My decision is based on the follow recent trip examples.
In Montreal I arrive at the bus station in time for the earlier 11:45am bus departing for New York. So just to be safe I decided to get on this bus and not go to lunch in Montreal and then catch the 4:15pm. With bags underneath the bus I got onto the bus only to find there was no seat. As per safety rule I was asked to get off the bus and wait for the next bus. Argh! Next bus, as I and the other 10 people waiting wasn't until the 4:15pm. No there wasn't no plan to add a bus. They sell too many tickets because they can. Needless to say to not experience the pain a second time I arrive for the 4:15pm bus at 2:30pm. Nearly 2 hours prior. And I wasn't the first in line.
Anyway I managed to get the next bus. It was actually on time. customs let me into USA again. Although they insisted that my last visa waiver' was still in effect. Luckily I had not gotten rid of that. So I have until mid October before my 90 days are up.
Anyway leaving New York in my brief connection from Montreal I was on a bus which was late (no I wasn't shocked). I actually barely made the bus because I had to get a new ticket in New York. Why on earth they have only 1 ticket booth open there even at 1am is beyond me. I mean it's still so busy there. About 10 minutes into the ride we hear a thud under the bus, and next we're pulling off the road into a service station on the opposite side to Manhattan at 2am in the morning. Excellent. Anyway miraculously that issue with the bus resolved itself.after the bus driver went walking around the service station for 10 minutes, and came back. Funny I don't remember him hitting anything with a hammer.
Finally at 6am I had arrived at my destination, Washington.
Just days before I had made the decision to detour to Washington from Montreal. Thanks to the US Airline industry. Their cheap fare system is very antiquated. You need to book 10 days in advance to get a decent cheap flight. Hence I had to find a destination which avoided me backtracking again via Toronto yet go south. New York and Philly I had ruled out considering last year's trip. Boston seen it before, and hostels were booked out. So Washington it was. Which reminded me as to there was a big reason to return there.
Anyway I arrived at the hostel at 7am. Of course you can't check in at 7am. But you can drop your bags off into storage and go exploring. And that was the plan. Luckily though the hostel had a walking tour departing at 9am. So for simplicity I joined this. It also allowed me to follow like a zombie because by this time that's what I was. I had barely slept for 3 hours on the bus and been going non stop since the prior morning. The walking tour covered much of the stuff I had previously visited, and then also some stuff which we had missed on the tour in 2000 due to their inclusion in the 'optional extra'. So this time I visited the Washington Monument. In fact being a part of the walking tour did enable me to pick up more than doing it myself. In fact I'm sure it was more than what the tour guide in 2000 had told us. Beauty of the walking tour, it was free. Organised by the hostel for the hostel guests. Hence part of the reason I love hostels.
Day 2 and why I was stopping in Washington. A trip to Gettysburg. Many of you would realise this is the historical site of Civil War. It was the trip on 2000 where had forever haunted me with regards to Gettysburg. You see we were but a 1/2 hour away from visiting Gettysburg. But instead the tour harassed the Amish people in Pennsylvania. Then last year I had thought about doing an overnight trip to Gettysburg, but well the wedding came first, and the side trip became too daunting. This time there was no maybe not. This would be probably my last time in the area and I wasn't going to just be left going what if again.
I hired a car in at Union Station and set forth on my journey with not much more than a hire car map. Might I just say there are a heap of highways in and around Washington. Finding the way north on Highway 270 was no easy feat. I must of crossed about 8 highway numbers off the list in just trying to get 200 miles away. Final destination was made with relative ease in the end. Even if highway 15 wasn't listed on my map.
Once in Gettysburg it was time to do the tour. A tour was the best way to ensure I understood just what I was seeing. Apparently Gettysburg holds the record for the most monuments in such a small area. In saying this the National Park actually covers some 26 square miles. To think that 80,000 Confederate troops and 90,000 Union troops fought a battle over 3 days which turned the Civil War was amazing. Seeing the park was a highlight living upto expectations.
The return to Washington however did not live upto expectations. I got into the city fine but that's where it all went bad. Getting fuel was a nightmare. I found a tiny petrol station where the drivers queuing were just rude. I ended up getting frustrated lining up, and gave up only to return as I couldn't find another. With car fueled it was time to return it. Easier said than done. You see Union station is right in the centre of Washington. And it was peak hour. I did laps up and down Massachusetts Ave and then the surrounding streets trying to find an entry into the Parking. The entrance was not to be found. I was tired, and flustered. Things weren't working for me. I may have even gotten a red light camera photo from a clogged intersection, (but I think it was the lady next to me, not me.) I'll find out. And to make things worse my mobile phone had decided to give in. It wasn't working for more than 15 seconds at a time. I did though manage one phone call to the car rental place and they insisted the entrance was on the street I was on. Finally after an hour and a half of laps I gave up. I parked 3 blocks away and walked into the car rental place, place the keys on the counter and insisted someone was going to help me get into the carpark cause I couldn't keep going. The guy behind the counter saw my eyes and just agreed to help me. Seriously I had gotten to the point where I was telling where their car was to pick it up. He saw that. Nightmare ended.
And then there was today. I was back with my dog stumpy.
So far I have encountered
- a really funny southern accent.
- a psycho about to go postal having not slept for 24 hours and itching for a smoke. Seriously this guy was sitting next to me whispering hate chants. Talking about killing someone, swearing his head off with every second word. Basically he was getting freaky. Later a group of us passengers were talking about him. Apparently they had my back if he tried anything. I wasn't the only one noticing.
- cheerleader practice in the Greyhound Station, and
- a weird wearing tracky dacks, an untucked-in oversized singlet, and a bum bag (fanny pack) right over his groin. Get that image into you and understand my distress. Especially considering he kept digging for stuff in the fanny pack. We nic-named him Mr Viagara.
The bus leaving Washington was 1/2 an hour late leaving. Late 2 hours into Richmond just 2 and 1/2 hours away. I missed my connection in Richmond. Had to wait 4hrs for the next bus. I got into Raleigh 6 hours late on a 6 hour bus ride. My couchsurfing host was no longer an option, so I had no choice but to keep going to Atlanta.
As a result I now look forward to getting the drink with the highest caffeine level available at the Coca Cola head office.
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