<h3>Riding a bus in Grenada</h3>
<h1> It is not a Suicidal Gesture</h1>
        <p><em><strong>10 things you always wanted 
          to ask about riding busses in granada, but were afraid to ask:<br />
Reprinted from <a href="http://www.caribbeancompass.com/" target="_blank">Caribbean 
          compass magazine</a>, in 1999, article by Ray Goodwin, S/V Beauty and the Beast. 
          (Without permission)</strong></em></p>
        <p class="blog"><em><strong>1) How do I know 
          a bus from a taxi?</strong></em><br />
          Easy. Taxis have air 
          conditioning and are full of tourists while buses have the windows 
          open and loud music blaring out of them. Buses rely on their speed 
          to for air conditioning while Taxis, with their load of two or 
          maybe 3 very pale tourists, actually have a working air conditioner. 
Taxis also cost ten to twenty times more.</p>
        <p class="blog"><em><strong>2)What are the qualifications 
          of a driver?</strong></em><br />
          The driver must be young, 
          may have long dreadlocks, have supreme athletic abilities and 
          knowledge of the roads in order to dodge cars, people, and animals, 
          not to mention the ability to pass and driver on roads built for 
          one car only. He must also have a abiding love of loud reggae 
music.</p>
        <p class="blog"><em><strong>3)How many brakes 
          are there on a bus and which is used first?</strong></em><br />
          You probably didn't 
          know this but there are two: one the driver uses his foot to apply 
          and the other he uses his hand. And of course the hand use of 
          the horn is the first "brake" that any self-respecting 
driver used first.</p>
        <p class="blog"><em><strong>4)How fast do these 
          buses go?</strong></em><br />
          Right exactly on the 
          edge of going to fast for the conditions of the road yet fast 
          enough to scare the living daylights out of you the first time 
          you ride one. There are occasions when the driver will slow down: 
          such as when he wants to check out a pretty woman or when the 
          he is communicating with some one with the horn. One sure way 
          that he will drive slow is when he has a pretty girl sitting next 
to him. He wants to prolong the experience as long as possible.</p>
        <p class="blog"><em><strong>5)What are the qualifications 
          of the conductor? (you know the guy who takes the money)</strong></em><br />
          Vast mathematical skill 
          for sure but certainly the ability to make change and keep track 
          of who has paid while careening down the highway looking g for 
          more passengers for an already full bus. But the most important 
          qualifications is a very narrow behind. After all, the seat he 
          sits on while hanging out of the window in pursuit of filling 
          the bus, is often taken by someone, and he must merely jump in 
a squeeze into what ever is left.</p>
        <p class="blog"><em><strong>6)Will 
          I be able to take my propane bottle to the filling station.</strong></em><br />
No problem mon!</p>
        <p class="blog"><em><strong>7)How loud will 
          the music be playing?</strong></em><br />
          the rule of thumb for 
          the driver is to turn the music up until to where it just distorts 
          and then turn it back down just a bit. This will allow to your 
          enjoyment of some very good reggae music to to be bouncing around 
in your brain for a long time after you have gotten off the bus.</p>
        <p class="blog"><em><strong>8)do I pay when 
          I get on, or when I get off, or at some other time?</strong></em><br />
          Not to worry. Pay any 
          time you are not holding of for dear life or when the conductor 
          (remember ,he is the one with the smallest butt) is not looking 
          out of the window at some backyard or for more passengers to squeeze 
          onto the bus. So that makes it probable that you will pay when 
          you get off. And don't worry about being over charged. It just 
doesn't happen (unlike the Taxis -Ed).</p>
        <p class="blog"><strong><em>9)So how do I let 
          the driver know where or when I want to get off?</em></strong><br />
          That's an easy one. Just rap on any metal part of the roof or 
          side often bus. But remember to knock precisely between the the 
          drumbeat of the reggae music or you will miss your drop.</p>
        <p align="left" class="blog"><em><strong>10)And now for the 
          big question. How many people does a Grenadian bus hold?</strong></em><br />
          Two More.</p>
        <p align="center"> <img src="images/logos/hippie.gif" border="0"></p>
        