How to fall in love with public transport

I’m trying to fall in love with public transport,
but its proving hard.
A friend of mine had a car crash into him –
he was driving my car.

I wake pretty early anyway,
grab fresh coffee and breakfast,
head out into the frosty spring morning –
I wonder how long this routine will last?

Waiting has always been an issue.
Bus after bus then none for a while –
it seems never to be the bus I need,
and never at the right time.

The 114 packs us all in,
making us feel – for want of a better expression –
like we’re sardines stuffed tight in their oily tin.

The 16, by contrast,
has been extended to form a long winding snake,
as it goes all round town – a longer time it takes.

We’re a tiny country in the heart of Europe –
Monday to Friday our population doubles!
Our functioning public transport packed
with commuters from the surrounding countries
twittering away in French, Flemish or German
not to mention all the non-native English –
after 5 years living, working and breathing here,
my language skills are completely skewiff!

If I’m fortunate, I get a seat at the next stop down
so I sit,
and breathe deeply –
Kaya Project drowning much of the sound –
letting my mind drift slowly
my eyes closed,
the sun bright, warming my face,
making shadows of the trees on the road
flickering on my eyelids
nothing and everything found in an empty space.

I remember the road rage I used to get
when driving to and from work last year –
I wanted to understand the driving habits of 148 different nationalities
simultaneously trying to navigate this flimsy road network
and not act like jerks.
I tried so hard, but in the end
decided there simply are no road rules that can govern this land!

Now I ride along, meditating for a while –
I think I’ve cracked it,
I finally learned the trick!

…to falling in love with public transport
and changing my general mindset.

 

Thankfully I don’t get so many traffic jams like these #grateful