~ During my 2010 American trip, I travelled via Greyhound Bus
from New York City to New Orleans (with stopovers in Philadelphia, PA and
Raleigh, NC). I have written an extensive six part road trip report of that
journey beginning here…
That trip went so well, that I was keen to repeat the experience―albeit along a
different route―during my 2012 visit to America. To that end, following my
three week stay in New York City, I caught the first of what I thought would be
many Greyhound Buses, to Lancaster, PA.
During my stay in Lancaster, someone suggested I use Amtrak to get to my next destination―Harrisburg, PA., a short leg by any standards.
Since Greyhound Buses shared facilities with Amtrak, it was easy enough to
do―so I did. That was it. I was immediately smitten. Seduced by the comfort;
the leg room; the ability to get up and walk the length of the train; the large
windows; the smooth, traffic free flow of the carriages; and more. The run from
Lancaster to Harrisburg was over in under an hour, but I was hooked. I decided
that if the opportunity arose to travel by train again, I would seize it.
Washington, DC to Savannah, GA
When I left Harrisburg, it was by bus for Washington, DC.
But when I left America’s national capital, for Savannah, Georgia, it was on
the Amtrak Atlantic Coast Service that takes in New York - Washington,
DC - Charleston - Savannah - Jacksonville - Orlando - Tampa/Miami. There was no
turning back after that. Given a choice between spending nearly eleven hours on
a train or a bus, there is only one choice, and that of course is the train.
Atlantic Coast Service route guide
In researching current prices for this entry, I was able to
confirm what I already knew, that depending on how and when you choose to
travel, it can be cheaper to take a train than it is to take a bus. For
example, current prices (as of Sunday, 14 April 2013), for the
Washington-Savannah run are US$101.00 for the morning and afternoon trains, and
US$173.00 for the evening train. The same route by Greyhound Bus ranges from
$85.00 (advance purchase) to $159.00 (refundable ticket). The Standard Fare is
$142.00.
Using the example above, the bus is cheaper than the train service. However, even though I was initially looking for the cheapest tickets
available, I did not hesitate to spend the extra $16.00 for the space and
luxury of the train. Oh, and it helps that some of the Amtrak services include
WiFi as well. And did I mention the restaurant car? And the observation
carriage with its comfortable seating that allows you to sit back, stretch your
legs, and enjoy panoramic views of the passing countryside? All in all, the
experience is better; the ride much smoother; and the journey certainly seems
to pass much quicker.
After the Richmond stop I walked up to the restaurant car
for a coffee and Panini. It occurred to me that a coach paying passenger could
spend most of their trip here in relative comfort. In fact, it was a whole lot
easier to use my iPad there where I could rest the device on a table and type,
than to balance it in my lap, or hold it for extended periods.
Also in the restaurant car one has an opportunity to take
part in conversations with a number of other passengers, rather than sit alone
or converse with the person in the seat next to you in your designated carriage―assuming
they want to talk in the first place.
New Orleans, LA to Tucson, AZ
Alpine, Texas
From Savannah, I rode a Greyhound to New Orleans, and after
a five night stay there, I boarded Amtrak’s Sunset Limited service for
Tucson, Arizona.
For the record, current prices on the New Orleans-Tucson run
are $143 (Amtrak), and $188 (web only) to $232 (refundable) for the Greyhound
Bus. That’s a difference of $45 assuming you buy the cheapest tickets, or a
difference of $89 (if you purchase a refundable Greyhound ticket) in favour of Amtrak. As the saying has it: It’s a no brainer.
I have taken to referring to Amtrak as one of America’s best
kept secrets. Almost everyone I spoke to about my train travel was amazed at
the prices I paid, and my glowing recommendations. Most assumed that travelling
by train would be far more expensive than by bus, and had therefore never
considered the Amtrak service.
