The Big Trip is OVER! (part one)

[sweetwillow58]

I thought the fun part would be the ride out on the train and the hard part would be driving the U-haul. WRONG! I found out on the way there my ride from OKC to Clinton fell through so when I arrived at OKC Amtrak station I was on my own.

I prayed to Jehovah for help, saying I didn't care if it was warm or cold or clean or dirty but to find a SAFE place to spend the night. The train station was deserted. The benches were cushioned but there were no ticket takers, nothing. I saw a security guard and asked him how to get to the Greyhound bus station. He gave me directions and I set out walking. They were having a "Renaissance" festival that week, ppl around, music, partying. Half a block away, I forgot the directions and asked a fellow walking past for directions. He gave me directions in the OPPOSITE direction the security guard gave me. He gave me directions then pointed to a tall building and said the bus station was near that. So off I went again. As I got nearer to the building and not seeing anything like a bus station, I went into a hotel, the Renaissance believe it or not. They had some statues in there of cowboys on horses. I asked the desk clerk if they were Remingtons and she said they were. I told her I was familiar with them, we have a museum in Corning cos Bob Rockwell collected Western art and Carder glass. She asked if I had a reservation (hah! from the looks of it I would never be able to afford to stay there) and told her I was actually trying to find the Bus Station. She started to give me directions and said she could do better. She got one of the valets and had him DRIVE me there in their shuttle, for free, not even being a guest at the hotel! Once at the bus station I was relieved to see they were open all night, the ticket sellers were there, security guards and security cameras! I bought my ticket...the bus left at 5:45 am the next morning and spent the rest of the night trying to sleep on the metal benches and on the floor. I didn't care....I got what I asked for....a SAFE (as it could be in that situation) place to be for the night.

Took the bus to Elk City which is @30 min from Clinton. It didn't have a bus station but a bus stop at a truck stop so while I waited for the brother and sister to pick me up I got some breakfast. First thing is - if I EVER take a train again, I will spring for the extra and get a sleeping car. I left Rochester at midnight monday night and by Wed morning I felt so grody I took a sponge bath in a bathroom the size of a large water heater lol. Even stuck my head in that tiny sink to wash my hair. was glad for short hair, could dry it with paper towels. Still, a train seats have more room than a bus does, plus food and more than one bathroom. The other thing is.....Texas and Oklahoma are way too hot for me! Temps 102 and up....ugh. Us New Yorkers were melting at 90! That's all for now. Will continue later. Jehovah was certainly watching over me there tho!