Travels, Life In Albany, 2012

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The flight to Istanbul was fine but the transfer was most time consuming. There were special checks of my passport as I was going to the U.S. (same would have been true of Europe, too). I also had to retrieve my bags and check them again, but just through security. While their handling of passports and visas on arrival was pretty confusing with many layers of queues to pass through, it was much better organized than the U.S. (but they said no pictures as I was trying to get pictures, doh)!	=0=
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I had made reservations with Megabus for an express bus to Albany, but I had been careless in figuring the time it would take to get through customs at JFK and missed the departure time. Oh well, I was out $15 but had been able to make my three other confirmed reservations so it was OK considering the substantial discount that Megabus offers. Instead I took an express Adirondack Trailways express bus to Albany for $27.	=0=
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As it left from Port Authority it was much more convenient to get to. There were tunnels from the subway to Port Authority (above) which has hundreds of 'gates' where buses can park and roads behind which lead to express routes into and out of NYC. The bus was also very nice, same amenities as Megabus, but better maintained. It also took me to the Albany bus station which was a nicer stop (easier to get to and from as it is on my side of the Hudson). I think for flights I might often opt for the convenience of the Trailways bus. As the bus left me at the Albany bus station (no pictures allowed again), I was able to take just one bus home, but have often had a problem that bus 22 takes a different route at night and on weekends. After missing one bus (them come every half hour) I was able to find the 'night' bus stop in front of Lodge's, Albany oldest store and got home at 11:30PM, roughly 30 hours after I left the guest house in India with a 9.5 hour time zone change.	=0=

This page was last updated on April 6, 2012.