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Mutiny on the bus to Sydney
By Robert Mendick, Evening Standard Last updated at 12:37pm on 09.10.07A bus service launched amid much fanfare to take backpackers from London to Australia is facing its first mutiny after breaking down in Tehran.
The 38 passengers on the OzBus are said to be fed up with a starvation diet and a lack of alcohol as it crossed Iran. Tempers are said to have frayed further when their coach broke down in Tehran, less than half way through the 12-week trip, which costs £3,750. There are 9,000 miles still to go.
One passenger, Lucy Allen, 22, emailed her family from Tehran to protest: "We are stuck in this hellhole waiting for a replacement bus ... mutiny is in the air and everyone is so angry it is unbelievable.
"The only food supplies we've been able to buy since Istanbul are from petrol stations."
The coach, registered in Latvia, has suffered damage en route - a broken exhaust, a broken wing mirror and a collision with a tree - but finally gave up in the Iranian capital.
The tour organiser, Mark Creasey, today defended the first OzBus and insisted life on board was not as bad as passengers claimed. He said morale was high and the replacement bus had arrived. Passengers were now on their way to Esfahan, a World Heritage site and former capital of ancient Persia.
"The vehicle we left with has had three dings on the way and is being fixed," said Mr Creasey, "We have put them on a hire bus and they are on their way to Esfahan.
"For some reason, some are questioning the itinerary saying 'will we go here?' and 'will we go there?'. But they have visited everything promised in the itinerary."
Mr Creasey said bad publicity had been generated by a woman journalist on board, but all 38 passengers, aged from 19 to 69, who set out were still on board.
Life appears a lot cheerier on OzBus Two, which is following just a few days behind the inaugural trip.
On the second coach, according to one blogger, the main issue appears to be who is having an affair with whom.
The blogger, known as Andy S, wrote: "17 days, 10 countries, 41 strangers, countless litres of beer, hundreds of packs of cigarettes, much heavy petting, a few 'walks of shame'. A million or so rumours and a few true stories.
"The bus seat rotation system now seems to apply to tents which is something I'm privy to most mornings as I am normally the first awake.
"Those who try to sneak back to their own tents/rooms when the sun rises are foolish to believe no one will see."
