Buses and the ghetto

Buses and the ghetto

With a new sense of confidence I decide to try to find a local supermarket to buy a few bits and bobs. Luke had managed to find one about a mile from the flat (loft) and had said that I was not to go there alone. Remember me saying that I could not explore our side of the river? Well basically it is because it is the ghetto and Luke had been told it was not safe for him to go there. Armed with the iPad I set off for Wall-Mart.

Now I should explain that there is a function on all Apple products called maps, I have never really used this, but over the coming days this would be my lifeline. You can put destinations in and the clever little computer will tell you not only how to get their on foot but also by public transport and road. So I put in Wall-Mart's address and our Zip Code. Off I go.

After walking around looking for the bus stop on the iPad for half an hour (it was meant to be a block away) I find it. (I was later to discover that it was not the one I was looking for, but in the next hour that was going to be the least of my worries). The Route 1 to Freeport turns up. On I jump and tell the lady where I

am going, she kindly explains that I am going in the wrong direction and offers to drop me at the next bus stop, going back in the opposite direction. This was a HUGE mistake. I got off the bus in an area where I was told by Luke not to go, for what were now obvious reasons. There were large groups of men of various

ethnic backgrounds hanging around on every street corner. The whole place had a very run down feel to it. I feel that generally I am a confident person who is not fazed by this sort of thing, but I was suddenly very aware I was a young woman on my own surrounded by large groups of men just loitering about and looking

shifty. The next 40 minutes were the longest of my life, and in this time I did contemplate trying to find my way around, but in the end stayed put. In all the person safety talks you her the police officer always tells you to look confident and act confident- bit difficult in this case believe me (especially when you are aware that you have an iPhone, iPod and iPad in your bag for starters- muggers paradise or what!) Anyway bus turns up I am on it before it has even really stopped (they open the doors while they are still moving) I arrive at wall-mart and have a strong coffee.

Lessons learnt:

1. Don’t go into the ghetto!

2. The buses have the same place on the front whether the are coming or going to that place- this makes getting around tricky at best.

3. Paying for buses is just as confusing; you pay on some when you get on them and when you get off of them on others???