Living Upsidedown: Train Trip

The travel continues. I went to visit Phil and Rachel in Minnesota. Rachel suggested riding the train seeing as the airlines raise prices at holiday time and driving would take me two days with an overnight hotel stay. What a great idea! Bob and I had taken a train trip to Chicago last year and enjoyed it.

Early one morning I arrived at the train station for my adventure to begin. There is just a small “bus stop” shelter where I catch the train and about a dozen people were already in line and maybe a dozen more after me waiting in the cold for the train to arrive. I chatted with the couple behind me and they ended up sitting in front of me. The trip to Chicago went well and I was by myself most of the way. I knitted, listened to my IPod and ate a few snacks I had brought along. Bob had given me his IPhone so I was able to email the kids to keep them updated and Bob even called me while I was traveling.

Once in Chicago I found my way to where I had to catch the next train. We had to wait a bit as the train coming in was delayed. But I met a woman who was getting off the same stop I was and we ended up sitting across the aisle from each other. The couple that sat in front of me on the first train was also on this train as they were headed to Minneapolis. We did not get to sit in the same car as they were getting off at a different spot (My car was the only one that would be opened when we arrived at my stop) but I did see them while on the train.

An announcement was made that they were coming around to take dinner reservations. I noticed not many people were signing up, but I did as it was my first and maybe only opportunity to get to eat in the dining car of a train. They called the 5:30pm seating and I headed to the dining car walking through a couple of cars and the sightseeing car. I was seated with a young woman and a quiet gentleman joined us as well. We had a good dinner and nice conversation before we headed to our own seats. Later the woman across the aisle from me was getting uncomfortable so we went to the sightseeing car and sat at a table to chat before going back and trying to catch a little sleep.

We made up most of the delayed time and Rachel was waiting for me at 3:00 am. Phil had to work the next day so she had let him sleep. We arrived at their home at 4am and went to bed! It was a long trip but very enjoyable.