surprised myself by a) staying awake b) thinking it wasn’t bad at all). And thanks Rachael for the review - it was spot on!
So thank you Banja Luka for the warm welcome, especially to those at the City Smile hostel who made it such a lovely place to stay. Tomorrow then is when the adventure really starts. Let’s hope it’s the beginning of a wonderful friendship between me, my bike and the road ahead.
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Charlie
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You bought a Jeep?
The real impact that ad is supposed to have comes out for me in the similar sentence: you watched Star Trek? In 3D? Yes Nigel, I watched Star Trek. It's not brain surgery. I expect nothing less than chaos from you. (but I still didn't expect Star Trek)