The attendee said this was her third time at the festival and had purchased a similar bus pass for trips to and from Makaraka previously, which was reliable. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, however, the bus never arrived. We were left in an unsafe situation with no sober driver available to get us home,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
On the way to the festival on the first day, she said they were \u201cpanicking\u201d after waiting over an hour and a half for the bus that never arrived. <\/p>\n
Luckily, designated sober driver friend was able to take them to the venue. <\/p>\n
While the group waited for a bus home at the end of the night, a staffer told them they didn\u2019t know whether the bus was still running. <\/p>\n
They were later told that the bus staff were unsure why the bus was not running, but that it would not be operating this year. <\/p>\n
Performances from Sunday and campers setting up tents at Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was horrible. We were all very stressed,\u201d the attendee said. <\/p>\n
She said they were forced to squeeze onto other bus services and walk the rest of the way each night. The only other option was a $200 taxi. <\/p>\n
She and her friends walked the remaining 30-minute distance at around 2.30am. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe were tired, and it was the first night it was raining, and we were freezing. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was horrible,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Quest for refunds <\/p>\n
The attendee said there was no communication from Rhythm and Vines or Mish Tix to advise that the bus service would not be operating, despite it being advertised. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe would have organised an alternative and safe way home.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was all kind of up in the air, so we didn\u2019t know what to do,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
When they asked why the service was still advertised and why no communication had been sent out, she said the group received no clear explanation. <\/p>\n
Fireworks to welcome the new year at Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne.<\/p>\n
She said she later received an email stating there is a strict no-refund policy.<\/p>\n
Since then, one of her group of six friends is in the process of receiving a refund. <\/p>\n
The attendee said they are \u201cextremely disappointed\u201d by the situation, which she called unsafe and poorly communicated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey really didn\u2019t care at all. They were just like, \u2018we\u2019re sorry, but we don\u2019t know why this is happening\u2019…Our whole festival experience has changed now because we have anxiety about how we\u2019re going to get home safely, and then we can\u2019t enjoy our pre-drinks or anything,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n