Travel After Divorce

WHY WOULD ANYONE GET ON A BUS?

Again, I am talking about the starting point being New York, but with the expansion of gambling throughout the United States, I would challenge anyone reading this to look up their closest casino/resort from where they are, and then see the bus options available to getting there. This post represents the brilliance of traveling by bus to a local resort, ESPECIALLY because the party starts early and you wont be driving!!!

EARLY MORNING START UP

The time is 5am and I rolled over to gently nudge my beautiful blonde haired girlfriend to wake her up. The adventure starts now! The bags are packed by the door, the Uber is minutes from my home, and our 3 night vacation begins the second we hit the train platform bringing us to our New York City bus terminal. Already the benefit of this getaway is the convenience of having zero logistics from wake up to arrival home.

Getting into the Uber doesn’t have to be discussed, but unlike former stories, we arrive in New York City Penn Station in the early morning. Being I work in New York, I get us a 5 minute subway, one stop to our actual mode of transportation. I previously bought the 2 tickets (about $40ish bucks), and right there at the Port Authority bus terminal we are met with the brilliant blue running dog emblem of “Greyhound”. The next step of our journey is already taken care of.

PORT AUTHORITY IS NOT FOR THE WEAK

What is there to say besides the fact that if you took every crazy lunatic in New York and put them into a building it would be the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd Street and 8th Avenue. Being in Law Enforcement, and being overly obsessed with my girlfriend’s safety, I felt right at home amongst this group as we consistantly sipped cocktails and awaited our bus. Less than an hour later we were boarding, which is MUCH quicker and easier than an airplane to anywhere.

We get to our seats which were conveniently close to the bathrooms, but not too close, and before you knew it the quickness we got out of the tunnel and onto the New Jersey Turnpike was noticeable! So far this trip has been flawless.

ARRIVAL AND CHECK IN

We are Vegas enthusiasts (now that my gorgeous girlfriend has been 6 times she is also), so this is a sort of dumbed down version of going to Sin City, so we originally thought. Check in at the Tropicana in Atlantic City was simple and easy, as we decided to check our bags and go out to eat while we waited for our VERY cheap room.

I knew just the place to go being very well versed in the history of Atlantic City after watching the entire show “Boardwalk Empire” five times over and reading countless books…. We were going to ‘The Irish Pub” located on St James Place. And for you wonderful people reading this, the answer is “YES” all of the locations on the game Monopoly are rooted in Atlantic City. Every street to include boardwalk.

THE IRISH PUB

For anyone who loves history and the coziest environment known to man, The Irish Pub in Atlantic City is the destination that dreams are made of. This pub was actually in existence in the late 1800s and was a speakeasy during prohibition in the 1920s.

Walking in through the entrance you automatically understand the history collected from the pictures (some from the 20’s), hanging on the walls. The old school tile floor around the bar, and the dark, dimly lit rooms make it feel like you are already skirting the law with the likes of Al Capone. Nothing has changed since the 20’s!

Our bartender which I forgot his name has been working there 38 years. He’s beyond friendly. I ask for a few Michelob Ultras and 2 menus which I know is going to light up the face of my angel girlfriend. Its shocking how cheap the food is, and when our corned beef sandwich specials arrive (I think its like seven bucks), the amount of food does not dissapoint.

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

The point of this post for those out of New York is for you to stop now…. google a location like Atlantic City, Find a cheap mode of travel where you can party/drink and be with the one you love. The destination is not important, it’s the journey. Live by that thought and keep laughing and experience life. That is what living is!!

OKAY WE ARE BACK!

Right now after check in there is a feeling like we should really be dong who we do in Las Vegas, but to be completely honest…. AC does not give you the same winning potential while gambling, so we did very little. The afternoon and most of the trip was spend exploring and walking through the many properties.

It’s kind of strange when you find it, but when I found my girlfriend and she understood the strange thrill of exploring random casinos and walking around, I knew I found a soulmate. It’s not about gambling, it’s about walking, looking and seeing the people. Crazies, baby boomers, younger kids, and locals all seem entertaining anywhere a casino is located.

I am not going to say we did this or that, but the fact is we consistently walk around and enjoy a mutually agreed upon environment. It was during the winter time so there was no beach, but of course we got matching tattoos on the boardwalk. Seems crazy but you don’t know us. 🙂

REASON FOR THE POST

Well I am feeling almost rambling on so this is going to end….. My conclusion is that traveling with the person you want to spend you life with does not require expensive airfare and island getaways. Being local to wherever you are might just require a bus ticket and a few beers… THIS IS WHAT TRAVELING AFTER DIVORCE IS ALL ABOUT… Enjoy this phase… we earned it people!!