My last bus journey takes me over back Omaha, then onwards till we cross the Mississippi, flooding some small town in the endless plains. Late that night we turn into Chicago, the Hancock and Sears towers standing out in the distance. Chicago was the first city I visited in the States, when my sister and her husband lived there. Somehow it is great to be back, and I was thinking I should explore it further. But new things lie ahead. We are told about an express bus to New York, but it is full, so we continue on to Pittsburgh.

Our driver out of Chicago is the friendliest driver I yet came across. In an elaborate pre-drive briefing he explains all the bus safety and luxury features, what we should do, and that since his name is not Hero, if the bus burns he will be waiting outside and we should not try to take our luggage but join him. With high legal terms he ask us to leave the bus if we have anything illegal, or guns or knifes, with us, and explain that the high legal terms meant you can do so without the fear of being asked why you are leaving the bus. When everybody stays put, he starts to drive south.

We drive through the night, and in Cleveland I get another express bus to New York. On the bus I strike up a conversation with Mariko, a woman from Japan on her way to a gardening therapy training course. That afternoon we drive through beautiful woods of what I guess must be Pennsylvania, but it remains strobe-flash memories as I just snap out of my sleep every once in a while. Sunday at 6 instead of 9PM I arrive at the Port authority, exchange e-mail addresses with Mariko and walk around looking for my first cab-ride in New York.

Maybe it was my lack of sleep or being used to the calm demeanour of the greyhounds, but my cab-driver seem to commit an act of maniacal initiation as he careens towards Andre's flat. Later I would realize that he was the exception, most cabbies just drive reckless. Exhausted, but infected with the vibe of NY, and damn glad my overnight bus rides should now be over, I arrive at Minetta lane.