If there is a downside to using the rail network, it is that
compared to the Greyhound Bus network, passengers have many more choices
available to them when travelling by bus. The American rail network is a pale
shadow of what it used to be, which is a great pity. Never the less, what
remains covers all the main urban centres and for my money, it just can’t be
beaten. At the very least, take time to compare prices between the Greyhound
Bus and Amtrak services. Like me you may become a convert to the joys of rail
travel.
Now that I am slowly readjusting to life back in Adelaide, I am beginning to process the experiences and encounters I made during my latest three month American trip (July 30-October 22, 2012). Generally, it is only after some time and distance has inserted itself between the travel and the homecoming that I am really able to fully appreciate and reflect on the events, encounters and experiences I had while on the road.
While family members and friends are becoming used to my long absences, some are still amazed by my extended solo journeys, and what appears to be my ability to pass through ‘alien’ territory without harm or hindrance. I hasten to add, that America is hardly alien territory for me, since it has always been a part of my life in some way through the medium of television, movies, books, music, and other forms of popular culture. However, there is a big difference between absorbing American culture from the comfort and safety of a home in Australia, and experiencing it first hand.
I am delighted to report that once again I can honestly say that I did not encounter one threat or dangerous situation during this or my two previous visits to the United States. And this, despite a seemingly endless series of media headlines that trumpet the latest mass shootings, hurricane, tornado, or other major disaster – man made or otherwise that seems to infect America. On the contrary, I met people from many walks of life, and all have been friendly, interested in my journey, and very welcoming, even to the point of offering to host me in their homes if my path took me to the city or town they resided in.
My latest trip took me by road and rail from New York City to Lancaster and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and thence to Washington, DC., Savannah, Georgia, New Orleans, Tucson and Flagstaff, Arizona, and finally to Los Angeles. I was lucky enough to enjoy extended stays of three weeks each in New York City and Tucson, and shorter stays of ten days in Savannah, and around five days each in New Orleans, Washington, DC., and Lancaster/Harrisburg.
Once again I travelled by Greyhound Bus, but I also thoroughly enjoyed the relative luxury of long distance train travel via the Amtrak Rail network. I say ‘relative luxury’ because my budget did not stretch to the full luxury of a sleeper compartment. Never the less, compared to bus and air travel, I very quickly came to appreciate the luxury of extra leg room, restaurant cars, observation decks, and the ability to walk pretty much unhindered up and down the length of the train.
I will have more to say about all the above in due course, but for now – it’s good to be home again. While I hope to be house sitting again in Melbourne early in the new year, I suspect I will be staying close to home for the next twelve to eighteen months before heading off again for yet another extended journey to… well, I won’t get ahead of myself. A lot can happen between now and then, but whatever happens, I hope I never lose the joy of travel. See you down the road.
Image: Complete bus route from New York City to New Orleans
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Dear reader, if you have taken the time to read my four previous posts detailing my journey from New York City to New Orleans, you may have noticed I have said very little about my fellow passengers, Greyhound bus terminals, station staff, or company drivers, so let me add some observations here.
Greyhound Bus Stations
From my experience, there is a certain dull sameness to Greyhound Bus Stations around the country. They tend to be low-lying structures decked out in the company colours (blue and grey); with a ticket counter staffed by a bored and overworked employee. Notice I said employee, not employees. Unless it is a major terminus, like the one in New York City, most are understaffed, although even the one at the Port Authority Bus Terminal seemed to have only two or three staff on at any one time.
Most stations have small cafés or restaurants selling overpriced fast food like hot dogs, chips/fries, chicken nuggets, soft drinks, and snack foods. If this is not to your liking, you can always buy from the vending machines which also sell a range of snack foods like canned soft drinks (sodas), chocolate bars, crisps, cookies, M&Ms, and other comfort food. They also sell a variety of tourist trinkets such as key chains, post cards, mugs, fridge magnets, travel pillows, electronic games and other such fare.
At least Greyhound has recognized the need for traveller to recharge their mobile phones and other devices by providing a strip of electrical outlets for this purpose in their bus stations. They just don’t provide this service on their buses. At least not on the older buses. Pack your recharge cable in your carry on luggage for easy access.
