So, last weekend I got super mondo lost while hiking, until I found a bus stop that could tell me where I was. I guess, in theory, I knew where I was because the iPhone could tell me where I was on the map, but when you're in a random farmer's field, the details are a little sketchy.
Anyways, I found this bus stop and waited around for the bus to come and save me/ take me home. The bus pulled up to me (I was at the front door), and then it just sat there. I thought maybe the driver needed a few moments for himself before he picked me up, so I just stood there.
Finally the doors open, and I entered the bus. The driver said something to me in Swiss German that I absolutely could not understand. I have made some progress in understanding Swiss German, but it does not extend to strong small-town dialects in the Bernese Oberland, apparently. I assumed he wanted proof of my ticket, so I showed him my GA and smiled.
Then he said the exact same thing to me. I turned in to a deer in the headlights and asked him to repeat, yet again. Again, absolutely no understanding happened in my sun-addled head.
Finally, I had to tell him (in German) that I just didn't understand very much. He repeated himself in high-ish German, and I finally understood that I should've pushed a button on the outside of the bus to open the door, because he did not want to open it for me from the inside.
Really?
I tried to apologize as best I could and then sat down. I don't know why this was worth 5 minutes of everyone's time to make sure that I knew which button to press to open the bus door, but apparently it was really important. Sometimes the Swiss are really in to rules, and this must've been one of them.
Note to self: bus drivers are not there to open the door for you.
At least he didn't drive away without me!
Anyways, I found this bus stop and waited around for the bus to come and save me/ take me home. The bus pulled up to me (I was at the front door), and then it just sat there. I thought maybe the driver needed a few moments for himself before he picked me up, so I just stood there.
Finally the doors open, and I entered the bus. The driver said something to me in Swiss German that I absolutely could not understand. I have made some progress in understanding Swiss German, but it does not extend to strong small-town dialects in the Bernese Oberland, apparently. I assumed he wanted proof of my ticket, so I showed him my GA and smiled.
Then he said the exact same thing to me. I turned in to a deer in the headlights and asked him to repeat, yet again. Again, absolutely no understanding happened in my sun-addled head.
Finally, I had to tell him (in German) that I just didn't understand very much. He repeated himself in high-ish German, and I finally understood that I should've pushed a button on the outside of the bus to open the door, because he did not want to open it for me from the inside.
Really?
I tried to apologize as best I could and then sat down. I don't know why this was worth 5 minutes of everyone's time to make sure that I knew which button to press to open the bus door, but apparently it was really important. Sometimes the Swiss are really in to rules, and this must've been one of them.
Note to self: bus drivers are not there to open the door for you.
At least he didn't drive away without me!
