Coach Trip... National Express, Bolt Bus & Coach Canada!

Coaches for me really aren't a mood, my high horse recently bolted because out of necessity I found myself on a coach! If I can afford it or the ticket has been gifted to me, train is the only way for me but this student life clearly has no chill! Not wanting to be left behind, National Express coaches recently took me to my desired Yorkshire, England destination. No, B not this! 

Getting from my Birmingham location up to Huddersfield wasn't going to be feasible by the train because my student loans stopped that madness! Like a breath of fresh air I found out that National Express wasn't playing with those train fares, the coach had to be the one for that journey! The motorway was my runway from the beginning of my first Birmingham to Sheffield leg of my NX Coach journey up to Huddersfield. As the West Midlands faded out, my coach made several quick stops in a Nottinghamshire direction, Sheffield grew ever closer! Starting over, I stepped down from my first National Express coach at Sheffield's own bus station because I had to change coaches. Finding the 'Old Queen's Head', I had one hour to kill so a beverage of an alcoholic kind sounded good to me! Now, being early 2013 I still remembered the nature that Newark's bus drivers served but I didn't expect the UK's own National Express to have that same NJ energy! No! Lady, take a deep breath and keep the same energy, alright? OK! 

Departing Sheffield, that disgruntled chicken had something to think about, believe me I'll remain unbothered, darling! Yorkshire had me in its own 'Godly' country, Huddersfield knew my journey wouldn't hit any major traffic. Arriving bang on time, I found myself looking for my friend, Paolo at the bus station in my Yorkshire destination. With such competitive prices, the lengthy journey from the West Midlands to Yorkshire had me warming to the idea of coaching it when the trains act the fool. Returning after my trip, the return leg back to Birmingham via Sheffield encountered no issues, I was impressed. National Express, just you wait! Coming on through, National Express served 'Empress of the Motorway' Realness! My current Birmingham location has my university halls located within walking distance from Birmingham Coach Station, making future NX coach trips a potential sensation! National Express, your fares and speedy coaches gave me just what I wanted! Trains, me and you aren't going to work out! No, B! 

Bolt Bus, who? I don't know her! No, I did and can remember those Stateside coach trips that I took during 2012. My Industrial Placement took me from Birmingham to Newark, NJ, with the prospect of travel on the cards throughout that year in the USA, I would need a cheaper alternative to the Amtrak train for those Northeast weekends away. Bolt Bus came into my life when I needed to get away from that exhaustive airport schedule the most, departing from my local Newark Penn Station had me travelling with Bolt Bus down to Washington, D.C. Worthy of an Oscar nominee, my cross-city cut price coach ticket allowed me to pass through the maddening streets of Maryland's Baltimore. Bolt Bus had me intrigued about that 'Hairspray' inspired city without question, she needed to hook me up! Returning from the Capitol City two days after that NJ departure had me cutting it fine, they had those schedules messed right up! Serving drama, thankfully I arrived back at Newark Penn at the scheduled time. Baby, not this! 

Amtrak took me up to Boston South Station but Bolt Bus had my return journey back to Jersey sorted. Cut to that departure time, I ran for my life from my Salem train onto the South Station bound tram because my timekeeping was not tight that day! Keeping with Salem, yes that was some straight up witchcraft! Bolt Bus had me pulling out of South Station without any issues, even if I had to run I didn't have any D.C drama! Bolt Bus came through for me once again, November 2012 saw me making those Amtrak moves down to Baltimore, after saying 'Good Morning' to that Maryland city it was time to take the Bolt Bus back to my then Newark home. Bolt Bus was no longer a silver friend, she had been upgraded to gold! Finding that street-side bus stop had me experiencing yet more chaos but I was living for that Baltimore energy! Bolt Bus had me moving, MegaBus did not grace Newark Penn Station, Bolt Bus allowed me to keep shining! From Boston to D.C. with Baltimore thrown in, Bolt Bus became my go-to company, B! 

O' Canada! That October 2012 weekend had me on my toes from the very first moment! Right from waking up late, racing to the airport to then completely missing my originally planned Megabus/Coach Canada journey from Toronto to the Niagara Falls. I had planned to step from my Porter Airlines flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Toronto Billy Bishop Island Airport early in the morning, from the airport I had my sights set on Toronto's coach station. With that self-inflicted delay I had to conduct a serious route recalculation, that missed alarm had me changing up my itinerary but Coach Canada would see me the next day! After doing my best to bridge the gap between Anglo-Canadian relations I emerged from my hotel feeling worse for wear, I managed to find Toronto's own coach station. How I did that was an absolute miracle! With my rebooked coach missed, that Canadian 'kindness' from the staff allowed me to hop onto the next Niagara bound coach! Toronto, I appreciated your 'kindness!' 

With nothing more to say, the Coach Canada journey from Toronto to Niagara Falls didn't take long. Arriving without any further issues, Coach Canada had my blessing for future trips. Originally booking through the MegaBus Canada website, I was shocked to be travelling on such a coach. I had absolutely nothing against Coach Canada not having the same blue colour scheme like those MegaBus coaches because the whole trip was led by chaos, I had to accept that. With a small waiting area, I managed to get some Wi-Fi before I headed back on my return Coach Canada journey back to Toronto. Coach tripping never sounded so eventful, literally I still cannot believe the experiences that I have had since 2012 and through into 2013. Would I coach it again? Oh, I absolutely would for sure! The train will reign supreme but when I can't afford those fares I will certainly consider taking the coach. From the USA, Canada and then the UK, my coach tripping chronicles are hotting up! Channel 4's 'Coach Trip' ain't got nothing on me! 

Take The Coach! 

Joseph Harrison

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