The Chinese Bus
The cheapest, and just about quickest, way between NYC and Albany is the Double Happiness Bus. When I moved here in December, it was still the Double Happyness Bus, but someone must have clued them in. I've been on it a few times, and mostly, its just a quiet, sparselyu attended bus with a few students and people headed to Chinatown. The store fronts are empty and overly well lit. No one rerally speaks English, but you muddle through.
On late Sunday, its a different story. I have taken the 10:30 PM bus form Albany to NYC on Sunday twice now, and each time it was the same. First, you get on at the Central Ave stop, ostensibly the first one. 30 of the 44 seats are already taken by Chinese people. Its the only time that me and the black guy in the embroidered jacket with Scarface on it are classed in the same group. I take a seat next to a guy my own age, who doesn't understand the concept of standing up so I can go past him to the window seat, and hand gestures don't seem to convey this.
After I sit, and the bus rolls, I ask him where they all got on, if not at the first stop. He tells me he doesn't understand, this is his first time. So, I guess that will remain a mystery. There are a lot of people talking into unfamiliar looking cell phones in Chinese. Loudly. The older lady sitting in front of me will be yelling into hers for the next two hours. I can only assume she is angry at her attractive daughter who is dating a gweilo. I'd ask the guy next to me if she is really as angry as she sounds, but we've already gone down that road.
At every exit on the Thruway, we stop and pick up more Asians from parking lots and gas stations. This doesn't happen on other runs, and the site only advertises that the bus stops in Kingston, but who am I to complain? The people are always waiting very patiently in the parking lot of the gas station, get right on, and never have bags they need put under the bus. Only non-Chinese have bags for under the bus.
When we make NYC, after cutting thorugh NJ and coming through the Holland Tunnel (I think, it might be the Lincoln), I'm the only one getting off at Midtown. Well, me and Scarface. The bus continues on to Chinatown. I've been tempted to keep going and see what happens. To see if the riders who were there before me get out, or continue on to yet another destination....
On late Sunday, its a different story. I have taken the 10:30 PM bus form Albany to NYC on Sunday twice now, and each time it was the same. First, you get on at the Central Ave stop, ostensibly the first one. 30 of the 44 seats are already taken by Chinese people. Its the only time that me and the black guy in the embroidered jacket with Scarface on it are classed in the same group. I take a seat next to a guy my own age, who doesn't understand the concept of standing up so I can go past him to the window seat, and hand gestures don't seem to convey this.
After I sit, and the bus rolls, I ask him where they all got on, if not at the first stop. He tells me he doesn't understand, this is his first time. So, I guess that will remain a mystery. There are a lot of people talking into unfamiliar looking cell phones in Chinese. Loudly. The older lady sitting in front of me will be yelling into hers for the next two hours. I can only assume she is angry at her attractive daughter who is dating a gweilo. I'd ask the guy next to me if she is really as angry as she sounds, but we've already gone down that road.
At every exit on the Thruway, we stop and pick up more Asians from parking lots and gas stations. This doesn't happen on other runs, and the site only advertises that the bus stops in Kingston, but who am I to complain? The people are always waiting very patiently in the parking lot of the gas station, get right on, and never have bags they need put under the bus. Only non-Chinese have bags for under the bus.
When we make NYC, after cutting thorugh NJ and coming through the Holland Tunnel (I think, it might be the Lincoln), I'm the only one getting off at Midtown. Well, me and Scarface. The bus continues on to Chinatown. I've been tempted to keep going and see what happens. To see if the riders who were there before me get out, or continue on to yet another destination....