By Adam Reimer
When I was in college I studied abroad in Madrid. When I was there I met some locals who I became friends with and decided to visit their home town in southern Spain and Malaga. Unfortunately I didn't speak Spanish that well and when they invited me I thought it was just a weekend trip. I didn't realize they were spending the entire week there. I finally figured out how to say that I needed to get back to Madrid, but unfortunately the closest bus stop or train station was an hour drive from their town. They tried to convince me to stay with them and spend the week, but I had finals to get to so there was no possible way. They agreed to drive me to the bus station in this very small town that had one bus to the train station a day.
They got me to the bus station with about an hour to spare and I got my tickets and was on my way back to Madrid. At least I thought I was. Unfortunately I went to grab something to eat and the closest shop was a 15 minute walk. When I got back to the station the bus was pulling out and I missed it.
The town I was in had no hotels, no hostels and nothing opened except the bus station which closed in an hour. There were also no taxis to be able to call and meet the bus at its next stop. I was stuck not speaking a language in a town with no opened restaurants, cafes or places to sleep and my mobile phone was about to die. I found a pay phone after trying 5 that didn't work and called my friends. We got disconnected so I had no clue if they knew I was stuck or needed their help and realized that I was on my own. I had to think quickly about how to not only make it through the night, but also be able to get back to Madrid. All I had one me was my hidden emergency cash and credit card, my passport and my roller bag suitcase which would have been better as a back pack. So what did I do?
The first thing I did was look for my English translator. I looked up 5 phrases. How can I call a taxi, where is the closest hostel, Can I rent a room from you, I'm stranded and missed my bus and I need somewhere to stay, Where can I buy bottled water. Then I checked to make sure I had my passport, my emergency cash and went on my way to collect supplies that I would need to be somewhat comfortable if I had to find a bench to sleep on.
I found a row of vending machines that were almost all empty. Luckily the one had two bottles of water left. I quickly bought those because the summer in Spain is definitely not a fun thing to walk around in if you have no water. The next thing I did was go back to the bus station and knock on the window to get the lady's attention who did not speak English. Unfortunately she would not open up for me to ask about a hostel. Then I went and looked for any sign of people and after about an hour of walking I ran into a woman with a child. I help up my translator and showed her that I missed my bus and needed help getting to Madrid or somewhere to stay. She then translated back that the closest cab company is two towns away and would take about 45 minutes to get here. I said that is not a problem. She negotiated a fare for me and then told me where to wait by the bus station. I thanked her and offered her a few Euros for her help, but she wouldn't take them. Around 45 minutes later, a car pulls up and it is my friends. They get out of the car worried about me and also annoyed that I missed the bus, but I let them know I was able to find a cab. They tried to take me back to their town, but just as I was getting in the car a cab showed up and was ready to take me to the train station. I thanked my friends for coming back for me and told them I would see them in Madrid. I felt bad that they came back but was also relieved that they did. I jumped in the cab, paid him the 75 Euros and we went to the train station. At the station he helped me buy a ticket and showed me where the train would be. I did not leave that terminal at all because there was no way I was going to miss another chance to get back to Madrid.
What I learned from this experience is that when you travel, especially by yourself, you need to know how to not panic, find solutions and always have emergency money and resources with you. Think about what would happen if you have to sleep outside and what you would need like water or something to protect you from a mugger or anything else. You never know what could happen and you have to be able to rely on yourself. Prepare yourself for your trip and always think about what you would do if you were ever stranded in a strange town where you don't know the language and how you can keep yourself safe.
About Adam Riemer: As an avid traveler with a passion for discovering and sharing new cultures and experiences, Adam enjoys guest blogging and being a contributor to help travelers discover solutions for travel obstacles like obtaining travel documentation. Adam Riemer is currently the VP of Marketing for VisaHQ. For any Passport and Visa needs for your travels make sure go to VisaHQ or find them on Twitter @VisaHQ.
