在香港生活，大家一定會知道什麼是「泥鯭的」。在荃灣，聽說每個上班的早上，也會有「泥鯭的」接市民到火炭上班，大家湊夠4-5人就最好，每人20元，到火炭後便各自下車，不用朝朝排隊等小巴。
在西西里呢? 原來也有類似的服務，更是由一間BlaBlaCar
公司經營，在很多地方如德國、西班牙、巴西、其他歐洲城市、印度等也有服務，網站也說只要乘客是經網站找車，公司會幫乘客買保險呢，保險公司為AXA。
外國城市與城市間的路程遠，在交通發達的城市，火車、巴士、大巴當然不是問題，可是在西西里，巴士火車不算十分方便，有些城市班次更少，早上一班，下午一班，很難就時間，所以，有了Bla
Bla Car確實不錯。
上一次在西西里，本想由Trapani到Marsala
看鹽田，由於不是旺季,
發現只有火車可以到達，而且不是中心地點，時間十分差，最早的是上午6:54分，第2班就已是中午12時了，車費3.8歐，真的不明白為什麼早上其他時候沒有火車?
在沒有選擇而又不想錯過機會，於是決定一試Bla Bla Car。
幸運地，由Trapani到Marsala，每日也會有同一位西西里人走這條路線，出發是大約早上9時，每位收3歐羅，和搭火車就差不多價錢呀。於是便嘗試在網上SEND
MESSAGE給他。當然在決定聯絡他前，也可以看看有沒有其他人對他的評價，甚至乎他在facebook和Linkedin有多少朋友等，至少這樣不必擔心他是白撞，加上有好評價的就更加好。
Send message 大約10分鐘後，他竟然回覆了!十分興奮，來回了幾次MESSAGE，主要是告訴他我住近PORT，可以大家約定在哪裡上車，交換電話等等。因為未正式搭過他的車
(在網上也會顯示他是揸什麼車的)，也不敢說回程也希望一起，始終也是安全為上。
第二朝，按時到約好的地點等他，也不知道他是什麼樣子，但也不用擔心，我們兩個明顯亞洲人樣，相信對他來說一定易找，等了5分鐘，果然他出現了，而且他的私家車更是很新淨~!!!!!!!!!!!!
超級開心!
他人也十分NICE，外表望落十分友善，所以已經不用擔心。一路上也簡單談了一點，因為老公坐前面乘客位(也是安全為上)他不懂意大利文，就兩個沒甚交談吧。
到了Marsala，他說下午大約6時點Trapani，如果我們想，也可以載我們回去!
這當然好啦~!!!!
也先給他6歐羅，回程再另計，免得中途雙方有什麼行程改變也不用麻煩。
講回Bla Bla Car 這類運作的公司，當然我也有上公司網頁了解怎樣運作、賺錢，他們也詳細列明自己怎樣讓用家安心，甚至有「Ladies
Only」選擇，女的一個人旅行不想找男司機，透過這個選擇，便可篩選女司機，所以整體上也可以放心。而且喇，Bla Bla Car也不只是在西西里的，在歐洲其他國家例如英國、德國等也有呀~所以也不錯。至少，也不用私人包車的這麼貴，遇著好的當地人和好的車，更不用擔心。
以上只是我個人的旅遊經驗，是否安全可靠，大家請自行到BlaBlaCar 的網站詳細研究，才決定是否一試!
網址︰https://www.blablacar.co.uk/
後記︰Giuseppe原來是做IT生意，住在Trapani，在Marsala上班，每天揸車來回，路程30分鐘，這樣的日子已過了30年。他不太懂英文，所以我們以意大利文溝通，他有一仔一女，大仔在意大利中部讀書，原來他們在學校要學法文和英文，常用的話他們也沒問題，但像Giuseppe沒太多機會說英文，所以就忘記了~
Living in Hong Kong, I believe that many of you know what is
“泥鯭的”
(Car Pool/ Ridesharing). In Tsuen Wan, every morning, some “泥鯭的”
will take a ride for 4-5 people who may not know each other but, also work in
Fo Tan, for around $20 each. Once arriving at Fo Tan, people get off the taxi
nearby their offices, saving the cost and time from waiting for mini-bus with
long queue and also sharing the taxi cost with some strangers.
So what about in Sicily? There is a similar service provided
by BlaBlaCar, on its website, it has operated in many countries, such as
Germany, Spain, Brazil, other European cities, India, etc., it also said that
all passengers are covered by insurance for free, too (with partnership with
AXA).
Transport is always an important element during your travel.
In those developed countries and cities, trains, buses, coaches are convenient
with frequented choices, however, in Sicily where public transport is already
not a good option for tourists, usually with less frequency, e.g. only one in
the morning and another one in the afternoon, Bla Bla Car is indeed quite a
good choice.
Last time when I was in Sicily, I wanted to visit Marsala
for its Salt Pan from Trapani, however, June is not the peak season and the
only choice getting there is Train. But the timetable was really suck, the
first bus in the morning is 6:54am and the 2nd one is 12pm!!!! Cost:
Euro3.8. I really don’t understand why there’s no other train service in the
whole morning?
Anyway, without choice, I decided to try Bla Bla Car.
Luckily, I searched that there is a local called, Giuseppe
who drives from Trapani to Marsala, and vice versa every day from Monday to
Friday, and the set off time is around 9am. He just charges 3euro per person,
which is indeed a similar price as taking train. Therefore, I sent a message
via Bla Bla Car and hopefully could get response from him. (as in the website,
it showed that he didn’t get online for quite a few months) Of course before
sending message to him, I did check others’ comments and at least, he did
offered rides to the others in the past. Good comments from the others of
course would be of great help!
And I received his reply after around 10 minutes! BRAVO!
After a few message exchanges, I told him we stayed near the port and agreed on
the waiting location, exchanged phone number, etc. As after all I haven’t met
him and didn’t know who he is, I didn’t want to promise for the return ride
first, although it would be great if I can do so.
On the next day morning, we waited for him at the agreed
location. I didn’t know how he looks like but it’s luckily that we were the
only Asians there so it would be easier for him to locate us. After 5 mins, he
arrived with his car (it’s quite a new one how lucky we were!) and he’s very
nice and friendly. We talked for a while during our trip, since my husband
doesn’t speak Italian and he sat beside him (that’s better as it was our first
time taking his trip), so they barely chatted at all.
After arriving at Marsala, he said that he would drive back
Trapani at around 6, if we wanted to, he could give us another ride, too. Of
course, after this pleasant trip, I said yes! But I gave him 6euro first for
this morning ride although at the beginning, he said we can give it to him
after our return trip.
Talking about Bla Bla Car, I did research about this company
and its policy on its website before sending message to Giuseppe. And indeed,
they not only operate in Sicily, but also other European countries like
England, Germany, etc. So I think it’s trustable. And at least, it saved me a
lot of money from renting a private car to Marsala!
This was all my own experience on BlaBlaCar, afterall,
please go to its website and study the details, check the FAQ and decide yourself
whether it’s safe or not.
Website: https://www.blablacar.co.uk/
Epilogue: Giuseppe
owns a IT company (but only himself as staff), he lives in Trapani and his
office is in Marsala, therefore, he drives to work every day for 30 mins and
back home afterwards. This has been last for 30 years! He doesn’t speak good
English so we communicate in Italian. He has a son and a daughter, the son is
studying University in Central Italy. He said that in the school, they have to
learn French and English but if they don’t use it often, they just forget it!
