Train ride.... my first
Since I have near future plans to utilize the train for a trip through Italy, I've decide to take the train from NYC to Detroit to enjoy a surprise birthday party for one of my many sisters.
These are some of my many experience of this first time adventure.
I will start out by saying that I waited until the last minute, meaning the night before, to check my time schedule. I discovered I would be traveling at night, ALL night, so I called and arranged to have a sleeper car. For comfort it is a very good idea, however from the standpoint of price it may not be such a good ideal. Once you add on a sleeper you are now at the price of a plane ticket. However let us not lose sight of the reason I chose the train, for the experience of traveling by train.
The service from the staff and the ride it self was great. The scheduling was on time and the few stops made were not prolonged, I understand that is not always the case. As a matter of fact the duration of the ride matched the time it would take to drive from DC to Detroit.
The sleeper had a toilet, a very well lit mirror that was great for morning make up. There was a sink with running water. A coat hanger plenty of various types of lighting and a couple plugs for usage of computer and phone.
1st discovery, be ready to walk like a drunk, your balanced will be challenged. I was walking down the hall on my way to the dinning room and one of the staff member was behind me. I knew I was going slow and felt guilty for holding up his destination. However there is no passing in the hall ways. The hallways are about 24 inches wide (of course that may be a slight exaggeration, but lets just say there is NO PASSING ON THE right or left. The staff member and I had just meet so he knew my name he said "Just keep your legs loose Ms Petty, just keep your legs loose" and believe me that helped. Now guys keeping your legs loose may make you walk with a little swing in your hips but for us ladies it's very sexy.
Should you get too tipsy with alcohol be prepared to fall but, no one will know if it was you or the trains, did you fell or were you drunk....UHM... The balancing challenge will put a serious limit to my drinking, should you decide that the embarrassment would be too much for your ego.
The positive thing, for all you yogi's, is you can use the train walking a measure to knowing and understanding where you center exist, how well is your balance. Who knows when I go to Italy, after spending 3 weeks on and off a train I should be able to master some of my standing yoga poses. This is a true opportunity to test and strengthen your ability to know your center
2nd discovery: I understand why you can put a baby to sleep by going for a ride in the car. Oh my God the sleeping is great. This is like being rocked to sleep.
3rd discovery: It is best to plan your trip around cities where there are Amtrak stopping point or you are in for a bus ride. Although the bus ride is including in your train fare, the bus ride kinda breaks the whole train ride experience. My bus ride was only an hour and texting back and forth with about four friends can eat up that hours fast, but I don't think I would like more than an hour bus ride.
4th discovery: The route for your return may not be the same as your going trip. I had a lay over of 3 hour in Toledo Ohio on the return route. Now no offense to Toledo, it's a great looking city but, I DON'T KNOW NOBODY IN TOLEDO to give me a desire to hang around for 3 hours. I called Amtrak and they very kindly changed my return ticket to lay over in Washington DC, great, my daughter lives there.
5th discovery Every train does not have the same accommodation. Since I sleep like a baby going to Detroit and my return travel time was once again at night, I decided to get another sleeper. As I enter my sleeper the following conversation takes place:
Me: "Excuse me, Sir where is the toilet"
Staff:"Oh it's down the hall"
Me:"Wait wait but, my last room had a toilet in the ROOM"
Staff:"Oh we are so sorry the toilet is down the hall".
Me:"but on my first sleeper on the way here the toilet was in my room?"
Staff:" Oh yes, but you were on a different model train that was number ___....and this one is a double decker, the room with toilet inside the room are the deluxe room"
Me:"oh so this is a older train?"
Staff:" No this is a newer one, but it is a double decker and the double decker have the toilet down the hall"
Me:"well, wait, wait, do you have any deluxe available WITH a toilet?"
Staff:"There is one left but there is an additional fee" Me:"and may I ask what that fee is?"
Conductor:"I can up grade you for $___"
Me:"ok that'll be fine let's do it"
.....Good Lord...I was thinking
6th discovery
After my train ride on the DELUX I decided NOT to chose the train as my travel source in the winter, I froze my A_ _ off all night. The wonderful staff came in and covered the vent with duck tape, and gave me an extra blanket, but I still froze. Now FYI I DON"T DO COLD imagine what the night would have been like had I not had that vent covered. I will have to speak with some experienced travelers about winter travel on a train. The sleeper leaving NYC had a thermometer on the wall to adjust the room temperature, which of course I set as soon as I enter the room.
7th discovery
If you like quiche for breakfast get up early. I ordered quiche for breakfast on the return trip since it was so great on the train from NYC. Here's the difference, on the train from NYC I had breakfast at 0600I had been up since 0500 and wanted some coffee. On the double decker return trip I didn't arrive to the dining room until 0830. Of course I order quiche, it was like a brick, I thought this might have been from staying in the micro wave too long. Here what was explained to me by the dining room staff, the quiche is pre-made, of course, I replied in my head, but it SITS in a warmer all morning. The late riser gets the overcooked quiche. Therefore if you like quiche prepare for an early breakfast because it's delicious when it's not over cooked.
8th discovery
I spent the morning, after breakfast, in the lounge. I was NOT going back to that cold sleeper. As always in travel you meet the coolest people. One couple that I meet were in the deluxe sleeper as well, they heard me talking to a lady about how cold my sleeper was, and ask were I was sleeping. I replied and learned that the were two doors down, they comment that their sleeper was an ice box as well.The discovery here is to ask the staff to change your room or request the temperature issue be fixed. It was not the winer travel and I WILL be traveling in the winter.
9th discovery
Lunch with my daughter was NOT long enough. But to hung her and kiss her face was GREAT
10th discovery
I LOVE train travel we all just have to slow down in life and take the time to enjoy the scenery.
Sharon Petty was born in Detroit Michigan in 1951 I am the owner of 4HealthyLiving, Inc.
I moved to L.A, California where I attend college for a degree as a Registered Nurse.
Immediate after graduation I worked as an ICU nurse for 12 years and in 1980 the US developed a system of categorizing ER according to their ability to handle various level of trauma and I trained to specialize in Emergency Medicine. In the late 80's we begin to embrace managed care and I attended a national training and began to work with some of the first case managers.
I have studied and practices Holistic and Alternative medicine with an emphases on nutrition since my teens. Today I consult and lecture at workshops to a variety of audience from adults to grade school age to empower the public to reach their ultimate level of 4HealthyLiving.
Mission Statement
My organization 4HealthyLiving desires to empower the community from the age of 5-105 with knowledge and understanding about the miraculous way the body functions With this knowledge we will all make better life style choices 4HealthyLiving
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