Hey again,
Time to move on already. I got up early this morning cause I wanted to wash my hair so it would more or less survive the next long bus ride (4 nights again). After that I had breakfast and finished packing.
Marilee showed me where I could store my bags for a while. I left the house at ten and walked along the piers, I hadn't done that before. I ended up at the coffee grinder again where I just sat down and relaxed for a while. At 11.45am it was finally time to give the famous New England Clam Chowder a try.
I was suprised to see that it is served with oyster crackers. I had never heard of those and honestly, I'm not a fan of oysters. However, I had said I would try it. The crackers did not taste anything like oyster at all and the clam chowder (it's kind of a soup by the way) was soooo good that I had to get the recipe!
I straightend my hair this morining and when I put the straightener away, it was still warm but I figured it would be ok. So back to the clam chowder, after eating that, it was time to go back to get my stuff and go to the bus station. On the way back all those fire trucks passed me! Of course, I immediately thought of my hairstraightener, had it put the house on fire??? (It hadn't :))
My bus to Niagara Falls left at 2pm. I had to go to Bosten first, it's only 1.5hours away. This would almost be the only transfer, yay. We had a layover in Albany though, and as I walked into the station to use the restroom, I had an odd sense of deja vue. I knew this bus station. Did we stop here sometime last year???
Estimated time of arrival in Buffalo, 4am, bus to Niagara Falls, 6.45am, arrival in Niagara Falls, 7.15am. That's it for now.
xoxo
(I have to go catch a flight to New York now but I will catch up on updating as soon as I can!)
Montag, 19. Juli 2010
Samstag, 10. Juli 2010
July 10 2010 - Why did nobody tell me what Newport was like?
Hello everybody
After a lot of bus transfers I ended up in Newport this morning at 8am. I met a nice girl on the bus and we got to sit together. The bus was filled up to the last seat and it was really not comfy at all. The girl (she had a really funny name I do not remember) got off in New York. I had 1.5 hours layover there. I remembered that there is a Starbuck near the station so I got to walk on New York's 8th Avenue (I can't wait to get there and stay there in a couple weeks!)
The next bus I took was a Peter Pan and not a Greyhound (another company but they work together). I loved it, they have wifi and nice seats etc. the driver was also very friendly.
I finally got to Newport at 4pm. YES, on time!!!! But remember, it was not a Greyhound bus :) As I walked to the hostel, I was shocked to see what was going on here. I felt like walking in one of those touristy streets in Italy. It's really beautiful here, the city is right by the water and hundreds of boats are here.
I made it to the hostel, unfortunately, the door was closed but there was a free phone to call the owner, Merilee to come check you in. So that's what I did. She had managed the HI in Boston for years before she came here on a vacation and decided Newport needed a Hostel. The Hostel is not like others, it's way smaller, a 2 bed and a 3 bed dorm and 2 private rooms. To get to the shower, you have to pass the the male dorm, this bothered me a bit, I have to admit. Marilee is the only person working at the hostel so the perfect word to describe the whole thing would probably be homy!
So Marilee told me about the all the things to do here. I had actually only booked this hostel because I couldn't find one in Providence where I wanted to visit Brown University (It's bout 1hour away). If I had known what Newport was like I would have planned more time here. Oh well, next time!!!
Marilee also told me about the walking tour she's having every night at 10pm in order to show here guests all the cool things in town and also to get them to know each other better. I planned on going but after unpacking, spending time on the computer (catching the VIRUS!!!) and a shower I was just to tired and decided to turn in early.
xoxo
After a lot of bus transfers I ended up in Newport this morning at 8am. I met a nice girl on the bus and we got to sit together. The bus was filled up to the last seat and it was really not comfy at all. The girl (she had a really funny name I do not remember) got off in New York. I had 1.5 hours layover there. I remembered that there is a Starbuck near the station so I got to walk on New York's 8th Avenue (I can't wait to get there and stay there in a couple weeks!)
The next bus I took was a Peter Pan and not a Greyhound (another company but they work together). I loved it, they have wifi and nice seats etc. the driver was also very friendly.