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Image: Greyhound Bus station Recharge Bench
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Some General Observations
Some stations have luggage storage boxes where you can leave bags for short periods – for a fee of course (typically $5.00)
All stations have signage in Spanish and English (though not necessarily staff conversant in both languages)
Many stations have games machines and televisions to occupy travelers while they wait for connections
Some stations have security officers on hand, and your carry-on bags may be subjected to a visual search
Some rest rooms leave much to be desired. As previously noted in Part 5, the tips and advice article, it is advisable to carry Wet Ones or similar cleaning products to wipe down toilet seats.
Somewhere during the road trip I wrote in my notebook: … passengers are a mix of the nation’s most poor, who have no alternative but to use long distance bus travel to move around the country.
However, I am happy to admit this assertion is clearly contradicted in the Facts and Figures section on Greyhound’s website which includes the following information:
·One-third of Greyhound passengers make more than $35,000 per year.
·More than half of Greyhound riders have received higher education beyond high school.
·In many cases, Greyhound passengers report they own automobiles…but travel by bus because it is safe and more economical.
·The majority of Greyhound passengers travel to visit family and friends, but more than 21 percent travel for business reasons.
I suspect though, that the typical Greyhound demographic (if there is a ‘typical’ demographic) changes depending on which parts of the country you are travelling through.
Thankfully, passengers have for the most part been quiet, well behaved and friendly. The few exceptions I saw always involved conflicts or arguments between passengers and Greyhound staff – never between the passengers themselves.
Finally, even children have been quiet and well behaved on all the buses I rode in. thankfully, most can be entertained (or entertain themselves) with iPods, Game Boys, and even portable DVD players. Generally, though, small children seem to fall asleep quickly and remain that way for extended periods, which is a great relief.
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Image: “BAD LUCK – If you always expect the worst you will never be disappointed.” [Source: the internet]
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A Question of ‘Luck’
At the start of my first trip report I wrote: “Reading through other trip reports of passengers travelling on the North American Greyhound Bus network, one could be forgiven for thinking that only the foolhardy (or brave), use the network as a means of travel in the United States and parts of Canada. Online travellers tales are full of warnings and horror stories of cancelled departures, overbooked buses, smelly fellow passengers (and even smellier toilets), crying children, and cranky staff.”
As I also wrote, maybe I was lucky, and although being in the right place at the right time played a part in my ‘luck’, I like to think that attitude plays a large part of any travel experience. As do expectations.
I didn’t embark on this trip completely oblivious to potential dangers or to the possibility that things might go wrong. When I set out on the trip I was a few weeks shy of my 62nd birthday. As an Australian, I was a long way from home, travelling on my own in a big country through a landscape I was familiar with only from having seen it a thousand times in movies and televisions shows, and not all of these show the American South in the best possible light. But my attitude going into the trip was that whatever happened was going to happen whether I was on the bus or not, and since there was no way of knowing what might transpire, I might as well get on board and enjoy the ride. And enjoy it I did.
As for expectations: if you think the trip is going to be long, dull, and tiring – you can pretty much guarantee it will be! If you think your fellow passengers are all going to be large, smelly, loudmouthed ex convicts – or worse, you may well spend the entire trip trying to identify which of the passengers those attributes apply to. I firmly believe that if you head out expecting problems, you will encounter them. If you travel with the expectation that you are embarking on an exciting adventure, then almost anything that you encounter – short of theft or some criminal assault on your person – will be seen as part of that adventure.
From my observations, all my fellow passengers just wanted to get to their destinations quickly and safely and with as few hassles as possible. Just like I did. Passengers travelling with a companion obviously had someone to share the trip with, and pass the time with. Solo travelers like myself had to make do with their own company or strike up conversations with other passengers.
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Image: A page from my pocket notebook…
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I kept myself occupied by constantly jotting down notes in my pocket notebook (the old fashioned paper kind – not the modern computer kind). Without it, I couldn’t have written the trip reports I have posted here – and they are not page by page transcriptions of my notes by any means).
