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Published: March 19th 2015
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It's 22.25 on Wednesday the 18th. Today has been the first day travelling since we have got here. In that sense it is perhaps the first day that we have felt that this trip is more than just a holiday - it has really begun in earnest. We rose at 8 this morning and readied ourselves for moving on, albeit grudgingly, from George's flat. With a last glance at the view we headed down the 40 floors to the lobby, past the porters, and into the courtyard.
You could tell instantly that it was markedly colder than it had been previously. Is was not just a cold wind, but the air was cold and the sun no longer held any warmth. From the apartment it was a 12 block walk to Port Authority Bus Terminal which, laden with bulging rucksacks and facing a bitter wind, was not pleasant - especially as we had to battle our way down the crowded 8th.
At the bus terminal we found the 10.30 to Hertford and boarded. The driver was a fearsome woman who, Matt and I both agreed, would comfortably be able to knock the both of us unconscious with one arm tied behind
her back. Unfortunately, her driving was as aggressive as her personality. After a fairly hair-raising 2 hours we arrived at Hertford and changed onto the 1.15 to Boston. The driver of this bus was almost the polar opposite of the Hertford driver. He wandered about the bus before departure with so little purpose or enthusiasm we wondered if he ever intended on actually leaving. But, thankfully, we finally pulled away and headed off east to Boston.
The journey itself was comfortable enough - all seats were equipped with plug sockets and free wifi - and I passed most of the time watching NY state, Connecticut and Massachusetts flash by the window. We arrived at Boston bus terminal by 3.30, and walked the short walk in equally freezing weather to the International Hostel. There was noticeably more snow piled up in Boston, and the air was so cold even our coats seemed a little too thin to keep us warm.
We walked only around 10 minutes before we reached the hostel. It would be difficult for any accommodation to not feel like a step down after the previous night, but compared to the NY hostel, HI Boston was luxury. I haven't
yet taken any pictures so I will upload some with tomorrow's post, but I will briefly describe the hostel. The whole hostel is contained within 6 floors. The lower two are dedicated to a large and well equipped kitchen area, pool table area, cafe, washing facilities and seating. All of these facilities are free and exceptionally well kept. Our room consists of 3 double beds lining the wall, broken up by reasonable sized wardrobes for each person. We are currently sharing with 2 guys who are travelling on their own and seem to keep themselves to themselves.
We could really not be any happier with the service and accommodation. It is such a welcome relief from the shabbiness of the hostel in NY.
Once settled in we popped out to grab a Subway (sandwich not train), then got on with laundry and other little things that needed doing. I also went out for a run in the local park, which looks fantastic with fairy lights hanging on every tree and snow piled up on either side of the wide pathways.
Since then we have been sitting in the common area with coffee and revelling in the lively atmosphere and company
of people our own age. The others have now gone to bed, but I have stayed up to right this and in my own journal - but I won't be up long.
Tomorrow we will explore further into Boston - and be sure to wrap up warm.
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