Olympic journalists live-tweet getting stuck on bus as it does laps of Rio

There are plenty of issues in Rio de Janeiro, from Zika to contaminated water to poor athletes’ village conditions to lost stadium keys, but media bus drivers who can’t find the drop-off area at the central Maracana stadium are a new one. That’s what happened to a bus full of journalists headed to the opening ceremonies Friday, though. Several of them, including Cam Cole of The Vancouver Sun and the Postmedia chain and Mark Purdy of The San Jose Mercury News, live-tweeted the experience of doing laps of Rio:

15 mins ago bus was close enough to touch #Maracana. Since then we've been cruising the neighbourhood. Did we decide not to go after all?

— Cam Cole (@rcamcole) August 5, 2016

I think our bus driver to Opening Ceremonies is lost. Has circled central Rio 3 times w/out finding Maracana Stadium. Now soliciting advice.

— Mark Purdy (@MercPurdy) August 5, 2016

Not sure why you can't find Brazil's most famous stadium but this would make a great "Laverne And Marta" sitcom episode.

— Mark Purdy (@MercPurdy) August 5, 2016

We're making progress. Seem to be in a dedicated Olympic lane now. Stopping to ask soldiers for directions. It's why I always leave early.

— Mark Purdy (@MercPurdy) August 5, 2016

Lap 3 … Go! #Riobusolympics. Nobody, not cops, soldiers, volunteers appear to know where the bus dropoff spot is or how to get there.

— Cam Cole (@rcamcole) August 5, 2016

Cam Cole stars in Speed 3: Bus in Brazil https://t.co/fvb0yFvtDv

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) August 5, 2016

We’ve seen lost bus drivers before, but one doing several laps of the city seems problematic, especially when headed to the Olympics’ largest venue instead of an obscure one.  Oh well, at least these guys are unlikely to be held up as long as Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur, who wrote about the 42-hour odyssey he faced getting to Rio in the first place. Wait…is Arthur on this bus, too?

As we get closer but somehow not closer to the Olympic Stadium, this bus driver is really starting to lean into the turns. Exciting!

— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) August 5, 2016

Hopefully this bus will arrive at the stadium before 42 hours. If not, Arthur might want to watch out in case the other media members label him a Jonah…

Update: They made it.

From my seat at #MaracanaStadium, on a lovely clear late afternoon. 80 minutes to #Rio2016 opening. pic.twitter.com/Z3ag5q5w5F

— Cam Cole (@rcamcole) August 5, 2016

And we've live from the stadium for the Opening Ceremony, which will, like so many of us in high school, attempt to be sexy and cool

— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) August 5, 2016