The vast majority of passengers I shared my trip with kept to themselves, but it was interesting to see other passengers engage with each other in conversation about topics of mutual interest – generally sport – with good humor and bon ami. There were no fights or assaults, no objectionable language or loud arguments. At least not onboard the buses, although – as I’ve noted above – I did hear some very heated conversations between frustrated travelers and ticketing staff of whom there never seemed to be enough (the expression, overworked and underpaid comes to mind here).
According to the Greyhound website their coaches covered nearly 5.8 billion (my emphasis) passenger miles “last year”. Across the whole network (USA, Canada, and Subsidiaries) they carried nearly 25 million passengers. That’s an awful lot of miles and passengers – a fact that should be taken into account when you read some of the bad experiences some passengers have had travelling on the Greyhound network.
Even if 250,000 passengers each year across the whole network had reason to complain about some aspect of the service they received, that still amounts to just 1% of passenger numbers. Or to put it another way – 99% of Greyhound passengers were satisfied with the service they received. [Note: I have no way of knowing exactly what percentage of passengers have lodged complaints with Greyhound. It could be ten times the figures I’ve plucked out of the air – or ten times less].
All the drivers I encountered were polite, if matter of fact, imparted essential information at the start of each segment, and didn’t hesitate to remind passengers to lower the volume ofmusic players and other electronic devices if too loud, and to keep cell phone conversations quiet and brief. Unfortunately, none of my drivers were as entertaining as Virgil the Greyhound bus driver seen rapping in this brief YouTube video:
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I am not being paid by Greyhound to say any of this, by the way. Certainly take note of the bad travel experiences other passengers have had, and can learn what you can from them, but keep them in perspective. Wherever you travel, and by what ever means, there will always be delays, rescheduled flights or buses, missed connections, cancellations, breakdowns, tired and frazzled passengers, temperamental staff, weather affected services, and so on. Travel websites love to highlight the problems but rarely, if ever, have ‘good news’ stories to tell.
All this is not to say that Greyhound (management, station personnel, drivers, etc) are blameless and couldn’t do things a lot better. Especially, in responding to genuine complaints involving lost baggage, overfull coaches, unsympathetic staff, grumpy drivers, and numerous other issues.
Well, “That’s a wrap,” as they say in the movie industry. For now, I have exhausted this topic and explored as many aspects of bus travel as I can think of. It’s time to move on to other subjects, but feel free to add Comments and advice where you are able. I and other travelers will appreciate it.
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Read The Full Greyhound Bussing America Trip Report:
Image: Greyhound’s iconic racing dog image adorns Mobile, AL, terminal building
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If you are still with me after my four previous extended road trip reports, and you are contemplating your own road trip using the Greyhound Bus company or a similar carrier, an important question you might consider asking me is, Would you do it all again?
The answer, based on my personal experience is, Yes. I will write more about this in a forthcoming entry, but for now suffice to say that I am already considering making another overland trip across America using Greyhound either next year or in 2012. If I do so, I plan to use a 60 day Greyhound Discovery Pass to try and complete a full circuit of the United States. I’ve got plenty of time to research and plan that trip, and the prospect of that journey is already firing my imagination.
The other option I have is to purchase a cheap car and drive myself. While more expensive, I does give me the option to follow my whims and explore out of the way locations. As I wrote in Part 3 of this trip report: For me, a great road trip should involve lots of stops and diversions. It should allow time to follow interesting back roads, and minor highways. It should get me off the beaten track, exploring quiet corners and grand vistas. It should be challenging and relaxing by turn.
And so it should. But all that is way down the track. The purpose of this entry is to provide some sage advice to other travelers – so let’s get on with it.