I finally got to Newport at 4pm. YES, on time!!!! But remember, it was not a Greyhound bus :) As I walked to the hostel, I was shocked to see what was going on here. I felt like walking in one of those touristy streets in Italy. It's really beautiful here, the city is right by the water and hundreds of boats are here.
I made it to the hostel, unfortunately, the door was closed but there was a free phone to call the owner, Merilee to come check you in. So that's what I did. She had managed the HI in Boston for years before she came here on a vacation and decided Newport needed a Hostel. The Hostel is not like others, it's way smaller, a 2 bed and a 3 bed dorm and 2 private rooms. To get to the shower, you have to pass the the male dorm, this bothered me a bit, I have to admit. Marilee is the only person working at the hostel so the perfect word to describe the whole thing would probably be homy!
So Marilee told me about the all the things to do here. I had actually only booked this hostel because I couldn't find one in Providence where I wanted to visit Brown University (It's bout 1hour away). If I had known what Newport was like I would have planned more time here. Oh well, next time!!!
Marilee also told me about the walking tour she's having every night at 10pm in order to show here guests all the cool things in town and also to get them to know each other better. I planned on going but after unpacking, spending time on the computer (catching the VIRUS!!!) and a shower I was just to tired and decided to turn in early.
xoxo
July 9 2010 - Myrtle Beach intermezzo
Hey there
Not a lot happened today. I spent the whole day (almost) in buses.
First I arrived in Raleigh at 3.00am. Yes, of course the 10.40pm bus I talked about yesterday was late. The bus finally left at 11.15pm after a lot of difficulties getting all the people in the station on the right bus, it was crazy! So we were on the bus after ages of waiting when it occured to the greyhound people that we might need a driver to get us to Raleigh. Eventually, one showed up, he barely looked older than me, obviously a new driver and guess what, he didn't reallt know his route yet. We had to turn around a couple of times and we ended up in Raleigh late. This time I didn't really mind about the lateness though, all it meant was less waiting in Raleigh.
The bus to Myrtle Beach was late too (of course), we got there at about 1pm. This gave me just enough time to catch a taxi to the Hard Rock, buy my shirt (which I actually got for free thanks to my all access cars :) ) and have the same taxi drive me back to the station. The driver was really funny, older black guy, talked to me about politics a lot and wanted to know when I was gonna get married. I invented a story which was really a lot of fun ( inventing the story, not the story itself :) )
Back at the station I caught my bus to Newport Rhode Island in time. (It's too bad I didn't get more time in Myrtle Beach, from what I've seen it must be an awesome place)I was not really looking forweard to that trip. I had to change buses about 5 times! The first part is jus 1.5h to Wilmington, then 2h layover there before getting to Richmond Virginia at midnight. Next it will be a 2h ride to Washington DC and then another 4.5h to New York. I will actually spent 1.5h there YAY, before going on the next bus to Providence for 4h. From there 20minutes to Fall River where the last change will happen. From there, it's 30minutes to Newport. I will hopefully get there by 4pm after 14hours (i don't really care about the hours, it's more the transfers that bother me). Anyhow, we'll see if it all works out.
xoxo
Not a lot happened today. I spent the whole day (almost) in buses.
First I arrived in Raleigh at 3.00am. Yes, of course the 10.40pm bus I talked about yesterday was late. The bus finally left at 11.15pm after a lot of difficulties getting all the people in the station on the right bus, it was crazy! So we were on the bus after ages of waiting when it occured to the greyhound people that we might need a driver to get us to Raleigh. Eventually, one showed up, he barely looked older than me, obviously a new driver and guess what, he didn't reallt know his route yet. We had to turn around a couple of times and we ended up in Raleigh late. This time I didn't really mind about the lateness though, all it meant was less waiting in Raleigh.
