So, last weekend I decided to visit one of my friends on the other side of the Rhine. After taking the train into the central station at 9 pm, we raced over the bus station and hopped on the correct number bus before if left. We rode it while listening for our stop. We kept riding... and riding... and riding. Eventually it occurred to us that the bus may be going in the WRONG DIRECTION! Shortly after, we reached the end of the drivers route, where he shooed us off the bus shouting, "Aus, aus!" So after I had a minor freakout, we found the schedule posting nearby: the next bus would come in 30 minutes. So we did what any reasonable person would do and crack open a beer (which took an impressive amount of creativity to do without a bottle opener).
Finally, the next bus arrived and took us back to the central station at 10:30. My roommate decided to keep riding and go to out friends' house, but I decided to head home. I just missed the train, so I would have to wait another hour, but there was a tram coming in 30 minutes. So after another 30 minute wait, I was on my way home. Or so I thought. Turns out that guys route ended two stops before mine, and I was shooed off with another repetition of "Aus, Aus!" So I had to wait ANOTHER 30 MINUTES. And I didn't have any beer. By the time the next tram, going the exact same direction, got there, my legs hurt from the cold, my face was numb, and I developed a strong urge to punch someone in the face along with a bit of paranoia. I rode the rest of the way home without incident. I finally got back to my house at midnight, 3 hours after I first set out.
We're learning a lot of great things in Germany about medicine and their culture. But another lesson we learn here is what to do when the buses stop.
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