According to Greyhound’s own statistics, the Top 10 busiest Greyhound Bus terminals based on passenger volume in 2008 by Rank and Terminal were:
1. New York, New York
2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
3. Los Angeles, California
4. Atlantic City, New Jersey
5. Richmond, Virginia
6. Washington, D.C.
7. Dallas, Texas
8. Atlanta, Georgia
9.Nashville, Tennessee
10.Chicago, Illinois
So bearing that in mind, here as a community service to potential long distance bus travelers everywhere, is a comprehensive collection of the best travel tips and advice gleaned from my own experiences, and collected from numerous sources across the internet.
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Image: Greyhound Bus schedule. Buy online and early to save money.
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Purchasing Tickets
Buy online as early as possible – Web Only fares are great money savers
Check Greyhound’s website to see if you qualify for discounts. Children, Students, Seniors, Military Personnel and Veterans all qualify for money saving discounts
Buying tickets well in advance of your trip saves up to 50%
Buying one full-price fare gets you up to three companion fares at 50% off
WARNING! Buying a ticket does not guarantee you a seat on the bus. Get to the station early and line up to maximize your chances of securing a seat! The First Come – First Served rule applies here
If you are departing from a limited number of cities (Boston, MA; Framington, MA; Newton, MA; Springfield, MA; Hartfoed, CT: New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; and Washington, DC), you can purchase Reserved Seating* for an additional $5.00
Want to make sure you get a good seat? Pay an extra $5.00 for Priority Boarding*. If you plan to use Greyhound Buses regularly, sign up for the Road Rewards program
Planning the ultimate road trip? Then purchase a 30 day or 60 day DiscoveryPass
On busy routes, buses that travel between the same two destinations may take different routes which can result in marked differences in trip lengths, so make sure you are travelling on the fastest, most direct route – if that is what you want
*What’s the difference between Priority Boarding and Reserved Seating you ask? To be honest I don’t know. They seem to offer the same thing – sort of. Priority Boarding lets you board before the general rabble, but doesn’t let you reserve a seat, while Reserved Seating lets you claim a favourite position, but doesn’t necessarily let you board before the impatient mob! At least that is my reading of the information on the Greyhound website.
If a Greyhound Bus company representative reads this, maybe they can confirm or deny or clarify my reading of the company website.
NOTE: I never made use of either service, so I have no idea how they work in practice. For example, if you are boarding an already crowded bus, does your Reserved Seating ticket give you the right to ask a passenger who has taken your seat to give it up? Probably, but are you prepared to risk the ire of that person to stake your claim?
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Image: Greyhound Bus station Nashville, Tennessee [Source: Internet]
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Greyhound Stations and Terminals
Arrive at least an hour before departure if you need to pick up or buy a ticket.
If you are departing from one of the ten busiest stations (see above) arrive even earlier in case you end up at the back of a very long queue.
Once you have your ticket line up! The first 20-25 people to board get the pick of the seating. However there are exceptions to this rule. See notes below…
This is especially important if you are travelling with a companion. On crowded buses the chances of you sitting together is virtually nil if you are at the back of a long queue!
It is acceptable to leave your luggage in the queue to claim your position in the line, at which point you can find a seat and relax – while at all times keeping a close eye on your bags of course.
Drivers do not check to see if passengers have returned to the vehicle before setting off on the next stage or the journey. Nor do they check to see if new passengers have boarded the bus. Therefore…
The onus is on you to pay attention to driver announcements about the length of brief stops to pick up and discharge other travellers along the route, and the length of any rest stops. As long as you do that, you do not have to worry about missing the bus. Also…
Pay attention to station announcements as well, especially during layovers. Sometimes the departure gate/door number changes, and you could be left standing in front of the wrong door watching your ride disappear down the highway in a cloud of dust!
If in doubt – ask. I you are still unsure – ask again.
Notes: I wrote above: “The first 20-25 people to board get the pick of the seating”. This only applies to coaches at the very start of their journeys. If a coach is already in transit, previous passengers obviously get to board first so they can return to their seats. Only then are new passengersallowed to board. It follows then, that if a coach is already crowded, new passengers may have to share a seat with existing passengers.
