In anticipation of the highly-awaited overall sun eclipse of April 8, 2024, many intrepid vacationers deliberate epic trips to witness this celestial phenomenon. We made the adventure in some way that most of the people most probably didn’t . . . we undertook the adventure by way of bus. This three-part collection recounts the reports and courses discovered from an formidable six-day journey roadtripping by way of Greyhound and FlixBus from Oregon to Texas. Section 1 lined the necessities of getting ready for and embarking on one of these marathon bus voyage. Section 2 dove into the realities of existence at the street, navigating the demanding situations and easy pleasures of sluggish journey. On this ultimate installment, Section 3 displays at the the sensible issues we discovered alongside the best way for somebody who is thinking about a travel like this.
Steins, New Mexico as observed from the Greyhound window
We discovered a couple of issues.
Tips on how to Pack
For one, we discovered that touring mild is actually the place it’s at. There was once even much less room than on a airplane, if you’ll be able to consider it. The overhead containers had been narrower, and the distance to cram your luggage underneath the seat in entrance of you was once additionally narrower than on a airplane. There have been no trays, and on maximum buses no wallet and no water bottle holders (to be honest, they had been there, they had been simply both stretched out or damaged in order that they didn’t in fact paintings.)
The place to Sit down
We discovered that it smells extra like exhaust fumes in case you take a seat within the again rear of the bus. We discovered that it actually doesn’t topic the place you take a seat since you best have perspectives out of the facet home windows since the seatbacks of the Greyhound buses are too prime.
Top-back seats at the Greyhound.
Making plans Forward
If we do take a travel like this once more, I might most probably use the delivery choice once more if I may just, and take with me simply what I wished for the primary part of the travel after which send it again, and send stuff out forward of time to have at my vacation spot for whilst I used to be there. I most probably wouldn’t do a travel like this on my own, however with a spouse it was once high-quality. If I used to be touring on my own, I might be very tempted to buy every other price ticket in order that I may just stay the seat by way of me open for myself. There have been many legs of the travel the place the bus was once utterly crammed. Give your self quite a lot of issues to do like pay attention to song, learn, watch downloaded motion pictures or TV presentations, however give your self time to speak in your seat pals and glance out the window.
The Greyhound bus forestall in Odessa, Texas
Being Versatile
We discovered we received’t do a travel like this once more until it’s one thing very particular or crucial that we get to and that we will be able to’t manage to pay for to get to another means. For those who do take a travel like this, the extra self-contained you’re the higher. If you’ll be able to make it via all of the stops the place there are not any meals or beverages since you introduced stuff with you, you’ll be happier. At maximum stops, there was once simply not anything there. From time to time, even filling our water bottles was once a problem since the stations weren’t open. I used to be most probably dehydrated as a result of I used to be making an attempt not to must stand up and move to the bus toilet until I actually had no selection. However . . . fortunately the toilets we encountered alongside the best way and at the bus weren’t that dangerous. We took wipes to wash up with and really feel slightly brisker.
Stretching Your Legs
At each and every forestall, although you’ll be able to’t get off the bus, a minimum of rise up within the aisle and stretch your legs. Get off if you’ll be able to and stroll round slightly to maintain some flow.
A midnight forestall on the Greyhound bus forestall in Midland, Texas.
Staying Relaxed
I’m at all times chilly, so I wore relaxed leggings, socks, simple to take off sneakers, and a sweater-like poncho. I additionally packed a gentle blanket, which I used to be very thankful for at the leg of the travel the place the AC was once caught on prime. We packed nuts, pork jerky, path combine, and a few different simple to consume snacks that we leaned on once we had been hungry however there wasn’t anything else to make a choice from. Deliver a neck pillow and a small travel-sized pillow in case you’re going to be seeking to sleep. I introduced an eye fixed masks which helped so much with seeking to sleep at evening. I introduced noise canceling headphones however didn’t finally end up the usage of them. We introduced an umbrella as a result of we concept it would rain once we had an hour in Sacramento, however it wasn’t raining and we in the end despatched the umbrella again within the UPS field.
What To not Deliver
Don’t attempt to sneak on weed or alcohol. The Border Patrol would have discovered no matter weed you had stashed for your suitcase. It can be felony in California or in different places, however it’s not felony in Texas. The drivers all many times mentioned that they might kick somebody off who was once stuck ingesting both on or off the bus or within the toilets. We didn’t see somebody get kicked off, however I don’t have any doubt that they might have carried out it.
Staying Entertained
Take books and different issues to cross your time that you simply don’t want web or energy retailers for. Deliver a conveyable telephone charger. Even though your price ticket says it comes with wifi and tool retailers, you’ll be able to’t be expecting that they are going to at all times paintings.
Ultimate Ideas
Whilst the 6-day Greyhound & Flixbus adventure from Oregon to Texas and again for the 2024 eclipse was once grueling every now and then, it was once in the end a rewarding journey. Past witnessing the awe-inspiring overall sun eclipse, the slow-paced bus journey allowed us to include the adventure itself — soaking in huge American landscapes, assembly fellow vacationers, and being reminded of the easy joys of song, books, and moments of stillness. It’s additionally just a little about letting move of keep an eye on . . . you’re on any person else’s agenda, you forestall after they forestall. For those who’re the type of one that, like me, is continuously having to make choices, it might really feel like an actual respite to have the ones duties stripped away.
The discomforts additionally in the end bolstered treasured journey courses: pack minimally, be self-sufficient, keep versatile when plans move awry, and savor even probably the most unusual reports as distinctive reminiscences. Although difficult, trips like this construct resilience and appreciation for existence’s more practical pleasures that may be simply overpassed in our day-to-day routines. An epic trek like this, whether or not you bus it or force it or take the educate, is not only in regards to the vacation spot, however about embracing the whole revel in with an open thoughts and appreciation for the mere privilege of freely going from one position to every other. We’re so happy we did it! We had been happy to get house too, and that appreciation for being again at house in our personal beds made it all of the sweeter to have arrived.
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