Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site Navajo.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!decwrl!Glacier!Navajo!bothner From: bothner@Navajo.ARPA Newsgroups: net.travel Subject: Re: Green Tortise Message-ID: <164@Navajo.ARPA> Date: Wed, 10-Jul-85 20:37:52 EDT Article-I.D.: Navajo.164 Posted: Wed Jul 10 20:37:52 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 14-Jul-85 09:16:20 EDT References: <106@tekchips.UUCP> Organization: Stanford University Lines: 48 > Anyone have any experience with Green Tortise (good or bad)? Two summers ago I took their express bus (4-5 days) from SF to NY, with a week's stopover at the Rainbow Gathering (that year in Michigan). I found it an enjoyable and interesting experience, but you have to know what you are getting into. Green Tortoise is apparantly the only survivor of the hippy bus companies that sprang up in the sixties. The buses have the seats taken out; instead they have a large matress- covered platform, a few tables, seats and bunks. At night they convert things so that there is more sleeping space. Even so, you are likely to share a bunk either with someone, or with a ton of luggage. As long as you're not claustrophobic, you get to sleep in a horizontal postion in reasonable comfort. (Each bus has two drivers, and they drive through the night.) At least on the cross-country trip, there was a very interesting mix of people, though I guess yuppie executive-types tended to be absent! Many of them still considered themselves hippies. The (main) meals were communal affairs, with those interested chipping in a couple bucks, and helping with cooking and the dishes. It was mainly vegetarian, but they might for example have an optional meat sauce to go with spaghetti for the carnivores. This is probably pretty flexible. Even on the express trips, they would stop at hot pools or other swimming places; preferably places where you didn't have to wear a suit. The "No Smoking" sign had been amended to read "No \Tobacco/ Smoking. During the driving, people might play drums or guitars, play cards, read a book, or just watch the scenery unfold. As long as you are willing to make friends with people who are different from just the usual computer nerds most of us spend most of our time with, you should have a great time. Of course four weeks is a long time; I think I would get a little tired by then, but the kind and length of vacation one would like is very individual. At least you'll have something to remember! --Per Bothner UUCP: {decwrl,ucbvax}!shasta!bothner ARPA: Bothner@score.ARPA