WARNING! Buying a ticket does not guarantee you a seat on the bus.
Sometimes a worst case scenario occurs: a long queue waiting to board an already crowded bus. If you are at the back of that long queue you may not be able to board the bus! If you are lucky, Greyhound will add another bus to the route, but only if the number of passengers warrants it. Otherwise you have no choice but to wait for the next available bus. It’s worth repeating again, and again – get to the station early and line up to maximize your chances of securing a seat!
Onboard Coaches
Don’t take up two seats when you have only paid for one!
Keep your trash to yourself
Pack tissues and/or toilet paper! On long trips the paper supply may run out
Pack Wet Ones or similar and wipe the toilet seat down before use. Wet Ones are good for personal cleanliness as well
Some people love the long back seat at the very rear of the bus. I prefer to leave it alone as it is right next to the toilet and I did not want to put up with the constant coming and going of fellow passengers – or the odors they might leave behind.
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Image: Greyhound Bus station Recharge Bench
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Safety & Security
If you see something – say something!
They don’t happen often, but assaults on drivers and fellow passengers have taken place on Greyhound coaches and those of other carriers. If you see signs of a weapon onboard the bus (a federal offence by the way), say something. The same applies to drug taking or alcohol consumption.
According to the Greyhound website, “Greyhound uses approximately 90 company-operated bus terminals and 850 agency-operated terminals or sales agencies. Including all stops, Greyhound serves more than 1,700 destinations in the United States.” That’s the good news. However…
Some travelers report being dropped off late at night at isolated stops from where they must make their way home. Other travelers report stations/agencies closed when their coach arrives.
Clearly the onus is on you to arrange for someone to pick you up if your arrive at your destination late at night or after a station/agency has closed for the night.
If you have a cell/mobile phone (and who doesn’t nowadays) you can keep it charged at the Recharge Bench (see image above) now found in most Greyhound Bus stations, so pack your cable in your carry-on luggage.
Print a copy of your travel schedule, keep it close and refer to it often.
Because many bus stations are open 24 hours, they tend to attract homeless people (handy for bathrooms, air conditioning, panhandling, etc). This doesn’t mean stations are unsafe, but stay alert and watch your belongings.
Note: I have been unable to find out how many stations/agencies operate 24 hours and how many close at say, midnight. If a Greyhound representative or someone else is able to provide that information, I and my readers would be very grateful.
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Image: Greyhound Bus station en route to New Orleans
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Missed Connections
If your journey involves transfers, be aware that the bus on the next leg of your trip will not wait for you if the bus you are travelling on is delayed due to heavy traffic, road accidents or breakdowns. Just as airlines and train operators don’t hold up flights or train departures, so don’t expect Greyhound or other bus companies to delay scheduled departures for you.
If you are lucky, the next scheduled bus might only be an hour or two away. If you are not – be prepared for a long wait.
If you do miss your connection and you have to wait more than 10-12 hours for the next bus, consider getting a room in a nearby hotel – especially if you face an overnight wait. At least you can get some sleep and freshen up before continuing your trip.
Luggage & Carry On Bags
Unless you pack very lightly, your main luggage will go under the bus. Keep a close eye on your luggage and make sure it goes in the luggage compartment, and doesn’t come out before it is meant to
Keep carry-on luggage to a minimum. Storage compartments above the seat are quite narrow, so don’t expect to be able to store large items there.
Traveling With Children
Pack a mini-DVD player with a couple of their favourite movies, a Game Boy or other portable games, or an MP3 player with their favourite music.
Don’t forget to pack headphones or ear buds!
Bathrooms and Rest Stops
No-one, but no-one has anything nice to say about restrooms on Greyhound buses, and in my experience, station restrooms are only marginally better – but not by much. It is worth repeating …
Pack tissues and/or toilet paper! On long trips the paper supply on buses (and in restrooms) may run out
Pack Wet Ones or similar and wipe toilet seats down before use. Wet Ones are good for personal cleanliness as well
Take advantage of station rest stops. You may only have one or two before you get to your destination, and in some cases there may be no stops.
