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Monday, January 2, 2012

I Heart New York - even after drama-filled bus rides.

I know I should write the obligatory New Year's Resolution post but honestly I typically don't do resolutions at New Years. I make them throughout the year, I feel like they have a better chance of succeeding without all that pressure. But, I am excited to start a year fresh and there are some things I'm hopeful for so I'll keep you posted on developments. For now though, I'm in a New York state of mind...

My friend Tiff is an actress who used to live in NYC. This week, she's coming back for a visit and invited me and many others to hang out on Friday night.

I'm considering going. Even though it's a 4 hour bus trip and people aren't hanging out until 11pm. And I need to be back Saturday.

It's this kind of irresponsibility that has lead to some of my favorite adventures. It has also led to some pretty disastrous moments. Several of which have occurred on that bus from D.C. to NYC.

I briefly mentioned one bus incident here.

There are others.

The busses from D.C. to New York come in a variety of styles now but they used to only come in one style -- The Chinatown Bus.

It was a little risky and unpredictable. Much like most of my 20's.

The bus usually had a mix of young D.C. professionals with no money and Chinese immigrants who did not speak English. They showed movies in Chinese with subtitles in Mandarin. I've even heard sometimes there was livestock onboard. It was pretty amazing.

I've been on one that broke down on the side of the road (RIGHT AFTER there was a bus murder in Canada where a guy went crazy and cut off the head of his fellow passenger -- as soon as our bus pulled over, someone had the audacity to mention that. It was a tiny bit unsettling to say the least).

I had one end up in ATLANTIC CITY after the driver took a wrong turn and didn't realize it until it was too late.

I've been on one at 2 am that pulled into a parking lot for no apparent reason, sat there about 20 minutes, then just took off again with no explanation.

My friend was on one when the air conditioner spontaneously dumped a large amount of water on him. When he went up to tell the driver, the driver just handed him a towel like it happened all the time.

And, I've been on one where the driver kicked every single passenger off in the MIDDLE of JERSEY after informing us he felt like his safety was threatened and he didn't have to keep driving.

Yes.

And I'm usually alone on these trips because most of my friends have more sense than me and they do not take off on a 4 hour excursion at the drop of a hat like I do. So I do it alone. Cuz I'm stubborn like that. Which is actually helpful for my growth as a person I think because now when I am with others on a trip and something happens, I can pretty much shrug and say "honey, this is nothing. One time, when I was by myself...."

So probably the best incident was the one that included tossing my cookies. It happened when my friend Tiff was still living in NYC and after a long day of work at the White House, I and my Big Girl suit jumped directly on the bus and headed up for the longest night out on the town of my life.

On the way there, I decide to change into my party clothes so I can hit the Manhattan streets running and go directly to wherever Tiff and her New York friends were. And I did do that....dragging my rolling suitcase behind me. The Entire. Night. A night that ended about the time the sun was setting, about 4 venues later. I dragged that suitcase like a champ. Nothing Stops This Social Butterfly!

Not even...motion sickness. So here's where we go back to the bus ride up there.

I end up sitting next to a nice guy who I learn works for the Defense Intelligence Agency. I know a little bit about the intel community so I typically get people to tell me more than they intend to and he and I have a lovely talk until I decide it's time to start getting ready for my night out -- in the bus' bathroom.

And I've mentioned before how easily motion-sick I get. I mean, I got sick surfing, so you can imagine what happens in the back of a careening bus.

And this bathroom wasn't just the typical gross bus bathroom - it was worse. The light didn't work....and the door didn't close all the way. Awesome.

So there I am, CHANGING CLOTHES, in the dark, while holding the door closed lest it fall open and give the whole bus a peep show. And the bus is moving. And there's barely room for me to stand, let alone wiggle into a different outfit.

I finally pull myself together and stumble back to my seat now that my legs are about to give out from trying to stay upright in a swaying bus....and I promptly feel nauseous.

So, now I'm running BACK to the dark cave of a bathroom, and toss my cookies while holding the dang door closed again.

So. Classy.

I get back to my seat, apologize to my new friend, and start to feel better just in time for us to land in New York and me and my suitcase to begin our night out.

And my seat mate? Totally still asks me out. Ha! The stuff you can pull off in your 20's....

I'm still on the fence about this week's trip to NY but if I go, I plan to take a bus again. And I promise to relay any ridiculousness that ensues.

Happy New Year everyone!



2 comments:

  1. I once slept on the floor of a train in India between the latrines.

    Nobody asked me out when I got to Delhi though.

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  2. Ha! Trains are a whole other drama-filled adventure. I'm jealous of your India trip though (even without the date, haha)- it's on my list!

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