Well today is Saturday October 17th. I survived my first greyhound ride yesterday. Yippee!! I'll type up what I wrote along the way.
I am mid way through my first greyhound experience. Just been pleasantly surprised again by a "hoodlum" who was really polite and helped a disabled person get onto the bus. Just goes to show I can't judge people. Portland has surprised me that way so far too. I'll talk about that later.
I also just had a Hostess DingDong in honor of traveling the real American way.
The lady next to me is really sweet. Really simple. She has a really large coat, bright pink/purple, huge thick glasses and frizzy hair. Very sweet. She offered me a bite of her sweet roll which she was picking at with her fingers. I said no thank you but that was nice of her. This bus is packed! Its insane. We lost a few at Stanfield Oregon but gained that many again from another bus.
I think my pink lady is a frequent traveler on greyhound she seems to know the ropes. And she said this bus was alot nicer than the last bus she was on.
This morning I caught the bus and made it successfully to the Greyhound station. Its in a really sacry looking neighborhood. I think its a shoup kitchen or seomthing. I should investigate that.
Getting around Portland should be pretty easy. I'm thinking bike to MAX (the city light rail) and then ride to work. Its within fareless square if I do it that way, which would save me money.
This whole things seems unreal. I am back home, setting up a bedroom, figuring out my commute and starting a job soon. Wow! Talk about whirlwind!
I am really excited about Portland though. Tons of stuff to do and lots ot get involved with.
I heard again from another blog reader I should do something with my funny blogs. I think I might just find out what that would be. Maybe AAA VIA magazine would publish my stuff.
I thinking everyone should tak a greyhound trip. Its a humbling experience. You forget there are millions of poeple who only get around on public transit. Also having a chat with real people seems appealing as well. Feeling a real surge of curiousity about that.
America is a foreign country and its like getting to know it again. I rather like ti actually. I'll label this my America bottle on the shelf with my Europe adventure and Madagascar adventure etc. You'd think I could weave such tales of adventure and amazing sights but I can't think of a single witty thing to say when people ask. I should be a great story teller. I'm going to read a book about that. :)
Its interesting. People really are struggling to find money to buy their tickets, borrowing cell phones from each other because they don't have one and they seem to be getting to know each other. Amazing! I guess today I'm just blown away by the fact that even at the lowest low people do seem to care. Most of the people on this bus are headed to points much further east. Florida! New York! Pittsburgh! Texas! Wow. That is days of traveling.
You really could have an amazing adventure without leaving this country!! Seriously! The only thing that is different here is that I fear more bodily harm in the U.S. than anywhere I was in Europe. I mean, Europe has pickpockets but thats about it (I know there is more than that) but not like in the U.S. a beggar or homeless person in the US is likely to approach you, hassle you and then yell at you as you keep walking where as in Europe they just move on. Its a totally different feeling.
Anyways. I'm excited! Its going to be great fun and challenging too! I've learned so much its amazing what I was able to manage to get through without going crazy! People in my bubble, germs, bus rides, train rides. All in good fun!
So, once I get internet figured out I'll keep this up a little better!
K
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