After a few days of budget-breaking taxi rides in and out of town, I worked up the courage to figure out the public transportation system. It was unbelievably simple, and I felt ridiculous for hiding out in taxis up to now. I even got a Metro card (pictured with Flat Lily, above), complete with a stylish lanyard so I can wear it around my neck just like a local teenager.
It couldn't be easier: three houses down from here is the North Shore bus stop. The timetable is online (and also in a little booklet helpfully provided by Gail). North Shore is the end of the line, so I just hop on and ride the whole route. It's just me and the bus driver for the first fifteen minutes or so, until we hit the mall and pick up a load of teens. At the "bus exchange" in the city center (a block from Cathedral Square), I just look for the North Shore route. I scan my Metro card when I get on and the fare is automatically deducted from my balance. Probably all of this is fascinating only to me, but I'll include below the helpful monitor at the bus exchange, which eases my bus anxiety by assuring me that the North Shore bus is on its way, and tells me how many minutes until it arrives (two). It takes about thirty-five minutes to get home from the city center, but it's a pleasant and quiet ride (after the mall stop). I really like the bus!
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