An Amazing Journey Through Space and Time

My self-appointed mission: to get to Disneyland using public transportation--a trip of about twenty miles. After spending quite a bit of time, I figure out that I need to take Long Beach bus 102 to Orange County bus 46. The total cost for this trip: $1.40

Date: Friday, October 24, 2008

8:30 a.m. -- After walking my son to school, I continue south on Orange Street, crossing the San Diego freeway:

Looking ahead, I see that I have a hill to climb before reaching my bus stop, which is at Willow St.--one mile away. By the time I reach the top of the hill, there is no sidewalk, so I'm walking in the road.


8:37--I walk past an oil pump. Signal Hill has lots of these.


8:46--I arrive at the bus stop. Hmm, maybe it wasn't quite a mile. The bus isn't scheduled to arrive until 9:09, so I wait.


9:10--Bus arrives, and takes me to the transfer point. I arrive at the transfer point at 9:36, just in time to see OCTA Bus 46 pulling away from the bus stop across the street. I go into Taco Bell and eat a bean burrito, while waiting for the 10:05 bus.


10:05--OCTA bus 46 arrives, and I board.

10:15--At this point, there is only one other passenger on the bus besides me. However, an entire class of schoolchildren now board the bus. We sit at the bus stop for ten minutes while one of their teachers purchases each of them a bus pass. They ride two stops, then get off. I don't mind, though. Children make a bus ride more cheery.

10:43--I think to myself, "this is a long bus ride."

10:49--I arrive at my stop: Ball Rd. & West St. I get off the bus, and see a sign directing me:



10:53--As I continue walking down the sidewalk, I hear the distant whistle of a steam train.


As I get closer to Disneyland, I see some characters welcoming me...

They appear to be celebrating Halloween, which is only one week away. Or at least, that's what I think. As I start to look around, I begin wondering just how long that bus ride really took--because the holidays seem to have become all confused. Is it still October? Is it December? or January? What can possibly be happening?

11:06--I reach Disneyland's front gate. But once inside the park, the time warp continues...