The bus to Myrtle Beach was late too (of course), we got there at about 1pm. This gave me just enough time to catch a taxi to the Hard Rock, buy my shirt (which I actually got for free thanks to my all access cars :) ) and have the same taxi drive me back to the station. The driver was really funny, older black guy, talked to me about politics a lot and wanted to know when I was gonna get married. I invented a story which was really a lot of fun ( inventing the story, not the story itself :) )
Back at the station I caught my bus to Newport Rhode Island in time. (It's too bad I didn't get more time in Myrtle Beach, from what I've seen it must be an awesome place)I was not really looking forweard to that trip. I had to change buses about 5 times! The first part is jus 1.5h to Wilmington, then 2h layover there before getting to Richmond Virginia at midnight. Next it will be a 2h ride to Washington DC and then another 4.5h to New York. I will actually spent 1.5h there YAY, before going on the next bus to Providence for 4h. From there 20minutes to Fall River where the last change will happen. From there, it's 30minutes to Newport. I will hopefully get there by 4pm after 14hours (i don't really care about the hours, it's more the transfers that bother me). Anyhow, we'll see if it all works out.
xoxo
Donnerstag, 8. Juli 2010
July 8 2010 - Charlotte
Hello there,
I finale found a computer to go online. So I will be able to slowly catch up on writing the blog. I will do my best to be quick. So , here we go
I got to Charlotte at about 2pm today. I knew mz next bus was not going to leave until 2am so I had a lot of time to kill. I had already looked up the Starbucks nearest to the station but before going there I spent over an hour in the bus station's restroom (suprisingly, very clean). Why I was there? Well, the only outlet that was working was located in there. I had made a photo of the Charlotte map with the directions to Starbucks with my phone. It didn't have any battery left hence, the bathroom. I was not the only one in there, others used the 3 remaining plugs too.
After that I went to Starbucks where I spent the next couple of hours. It was only about a 15 minutes walk there so it was ok and it also gave me an impression of the city. It's just like the guidebook said, it's a business town, mainly banks, so all you can see are high office buildings.
I had a shock at the Starbucks when I checked my bus times again. My next destination was Myrtle Beach and the Internet told me there was no bus going there today. However, when I split up the journey into two parts I found a way to get there. First from Charlotte to Raleigh and then from Raleigh to Myrtle Beach.
I also saw that there wasm't only a 2am bus but also a 10.40pm bus to Raleigh where I would have a long layover. I decided to take the 10.40pm bus cause I had definitly seen the Charlotte station. It's really a mess. They don't know what they're doing there! No bus is on time, then they are sold out which means people who do have a ticket can't get on and have to spend hours and hours even the whole night at the station because they have very few buses going per day.
There's a place 2 hours away and thay only have one bus a day. Myrtle Beach is only 2.5 hours away and it will take me close to 12 hours to get there. Isn't that crazy???
Another thing, I think that Greyhound personal is getting unfriendlier by the second. It's truly incredible how they treat their paying customers, what happened to The customer is the king???
Anyway, now that I have bitched about greyhound I'm gonna go wait for my bus, after all, it might be on time for once!
xoxo
I finale found a computer to go online. So I will be able to slowly catch up on writing the blog. I will do my best to be quick. So , here we go
I got to Charlotte at about 2pm today. I knew mz next bus was not going to leave until 2am so I had a lot of time to kill. I had already looked up the Starbucks nearest to the station but before going there I spent over an hour in the bus station's restroom (suprisingly, very clean). Why I was there? Well, the only outlet that was working was located in there. I had made a photo of the Charlotte map with the directions to Starbucks with my phone. It didn't have any battery left hence, the bathroom. I was not the only one in there, others used the 3 remaining plugs too.
After that I went to Starbucks where I spent the next couple of hours. It was only about a 15 minutes walk there so it was ok and it also gave me an impression of the city. It's just like the guidebook said, it's a business town, mainly banks, so all you can see are high office buildings.
I had a shock at the Starbucks when I checked my bus times again. My next destination was Myrtle Beach and the Internet told me there was no bus going there today. However, when I split up the journey into two parts I found a way to get there. First from Charlotte to Raleigh and then from Raleigh to Myrtle Beach.
I also saw that there wasm't only a 2am bus but also a 10.40pm bus to Raleigh where I would have a long layover. I decided to take the 10.40pm bus cause I had definitly seen the Charlotte station. It's really a mess. They don't know what they're doing there! No bus is on time, then they are sold out which means people who do have a ticket can't get on and have to spend hours and hours even the whole night at the station because they have very few buses going per day.
