Unfortunately, this did not happen due to a neverending party. Nor did it happen because I went home with some guy I met while partying. No. It happened because I just could not get home.
Let me explain.
On Friday evening, I headed to a friend's home (I will call her E to simplify the story telling process) in the southern part of the capital, dressed to kill and armed with a bottle of raspberry vodka. Amid laughter and forced application of red lipstick, we drank ourselves silly, and then headed out to the snob clubs in the city with another friend of hers, whom I will call J. We linked arms as we headed to the subway station, laughing hysterically, in the way that only giddy drunk people can, every time one of us almost fell due to the combination of vodka and icy roads. This was around 11:30 at night.
We meet up with some of E's male friends, and head to a club. After being denied at one for failing to meet the age limit, and rejecting one due to an excessively long line, we end up gaining access at the third club around 1:00 in the morning.
At 3 am, as is the (inexplicable) norm in this city, the club closed, and all seven os us stumble out of the club, exhilirated and still pretty drunk. One of E's friends proceeds to rip off his jacket and shirts, encouraged by the catcalls and laughter. Let me remind you: we are standing in a snowstorm. Huge snowflakes are falling from the sky. Me, dressed in knee high boots, tights, skirt, top, jacket, and a wool coat, would PROBABLY be freezing my ass off if not for the alcohol zooming through my veins, numbing my senses.
A few minutes later, we pile into a subway train, an explosion of different languages and shouting and swearing from the cold. E invites me to stay the night at her house, which is much closer than mine; but I want my bed, so I tell her no thanks. Moments later, I look up as we roll out of the station I should have gotten off at. Damn.
At the next station, I bid my comrades good bye. I needed to take the subway back one station, in order to take the commuter train from there to home. With a big smile on my face, I head back to the subway that will take me back. My smile starts to fade as I realize I have to wait more than 10 minutes in the cold for the next train, while a very drunk guy pesters me because of my (very slight) accent. But, fueled by the fun night I've had, and looking forward to crawling into bed, I soldier on. Around 3:40 am, I board the train that will take me back.
Legs hurting, I get off the train at the correct station this time, and walk through the entire station to the other end, where the commuter trains are. In my drunken haze, I fail to realize the importance of the fact that the boards for the departing trains are all blank. I reach the doors to the commuter trains, and push. Huh. Maybe they're pull doors? I pull. No dice.
A light bulb goes off in my head. I look through the windows in the doors, and it occurs to me that it is dark. With a horrible, sinking feeling, I realize that the commuter trains... they don't run all night. Oh. Shit. I did not know how to get home from here...
The panic makes the after effect of the alcohol wear off quickly. I fight back desperation, and calmly walk back to the subway. I decide to take the subway to another station where I know there is a bus terminal. Of course, I have to wait another 15 minutes for the train, but it finally arrives and I climb aboard, too exhausted at this point to even turn on my mp3 player. I slump into my seat, and pray that there will be a bus that will take me home.
At 4:15, I arrive at the bus terminal. In a sleepy daze, I proceed to the bus schedules, and scan them to see if any of them go to my home station this late at night. None of them do. One of them goes to a centrum that is about a 25 minute walk away from home. I realize this is my only choice, and check to see what time it will depart. My soul is crushed when I realize that it leaves at 5:00 AM, and it is now only 4:17.
Groaning, I drag myself to the waiting room area. I cannot stress how much of a good thing it was that I could wait "mostly" indoors (there's walls and a roof, but no heating). The snow storm is raging on outside, as I curl up on a bench. 10 meters away, a spanish guy is throwing up on the floor while his girl companion yells at him in Spanish.
The minutes tick by. Finally, finally, finally, the bus arrives. The eyes of the bus driver look at me with pity when I stumble on board and make my way to the back of the bus. I stare out the window as we drive, trying not to think about the 3km walk I will have to endure when I get off the bus later.
At 5:20, I get off the bus and try to orient myself to where I need to walk. I look around, and it occurs to me that there IS a bus that goes from where I am to a stop that is about a 5 minutes walk away from my house. I also decide that maybe the morning traffic has now commenced, and if so, there is a chance the bus will be working. I check the schedule... and sure enough, it will be leaving at 5:36. I know at this point that I would be home SOONER if I walked, but I cannot bring myself to walk that far, as I am beyond exhausted.
Luckily for me, the bus is already there, waiting for departure time, and the bus driver let me board the bus early.
At 5:45, the bus drops me off, and I, powered by a sudden burst of adrenaline of being almost home, practically run home, and crawl into bed a few minutes after 6 am.
Please, take it from me: Figure out how you are going to get home BEFORE you go out. And when offered a safe place to sleep, TAKE IT.
Oh, and the snow storm I mentioned a few times as wreaked a whole other chaos, but I will save that story for later...
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