What Have I Forgotten?
I don’t pretend to have all the answers, and I encourage other long distance bus travelers to add their own gems of advice and insight to this entry.
You will have to create an account if you haven’t already done so, but that will only take a couple of minutes. If you already have a Google account: Gmail, Panoramio; or some other, you may be able to add a comment without creating a Blogger account, but don’t quote me on that.
Mobile, AL to New Orleans, LA. Distance: 143 miles (230 Kms)
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In which, against all the odds, my luck doesn’t run out…
The story so far: Your intrepid correspondent and traveller has been Greyhound Bussing it from New York City to New Orleans. So far he hasn’t been mugged, scammed, abused, or in anyway had experiences that make for great road trip horror stories. It’s all very tame and straight forward really. This is not what I was expecting at all. Everything is actually going to plan! I am on the ‘home stretch’ – Mobile, Alabama to the CrescentCity – with just 4.5 hours left to travel.
Now read on…
Time Shift: Somewhere along the road, I gained another hour in my day. In New York City it is now 2.45PM, but in Mobile it is 1.45PM. I’m not sure of exactly when I gained the hour. Maybe it was on entering Alabama. Of course, I should have paid more attention. Two weeks later, returning by air to New York City via Atlanta I missed my scheduled flight after being bamboozled by time zone changes (see Time Travel…). After lunch, during the layover in Mobile, I stepped outside to check out the weather and it was very hot and humid. Nooo! And I thought I’d left all that behind in New York. Sadly, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
At 2.15PM we cross into Mississippi, and before long signage along the highway is pointing to a host of locations prefaced with SingingRiver… Look over there… it’s the Singing River Hospital. And there is the Singing River Animal Hospital. If those health choices aren’t enough you could always visit the Singing River Health System. Need to shop? Then hit the Singing River Mall, etc.
As always, The Great Oracle, Google, has the answers:
The famous SingingRiver is known throughout the world for its mysterious music. The singing sounds like a swarm of bees in flight and is best heard in late evenings during late summer and autumn. Barely heard at first, the music seems to grow nearer and louder until it sounds as though it comes directly under foot.
An old legend connects the sound with the mysterious extinction of the Pascagoula Tribe of Indians. Pascagoula means 'bread eaters'. The Pascagoula were a gentle tribe of contented, innocent, and inoffensive people, while on the other hand the Biloxi were a tribe who considered themselves the 'first people' and were enemies of the Pascagoula. Anola, a princess of the Biloxi tribe, was in love with Altama, Chief of the Pascagoula tribe. She was betrothed to a chieftain of her own tribe, but fled with Altama to his people.
The spurned and enraged Biloxi chieftain led his Biloxi braves to war against Altama and the neighboring Pascagoula. The Pascagoula swore they would either save the young chieftain and his bride or perish with them. When thrown into battle the Pascagoula were out-numbered and faced with enslavement by the Biloxi tribe or death. With their women and children leading the way, the Pascagoula joined hands and began to chant a song of death as they walked into the river until the last voice was hushed by the dark, engulfing waters.
Many believe the modern day sound is that of the death song of the Pascagoula tribe. Various hypothetical scientific explanations have been offered for this phenomenon, but none have been proven. [Source: Singing River Website...]
Somewhere off to the left is the Gulf of Mexico. It is now 2.45PM, and I am beginning to feel the effects of the trip. My head feels heavier and keeps losing out to gravity which has the effect of forcing my chin onto my chest! I’m looking forward to that “…nice firm mattress, fine soft pillow, clean fresh sheets and nice warm bed”, I mentioned in Part 2 of this trip report. I’m also hanging out for a hot shower and a real meal – and if I can’t find one of those in New Orleans, I’ve come to the wrong place.
