Day 28

October 31, 2021

Today was all about travel. I had to pack, fetch my bike, get to the airport, and fly to Oslo, then Dublin. It would consume the entire day. I was up early, at about 7:30 am. I went upstairs to find Janthomas in the kitchen, and told him about my plan to use a cardboard box to pack my things away. I asked if he had any suggestions about where I might be able to buy one in the neighborhood, because I didn’t want to spend hours on the subway just getting a box. He said he might have one of a suitable size in the garage that I could take. I rummaged around for a while, finding one that was actually the perfect size. Back downstairs, I taped it up and packed my panniers inside. Janthomas also dug around and found a few extra plug adapters I could use, as well as a small lock that might come in handy. The code for the lock was the same few numbers I had used elsewhere in their household, and I recognized the sequence when Janthomas handed me the lock. “You know too much.” He said, laughing.

I separated my computer case, a few key chargers, and my passports from the rest of my stuff, putting it into a separate bag that I’d use as my carry-on. Some of the clothing didn’t fit in the box either, so I also carried that separately in that drybag. I figured it might count as a ‘personal item.’ I brought everything outside, and Janthomas let me bring the tape roll with me, figuring the box would need some extra securing before I checked it later. I said goodbye to Janthomas and Ella, thanking them for everything.

I walked with the box, laptop, and clothing to the Church Ave subway. It was about a mile to the subway stop, and my grip faltered every few dozen paces. My right hand was firm, but my left hand kept slipping right off. After a while, I did feel blisters forming on my right hand though. Like an idiot, I had packed my gloves away inside the box, and I could have really used them right then.

It was Halloween, and I saw people on the streets and in the subway dressed the part. One guy had a full Jango Fett suit on. Many little girls ran around dressed as princesses.

I took the subway to 23rd street. There, stopped at a kabob place. I had expected roasted meat and vegetables on a stick, but ended up getting something that resembled a gyro, just without tzatziki sauce, and with better quality meat. It was good, and I ended up ordering a second one to go that I could eat at the airport.

I took the PATH train to Journal Square. I considered walking another mile to The Bike Hub, but after my experience in Brooklyn, decided that almost anything would be preferable to that. Uber prices were ridiculous – even for such a short trip (something like $15-20), so I decided I’d have to figure out the bus system. I walked a few hundred yards to the bus station. It was this cavernous drive-through garage with many bus terminals. I asked a security guard how I would tell which one to use, and he just asked where I wanted to go. He explained that as a local, he just knew these things. He directed me to terminal B2 (I think?), and I carried the bus there, somewhat rushed because I didn’t know when the bus would come. It was naturally at nearly the farthest possible spot away from where I was. I dug around for change, not finding any coins. The smallest denomination I had was a $5, so I asked if anyone could split it for me. An old black lady helped me out, giving me five $1 bills. We talked briefly. I put two of them into the machine at the bus, even though true fare was something like $1.60.

I went to The Bike Hub to pick up my bike box. I talked with Julius – the guy who works there - who called his boss Buzz to make sure everything got packed away squarely. It all made it in, including my bike bag and helmet. I asked Julius if they had a public restroom I could use, and he pointed me across the street to a café.

When I got back, Julius helped me carry the bike box outside. It’s a lot lighter than I had expected it to be, though so large that it would be difficult to effectively hold. I used Uber to call for an XL vehicle to come pick me up, notifying the driver on the way via messages that I’d have baggage, including the bike. When he arrived, he told me he hadn’t received those messages, but that it was alright. He and I carried the bike box over, and I got the rest of my stuff while he folded some of the seats down. I sat in the passenger seat and explained my situation while he drove me to Newark airport. During the ride, the folded-down seats slid around a bit, and wouldn’t lock for some reason. I was worried it might damage his car. The trip cost $40, but I tipped an additional $20 since he was so helpful, patient, and understanding. He waited with my stuff while I retrieved a cart to load it all on top of. I’m not sure what a proper tip would have looked like in this situation, but it must have been a lot, since it made his day.

I went to the third story of the terminal to find Scandinavian Airlines, immediately waiting in line where the counter would open up, even though no one was stationed there at that point. A few attendants did come out, and stated that the check-in counter would open at 3:00 pm. That was in about twenty minutes, and I pondered whether it would be worth sitting down. I remembered that I did need to pack my box more securely with the packing tape, so I found a few chairs to sit at and got to work. I had to remove my mask to bite through the tape, but no one came to bother me about it. A few others stood in the spot I had once been, so I ended up being third in line when the counter finally did open at 3:15 pm. While I had suspected there might be issues with the box sizing, the check in counter accepted my bike without issue. Having pre-booked the checked bags, I didn’t have to pay any extra.

With my bags checked, I could take a moment to relax. Mama wanted me to go back out into the city to keep exploring. No! I knew in my gut that this was a terrible idea. Given the amount of time I’d spend in public transport, I wouldn’t have more than an additional hour to walk around, and the added stress plus the possibility that something might go terribly wrong, such an idea is, in my view, literally insane.

Instead, I went straight through security, found my gate, and used the restroom. I also found a shop that sold me a compact, high-quality international plug set and a bottle of water that they assured me I could take on the plane. Dehydration is a real problem in flight, and bringing the water would prevent that. The plug cost $40 – same as what I would have had to pay at Best Buy – and the water bottle was an absolutely absurd $5.50 or something. I took a seat near my gate, ate my spare kebab, and worked on my blog for my last few days in New York. I brushed my teeth and used the restroom one last time before boarding the plane to Oslo, Norway.