A Canadian’s interest in public transportation led him to travel from his home in Mexico with one catch: He refused to take any Greyhound buses or Amtrak trains during his trip.
William Hui, 40, set out on his journey to the Pacific coast on June 24, starting from his hometown in British Columbia, the BBC reported.
He aimed to reach Tijuana, Mexico in nine days by taking only public buses and trains and keeping walking between stops to a minimum.
“At no point in this journey have I had to walk more than maybe 15 minutes from one bus stop to another,” Hui told the BBC on Friday.
The systems engineer for TransLink — Vancouver’s transportation authority — told the media that the idea popped into his head when he discovered a four-hour bus route connecting Eureka, a city in northern California, with Ukiah, about two hours north of San Francisco.
Hui said that in 2013, he had tried to travel south of Vancouver as much as possible, but ended up stopping that trip in Salem, Oregon.
He told the newspaper after reaching rural areas in the Pacific Northwest state that there was “no transit going through Oregon into central California.”
But when he discovered the new bus lines, Hui said they were the “missing link” to gaining ground and determined how he would begin his public transportation journey to Mexico.
After leaving on his journey, Hui noticed one thing in particular that has changed since he last attempted the effort in 2013.
The public transit buses he took were now equipped with WiFi and accepted credit or debit card payments for their services.
Another thing he noticed was the difference between public transportation in larger cities.
“It was just impressive to see how different services were connected, especially in rural areas,” Hui told the newspaper.
According to the plug.
When asked what he did to pass the time, Hui said he liked to look out the window, take in the coastal scenery and observe the atmosphere of the new towns and cities he was passing through.
“I really like to see the scenery as we go by. I like to see how cities are laid out,” he told The Vancouver Sun.
“As we passed by the coastline or the forest, it was just a pleasure for me to look at all that scenery.”
Hui also couldn’t help but look over the massive farms of southern California.
“I’ve seen them from the air before, but the size and extent of the fields are different when they travel the length of the state,” he said.
During his trip, Hui said he crossed all international borders on foot as public transport was not available.
He shared that while he was at the US-Canada border, border agents were skeptical of his reasons for entering the US.
“There are not that many people crossing the (northern) border on foot,” Hui told the BBC.
Fortunately, he was allowed to continue his journey after explaining himself.
However, once he reached the southern border between the US and Mexico, Hui noticed more foot traffic and made it through without a problem.
Looking back on his journey, he said one thing he noticed most was how vital public transport was in the areas he passed through.
“One thing that struck me on this trip is how important transit is to the communities it serves,” Hui told the media.
“At no point was I alone on the bus for long periods of time.”
Finally, Hui shared that the “amazing part” of his trip was how efficient public transportation was during his trip.
He noted that even when he was stuck in long traffic in Los Angeles, he had enough time to make his next connection and didn’t have to use any backup plans.
The systems engineer spent about $200 on bus tickets and said the trip was worth every penny.
Hui’s advice to others who may be considering embarking on a similar journey is simple.
“Know when the bus is coming.”
#Public #transport #enthusiast #traveled #Canada #Mexico #city #buses #nineday #trip
Image Source : nypost.com