Ninja and I investigated our new housing in Connecticut as mentioned in the previous post. I also relayed that the turnpike, CT-15, I would be using to drive to and from work was directly across the street from the hotel parking lot. Because it was still the weekend, I decided to travel to the hospital where I would be working so I could get a sense of direction, check out the hospital and learn where I would need to park, enter etc. This was my first ever travel nursing assignment and I wanted to be prepared appropriately.
As usual, I checked my GPS app and travel was documented as being 17 miles each way which was further than I had wanted. Especially after being spoiled at my previous position which was a 2 mile drive each way. There is positive in every situation. This one was financially related. Namely, typically travel nurses expense travel mileage to and from work. 34 miles a day can add up. I got this.
I hopped on the CT 15 otherwise known as the Merritt Parkway. If you're not familiar with this Parkway, it is a main entry from Connecticut into New York City. I observed there were only two lanes. I also noticed beautiful bridges which were all uniquely designed. In researching thereafter, I found the following in Wikipedia regarding the Merritt Parkway:
“The 69 original bridges were designed by George L. Dunkelberger. Each bridge had a unique design that represented various 1930s architectural styles, such as Art Deco, Art Moderne, French Renaissance, Gothic, Neoclassicism, and Rustic. Some of the bridges have been reconstructed in recent years, and three of the original bridges have been torn down and replaced. The presence of these artistic bridges is one of the reasons that the Merritt Parkway has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and documented by the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER).”
Took the appropriate exit which lead me through a rural area with many huge luxurious looking homes atop lots of acreage. I then made it to my new place of employment, Yale-New Haven Healthcare/Greenwich Hospital.
I was able to find the parking garage that I would be utilizing, observed the rest of the gorgeous landscaping around the hospital and headed back to my housing which I started referring to as “Shits Creek” in my head. I felt prepared for Monday, which was the following day.
Prior to starting at the hospital, my new manager recommended I arrive to start each day at 7 AM to attempt to avoid traffic. Monday morning I got up, did my thing, took Ninja out to take care of business, and jumped on the Merritt Parkway. Well, I didn't really jump, I was driving my car-Blue Velvet. I am typically not a morning person so this was something new I would need to become accustomed to. It was still dark at that time of day in CT. Traffic wasn't too bad. I made it to work in about 30 minutes, give or take. I was impressed with that time frame and felt it wasn’t going to be too big of a deal. I’m not a fan of being late.
The team was extremely friendly and welcoming, which was lovely. I'll skip all the basics regarding orientation as that truly is the same for every single new job, travel nurse or not. Day one was in the books.
I headed back to Blue Velvet and took the very beautiful route back towards the Merritt. Looking forward to getting home after a long day of learning. Once I got on the entrance ramp, that is when it happened. Everything was extremely slow moving with intermittent stand stills of traffic. Ugh! You guessed it, all the NY traffic was now headed back to Connecticut. There was a plethora of cars. The drive home that day took about an hour and a half. Thank goodness those artistically designed bridges would be able to be viewed in detail driving beneath each one at a snails’ pace. It also brought the realization to me as to why there were only 2 lanes on this highly trafficked parkway. There is no way to widen the road and add more lanes because of all the bridges (if you read the quote, there are 66 left!) blocking that process. Double edge sword those bridges.
Last thoughts for myself that day. “Okay. This is your current temporary new lifestyle. Nothing is perfect (loved the hospital and staff, not so fond of housing and drive) and it will take some getting used to, but it will all work out. Let’s start planning the good stuff and get those booked in the calendar. “