White-knuckler to Klaipedia

Ever since my automobile accident in graduate school I have had slightly-beneath-the-surface anxiety about riding in the front seat of fast-moving vehicles (unless, of course, I'm driving!). Certain things, like sudden braking or swerving or seeing a car crash in first-person perspective on television, can trigger a mild panic attack. It's weird what a tiny event - like a head-on collision with a UPS truck - can do to one's neuroprogramming.

As nice as Latvia had been, it was high time for me to sneak away come morning. Minsk was my next target, but I had no interest in going back to Riga AGAIN to catch the bus there. The plan: Take a bus into Lithuania, from Klaipedia to Vilnius (where I now type this report) and then onto Minsk. The minibus to Klaipedia from Liepaja, however, is not exactly built for comfort but at least it goes fast. Very fast.

Eleven of us needed to get to Klaipedia and there were only ten seats, so guess who got to ride up front next to Ivan the Terrible. Latvian drivers are notoriously bad and the country tops Europe in the number of accidents per year, one of those statistics I wish I could have selectively hit the delete button on before boarding. Flying down the highway at rocket speed, Ivan throttled the hellbus as if he was being paid by the number of g's he could hit. I do not know how it was possible but he passed a car that was passing another car - TWICE - on this two-lane highway.

On the outside I'm sure my face was quite expressionless but inside I was screaming like an Edvard Munch painting. As the Lithuanian countryside blew by my window in a forest-green blur, I could feel the blood clotting in my brain by the second, and I knew I would emerge from the minibus as white-haired as Charlton Heston in the Ten Commandments. But now that the joyride is over, I recognize that edging ever close to death on four wheels in a foreign country was kind of fun.

Lithuania is an interesting country, at least from the window of the Nordeka bus, and I found myself passing through many historical cities I'd read about. Vilnius does feel a little bit dangerous, especially in the old town, but it is way cool that there is a statue of Frank Zappa here.








In two hours I leave on a bus for Minsk.