Cheap and Cheerful: Tally Traveled to New York by way of the China-town bus: a study in taking your own advice.

1)Research your options

Check. Unfortunately, not living in a major city, my options were more limited than if I lived somewhere with better transport hubs like New York or Baltimore. Still, where I live is large enough to be serviced by one of small China-town lines mentioned in the previous article. With a round trip ticket costing only 35$ total, it was nearly 30$ cheaper than a fare from a national bus company, and 73$ less than even the least expensive train tickets.

As far as assessing the quality of my ride went, I had it easy. I was fortunate in that a great number of friends and acquaintances had already used this bus service, and found the experience, if not exactly pleasant, at least palatable. Thus, my decision was made.

2)Approach the bus-trip experience with the right attitude

Having traveled by bus before, I didn't have to do too much adjusting. Experience had taught me that while traveling by bus is certainly less glamorous than going by plane and less comfortable than going by train, it is generally a far cry from that had been painted to me before. --Provided you don't have too far to go.

Really, I rather looked forward to not having to drive and watch the road, band to instead spend the two and a half hours of travel time listening to Man...or Astro-man? while I worked on some drafting.

3)Come early, but expect delays

Check and check. I was there about forty minutes early to be sure I'd have time to buy a ticket at the window. The bus was about twenty minutes late, but I figured it would be, so it wasn't that serious.

4)Don't sit too close to the bathroom

Check.

5)Remember your manners

Check, but it really only came up once. When boarding the departing the bus, there no seats available that were next to an unoccupied seat. When taking my seat, I simply asked the woman I was going to sit down next to if she minded if I sat there. She replied "not at all; by all means". Both of us spent the trip occupied with our headphones on, so for better or worse, our exchange ended there. Nonetheless, I tried to bear in mind the basic civility of not encroaching on her personal space or disturbing her from her work during the journey, and she regarded me with the same courtesy. As far as I know we both had a pleasant trip.

6)Pack a snack

Check. Man was I ever so glad I did! Having generally missed breakfast, I brought a bag full of walnuts and a biscotti. Brunch wasn't had until about an hour and a half, two hours until after my arrival. When I did get to my omelet, I was hungry for it, but I would have been ravenous and cranky had I not had a nosh on the bus.

7)Bring something to do

Check. Generally I bring a notebook with me wherever I go, so naturally I brought one on the bus. While I didn't do any heavy writing, I had plenty of time to work on drafting out some ideas that had been kicking around during the week. Being less distracted on the bus than I would have been at home, I may have actually gotten more done in two hours than I would have at my desk.

8)Bring some tunes

Check. Everything is better with surf rock. Including bus rides.

9)Don't reward aggressive behavior by responding to it

This was, on this trip at least, a total non-issue. I faced no hostilities from my fellow passengers and I never have on inter-state bus trips. I have dealt with them on my morning public-transit commute to work, but in those situations I've just ignored them. Typically they respond to a non-response with some disparaging comment (curiously enough, almost always regarding my sunglasses), and then move on to attempting to rile up someone else.

Admittedly, it kind of kills my pride to have someone behave badly to me or anyone else, and have them get away with it, but I know that it isn't worth getting in a scuffle in an enclosed, moving space with a (more often than not, drunk) stranger.

10) Be cool and keep calm

Number 10 is another item that didn't really come up that weekend. Everything went smoothly, I arrived at my destination on time, and alighted in front of Macy's on 34th with a minimum of hassle.

So what were you doing in New York anyway?

Who wants to know?
No, seriously, who wants to know?

I was visiting a friend, and attending Siren Fest, the free summer music festival at Coney Island, put on by The Village Voice. Free music, a sea breeze and the Wonder Wheel! All in all, a fairly cheap and very cheerful way to spend a summer Saturday!