So, I’ve experienced an interesting trip in Brazil with buses, including the first time getting lost just around my host’s house…..
The first day at work, I took a bus. Here they don’t have monthly pass or weekly pass or the likes, they have a card for you to recharge if your balance is run out, kind of like the Pesto card in Toroto, or the Octopus card in Hong Kong, or the one in Singapore. It is quite modern here that people tapping the card to get in the station or on the bus. They install an entrance like the one at the station entrance for the buses, so everyone has to tap the card to move the rotating bar. |
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| Bus view from outside |
At this point, I painfully think of TTC and just feel bad because such a big city like Toronto doesn’t even have such upgrade. The ticket price for the rechargeable per trip is not that bad, R$ 2.95, which is about C$ 1.5 (just divide by 2). No cash upon etrance. If you get on the bus without enough balance, you can stay behind the driver’s seat and wait til he drops you off in front of the station entrance. You’ll just buy the ticket or refill the card there.
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| At night |
There is no subway here in Sorocaba, only buses and the two big stations, Terminal São Paulo and Terminal Santo Antonio. The former one is close to downtown Sorocaba, which is close to my work. Buses operate in almost all corners of the city. There is also a bus stop right in front of my office building, so convenient. I also learned how to speak roughly and ask for directions and bus numbers (proud proud ^^).
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| Lost and tired |
It was the first time I took the bus on my own that i get lost. Instead of getting of at the right stop, I skipped and sat on the bus until it reached the last stop, which is out of no where. I later figured out that the last stop was really close to my host’s house (feeling dumbfounded !!!).
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I couldn’t speak Portuguese at that time, and around me there was noone to ask for direction. they didn’t even know English. I tried to walk around to see after calling my friend. He said it was a pretty dangerous area, but I found some really beutiful houses around.
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| Nice houses around dangerous neighborhood |
There was a guy walking by and I tried to follow him to ask for direction, but he for some reason felt threatened and walked even faster, so I gave up and turned to a new street. There I found a street with all the international schools for kids, and surprisingly, I found a Canadian school called Maple Bear. I was so excited then for no reason.
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| Maple Bear |
So, this is pretty much what I know about Sorocaba buses. I’m more confident now taking the bus and asking if it’s the right bus or not. I guess that’s good enough for an intern living here for 3 months. Next time let’s talk about Brazilian food and other places I will travel to 🙂
N.T., sounds like even getting lost is fun – which is sometimes…. Keep up all these blog posts! I like reading them!
And hope you learn lots of yummy brasilian food and cook for us soon!
Your sis and I are discussing a trip – hopefully we can work something out!
I also took a look at your tumblr, very cool…. especially like the wacky telephone booth on the street!