There's a place 2 hours away and thay only have one bus a day. Myrtle Beach is only 2.5 hours away and it will take me close to 12 hours to get there. Isn't that crazy???
Another thing, I think that Greyhound personal is getting unfriendlier by the second. It's truly incredible how they treat their paying customers, what happened to The customer is the king???
Anyway, now that I have bitched about greyhound I'm gonna go wait for my bus, after all, it might be on time for once!
xoxo
Mittwoch, 7. Juli 2010
July 7 2010 - Yummy!!!!!
Good morrning everyone,
After sleeping in this morning I checked out, stored my bags at reception and took the street car to go eat the beignets I had heard so much and dreamed about :)
street car on canal street
I got off at the last stop, which is the river front. I walked along the Mississippi river, found the Hard Rock Cafe, got my T-Shirt and walked on to the Café du monde.
It's really famous, everybody knows it. Luckily I found an empty table in the more than busy place. All they serve here is beignets and different kinds of coffee and hot chocolate. Here's their menu:
I decided to go for the classics. Beignets and Café au Lait
It was heavenly good!!!!
After that, I kept walking and discovering the beautiful buildings in this city and the countless cafes. In everone a (usually) Jazz band is playing and some people are even dancing on the street. It really feels like the whole city is a big party, I can't even imagine what it looks like on Mardi Gras! Anyway, here some pics:
The French Market
They sell these masks everywhere. If I got it right they have something to do with mardis gras.
Jackson Square
Now tell me these houses are not gorgeous!
And then probably the most famous Street of the city:
That's what it actually looks like
Doesn't look awesome hmm. It's full of bars and strip clubs :) I bet you can have fun here at night. I mean New Orleans is famous for it right? Unfortunately I really was to tired to experience it yesterday and I'm leaving already again tonight. But hey, that gives me a reason to come back right :)
Here's the second well-known street
Canal Street. Apparently this is the widest street there is. All others that are so side are usually called Avenues. Canal Street has lanes for cars in both directions and as you can see to lanes for the street cars in the middle.
Later I went back to the hostel to get my stuff and go to the greyhound and take the bus to Charlotte. I'm not really looking forweard to this city. I read that it is just a business city and there's not rally a lot to do there. So I already looked up the closest Starbucks and I guess that's where I'll spend my hours and hours of layover! That's it for now
xoxo
After sleeping in this morning I checked out, stored my bags at reception and took the street car to go eat the beignets I had heard so much and dreamed about :)
street car on canal street
I got off at the last stop, which is the river front. I walked along the Mississippi river, found the Hard Rock Cafe, got my T-Shirt and walked on to the Café du monde.
It's really famous, everybody knows it. Luckily I found an empty table in the more than busy place. All they serve here is beignets and different kinds of coffee and hot chocolate. Here's their menu:
I decided to go for the classics. Beignets and Café au Lait
It was heavenly good!!!!
After that, I kept walking and discovering the beautiful buildings in this city and the countless cafes. In everone a (usually) Jazz band is playing and some people are even dancing on the street. It really feels like the whole city is a big party, I can't even imagine what it looks like on Mardi Gras! Anyway, here some pics:
The French Market
They sell these masks everywhere. If I got it right they have something to do with mardis gras.
Jackson Square
Now tell me these houses are not gorgeous!
And then probably the most famous Street of the city:
That's what it actually looks like
Doesn't look awesome hmm. It's full of bars and strip clubs :) I bet you can have fun here at night. I mean New Orleans is famous for it right? Unfortunately I really was to tired to experience it yesterday and I'm leaving already again tonight. But hey, that gives me a reason to come back right :)
Here's the second well-known street
Canal Street. Apparently this is the widest street there is. All others that are so side are usually called Avenues. Canal Street has lanes for cars in both directions and as you can see to lanes for the street cars in the middle.
