The Minibus

In Albania, Dan and I were in awe of the minibus system. That is, where small vans that seat 12 or 15 people become part of the public transportation system. We even laughed at how many people would climb out of one minibus at the stop outside of where we were staying.

We shouldn’t have laughed! Now it is our turn! Bus number 103 will become our lifeline this summer. I’ve taken it twice so far with Melina (Ivan’s wife), and both times I wondered when the people would stop piling on. Yet Melina kept saying, “It’s not crowded yet.” Despite the large number of people jammed onto the #103, raising the temperatures and the smells to a very uncomfortable level, it will provide a sense of freedom for us. For 2 lei (about 16 cents), we’ll be able to get to the central market, to work, and to McDonald’s!