Where is that Stupid Bus Stop!?!?!?

I am going out on a limb here and telling all of you a secret....with the hope that you will not use it to torture me....too much! :-)

After a nice, leisurely bike ride this morning over to the local airport with my husband; where we watched several planes take off, one plane practice a few touch and go's, and what must have been one very nervous instructor giving a man a helicopter lesson....we then wound our way back through the neighborhood taking in some new streets and sights; like when we heard rushing water and stopped and found a stream with water that was kinda greyish...we think it might be runoff from peoples homes and their bath/laundry water....but that is just a theory.

I get back in time for Jake to ask to go over to the game store so he can have them put some sort of chip into his X-Box so he can play the games from over here. So over to the game store we walk....about 4 blocks from our house...and dropped off his game system.

Once we drop the X-Box off....we head back home and I am only home long enough to grab some papers I need to send to the States so my roofer can fix the stores roof in Stoystown ....don't worry, I'm getting to the bus story..... before Jake and I head into San Jose to mail them from Fed Ex.

Now one thing we have learned, in the short amount of time we have lived here, is where most of the stops are on the bus routes we take. You have to be careful not to pull the cord too soon or you are walking to your destination way before you want to. We have also learned that when you want to get off at Fed Ex you pull the cord as soon as you start to round the corner onto the street where Fed Ex is....then you pull it again when they pass the Fed Ex....then you pull it again when they pass the next bus stop....then you pull it again when they past the next bus stop...and then finally everyone is pulling the cord and standing....I'm guessing as a sign of unity against the tyrant bus driver that won't stop the bus!

Again...after several pulled cords... the bus stops, we get off, and walk the 4 blocks back to where we need to be. Once we are done doing business with Fed Ex, we start back up the street to find the ever elusive, take us back home, bus stop. Why don't we just go to the bus stop where he finally let us off...you may ask? That is a very good question, but what you don't know is that on our first trip into San Jose we realized that the bus takes a left at the light, then another left two blocks down....

Sidebar here *** Kinda sounds like a race track, doesn't it? "Hey Bubba...look he's making a left turn....and another left turn.....and another left turn" (My tribute to Jeff Dunham)....forgive me for I digress!***

...then the bus stops and everyone HAS TO GET OFF! So If I pick up the bus where he dropped us off....I get to pay 250 colones for a 3 block ride.

Now the problem is....we have to find that spot where he makes everyone get off, so we can get back on and go home.

For some reason I am convinced that I know where that bus stop is.....of course I have yet to find it once I get off the bus in San Jose! Oh....I know what you are thinking....those of you that know me well....I can find any place I need to go with just a map and some gas....and some places even while blindfolded....but I'll be darned if I can find the stupid bus stop!

I am not sure why but, everytime I am in San Jose, I feel the need to cross the road....before the light...and strike out on my own to find the MIA bus stop!!

Jake and I wandered around for well over a half hour and still, we did not find the bus stop. Oh, we tried a couple of different bus stops...unfortunately the necessary bus did not materialize. Finally, as we are walking back up another street that does not hold the bus we need, we catch a glimpse of a bus going to Pavas. While this isn't exactly the bus we are looking for, this bus will get us over by the American Embassy and the the grocery store Pali, which puts us within walking distance of our house. So we walk quickly around the corner trying to catch the bus....(you probably need to know that they don't stop long and if no one is at the stop and no one pulls the string they don't stop at all)....and are blessed with the sight of the bus parked at the bus stop. We run up there....pay our 250 colones each and settle into our seats and then .....wait for ten minutes until the bus driver decides to leave!

Don't get me wrong...I'm not complaining...I'm just happy we found a bus that will get us kinda close to our house!

The bus finally takes off and we settle in for the 20 minute ride home. As we approach the intersection where this bus will turn left and head towards the American Embassy...instead of turning right and going down our boulevard....I find myself starting to really pay attention so I will know when I need to pull the cord.

Much to my surprise the bus does not turn left and head to Pali but by some strange twist of fate....or maybe God was just done messing with me.....the bus turns right, heads up Final de Bulevard, and drops us off right in front of our house!

So the next time I go into San Jose, I will still probably turn before the light and wander around for a half hour looking for the bus stop because...mark my words.....I will find that bus stop my way!