We drove up to Flagstaff after Matt got off work on June 23, so we could catch the train the next morning. It was a late night, and we stayed in a *beautiful* hotel for a great price (thanks to Priceline!). Too bad we didn't get to enjoy the room for longer than 4 hours... we had to get up at 4:00 to make our 5:08 train departure time!
Waiting for the train at 5:00 in the morning... as it turns out, the train was running behind, so we didn't leave until 5:30. Isn't this a great-looking train station? This building also houses Flagstaff's visitor center--which is very cool, in my opinion. :)
Matt & me enjoying the sightseeing car on our train, Amtrak's Southwest Chief, which runs from Los Angeles to Chicago.
Naomi, Joshua & Jesse drawing birthday greetings for Grandpa in the sightseeing car. We learned shortly after this that my sister Rachel had given birth that morning, a few days early, to her son Peter! We thought it was *so* cool that he was born on his Grandpa's birthday! :)
Travelling by train is very different than air travel--or a road trip, for that matter. The train is a slower way of getting someplace than flying. There are different sounds, the clicking/clunking of the wheels on the rails, the honk-honk-honking of the train. Then there's the way you have to balance yourself when you walk in the train, in case it tips you sideways into some unsuspecting fellow passenger. Overall, it has a more relaxed feel than other methods of getting from Point A to Point B. And it adds to the whole vacation feeling.
You don't have to stop for bathroom breaks like you do when you're driving. You just sleep when you feel like it. You can meet people who are sitting near you, which is always interesting. We met a couple in the sightseeing car who were just on their way back from a missions trip in California with their two sons. And later, we met a couple from Lansing, Michigan, who were on their way back home from taking their grandsons to the Grand Canyon.
On the train, you can buy food in the snack bar or the dining car, but you can also bring food to eat. We bought a soft-sided cooler on wheels, with a retractable handle, that worked great. We went shopping ahead of time and tried to imagine all the food we'd need for two days without being able to get off. As it turns out, we were able to have a lunch break off the train the first day! Our stop in Albuquerque was over an hour long, and we walked to a Thai restaurant for lunch. Very nice!
Matt & the kids at our unexpected Thai lunch break in Albuquerque. :)
This is a great shot of the sightseeing car. Jesse was watching for snakes outside, and was convinced he had seen several. We spent a lot of time in that car the first day, and it seemed our coach car was where people who were sleepy napped during the day. (We did take a couple of naps that day, too!)
We brought some games along for entertainment while travelling. The east-bound train had nice tables in the sightseeing car, and we enjoyed them a lot! :)
We had checked into getting a sleeper before we left on our trip. The cost was too much, but Matt had heard somewhere about the idea of asking once you're already on board. So, at bedtime, he asked the conductor about sleepers, and there was a Family Sleeper open for the night, for about 1/3 the price it would have been if we'd gotten it at the start!
It was perfect, just the right amount of space, and so nice to have beds to stretch out on. It looks small, but it was the largest sleeper Amtrak has. :) And our breakfast & lunch meals for the next day were included, a very nice perk! :)
Well, that's it for today. I'll be posting more another time. Have a great day! It's good to be back! :)
1 comment:
Hey welcome home. Cute pics, nice commentary. Looking forward to the next installment. :)
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