Riding the Rails

I don't mind saying that I am pretty proud of myself for accomplishing something I couldn't have done several years ago -- I traveled the subway system in NYC.  I had an info session to attend in Brooklyn in the morning and an interview in the Bronx in the afternoon.  Midway between I stopped on the upper East side for lunch with my friend.

Phew!

I never considered myself one who could read a map.  The MTA subway map is simple enough, but there are some stations that are not necessarily connected.  So, you get off the subway in one place and have to find the other place to catch a connector.  I learned this before I went to Las Vegas when my daughter and I had an interview in Queens.  She was able to figure out that the subway we needed to catch was NOT in Grand Central and she figured where we had to go.  This was notable especially on my trip to the Bronx.

The school where I interviewed is the same stop as the Bronx Zoo.  If you look at the school's website, it says you can take the 5 or the 2.  However, when you take a close look at the map, the 5 seems not to go the stop I needed.  So, I had to connect to the 2.  (For the record, the 5 train seems never to be around.)

Once you arrive at your designated stop, you need to figure where to go from there.  Once above ground in Brooklyn, I only knew what street I needed to be on and what the cross streets were on the way.  Naturally I began by walking in the wrong direction.  Nevertheless, I found my way.  And back again.

There were hiccups.

On the C train headed toward Brooklyn, I looked again at the map and it seemed as though I made an error and needed to be on the A train.  I got off; got the A train only to discover that I should have been on the C train in the first place.  Off I got and WAITED for another C train.  Then, on my way back to the upper East side, I knew I could take the 5 train.  I got on an express and overshot my stop.  I had to get on again going in the other direction direction.

On my way out of the Bronx I realized that despite my comfort level with Grand Central Station, it made no sense to travel from 177th street (or there about) to 42nd street only to catch a train that would pass 125th street.  Previously I avoided the 125th Street station because it was not actually connected to the subway.  Well, I conquered that fear too.

Did I mention that with all of this I was dragging my luggage?

What a day.  But I did it and feel much more comfortable with my abilities than I had before.  And, as usual, when in doubt, just ask someone for help.  New Yorkers have a reputation for being mean, but it's been my experience that they are just the opposite.