Greyound.... on the road again....

At the Greyhound Station: As always, customer service sucks... so I just sit and wait for my bus... I am too early. What I hadn't realized when booking my bus ticket is that I have to actually change buses 4x times. I thought it would be one bus going all the way - and was hoping they would change drivers (was worried about drivers fatigue and accidents....) daaaa....

Route: New York - Washington DC - Richmond, Virginia - Fayetteville, North Carolina - Aiken, South Carolina.

We boarded the bus, luggage went into the storage compartment. We left at 4.01 p.m. for Washington DC, our first stop and change....It was a smooth ride, very comfortable - had nobody next to me....the bus has wifi and a plug, but I am tired and just want to chill and look at the scenery....

Then I start to worry... what if the bus runs late? and I miss my connection (have 1/2 hour to catch the next bus)...as staff are very unfriendly and unhelpful - nobody gives you any information on what to do or where to go... very frustrating. However, this connection and all the others...despite traffic jams etc... I actually make the transfer!!!

We get to Washington DC and it is already dark, it's 8.oopm - I was hoping to see the White House and take a photo... anyway I mistake the white building with the dome - Parliament - with the White House - and the photo doesn' t come out anyway.... very disappointing.. oh well...

I manage to get on the next bus, deposit my luggage, have 2 seats and off we drive....next stop is Richmond Virginia - arriving @ 11.oopm. I am about to board the bus and hand over my luggage - only to be told by the staff that I need a tag for my luggae from the counter inside. I tell the check-in guy not to leave without me! I get my tag for one suitcase - as I am suddenly only allowed to put 1 suitcase in the cargo bay, have to take the other as carry on or pay 10$. Whatever... I get back to the door and it was locked - so I knock - they find it very funny that they forgot about me... at least they didn't drive off yet.  I am not amused!!!!!

Next stop is Fayetteville, North Carolina - arriving 3.oo am - again I can only deposit one suitcase and have the other as carry-on. Fine by me. At least I have the tag now. What a way to spend a night. Mind you the busses are very comfortable and I am lucky not to have anyone next to me. The passengers are mainly African Americans or Hillbillies.... only one Australian couple on board on their way to Florida....and me of course... I thought more tourists would travel by bus, but apparently, it is the lower class Americans, who can't afford any other mode of travel.... Welcome to America....

And I am on my last leg (literally hi hi).. to Aiken - arriving @ 8.05 a.m Sunday morning. About 15 minutes before arriving in Aiken, the bus driver decides to have a breakfast break for 20 minutes ... Ohh my goodness!!! But then my brain wakes up for a second and I go to buy milk and juice - Michael is still away on his 3 weeks holiday in Las Vegas and National Park... he'll be back only tomorrow - so there will be nothing left in the house to eat! So I am thankful for the stop in the end!

It's been a 16 hours journey:  I am back.... the bus stop is 5 minutes walk to Michael's house, which I manage well even with my luggage! I am exhausted to say the least! I have a coffee and some breakfast and spread out the dirty clothes in the living room ready for washing... switch on the TV and sleep on and off all day on the sofa. Am too buggered to do anything else!

I never thought I would be so extatic to be back in Aiken, the little town in the boonies (woop woop), with not much to do and see and no public transport - but after New York - which totally and utterly exhausted me emotionally and physically - that's all I want to do - NOTHING! Anyway I am so behind in my blog it is not funny!

And... it is sooo nice to have a big bedroom to myself again - and it is sooo quiet here - I sleep really really well and early!

S & D