We have a long journey ahead of us. In order not to miss the bus, we arrive two hours earlier. Killing time at the airport isn't really a punishment. We can sit, there is a free toilet nearby and we have food and drinks for the road.
Next to me are two elderly ladies wearing face masks. Are there still people who wear something like that? According to my youngest, this is very common in some countries. Also useful to cover up pimples, scars, an ugly skin or mouth. It's actually not that crazy. It's just a pity that it gives me a rash and it doesn't work against bad smells (I heard a pathologist make that comment in a Korean drama) and it always gives me sneezing fits.
This time I didn't get a sneezing fit but a coughing fit because I choked on some food. No bread by the way, as a precaution I no longer eat that. Sometimes I also choke on water.
I cough and cough and can't get rid of the irritation and I see the lady in the construction worker's face mask back away and turn around. Does she seriously think I have some kind of virus?
Choking, but also frequent coughing by the elderly due to a dry throat/mouth is very common.
When it is time to take the bus, we pack and head to the new bus terminal.
It was somewhat unclear where we should be, but the advantage of being there earlier is that you have time to observe everything.
While my youngest watches the bags and suitcases, I look around outside to find out where the bus leaves. Presumably where there is one now. The weather is nice so no problem waiting there, but in winter it is definitely cold. There is no canopy, no waiting area and not even a bus shelter or place to shelter from the wind.
The two ladies arrive shortly after us. This time they are not afraid of catching something dangerous. The face mask no longer covers their faces and we share our travel experiences while wondering where the bus is.
Without internet connection, you have to wait and see. The Flixbus does not send an SMS.
I received an email telling me that the bus was delayed and I would probably miss the connecting bus. Please, contact us via the attached link.
Long story short: contacting customer service is a waste of time. After 45 minutes I haven't made any progress. My request to help me with other transportation is rejected. The two (American) ladies cannot believe their ears. They hear the responses from customer service with astonishment.
No, customer service cannot help me, no, I will not receive any compensation, no, they will not do anything because I did not get on the bus (that bus that still has not arrived) and so on and on.
We looked for other transportation and what we found was quite expensive. Remarkable because the buses are rarely full.
When the bus finally arrives we decide to get on. The bus is 110 minutes late, 5 minutes more and Flixbus would refund everything.
Guess what, according to the Flixbus app, our bus left and arrived on time! That's how the organization does it, tampering with the times. Once the actual arrival time of a delayed bus has passed, the bus can even no longer be followed. Great if you are waiting for someone and the bus disappears from the radar.
On the bus we again diligently look for another bus that can take us where we need to go or at least in the country. Instead of one bus, we will need two and I did not count on those extra costs. Public transport thus becomes an expensive joke. This journey would have been much cheaper if I had taken the plane.
Once again I contacted customer service, but again I received no help. They say they can only help once I have arrived which is not good enough for me. What is the point of sending that link if customers are not being helped out in time? I don't want to spend money on 1 or 2 nights in a hotel with all the associated costs because the next direct connection leaves in 22 hours or more.
When we arrived at our destination, we indeed did miss our connecting bus, but only by 5 minutes. After two hours of waiting, the newly booked one arrives.
The next morning at 5 o'clock we waited in the cold in Frankfurt for another bus. The waiting area is closed and this also applies to the public toilet. Like said it is cold and there is no shelter from the wind. Of course, there is no cafe or restaurant nearby either where one can have a hot drink and wait.
When I'm finally on this bus it's time to relax. Upon arrival, we also had to wait another 2.5 hours until the last bus took us where we needed to be. By then we are travelling for over 24 hours!
We haven't slept and the last part of our journey is waiting for the train. An 11-minute ride is not long, but the train is also delayed because the main conductor did not arrive. Strange how a train full of people just has to wait for one person. You will never find it the other way around.
Ultimately we arrived more than 5 hours later than expected. I had to cancel appointments along the way and the last part of our journey was walking through a village with road works.
I am still waiting for a refund for the purchased tickets. So each week I send a complaint and ask for a refund. This is a new battle with the Flixbus company. By now it's becoming increasingly clear to me why the plane and car remain popular. The only plus of this journey was that those two elderly ladies said they were happy to meet me and... My bed waited for me.
5-10-2023
All photos are taken by me.
Prompt provided by 