Later I went back to the hostel to get my stuff and go to the greyhound and take the bus to Charlotte. I'm not really looking forweard to this city. I read that it is just a business city and there's not rally a lot to do there. So I already looked up the closest Starbucks and I guess that's where I'll spend my hours and hours of layover! That's it for now
xoxo
Dienstag, 6. Juli 2010
July 6 2010 - Laissez les bon temps rouler - Let the good times role! Welcome to New Orleans!
Hello there
I got to Biloxi this morning at 6am. My bus to New Orleans wasn't leaving 'till 30pm this afternoon. Outside it was rainy and grey. Not good for a beach town.
I was here for the Hard Rock Cafe of course but I didn't want to go out and look for it at 6 in the mroning in the rain.
I turned on my computer and suprisingly found a very good internet connection. So I got to surf. watch some TV Shows and skype.
I was around 10 when the rain had finally more or less stopped, so I got my stuff together and headed outside. The first thing I saw? This:
Can't recognize it? No I didn't mean the horrible weather. Here's a close up:
Jup, the Hard Rock Cafe was basically right there. The special thing about this Hard Rock is that it is not only a Cafe it also includes a Hard Rock Hotel and a Hard Rock Casino. It's three for the price of one!
I went in there and discovered that it was also kind of a mall with a starbucks. I got Coffee sat down for a while and then strolled through the little shops before it was time to go catch the next Greyhound.
The bus was an hour late (when are they ever on time???). We took the highway along the gulf of mexico, at least for a while. From the bus, no oil could be seen.
When I finally got to New Orleans it was 7 instead of 5.30. Now I had to find the hostel. Google at told me that it was 43 minutes to walk. i find that google exaggerates most of the time and let me tell you, it was wrong again this time. It took me 1 hour to walk to this place!!!! I was dead when I got there I swear. Anyway, I thought that with that walk, I had earned the beignets I would eat in the morrning at the Café du monde.
I finally got checked and was looking forweard to a shower and my bed. I chatted with my new roommates for a bit (two sisters from Australia and a girl from Newport RI) then I took that shower and it made me feel like a whole new person :)
After that I threw the clothes I had on on the bus and my blanket that had been lying around in not sooo nice places into the washing maschine. Before going to bed, I tried on the shoes I had bought with Sunshine again, just for fun :) I still love them¨!!! I was in bed by 11pm.
Good night
xoxo
I got to Biloxi this morning at 6am. My bus to New Orleans wasn't leaving 'till 30pm this afternoon. Outside it was rainy and grey. Not good for a beach town.
I was here for the Hard Rock Cafe of course but I didn't want to go out and look for it at 6 in the mroning in the rain.
I turned on my computer and suprisingly found a very good internet connection. So I got to surf. watch some TV Shows and skype.
I was around 10 when the rain had finally more or less stopped, so I got my stuff together and headed outside. The first thing I saw? This:
Can't recognize it? No I didn't mean the horrible weather. Here's a close up:
Jup, the Hard Rock Cafe was basically right there. The special thing about this Hard Rock is that it is not only a Cafe it also includes a Hard Rock Hotel and a Hard Rock Casino. It's three for the price of one!
I went in there and discovered that it was also kind of a mall with a starbucks. I got Coffee sat down for a while and then strolled through the little shops before it was time to go catch the next Greyhound.
The bus was an hour late (when are they ever on time???). We took the highway along the gulf of mexico, at least for a while. From the bus, no oil could be seen.
When I finally got to New Orleans it was 7 instead of 5.30. Now I had to find the hostel. Google at told me that it was 43 minutes to walk. i find that google exaggerates most of the time and let me tell you, it was wrong again this time. It took me 1 hour to walk to this place!!!! I was dead when I got there I swear. Anyway, I thought that with that walk, I had earned the beignets I would eat in the morrning at the Café du monde.
I finally got checked and was looking forweard to a shower and my bed. I chatted with my new roommates for a bit (two sisters from Australia and a girl from Newport RI) then I took that shower and it made me feel like a whole new person :)
After that I threw the clothes I had on on the bus and my blanket that had been lying around in not sooo nice places into the washing maschine. Before going to bed, I tried on the shoes I had bought with Sunshine again, just for fun :) I still love them¨!!! I was in bed by 11pm.
Good night
xoxo
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