Tourmobile--- Never Again!!!

[Guest David Meade]

On July 15th, my family of six arrived in Washington D.C. after a 1500-mile road trip. My children were excited to see and learn more about our nation’s capital. When we purchased tickets on Tourmobile we were told that a bus would be available every 25 minutes. We boarded our first bus at about 10 AM at Union Station. A few minutes later we got off at the National Gallery of Art. Little did we know that we would never be getting back on the bus for the rest of the day.

 

After visiting the Art Gallery, we waited about 20 minutes for our bus to arrive. When it arrived it was packed full of other riders. Two people got off. The bus tour guide told us we could not get on because they didn’t have room. Ok, we could handle that. The Washington Memorial didn’t seem too far away so we decided to just walk. By the time we got there the Sun was getting very hot and the air was thick and humid. We were tired. We took a few pictures while we waited for the next bus. About 20 minutes later it showed up… packed. Four people got off. The tour guide told us we would have to wait. Hummmm…. This was getting irritating. We waited 25 minutes for the next bus. My two youngest children started to cry as they sat in the hot sun and waited. Finally the next bus showed up… packed. Three people got off. The tour guide told us we would have to wait. Now I was mad! We waited for the next bus. I purchased $15.00 worth of water to help us survive the sun, which was becoming very uncomfortable. My children’s faces were beat red. Finally, the third bus pulled up… packed. No body got off. The tour guide told us we would have to wait for the next bus.

 

“The next bus!”, I screamed!

 

“We’ve been sitting here for over an hour!”

 

“Well, I’m very sorry but there is nothing I can do about that”, she said in her most cold and “I don’t give a rip” voice.

 

“If you want your money back just go back to the ticket booth and they will issue a refund,” she promised.

 

Well, by this time it was obvious that we were never going to be allowed on any bus that stopped at the Washington Monument, so we started the long trek toward the Lincoln Memorial. We walked and walked, finally arriving at the Lincoln Memorial. We purchased more water and drank it down like it was nectar from Heaven. Over the next hour we were denied access to the bus three more times. We ended up walking the entire tour bus route. when I tried to get my promised refund they told me to go fly a kite.

 

NEVER AGAIN Tourmobile!!