Please share your experiences because i am greyhounding to massachusetts in the summer and it is a 24 hour ride. Should i do it or not.
One of the things I do to prepare is to try and put everything as carry-ons if you feel worried about people running off with your stuff. Greyhound allows two carry-on bags that can fit overhead or under the seat, but I_ve always been able to stick an extra one on when needed.
As an extra to this...seating placement can be vital sometimes. Some people like to ride in the front of the bus, which is perfectly fine (I recommend it if you get carsick easily). I, however, sit way in the back, in the seats in front of the restroom (The last seats on your left, upon entering the bus). The bad part about it is that you can_t really recline that much. The good part is that you have extra space to slip a carry-on bag, as there_s a small space there you can stick your bags and they_ll be fine. I_ve been able to stick a small travel bag on wheels filled up quite a bit with only minor hassle at worst. Also, another good part is that you don_t have to climb all over everyone if you have to use the restroom if you sit in those seats. At worst, you_d just have to maneuver around two or three people to get in.
The bathrooms are adequate. I_ve heard stories of overflowing toilets and bathrooms that horribly reek of excrement. I have never had this happen before at all, so don_t worry much about it. The bathrooms themselves are adequate. I_d clean the seat a little if you_re thinking of sitting down, and it_s a little tricky to get your bus legs when using it, but I don_t ever have a problem going in and using it. There_s usually hand sanitizer or moist towelettes there to use.
Here_s a money saver for you: Pack your own food. The meal stops typically are around fast food outlets and are overpriced, so if you_re a stickler for cash like me, here_s a suggestion. If you_re not allergic to nuts, go to Wal-Mart and pick up a bag or two of one of their trail mixes. They_re five bucks a pop, but if you pace yourself, you can make one bag last half a day or more. Also, bring a good-sized bottle of something with you. Once the contents of the bottle runs out, you can always hop out at any rest stop and fill it up quickly, then hop back on the bus/get in line for the next one, even on quickie five or ten minute rest stops.
The seats themselves are adequate as well. They recline back, but watch out you don_t end up in the lap of someone else. There_s small lights above you, so when night hits, you can turn one of those on and use it as a reading light or something. There_s just enough space for two people to sit, so don_t be surprised if you have a seatmate. If you_re kind of anti-social like I can be around strangers, you can pretend you_re asleep. One of my things I do is sit in the middle of the seat, put my jacket over me (in colder weather) to make myself look like a larger man than I really am, and pretend to snooze. It_s kind of mean, I know, but if you feel you need the extra space, it_s the best suggestion I can offer.
Sleeping, well...it can be an issue sometimes. If you have to sleep with someone sitting beside you. Avoid trying to sleep in an aisle seat if you can help it. It_s difficult because you can_t really lean anywhere or get a good position. If you lean to one side, you_ll be in your seatmate_s lap. If you lean to the other side, you_re blocking the aisle. You probably won_t get too much decent sleep unless you_re one of those sleepers who can curl up anywhere.
One of my favorite things about Greyhound is the big, panoramic windows they have. Even though Greyhound isn_t like a plane with an _in-flight_ (so to speak) movie, watching the scenery go by is just a heck of a lot of fun. I can do it for hours on end, seeing the different places go by. You can_t really do that in an airplane!
Probably the biggest con of all is the amount of time spent travelling. It can be tiresome after a while. You just have to go into it with an adventurous mindset. Each trip on Greyhound is an adventure. You get to see new people each trip, different experiences, sometimes even see new things you haven_t seen before! But it is long. I_d highly recommend packing entertainment. Pack only the expensive things you really, really can_t do without (You can pack a laptop. I_ve done it before, I just don_t break it out until I get to my destination usually.) or the things you really like that you want to use (Like a portable DVD player or a hand-held console like the Nintendo DS or the PSP). Sudoku books is a good idea, but I_d honestly recommend finding a site with printable sudoku and various other puzzles, so if you get tired of one, you can switch and do a different sort of puzzle. I like sudoku, mazes, and logic problems (the grid ones where you have to figure out who belongs with what, and stuff.). Books are excellent too.
Another con is sometimes you run into shady people or people who look like they_re into a lot of rough living. Just stay away from those people and don_t talk to them and you_ll be fine. Since Greyhound is the cheapest way to go, the likelihood is there. Don_t think that the buses are full of crazy delinquents out to get you though. Most of the people there are travelers just like you, just keep your wits about you and look like you belong there, just like anywhere.
All in all, I_d totally recommend Greyhound. With airfare and even gas being as expensive as it is, Greyhound is just mind-bogglingly cheap. From Bangor to New York City round trip, if I book on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday (For both to and from my destinaton), it_s only $72! I just can_t see how that price can be beat at all. Check their website for fare and schedule information. Greyhound has a massively easy to use site. However, I_d buy your tickets right from the station, as there_s an extra fee to buy them online.
I hope your Greyhound experience, if you choose to take it, will be as fun as exciting as I find them!
