After 13 torturous hours on the hound. This by the seat traveler got his act together. Bought a Megabus ticket on my Samsung. From New Orleans to Houston Texas and from Houston to Dallas and from Dallas to Austin. It was gonna be a long day….
Megabus is well known in the south, and East Coast. Low fares fast and direct routes with fares as low as a buck.
Unlike Greyhound, there are no brick and mortar bus stations , just pick up points. Fares are paid in advance through the net, no cash changes hands . Destinations are from point A to point B.
The Purple double decker buses have WiFi and power outlets for your PC or phone.
After being on the Greyhound for nearly 14 hours I had my reservations.
(http://sacratomatovillepost.com/2012/09/28/bus-6062-from-atlanta-to-new-orleans/)
There was a long line of people at (Bienville Ave b/t N Peter St and N Front) at the pick up point in New Orleans. It didn’t help when a basic white bus pulled up in the bus stop. Suddenly a purple double decker rounded the corner. Whew!
A single female driver asked passengers to line up in a single line. She took printed papers, and looked at phone conformations then waved passengers on to the bus. A young man loaded luggage. One woman with cash in her hand said she didn’t know she had to pre-purchase her ticket and was told the next bus to Houston would be about five. She attempted to argue with the driver, who ignored her and boarded other passengers.
Most of the passengers sat on the lower level, I went to upper level ,above the driver. I was like a five year old boy, I had the entire space to myself. The roof wasn’t glass and made of a tinted plastic like material. In the background was the Steve Harvey Show, Cool air was blowing through the vents. There were large white trash bags on every fifth seat and the bus was clean.
The driver, went through the rules.. no smoking, please keep the bus clean, if there was a spill let her know and she would help clean it up. There was going to be one stop. and we would arrive in Houston on time!
Heaven on Wheels from New Orleans to Houston
The passengers on the Megabus were younger, one could almost say college students. The leg room was okay as was the Wi Fi Service. But there was wi fi and it was free. There were electrical outlets in the ceilings and on the front seat.
The driver was no-nonsense… Some one was loudly chewing gum and she told she could hear it above the music and perhaps she could go upstairs. Our single stop was at a Texaco service station with a small restaurant in Western Louisiana. Every thing was fried or had cheese, things that shouldnt be fried was fried,and slathered in mayo. What I scraped off could have made two sandwiches.
There were moments when I thought, being on the upper level wasn’t a good idea. I was worried that the top of the bus would hit the overpasses, especially when the bus bounced.
We arrived in Houston five minutes ahead of schedule.
The heat and humidity was oppressive and had won, give me the 100 degree dry Sacramento heat anytime.
Houston to Dallas in 20 minutes.
Eleven dollars was the cost of my ticket. Unlike New Orleans, this stop was a large lot where they washed and serviced the buses in Downtown Houston. There were a few tents that sheltered passengers from the sun but not the humidity. No water or drinks……
Two people, were sitting in my coveted upper front window seats and I sat a row or two behind them. I took pictures of downtown Houston from my phone and texted them to friends and family. Plugged up my and PC, phone and drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, I was in the Dallas Metroplex four hours later.
I spent the night in Arlington.
The trip from Dallas (actually Grand Prairie Texas) to Austin was Five bucks. Rinse and Repeat.
Megabus are now apart of my plans of my next visit to the east coast.
You miss a lot flying over the country or driving alone . People in the airport rarely smile, or exchange pleasantries it’s no longer a pleasant experience.
I was mostly smiles on this trip on the bus, I met interesting people. There is something to be said about old school…. Connecting.
If you have the time, consider, the Bus or the Train
Note: I am a big and tall man, 6.4 and over 300 pounds and you’re not likely to experience my level of discomfort and most travelers will discover they have much more room on the buses and trains than they do on the airlines.
http://us.megabus.com/Default.aspx
Cityfella
Delicia Earl
October 23, 2012
You are my inhalation, I possess few web logs and sometimes run out from brand
. “He who controls the past commands the future. He who commands the future conquers the past.” by George Orwell.
cityfella
October 24, 2012
Wow, Delcia……thank you!