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Image: Biloxi, Mississippi. Note bare house foundations at left of image
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3.10PM: Biloxi, Mississippi
Driving along the seafront between Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi you can see vast acres of prime seafront land, empty and overgrown with weeds or uncut lawn. Here and there remains of foundations of destroyed homes poke through the grass. Occasionally, whole concrete floor slabs can be seen. Sometimes the only thing that remains are a set of brick steps leading up to doors and entrance halls that are no longer there. The house whose door they once led to having being destroyed when Hurricane Katrina swept across the Gulf in August 2005. Roads lead nowhere. Derelict homes abound.
I write in my notebook:
There are vacant blocks of land,
Where our houses used to stand.
Torn apart as if by hand of God and thunder.
Right along that eastern shore,
Mother Nature went to war.
When she shredded and she tore the land asunder.
Now they fester there alone,
Full of weeds and over grown.
While we reap what we have sown from our great blunder.
New homes, hotels, apartments, and other developments stand out amongst the vacant lots, looking strangely out of place in a sea of green vegetation. ‘For Sale’ signs are everywhere.
At 4.47PM we enter Louisiana, and head down the ‘home straight’ along ‘The Old Spanish Trail’, which leads directly to New Orleans. I’m intrigued by the name and again burn votive offerings to Google, The Great Oracle, but to my amazement, Google returns "About 368,000 results" (in 0.14 seconds, no less) for ‘The Old Spanish Trail’, that links Los Angeles with Santa Fe, Texas, and I am definitely not in Texas.
I can’t believe I have Google stumped, and in a moment of inspiration add the word Mississippito the search string. Bingo! Yes, folks, it turns out there is another Old Spanish Trail:
Conceivedin 1915 as the shortest route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Old Spanish Trail connecting St. Augustine, Florida and San Diego, California, took nearly fifteen years to construct at a cost of more than $80,000.000. Unlike other Southern transcontinental highways that stitched together existing roads across the continent's relatively flat and dry midsection, much of the Old Spanish Trail was forged over formerly impassable swamplands in the Southeast, including five major outlets into the Gulf. [Source: Drive The Old Spanish Trail website...]
My faith in Google restored, I sit awestruck as the I-10 now turns into the longest road bridge I have ever been on, and heads out over the massive expanse of water that is LakePonchartrain.
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Image: LakePonchartrain as seen through speeding bus window
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LakePonchartrain is not a true lake but an estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico. It is…the second-largest saltwater lake in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. It covers an area of 630 square miles (1630 square km) with an average depth of 12 to 14 feet (about 4 meters). [Source: Wikipedia]
Actually, the section of the I-10 that is over water is only about 5 miles long. If you want to see a really long bridge, the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway at a length of 23.87 miles (38.42 km) has to be seen to be believed. I haven’t travelled over the causeway, but if I ever visit New Orleans again, I would love to drive across it. Heck, it would be worth hiring a car for a day just to drive back and forth over the thing.
And then it is all over. At 5.30PM, right on time, we reach New Orleans. After checking into the Park St. Charles Hotel (where I was delighted to see that “…nice firm mattress, fine soft pillow, clean fresh sheets and nice warm bed”), I walked to the French Quarter for a mixed meal of gumbo, jambalaya, refried beans, rice and a couple of cold beers. The gumbo scored ten out of ten, but the jambalaya wasn’t a patch on the one I had in New York City! But that’s another story.
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Image: The Paddle Steamer Natchez,New Orleans
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So there you have it. According to Google Maps I’ve travelled at total of 1,400 miles, or 2,255 kilometers (give or take a few), and lived to tell the tale.
The big question is, Would I do it all again? The answer is, Yes. In fact, after three nights in New Orleans (which I wrote about here…), I actually considered continuing by bus to Tucson, Arizona (which I’ve also written about). However, I was on a tight schedule, which was getting tighter by the day, and I decided to make the trip to Tucson by plane. After a week in Tucson, I caught busses again to travel up to Flagstaff, Arizona (again without incident), from where I hired a car to visit the Grand Canyon.
After returning the car to Flagstaff, I bussed it back down to Tucson – at which point my luck almost ran out!
