Spontaneous Trip...

[CatalineDochas]

So 12 days ago a letter arrived from my honey, when I opened it I found 6 bus tickets. When I called apparently he couldn't wait so in exactly one week I am traveling to Alabama to see him, for the first time in 3 years. I am going from my town in VA to Knoxville, to Atlanta and finally to Mobile where he will be there to get me. Megabus is a really awesome thing....but I have a decently sized lay over in ATL at night and thats what is worrying to both of us. I have no idea about the city or the people or anything. I'm bringing mace but I have no idea where to go while waiting for my next bus to mobile...

I'm going but what can I do to ease my mind?

Plus I'm nervous as hell.

Cat x

[prinzeza87]

awwwwww that's so awesome! im happy for u n i can imagine how nervous u are! i felt that too.
just relax and enjoy the whole adventure trip, be alert and pay attention to everything.
my SO guide me very well through skype drawing a map of Japan airport so i wouldn't get lost n knw where to go, but for the rest of the airports i had to figure all by my self and it wasn't that bad.
also, doesn't it feels great that ur SO sets everything up for u to visit him? i loved it when my babe did it for me
good luck!

[kirbycat]

What a great surprise to get in the mail!

I don't know anything about Atlanta, but I assume you'll be stopping at a good-sized bus/train station, where there will likely be a good number of people passing through or waiting for connections throughout the night. I'd just find an indoor waiting area, with benches and good lighting, stretch out and try to catch some shut-eye. You definitely don't want to be wandering around at night by yourself in an unfamiliar city. The station is a normal place for travelers to be hanging out at all hours of the night, so I'd stay there. If you have some hours in the evening/morning, you can go out then to grab some dinner/breakfast.

If for some reason the bus won't be dropping you off at a central station (and every Megabus I've taken in other cities has gone to the main train station, so I imagine that's what they'll do in Atlanta), and there's no other safe place to wait, my next option would probably be to make a reservation at a nearby hotel and call for a taxi when I get in. Just make sure you know before you leave where the bus will drop you off, and have the number for a taxi service with you.

Does your SO maybe have any connections in Atlanta that you could call on while you're there?

[Haley53]

I agree with kirbycat. Your other option is to bring a laptop or other Wi-Fi enhanced device and simply grab a seat at a nearby Starbucks or other cafe or coffee shop. Depending on how late your layover (in which case you might want to consider a hotel), you should be able to pass time in a coffee shop so long as you make a purchase. They're used to people bumming about and typically don't place restrictions on it for paying customers.

[CatalineDochas]

Thank you guys so much <3
I was shocked and ranted to him for an hour about how ridiculous he was XD but my schedule at work oddly enough matched the dates so i think he called or pulled strings, he's a creeper like that. I'll be in ATL from 6:20pm-11:59pm so its a pretty long time, the stop is at a place called the Marta civic centre apparently its the main stop for subways and buses from what the internet says. He knows no one in ATL so i'll be on my todd until I get to mobile at 4:35am and he picks me up. I do plan on brings a laptop and my cell phone ( since there are wifi and outlets to charge on the mega bus ) he said he'd stay on the phone with me the whole time if needed. Coffee shops are a plus, i'll be exhausted and need to keep up my engery who knows what in the world he has planned for when I get there.

[mistydawn1274]

It's near a few great tourist places but I'm not sure what time they close. Being downtown Atlanta though you really should plan to be back in the station by dark.

[dglynn77]

FYI: I have used Megabus before (because they can have pretty great rates!) but the downside - they are saving money by not having actual stations. They might drop off near another station or somewhere where you can stay until your next bus, but do not expect Megabus to have an actual station. If they surprisingly do, lovely for you! If not, you will be happy you are prepared rather than feeling lost and rather abandoned by the world, like I did

[pretty ll vacant]

I actually live in Atlanta, and while I am definitely not familiar with megabus, i do know a lot about the greyhound and that hub is in a really bad spot so I googled the atlanta address of the megabus hub & found out where it was. You'll be fine because it is in a nicer area with lots of high end hotels around, not in the hood like the greyhound bus center, so just be glad you aren't using their services. My advice to you though, don't go wondering around too far. There are A LOT of homeless/crackheaded people roaming the streets of atlanta at night. If you're okay with the idea, I could PM you my number and if you need anything I'm in the area. Do you know what time your expected to arrive in Atlanta? I would definitely just stay inside the megabus center and chill if it is late at night. Don't worry too much about it because it is unhealthy to stress too much on the unknown. Trust me when you get to the area you'll see it is not as bad as you are probably hyping it up to be. There aren't really any coffee shops too close to where your going to be, specially not a starbucks. You would have to do quite a bit of walking. I'll try to find some places that offer free wifi around that area for you.

[CatalineDochas]

I get there around 6:10pm and don't leave til 11ish. The MARTA centre looks nice but I'm afraid to fall asleep there, 1 because its not so classy & 2 i probably couldnt wake up. and of course i might die but the megabus picks me up from exactly where i get dropped off so it cant be so bad.

[CatalineDochas]

Oh god.... I leave in 6 hours.

Officially freaking out.

In a good way...I think?

[kirbycat]

Good luck, be safe, and have a great time with your SO! I'm sure the trip will go just fine.