November 26, 2008
00:45, South Station, Boston
I'm sprawled on the floor in this part of South Station where people are supposed to take the buses out of Boston, supporting my back on a large concrete post that had an electric outlet – therefore allowing me to have my EEE PC plugged and charged. We have tickets for the Fungwah bus that leaves at 2 AM. We got ourselves to South Station at around 1230 AM – because we needed to make sure that we catch the last Red train that leaves Alewife, supposedly at 12:22 AM.
After getting off from the subway, we meandered through South Station – it being a major transportation platform – subway, commuter rail, buses to all directions – before finally getting to the bus gates. Getting as near to the boarding gate as possible, no matter how far from the departure time, is a lesson I learned from being left behind by the plane in Hongkong. I never forgot it: Get to the boarding gate first. And then maybe rest, or nap, or window shop – around the area of the boarding gate.
Getting to South Station and looking at the information screens – I realized I had so many choices of buses to take for New York. There was Lucky Star – which also had a trip for 2 AM. The other major bus lines – Greyhound and PeterPan had trips for early morning – but starting at 7 AM, I think. And there was Bolt, and Megabus. I could have tried to look at Lucky Star – it might have a cheaper ticket than the $25 that Fungwah charged - $10 more expensive than their regular rates. I guess I did not Google enough.
A security officer answers a question from a passenger: “No, taxis are the only way out now. The last T has already passed the station.” It is 00:58. About a half hour before, another security officer was going around asking passengers for their tickets – because only passengers with tickets – or those leaving after 12 AM - are supposed to be the only ones allowed within the area.
My alarm has sounded. Got to go. It is 1:22.
7:22 AM, Starbucks – Corner Delancey Street and Allen Street, New York
With the Chinatown buses (the general term referred to the cheap fare buses, having started operating from and to New York Chinatown) seating is always on a first come first served basis.
Make sure you “checked in” with the ticketbooth if you bought your ticket online.
Being sleep deprived, I tried to sleep during the trip from Boston to New York. For his wake up call, the driver blared loud music when we were near the New York bus stop. With Fung Wah, and I think with most of the Chinatown buses – there is no terminal – just a drop off point. You basically get out of the bus to the sidewalk. Much the same feel as going down at BGH Rotunda when coming from Metro Manila to Baguio City.
We arrived at around 5:00 AM! Our ticket for Baltimore was at 9:45 AM. So what do we do now?
“Get out of the way.” The first words I got from a New Yorker on his bicycle in a cold November morning. Still dark. Not the most pleasing welcome remarks.
The sun has not yet risen and it felt creepy walking in long tunnels – turned out we were walking in the wrong direction. But we eventually found Allen Street – the pick up “terminal” for the New York – Baltimore leg of our trip. Getting a sense of the location, the next thing to do was – find a Mcdonald's.
Funny as it may seem, fastfoods have become a sanctuary for travelers in that uncertain zone of killing time before the next bus schedule. But this particular Mcdonald's was not friendly to weary, sleep – deprived travelers. People were not allowed to loiter, so we had to pay to stay there by ordering a meal. Just as well, I was hungry and it would be breakfast anyway. The staff were not fastfood cheery though – no point telling you that you've just made their day just by entering their door. So this is New York, I guess.
Anyway, I made sure to consume the breakfast I ordered as slowly as possible. Logic: as long as there was food on the table, I had a right to stay there. We finally finished the one breakfat meal that I ordered and decided to have coffee in a nearby Starbucks, not because I am a fan, or that it is a habit – but we assumed it was a safe place where people can stay as long as they want and maybe even have free wifi access with their coffee order. Note to the uninitiated: Venti does not mean small. It is the size bigger than Tall.
So here we are. So this is New York. At least one street corner of New York. I have a good view and there are many interesting people to watch.
