Buses are so romanticized in C-Drama. We as a society cannot stop talking about that scene where SangYan (桑延) woke up early and ran to catch the bus just to create a “coincidence” to meet WenYiFan (温以凡) and save her a seat. LEGENDARY, EPIC SCENE!
Anyway. While I haven’t encountered my male C-Drama lead YET, at least I can do the things my favorite characters do. One of them is going on buses — since I don’t have an ebike.
It would be more fun if I could sleep on someone’s shoulder on the bus trip
But we take what we can get.
Anyway, I love how the government provides good infrastructure in general. For example, the transportation is really convenient here.
How Taking the Bus in China Actually Works (Quick Cheat Sheet)
- Download 高德地图(Amap) — search your destination and it shows you bus routes, which bus to take, and exactly how many stops until you arrive
- Pay by scanning a barcode on your phone at the scanner when you board — it only takes two seconds
- In Hainan, rides start at just 1 yuan — it goes up depending on how far you’re going, but it is so much cheaper than a taxi
- Turn your phone vibration ON — Amap will vibrate when your stop is coming up. I forgot that Amap had this feature because my phone is on complete silent mode (even the vibrate is off). So I end up checking the app every 10 seconds instead :’D
The First Time I Tried It Alone
At first, I was scared to take the bus alone. But then I realized: if I actually got lost, I could just order a taxi back to campus. So I didn’t have that much to lose (well, other than the taxi fare).
Once I tried it, I slowly got the hang of it. And once I got the hang of it, I could go anywhere.
The first real “I finally did it” moment was when I took a bus trip to a park. That was when I discovered how genuinely fun solo trips are.
Seeing the view makes it totally worth checking Amap every 10 seconds. 🌸
I felt like a real adventurer. I can take the bus alone. This is part of learning to become more independent as a young adult :’D. “Of course I can do it alone, I always do.”
The Good Part: It’s Cheap and the City Is Beautiful
Compared to taking a taxi, it takes much longer to get to your destination. That’s the honest downside.
But on the other hand, it is so much cheaper. As mentioned before, the bus ride price starts at just 1 yuan per journey. Paying is as simple as scanning a barcode on your phone to the scanner. Then off you go.
The less romanticized part of the bus experience — but still kind of cinematic? And still worth it for 1 yuan :’D
After I pay, I always look for a window seat. On the bus trip, I love looking out and taking photos. It’s not hard to find pretty buildings. The city is so clean and I genuinely love the architecture. As the bus keeps going, I see palm trees, busy intersections, and I especially love crossing the Century Bridge.
This is exactly the kind of view that makes you romanticize taking the bus 🌴
After I knew how to get around with my phone guiding me, the whole city felt less intimidating. It sparks excitement in me — the realization that there are so many places I haven’t visited yet.
The Bus Anxiety Is Real Though
On every bus ride, I’m usually anxious about missing my stop. So I pay very careful attention for that “下一站“ automated voice.
My anxiety genuinely increases as I get closer to my stop. I mentally think: “I have to get off quickly, I can’t miss this one.” And I keep checking over and over if this is the right stop.
There’s something deeply satisfying and relieving when I check the announcement for the next stop and it matches the one on the app. It gives me this little sense of control — proof that the system works and I’m not about to end up somewhere completely random.
(As mentioned before: the app has notifications for this.)
The Embarrassing Moment I Have to Include
There was one time I was going to an event alone, and I got to the bus stop late. In a state of panic, I just boarded whichever bus stopped at the station.
After being on it for a while, I asked the bus driver if this bus was going where I needed to go. He said no.
I got off. I ended up taking a taxi because I was already late.
I needed to go to the bus stop earlier next time :’D.
The Bus Game
Beep beep.
The scanner on the bus beeps — that’s how I know more people are boarding. The bus fills up with both young and elderly people, and sometimes it strikes me that everyone on this bus has their own whole story going on.
There’s a popular public transportation game: observe a stranger and make up stories in your head. Where is that person going? What are they like around their friends? What are they thinking about right now?
Let’s say, the middle-aged guy with a crew cut and square glasses is on his way to a bakery shop. Maybe he just got divorced a second time. But he will not buy a pineapple bread, because that was his ex-wife’s favorite and he doesn’t want anything associated with her.
The doors hiss open. This man and a few others get off at a bus stop.
I hope he finds the bread that he likes.
The engine starts rumbling and we’re off again.
What Taking the Bus Actually Taught Me
Living abroad forces you to get out of your comfort zone and figure things out on your own. The coming-of-age process in real life isn’t a dramatic thing like fighting bad guys in fantasy novels.
It’s like a game where there are skills to unlock, and figuring out the bus system is one of the achievements I’ve unlocked. As I gain more exp points, I get more used to my environment. 越来越习惯了。
Even after going through plenty of bus trips, I get anxious about not reaching the right destination. But when I do reach it, I feel so satisfied that I made it.
My question has now turned to: where should I go next?
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