Back in the day I
occasionally took the Greyhound bus from Fort Worth to Austin. It was at best a
medium experience. Sometimes the bus was crowded and smelled of the food people
had brought for their lunch; sometimes I spent way too long in the Waco bus
station waiting for the next bus. There was the time I was to transfer buses in
Waco, but the bus sailed on by Waco. When I asked, the driver said they were
going to take me to Dallas and then back to Fort Worth. Made for a longer trip
on an overcrowded bus, and in truth the Dallas bus station as not a place I
wanted to be. Neither was the Austin bus station.
No such problems
today. Jordan and I took a Vonlane luxury bus from just outside the Fort Worth
Hilton Hotel non-stop to the Hyatt Regency in Austin. We sank into seats as
soft and comfy as any first-class airline cabin. We were offered a wide choice
of drinks—no surprise there! We both took wine! Salad or sandwich for lunch and
better than airline food I’ve had, a snack tray was passed twice, a warm
blanket for a nap, a nice attendant to take care of our every need.
I had ridden a
Vonlane bus before and know they offer wifi, etc. I took my computer, but it
was so pleasant to ride along and look out the window that I never got any work
done. Reminded me of being a kid and taking the train with my parents. Today my
thoughts were all about how familiar the land between Fort Worth and Austin is—I
must have made that trip a thousand times—and how acclimated I’ve become to the
Texas landscape. It took me a few years to leave the Midwest behind, but I’m a
Texan now, native or not. I did close my eyes a bit for a nap too.
Another surprise
awaited us in Austin. Daughter Megan had an appointment and couldn’t pick us up,
so we called an Uber. After we got in, the driver asked if we’d ever ridden in
a totally electric car before. We chorused “no,” and he told us we were in a
Tesla. An older one but a Tesla. Smooth and quiet.
Now comfortably
ensconced in Megan’s house, drinking wine. Have had a good visit with Cindy,
whose partner gave me the Alamo project. And now we’re headed for Mexican food.
Life could hardly be much better.
No comments:
Post a Comment