Surprise Madrid post!

So because of the torrential rains, some of the highways flooded and on the bus from Granada back to Madrid, it took us 3 hours to get about 15 km if I remember correctly. No matter, it was very very slow going. Because of this, we missed our connecting bus from Madrid to Valladolid and the ticket window had already closed by the time we got there so we were not able to get our tickets exchanged.

We should have just paid the 18 euros for a new ticket to take the 1:45am bus, however we decided to be stubborn and wait for the 8:15am bus. Unfortunately, because we did not actually have tickets for the bus in the morning, the security guards wouldn’t let us stay in the bus station overnight. -_-

So. . .16 of us started wandering the streets of Madrid at 2am on a Sunday night. Mind you this is Sunday night so we can’t even go find a discoteca with all of our luggage and stuff like the security guard told us to.

It was cold in Madrid, but thankfully not freezing or raining, so some of our group did decide to try and sleep in a park. Mary and Andy and I decided to keep walking however, and eventually found a few bars that were still open and tried to make our drinks last as long as possible. We ended up going back and putting on as much of our clothes as possible and bringing the rest of the group back to one bar where we piled all of our stuff in a corner and thawed out.

At about 6:00 we headed back to the bus station to try and get our tickets exchanged. . .which we did for a 13:00 bus.

So we napped in the bus station; I snuck under two benches and slept as peacefully as possible for being on a cold stone floor. That was probably the lower point of the trip. We were all cold and miserable and living on like three hours of sleep or less. It was very surreal and the time until 1:00 seemed very far away. And they wouldn’t let us sit or lie on the floor (thus the reason why I slept under the benches) I admit that I cried a little when a security guard politely asked me to move from the floor to a bench “si le da igual”/”if it doesn’t matter to you.” It was kind of the last straw. After missing our bus, not being able to get on the last bus, being kicked out of the bus station and being delayed for twelve hours, can’t you just freaking let me sit where I want? (Well that's what I wanted to say, but being tired, I cried instead)

Then we went to a kebab place and hung out there for a few hours, studying for our midterm on Wednesday (thankfully we had all the books between us) and using the wifi and generally laughing at our situation. By this time the situation had become laughably surreal and we were imagining what a good story this would be.

All in all, I’m glad it happened. It was fun. It’s fun to talk about. It was an adventure that I’ll never forget. However, this doesn’t really make me love Madrid anymore. And I was very happy to be back in Valladolid. And it made me dread much less coming back to where it was cold. Because at least in Valladolid we have heating! And so I took a shower and ate food and went to class! I bet you didn't expect another Madrid post :)

Also photodocumented:

Our rest stop after pretty much realizing we were going to have to spend the night in the bus station.

I told them to look exhausted and annoyed

My view from under the bench

The kebab place. . .

Madness sets in.

Amy and I had matching scarves to keep warm. . . We took a walk, I was wearing my gypsy pants as well and I'm pretty sure I looked like I was from a Middle Eastern Country.

JJ and Sav join the scarf club

This is Andy sporting his "Jesus" shirt that he bought in Granada

Gabby. :)