My Mini Adventure in Atlanta

So after Tampa it was Atlanta. You know sometimes the traveller does not pick the destination but rather the place itself forces its will upon the traveller. Atlanta was that kinda of place for me … a waypoint that I could not avoid due to, all bus stops and leaves from Atlanta.

Plotting route in USA was always a challenge. You had to find the right cheap transport to places you want to go and then somehow ensure that there is a hostel there or some sort of cheap accommodation as well else budget will be blown 5x before you know it. From Atlanta I could go almost any direction on the Greyhound bus. Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina. As confuse as I was where to go … I knew I had to get to Atlanta first hence Atlanta I went.

Atlanta was blend of poverty and rich mixed together. Not much different from any other major cities I guess but there was a certain countryside city charm to it. Certain parts felt like a black community but not in a dangerous way for such were the AirBnB place me and Happy were staying. It was the kind of city where people have a purpose and not just wandering about. Everything was a hidden Gem in Atlanta. Unless you know how to find those hidden Gems places one would think that Atlanta was a shithole as well.

Atlanta City

Games of Thrones Premier in Atlanta

The Atlanta people was hidden that’s for sure, but we manage to see the actual crowd of Atlanta of sorts at the historic Fox Theatre. By chance we stumble upon the place just wandering around midtown since the nice girl at the Information centre told us that was where the big cheap grocery store was. Beautiful architecture we first thought that it was a mosque seeing it from the rear side but it was a good old classic American Fox Theatre. By chance I was just messing around asking the ticket counter what show was running for the next few days and how much the ticket would cost.

The Game of Thrones Premier Season 5 was on tomorrow the girl said and it’s free. WTF. Any show inside that Fox Theatre would cost at lease USD 30 for it was a proper Theatre and it was Games of Thrones Premier of season 5 which I have been waiting as well.

The next day I drag HappyHHhbhdao to see the show ignoring all his wishes. He eventually got hooked by just seeing one episode of season 5 …. and going back to the AirBnB place we stayed I downloaded the season one episode one to further binge his craving. I am evil in a sense …. Happy in that one week he knew me had started smoking again, drank beer for the first times in years and is now hook on Game of Thrones. *rolls eyes*

What’s the worst thing that could happen while travelling ??

This I am sure is always on a traveller mind. I always get question similar to this such as what was the worst/best/unexpected/bizarre/crazy thing that happen in your journey which is fun remembering but when you are travelling you always think of that worst case scenario.

For some reason dying is not one of em …. So getting shot in the back alley in Brazil Favela is entirely acceptable for at least that is the end but getting beaten half to death and robbed would be a problem. One friend once told me to be careful in India that you don’t wake up in a bathtub full of ice with a missing kidney but any season traveller will tell you that these are all extreme cases. If you chance upon such crazy odds and such extremes does happen …. I say there was no way you could have avoided it anyway …. Stay at home and barricade yourself.

But back to the main question …. The worst thing that could happen is  …… drum roll

1.       You fall sick …. Appendix rupture (I had mine removed when I was young but for the rest …. Maybe )

2.       You get robbed, lost luggage, lost passport, electronics breakdown/stuff breaks

3.       Atm/credit card does not work overseas

In my opinion that is the only two worst case scenario …. The first part sickness you can’t really plan for it other than getting some vaccine prior to travel and wear a condom but the second part which is all the same really. Getting robbed and losing stuff from missing bag through airport is the same disaster just different circumstance. The third …. You just have to do your homework and it should not happen and a spare always help.

When Electronic breakdown during Travels ..

So I got my first scare when I was in Atlanta when my Surface 2 tablet decided to not charged although it was plugged in and all the neon lights were working. Overnight it drained and refuse to start anymore since it had no power. Fuck me but luckily I still had a smartphone and there was a Microsoft outlet in Atlanta.

Tablet was new, not even one year old so it was still under warranty but when travelling who gives a shit about warranty when you just want things to work. Warranty is like insurance … nice to have but I never want to use it …. Ever, plus I was in USA so I did not know if the tablet bought in Singapore would work in USA …. Plus it was no longer in sale after surface 3 came out ….. shit shit shit …

Keep calm, don’t panic and take things one at a time. I am amazed how controlled I was, but I guess travelling so much will do that to you. I have lost things before, bag got pilfered, phone got stolen, broke down, so I have learn not to curse and swear and just keep a calm mind and weight your options. One step at the time …. no point planning ahead more than two steps …. Locate the store and bring it in for help.

The Microsoft store was at the shopping district of Atlanta at Buckhead a little way outside the downtown but still easily reached by the subway system. First thing I got there and after lots of explaining I asked to borrow a charger …. My tablet revived ….. so it was a charger failure …. And although still under warranty I had no choice but to buy another new charger …. At lease I don’t have to buy a new tablet …. Phew ….

Atlanta was fun doing mundane stuff but it was time to move on but I left Happy in Atlanta trying to sort out his life while I head onwards to Nashville.