West coast versus the East coast
@sallypup (61155)
Centralia, Washington
August 3, 2022 12:48pm CST
I have never been to the East side of the United States. From my West side view, that world appears busy and congested and jam packed with people. AND there is more and better public transporation over there. Way over there for me.
My West side world has something called I-5. I-5 is the interstate (freeway.) There are no subways, no fast trains. There is Amtrac train and the Greyhound bus. Both of those head down the I-5 route- north and south- BUT only twice a day.
My sister lives north of me, toward Canada. She plans to visit with me in the next couple of weeks. That means that she will take the bus- sit for a layover in Seattle for over 2 hours then proceed further toward me. I think at the layover in Seattle she will have to change to a train. I think that is how the system works.
I hope she can manage all this. The West side of the U S's public transportation system is creaky and for sure not convenient. I can only hope.
14 people like this
14 responses
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
3 Aug 22
I've been to both the East and West coasts and to my middle American eyes, there's not a lot to recommend either one. Both seemed jam packed with more people than I ever needed to see... The interstates and highways along the East Coast are much more confusing than the interstates and highways along the West Coast.
I was very happy to get home after my trips East and West. 
4 people like this
@sallypup (61155)
• Centralia, Washington
3 Aug 22
@DaddyEvil I managed to find a small town on the West side of the world that has about 20 thousand people in it. About that many in the town just north of me. Not too bad for driving. But if I head north I get into Olympia which has about 50 to 80 thousand people then huge Tacoma and Gigantic Seattle. I mostly don't drive further than Olympia these days. Good enough for me.
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137259)
• United States
3 Aug 22
@sallypup My city has a little over 7,000 people and the towns around us are even smaller. The big city 45 miles away has 167,000 and I try not to go there if I can help it.
My city has a little over 7,000 people and the towns around us are even smaller. The big city 45 miles away has 167,000 and I try not to go there if I can help it.1 person likes this
@sallypup (61155)
• Centralia, Washington
3 Aug 22
@DaddyEvil I like your size of city.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (69824)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Aug 22
I am sure she'll figure it out.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (160696)
• United States
4 Aug 22
Here in the Midwest, at least my part of it, we do not even have that. The closest Amtrak station is thirty minutes a day. The train comes through at 3 a.m. on the days it comes. It does go to Chicago, where they DO have public transportation, but if I wanted to see family say in Oklahoma I would likely drive an hour to Wichita then take a bus to OKC. My brother from Guthrie would likely drive an hour to pick me up.
1 person likes this
@sallypup (61155)
• Centralia, Washington
4 Aug 22
@GardenGerty Your description reminds me of the area that I just moved from.
@sallypup (61155)
• Centralia, Washington
4 Aug 22
@RubyHawk Once I was trying to drive out of a clinic's parking lot. A very old man backed up in front of me. My friend and I could tell that he was not seeing or hearing anybody but himself. I yelped then looked behind me, backed up and got of his way. He proceeded onto the main street without looking left or right then on the next cross street, drove right across traffic and off he went. Thank God for light traffic. Friend and I were shaking by the time we got out of there.
1 person likes this
@Hannihar (130218)
• Israel
4 Aug 22
@sallypup
It is worth taking a trip to the East side to see what it is like and you can see for yourself. When I lived in the States I loved to travel and drove cross country. I went from the East Coast to the West Coast. I did not see all of the East Coast but prefer the West better. I did not visiting Washington, D.C. and the Smithsonians. I loved the going to Disneyland on the West and visiting Las Vegas and Arizona and California and also going to Seattle to Windor, Canada. I have also been to Colorado about 3 times and enjoyed it there. I never took public transportation to get from one coast to another and I went to see people mostly and we drove places. Nowadays I am settled into Jerusalem and have seen parts of the country but not all and do not travel much these days.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180818)
• United States
3 Aug 22
It is very rural in part of the East coast, plenty of wide open areas. Only the cities are congested, like Seattle.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (167015)
• Boise, Idaho
3 Aug 22
I have never been to the East coast either. Hope your sister gets there safely without much problem. I would love to travel on a train.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (68084)
• United States
4 Aug 22
A different kind of beauty on east and west coasts. In the Navy we said that west coast duty was a whole lot different than east coast, because it was far away from DC (and the accompanying politicking). I’ve been to every state in the east, but the only west coast states I’ve been to are California and Hawaii. I have a lot of catching up to do out there. 
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (178877)
• United States
4 Aug 22
I hope your sister has an easy and lovely trip to see you. You should visit the easy sometime. There are some gorgeous sights to see.
1 person likes this
