I wasn´t supposed to be here today, either

Okay, so it was mostly my fault and I'll get over it. But just for today, I fucking hate Madrid. I really thought that I had mastered Spanish buses: they're confusing and you have to ask lots of questions and I have to say como (what) a lot, but I can make it work. Then today hit a whole new low. I was going from Plasencia to Segovia, had to change buses in Ávila. No problem. When I asked for a ticket to Ávila, the bus driver said something incomprehensible about Barco de Ávila. When I asked him to repeat himself he mocked me, muttered some more, and gave me a ticket to Barco de Ávila. Okay, whatever. From Barco de Ávila it should be clear how to get to Ávila. I've got lots of time. No problem. At Barco de Ávila (an hour away from Ávila), he makes us all get off the bus and line up to get back on the bus where he's now selling tickets to Ávila or continuing on to Madrid. It's the same bus, same driver, same ticket machine; there's no reason he couldn't have sold me a ticket to Ávila back in Plasencia. And the tickets are expensive. I hate this bus company. Pero, bueno, I'm headed to Ávila as planned. No problem. After ten minutes or so the bus stops and the driver yells something. I don't hear what he says because I'm listening to music, but buses stop in pueblos all the time. He's probably just announcing the stop. We're definitely not in Ávila. As we're pulling away it occurs to me that a lot of people got off at that pueblo, including this girl who I thought said she was going to Ávila. And there was another of the same company's buses sitting right there. I wasn't supposed to get on the other bus to go to Ávila, was I? Wouldn't the bus driver have mentioned that when I bought the ticket? Or yelled at me when I didn't get off? He clearly thinks I'm an idiot foreigner, wouldn't he want to get rid of me? This may be a problem. Nothing I can do about it now, though. We're clearly heading in the direction of Ávila; I spend the next hour praying to no one that we actually stop there. We don't. Now there's a problem. I really don't want to go to Madrid, and I really don't want to deal with the asshole bus driver now that I've ridden farther than I paid for. But that's what's happening.

It could be worse. At least I know I'll be able to get from Madrid to Segovia. But I hate Madrid. It's hot and chaotic and an hour out of the way. Buses to Segovia probably leave from the main bus station, but who knows where the bus I'm on will drop us off? And this isn't exactly inconsequential: My hotel in Segovia told me they'd give the room away if I'm not there by 4pm. I should still have enough time, and if not I can call and explain; they probably won't really give the room away. But I don't want to have to call, I hate talking on the phone, and what if they're assholes like the bus driver and they do give the room away?

It takes forever to get into Madrid, but at least we go to the main bus station. I sneak off the bus without the asshole driver noticing. It's 1pm, Segovia can't be more than an hour away, and I think the buses run all the time. No problem. I ask at the information booth where to buy a ticket to Segovia. "Otra estación". Fuck. I throw a little yelling fit. Not sure whether my yelling in English made me look like more or less of a wacko. Otra estación means I have to get on the metro, which is hotter than fucking hell and not fully functional, at least it wasn't two weeks ago.

Turns out I can get to this other station without changing metro lines, which helps, but because of the construction I have to go the long way around on a circle line. Luckily the metro is nowhere near the inferno it was two weeks ago, but it takes forever. I'm really grumpy. I spend the ride being annoyed by everyone around me: Stop fanning yourself, it's not that hot; button your shirt, it's definitely not that hot; lose the sunglasses, you're underground. Sixteen stops later, all the up escalators in the station are broken.

Joder.

...My tale of woe pretty much ends there. I made it to Segovia, they hadn't given my room away, no more yelling fits. But still, just for today, fuck Madrid. Okay, I'm better now.