Last week, I traveled alone for the first time in Belgium by public transport. I was anxious, excited, terrified, curious, exhilarated, thrilled ...All emotional adjectives at one go!!!
Anyway, it was my first interview call here and the location was not public transport friendly. If you miss the bus, wait for half an hour totaling the travelling time to two hours. And I had to reach there by 9 am. Previous day, we were checking all routes on google map. My husband downloaded offline map on my mobile. There was a bus from Mortsel Oude God to the office at 8 am. The fast train to Mortsel Oude God was at 7:32 am from Mechelen Nekkerspoel. In the morning, I rushed towards train station and reached at 7:25 am!
I experienced the first panic. The ticket machine was not taking Euro note and I did not have bank ATM card, but just a Forex card. And as usual the PIN was not in my memory. I called up my husband to get the pin number.
'You have insufficient credit to call this number!' 
That was second panic moment! I hated Lycamobile as I was unable to call, enough if we recharged it two days back. 
I asked co-passenger to buy ticket for me by giving her the cash. She did not have the change to give back, so casually I told her to keep two euro change. Boarded the train on time, I checked if I can make Whatsapp call through internet. I was able to call my husband who was busy getting my daughter ready for school. He didn't pick up and I left the message to recharge my number.
I asked co-passenger to buy ticket for me by giving her the cash. She did not have the change to give back, so casually I told her to keep two euro change. Boarded the train on time, I checked if I can make Whatsapp call through internet. I was able to call my husband who was busy getting my daughter ready for school. He didn't pick up and I left the message to recharge my number.
The google map was working fine as I traveled from Mortsel Oude God train station to the bus stop where I was going to take the bus. I checked the bus number 140 on the platform. Just before two minutes of the arrival of the bus, I realized that there is opposite platform with same bus number. I rechecked with Indian lady by my side. She asked me 'Kahan jana hai..? Where do you want to go?' I was just knowing the bus stop name and not the end station of the bus. After short discussion, we realized I was at wrong platform and there came the bus no. 140. The third panic moment!!!
I waved hands at the bus driver and ran towards the opposite platform breaking one traffic signal...
Travelling in the bus, I was constantly looking at the google map, to check the arrival of bus station where I have to get down. And I got down successfully with no more panic attack.
From bus station to the office, there was 15 minutes' walk and I was totally dependent on Google maps to reach there. I realized I was the only one walking on the road...!!! And few cars moving here and there...
Reached safe and sound to the office and 15 minutes before time...!
After tiring selection process from 9 am to 5:30 pm, I was like I do not want to come to this place again by public transport. (Yes.! my wish came true as I am again searching for better opportunities)
On the way back home, I did not have offline google map. And now the internet was also not working. I hated Lycamobile even more !! Trusting my previous experiences of getting lost with puzzling road directions, I walked towards the bus stop where I had got down in the morning. And this time I stood at the opposite bus stop. The bus 141 came and I boarded the bus. I handed over 10 euro note to the bus driver. He said he needs euro 3 change. Checking each corner of the purse, I handed over 2.50 euro and kept on searching for 50 cents. He said 'Ok..some other time'. I took a sit.
Constantly I was thinking... What if this bus doesn't go to Mortsel Oude God? What if I do not recognize the morning bus stop and go ahead with this bus to some other station?
Nothing of that sort really happened and I got down at the bus stop recognizing it at one go. The train station was in front of bus stop, and I reached the train station. I rechecked, that the train was coming on platform 2. Just before two minutes of arrival of train, I heard the announcement for the train to Mechelen Nekkerspoel and the train came on opposite platform!
Another small panic and I was getting used to the panic attacks 
I thought, may be that is some other train. I rechecked with two fellow passengers if this is the platform for Brussels. They gave me weird look and said 'Yes'. 
After leaving home at 7: 15 am in the morning, I reached home at 7 pm in the evening. That was quite a thrilling journey especially way back home trusting my own intuition rather than anything else! 
I realized how much I have missed my husband during this travel. He accompanies us at every place we go. Since we got married, we never really go alone without each other except to the work place. Right from travelling to different locations to simple stuff like bringing grocery, we do it all together.
I am indebted to my parents-in-laws and grandparents-in-laws for raising up a caring person like him.
It is true, we grow with interdependence in marriage...finding the middle way between dependence and independence. So, my advice to young couples, give each other enough time.
You will soon realize that no match is perfect but we can make it almost perfect by giving 'Time' to each other. 
