When I tell most people that I went home to Texas for spring break, they reply with something like, “That’s a long way. How was the flight?” To which I respond, “I wish.” I took the bus to Texas and back to Virginia and boy, was it an adventure!
My trip started with a bus ride to the Richmond Main Street Station. Being a freshman with no car makes finding transportation a bit tough – but with some planning I made the bus system work for me. I waited for the GRTC bus #10 at 7:30 am and had with me my school backpack stuffed with homework, my laptop, eight apples, nuts, all my electronics and chargers, three balls of yarn and my knitting needles. I wanted to travel light for this trip so I decided that one bag was the lightest way to travel. I ended up waiting in the freezing cold for 25 minutes before the bus (my savior) showed up. On the #10 I met a nice woman and her daughter who were going to auditions for Disney Channel in another state.
We got off of the #10 together and walked and talked till we arrived at the Richmond Main Street Station. I parted ways with the nice lady and her daughter, but I remembered to ask the girl to remember me when she became famous – we’ll see how that works out! After making it to the station where the Mega Bus would pick me up, I sat in a comfy chair and surfed the web for two hours to board my bus at 10. When I went outside to wait for the Mega Bus, I was surprised to find my friend Kathleen was also waiting for the same one. We were riding the first leg of my trip to Charlotte, North Carolina together. Riding with Kathleen to NC made the trip a pleasant ride – we chatted and I got a great seat in the very front of the upper level of the bus. Towards the end of the trip, we go to know a few of our fellow bus riders – especially the woman in the seat next to us! This older lady was very friendly and chatty. She told us about her life which included stories about how she was almost arrested for possession of crack with the intention to sell, beating up her abusive husband and gaining respect, experiencing the power of the SWAT team, neighborhood shootings, and that she was on this bus to visit her lover who just got out of prison. She was kind enough to show us a picture of him.
When we arrived in Charlotte at 4 pm, Kathleen and I parted ways and I had a cold and rainy hour-long wait until my next bus arrived at 5 pm. The reason that Mega Bus is so cheap is because they have no bus stations that you can wait in. This resulted in me paying less – but being forced to find places to wait for the bus. When my bus from NC to Atlanta, Georgia arrived, I was relieved to get out of the cold. Again I got a great seat in the front of the bus and this time I sat next to a pleasant Indian electronic engineering graduate student who was going to a friend’s house warming party. I knitted and ate an apple and some nuts and some hard candies that I had packed for dinner.
When we arrived in Atlanta I was surprised by how freezing and windy it was! I also had a three hour layover from 9 pm-12 am. As I mentioned before, Mega Bus has no place to wait so I was forced to roam the city at night to find a spot to wait. I had trouble finding a place that was open but when I stumbled across the “Mellow Mushroom” I decided to take my chances. I was a bit worried at first when I went into the restaurant. The walls were decorated with psychedelic art, there were giant mushrooms hanging from the celling, and the menu had a header that read “Munchies.” I decided not to order the brownies, but that I would stay just to wait for my bus. I ordered some honey and cinnamon dough dessert and ate it as slowly as possible to take up more time – I had 3 hours after all. The service was great and the waiters were kind. It was not as bad as I had judged it to be. When it was finally time to catch my 12 am bus to New Orleans, Louisiana, I waited in the freezing wind with all of the other bus riders. I packed only one outfit, the one that I was wearing, and my cotton trench coat was not cutting it. I was so cold that my hands and feet were in physical pain that did not stop til about 20 minutes after I boarded the bus.
The bus ride from Atlanta to Louisiana was a blur because I took some sleep medicine to help me rest for the next day of travel. Sleeping on the bus is uncomfortable and hard despite medicine. I was constantly cold and my neck got super sore. But arriving in New Orleans was great! It was sunny and bright and the air was fresh. The best part was that the bus dropped us off directly on Canal Street, one of the main tourism streets in New Orleans. The first thing I did was go to the French Quarter and get an order of beignets and coffee at the famous “Café du Monde.” They were super powdery and delicious and the atmosphere was exotic. Next, I explored the shops up and down the street and the flea market. I wanted to spend all of my money on clothes and southern candy! But I resisted. Anyways, I got to see lots of cool street-acts and art. I also visited the St. Louis Cathedral and laid on the grass and knitted in Jackson Square. I also went window shopping in a fancy mall and then I settled down in a mini Starbucks for a rest. I had a nine hour layover so I got to do everything.
My trip from New Orleans to Houston was another night bus but I was seated with group of vacationers who had a bit too much to drink and were having lots of fun. They were yelling, drinking, and being generally unruly, but were over all harmless. The bus driver go so mad that he pulled over, called the police and threatened to kick people off of the bus. I did not get much sleep on that leg of the trip. When I arrived in Houston at 11 pm on Sunday night, my parents were there to pick me up. I was so happy to see them and also to tell them about my crazy trip!
Over the break I went to my high school to speak about VCU Arts as a part of the Boomerang Program. I loved being home, chilling with family, seeing friends and getting homework done. I was sad to see the break end. I went to the bus station on Saturday at 7 am only to find out that my had bus left me seven hours ago! I missed my bus, but I got an unexpected day with my family that I really enjoyed. We were able to re-arrange my tickets to leave on Saturday night at 12 am and to get me back to VCU at 8 am on Monday the 11th. The ride was less eventful because I took Greyhound, which costs more but has bus stations (worth it for long trips). I did make friends with a sweet girl and we are now Facebook friends. Getting to Richmond at 8 was nice and simple. I arrived at the Greyhound station, walked out the front door, got on GRTC bus #24 and rode it to Bowe Street Parking Deck making it to my first Monday class at 8:40 am. I looked bad, but I was on time!
Over all, I enjoyed taking the bus to Texas and I can see myself doing it again in the future. I loved seeing family and that makes taking the uncomfortable bus worth it!
My tips for traverlers traveling by bus:
· Pack as light as you can
· Bring distractions
· Talk to people around you
· Learn to sleep in public
· Don’t worry
· Be on time
· Have Fun