fayetteville, nc: the city that tried to make me pay for parking (and failed)
so i took the greyhound into fayetteville with a backpack that smelled like gym socks and desperation. the weather here is no joke-checked my phone and it's like 6°c but feels like your soul's been dipped in liquid nitrogen. i heard from a guy at the bus station that the wind comes off fort bragg and just cuts through your jacket. true story.
neighbors? if you get bored, wilmington's a couple hours east but honestly just ride your bike to the cape fear river. it's free and the herons don't judge your life choices.
the city's kinda...flat? like, surprisingly flat. i was expecting hills but nah. just spread-out strip malls and neighborhoods with names like 'vineyard springs' that have no vines. or springs. but the sunsets over the cross creek trail? okay, fine, they slap.
the trail itself is just a paved path along the river, and in fall, the leaves look exactly like this:
i mean, as a *budget student, my whole vibe is: avoid anything with a 'resort fee'. i found a hostel on i-95 that used to be a motel? it was $25 a night and the A/C worked if you kicked it. this yelp list saved my life for cheap eats. my personal win: the taco truck at the truck stop on murchison road. cash only and the guy's dog does the accounting.
i heard at the coffee shop (the one that's also a laundromat? genius) that the historical museum is free on wednesdays after 4pm but the docent's a former marine who'll talk your ear off about the civil war. i went. he talked for 45 minutes. i left with more knowledge and a headache. TripAdvisor's reviews are split-some call it 'boring', others 'profound'. i'd go again.
if you're itching for a bigger scene, raleigh's like an hour away but honestly the bus schedule's a mess. better to just walk to the river and watch the kayaks. or don't-i'm not your mom.
portion control is for rich people and i'm not that kind of poor. so i bought a whole rotisserie chicken from the walmart deli for $3 and ate it on a bench downtown. a businessman gave me a look. i gave him a piece. he smiled. sometimes humanity costs $3.
the art scene's low-key cool. there's a mural on grove street* that changes every month. saw one of a raccoon in sunglasses. the local arts council posts updates. also, the library has free zines made by students from the university. i took one about 'how to survive fayetteville without a car'. it was one page: 'walk. fast.'
final tip: the airport's tiny. like, one gate tiny. don't expect a mall. and if you see a guy playing guitar at the bus station, don't give him money-he's actually the security guard and he'll yell at you. i learned the hard way.
anyway, i'm on the bus back now, wind in my hair (it's actually freezing wind) and thinking: fayetteville, you weird, affordable, slightly dusty little secret. you don't need a 'vibe' or to be 'nestled' anywhere. you're just...here. and i kinda loved it.
p.s. the best coffee is at the diner on mcmahill. it's $1 and comes in a styrofoam cup. yelp's reviews are suspiciously positive but i think they're paid. i risked it. it was good.
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