DAY 54 and 55: Chattanooga
Chattanooga - City of the Chattanooga Choo Choo song
From Nashville I went SE, this time on the Mega Bus (in stead of the Greyhound). And oh boy, the bus was late and the bus was full... Waiting on the steps next to some official building was mind-numbingly boring until a little 6-year old with an infectious, toothless smile, and his mother showed up. His mum was on her mobile and this Mimi was not... so we started chatting and I made him a paper aeroplane out of my bus schedule. he was running round with that thing for nearly an hour until the paper was going all flopsy and the plane did not want to fly anymore. So he scrunched it up into a ball so we could play catch. Meaning I sit on the steps in the shade and throw and he runs around. That kept us busy for much of another hour. In the end he got a slushie from his mum and sat down next to me. Told me all about his grandma having had a back operation and his mama Asley had to come and look after her as pop has to go to work. They were on their way home to Atlanta. Such a cute little man.
And oi, I had a very large person sitting next to me. Luckily its not far. Just over 2 hours and I have to say, he was very aware and ensured he was not encroaching.
In Chattanooga the whole bus drama in the heat started again. I could not find the bus stop. Eventually I went into a Fried Chicken shop to ask where it was. Turns out that there is no actual stop, you just loiter by that there pole and when you see the bus you wave him down. And just as I walk out, the bus comes barrelling by! So, another 45 minutes later it came back (and it was steaming hot). So I wave him down and tell him where I want to go.... yeah, I stood on the wrong side of the road meaning I now had to go the whole route to get where I needed to go. But guess what, there were few people on the bus, given it was Saturday afternoon, and the bus driver used to be a tour guide and he knew a lot about the history of Chattanooga. So I learned a lot about the Confederate and Union armies.
From Nashville I went SE, this time on the Mega Bus (in stead of the Greyhound). And oh boy, the bus was late and the bus was full... Waiting on the steps next to some official building was mind-numbingly boring until a little 6-year old with an infectious, toothless smile, and his mother showed up. His mum was on her mobile and this Mimi was not... so we started chatting and I made him a paper aeroplane out of my bus schedule. he was running round with that thing for nearly an hour until the paper was going all flopsy and the plane did not want to fly anymore. So he scrunched it up into a ball so we could play catch. Meaning I sit on the steps in the shade and throw and he runs around. That kept us busy for much of another hour. In the end he got a slushie from his mum and sat down next to me. Told me all about his grandma having had a back operation and his mama Asley had to come and look after her as pop has to go to work. They were on their way home to Atlanta. Such a cute little man.
Waiting 2 and a half hours on Mega Bus
Still all I am travelling with. Have been good, no shopping for stuff.
Amir, my new little friend
A bus schedule can also be a plane and a ball
And oi, I had a very large person sitting next to me. Luckily its not far. Just over 2 hours and I have to say, he was very aware and ensured he was not encroaching.
In Chattanooga the whole bus drama in the heat started again. I could not find the bus stop. Eventually I went into a Fried Chicken shop to ask where it was. Turns out that there is no actual stop, you just loiter by that there pole and when you see the bus you wave him down. And just as I walk out, the bus comes barrelling by! So, another 45 minutes later it came back (and it was steaming hot). So I wave him down and tell him where I want to go.... yeah, I stood on the wrong side of the road meaning I now had to go the whole route to get where I needed to go. But guess what, there were few people on the bus, given it was Saturday afternoon, and the bus driver used to be a tour guide and he knew a lot about the history of Chattanooga. So I learned a lot about the Confederate and Union armies.
The choo choo on top of the station building which is now a hotel with an amazing foyer.
The only "choo choo" there is now in Chattanooga is the incline train, which is mainly just a touristy thing, going up Lookout Mountain. At it's steepest it moves at a 73 degree angle.
View through the roof of the cart.
The view from up Lookout Mountain, where the battle above the clouds took place.
A fence and gate near where I stayed.
Went for a walk in the park along the Tennessee river.
A merry-go-round in the park. All the animals are hand-carved.
Several people had hung hammocks between trees and were just chilling, reading etc.
Not sure what Blue Boy was doing there.
In the Tennessee River
A draw-bridge over the Tennessee
I really like bridges it turns out!
Chattanooga surely has its gastronomic enticements
Matcha ice cream is yummy. Clumpies sells it by weight...
These shared bikes are everywhere, have seen them in most cities so far. I believe you have to dock them every hour to prevent people taking them away for longer bike rides. They are meant to be used in down town to lessen the traffic.
And there you have it.... the number to call and it's only $395 unless you start arguing about the silver and the napkins... :)
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