As I mentioned before, to reach Oostende from where we live, there is a tram which runs along the coast. It runs every ten minutes and on a good day, it will get you to the center of the action in about 25 minutes. The only problem is that to reach the tram stop in the first place, you have to walk a lot. First you need to walk to the front gate, then along a busy road which has no proper sidewalk, then through a forest to finally reach the tram stop on the other side. From my house, it takes approximately 20 minutes.

When we first arrived here, we were given a monthly tram pass and told that a small bus would transport us between the Sunparks and the tram stop. It was a good idea but it was poorly organized. There was no fixed schedule and we caught the driver sleeping in his bus halfway between the stops more than once. There was also the fact that the shuttle bus only ran until 7PM so when you came back after dark, you had to cross that forest in pitch black, then walk along the side of the road, hoping not to get hit by a car.

So some people complained and Cirque did something about it. Instead of fixing the problem, they cancelled the tram shuttle bus and replaced it with a big bus which goes directly to the site. It is now easier to go to work, it even takes ten minutes less than before. But you have to plan exactly when you want to leave and if you miss the bus, you must wait an hour for the next one. And if you need to go to the city and not to the site (now why would someone ever want to do that?), you're on your own. No more tram pass. I dont mind paying for my tram fare but I do mind having to walk along that dangerous unlit road at night.

For a few days, all I could hear was how much of an improvement this was. Today, most of the people who were complaining about the tram and were so happy about the bus that replaced it have either rented a car for the run or are all surprised to see that their tram pass did not get renewed. Go figure...

In the end, they gave us a day pass for Mondays so that we can go to town but we are still on our own to get back from the tram at night. I have considered renting a car myself but I changed my mind. I will save my 1000 dollars and endure my isolation for the time being. The damage is already done anyways.

TO BE CONTINUED...