The title says it all. I’ve been meaning to update y’all on my little adventure but I think I’m still recovering.
First I have to say that I was impressed that the bus came on time and got us to Chicago in record time. We arrived 15 minutes before the scheduled arrival. Nice!
But that was what kept me from flipping out on the ride. I kept telling myself, “At least this is faster than the train.”
As soon as I saw the big blue bus come around the corner to our stop, I thought there was a mistake. I could have sworn I saw double decker buses that looked luxurious when I had looked into Megabus before, but this bus was a little raggedy and as soon as it stopped people jumped off to puff as fast as they could on their cancer sticks. So of course I had to walk through their stinky smog to board the bus.
I just let it slide. I figured since it was coming all the way from Memphis, these people were probably just tired from a long trip.
Wait a long trip? You know what that means? Yep, the entire bus had a funky and foul smell to it, not to mention that everyone had their items strewn all over the bus. They were quickly trying to pick up their bags and clothes and food and move them to one seat.
That’s right I paid for my seat and my daughter’s so you better move outta the way! I’m not sharing with anyone.
It just felt icky because the people had been sitting there for hours. My husband sat across from us and I made him take Sarah to the bathroom. I was not about to go back there. And for some reason if I don’t see something then I pretend it’s not there and I can feel better about it, otherwise I freak out and get all OCD about germs and how Sarah is going to get sick.
Well, of course shortly after she wanted to use the bathroom again but she wanted me to take her. I sucked it up and went back there to discover it was just one of those holes with everyone’s crap floating in it. I was gagging and trying not to breathe. It was SO DISGUSTING! To make it even NASTIER there was NO WATER!!!!!
I’m putting all those exclamation points because I started to have a panic attack. How many people used the bathroom then touched the handle to get out? NO ONE WASHED THEIR HANDS!
I was also panicking because we forgot to bring water with us so I couldn’t even use that. I tried to wipe our hands with some paper towels I had in my bag and keep an eye on Sarah, to make sure she didn’t put her hands in her mouth.
Just thinking about it now I feel like I’m going to freak out again.
My lesson learned is to ALWAYS have some kind of hand sanitizer or wet wipes, and that if I take the Megabus without a small child it would be OK since we wouldn’t use the bathroom. Otherwise the train is a much better alternative. However, at this rate I’d rather walk.
Sunday, 30. August 2009
Yeah, but I got one that tops that one! Summer 2006, me -almost 8mths preggo with Jennah. Tried to come home from a visit to the family in Indy (back to Chicago) with hubby. I got the flu, so I couldn’t travel with him, and he had to work, so I had to keep kids with me in Indy for 2 more days. Leave Indy on MegaBus for our 4 hour journey home in middle of July (record heat that year, in the 100’s!) AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT WORK ON BUS! I’m already dehydrated from being sick with the flu and preggo, and all covered up (’cause I wear hijab) and its BOILING on the bus just 20 minutes into the trip. Bus driver decides we need to stop to see if he can “fix it”… so we all wait for a 1/2hr at a rest area, then get back on… still BOILING! My kids were so hot that I was pouring my bottled water on them to keep them cool, they were literally crying from the heat, and I was gettin’ really nauseated and started cramping. Told the bus driver to pull over at the next gas station and let me and the kids out, my family would come get me… ’cause it was gonna be seriously bad to drive 3 more hours like that, I didn’t really wanna go into preterm labor on the MegaBus from dehydration! He radios in to “headquarters” they tell him to go to certain exit where they will fix the problem… we wait 8, yes EIGHT hours at this friggin bus station! ALL OF US… ALL 30 PEOPLE ON THIS BUS!!!!! (including my 2 boys, and let me tell you, keeping them happy at at gas station for 8 HOURS was not easy!) Why did they not send another bus? Why didn’t they tell us it would be so long, instead of saying “just another half our more”…. don’t know!!!! It was seriously the MegaBus from HELL!!!!! I will never, ever, ever, ever ride that bus again! I ended up getting home at 1 am, instead of the scheduled 5:15pm! That was a fun experience
Oh, and they told me they wouldn’t give me a refund!
Sunday, 30. August 2009
WOW!!!!! That is seriously crazy!!
Our AC was not working as well, but then the sun went down so it wasn’t too bad.. I was freaking out just like you cause I’m about 8 months along lol and we forgot to bring water!
But still your story definitely tops mine…I’m sooo disgusted with Megabus now for real!!