Mike Buckett - a stern middle-aged man, has been driving a bus for more than 20 years, but he is not an ordinary bus. Mike drove a special car, a "caravan" that transported rock bands touring. Of course he has a unique perspective on rock bands.
"I can say this to you, Joni Rotten and his Pabrick band - a real bunch of goats. I sent them to Belgium and in two days my car was a rubbish heap. Everywhere. It's empty beer cans, waste paper... When they were happy, they threw food at each other and shot at each other with water guns! No matter how I tried to persuade them, they retorted loudly: Shut up, we'll pay!
" Rick's trip was the worst of his 20-plus years as a driver, but it was a treat for him to be with Stevie Younger. "When he thinks I'm tired--I've been driving almost all night sometimes--he sits next to me and helps me out. He's not sleeping, but he's thinking about me. It's hard to believe, he A blind man. Once, I saw him pacing up and down the corridors of a hotel by himself, and he didn't stumble once. Don't think he can't see!"
Generally speaking, the rocker of the "Caravan" tour Life is like that of a fisherman who drives a boat, swaying at sea, wandering uncertainly and forgotten. Sometimes they had to stay on the "boat" for months at a time. So, there are unwritten rules about what can and cannot be done. First, don't litter the rungs. You have to live in the car! So, there is far less uncivilized behavior in the car than in the hotel.
The driver of the "caravan" is like a navigator, keeping the ship on the right course. Hence the tradition of having a special dinner for the driver and his shifters on the last day of the tour. Otherwise, the next tour will be a disaster...
Mike's "Fikenis" bus company has determined the driving route a year in advance, so Mike knows exactly who his customers will be next year. Two-storey car with standard interiors: bedroom for 16 people, kitchen, toilet, shower. Some make some changes according to customer requirements: for example, to provide a solarium, spacious beds, baby cradles, etc. for the "Uyet" band. Such a coach can be rented for £450 a day, not including the cost of a client wanting to stay overnight in a hotel. Of course, some bands always spend the night in the car to save money, and only stay in hotels when they need a thorough shower or laundry.
If the singer spends a few weeks in the car a year, the driver gets 10 months. Drivers also clean and change sheets, usually once a week, and sometimes every other day at the request of customers. Not only do drivers need to keep an eye on fuel consumption and the availability of water in their tanks, but also to keep food and drinks in the refrigerator. Drivers also need to understand the different traffic rules in European countries and the restrictions imposed by the laws of these countries. Also, the customs officers check the car, so don't let anything happen? Otherwise, the driver will be out of luck! The most terrible enemy - the odometer. Car companies have long since specified. If lost, the driver is responsible for the extra kilometers—excess gas.
And some clients have no concept of time! Until now, Mike recalls Boba Marley with lingering fears. "He's always late and he's late to get there. And I have a schedule. His singers do drugs now and then and don't care about the risk of arrest. I told them they'll cross the border in five minutes! But they Not restrained. One time, I got really angry. They were going to a concert in Germany. The special plane took me and the bus from London to Frankfurt to pick them up in advance. One hour, two hours...then asked me to answer the phone! The call was from Cologne. It turned out that they took drugs on the plane and offended the pilot. The pilot lost his temper, landed at a nearby airport, and handed them over to the police. However, I am still me, and I have never changed jobs!"
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