Kiwis and Fairy Bread

17 June AFTERNOON

It is everything I hoped it would be.

In Union Station the First Class Amtrak lounge was crammed with people sitting on stuffed couches and chairs, surrounded by too much luggage (it is so hard to pack light!). Supplies were low at the complimentary refreshment bar and the coffee had run out. Just as well, as the announcement was that soon they would be boarding four full trains.

But getting on the right one proved to be a frustrating process. The Amtrak ground crew firmly shouted out orders, that were then just as firmly contradicted by the next crew member. Out of the lounge, into the lobby, down a hall, down a ramp, stop in another lobby, walk down to track number what?! I am afraid we cut into the line a few times just because we were so confused.

But once we met Tanika, our car attendant, all was well. She looked up our names, not even needing to see our e-ticket. Up the narrow stairs to our corner room (car 530 Room E). Mike and I quickly settled in, listened to the numerous instructions over the speaker and then relaxed. As the train pulled out of the station I could not believe it. We were here! I smiled ear to ear. I kept that smile for most of the 54 hours on The California Zephyr.

The party started when the bar tender enthusiastically announced that Happy Hour would begin in The Observation Car at 2:30. We went to join in, but found it to be too crowded for a view that was just as good in our own room. We would start to get to know our fellow passengers later. At dinner we were seated with a couple named Sherry and Jerry. We shared jokes over steak and salad in the dining car. Later we did find some free seats in The Observation Car. Watching a rainy sunset over farmland we talked with Adam, a very nice 30-something who travels regularly on this train to Denver. His audio book for the trip: a history of philosophy. Deep, man.

At about 9pm Tanika converted our sofa to a bed and we bundled up. It was very chilly in our overly air-conditioned room. We dressed in two layers of pajamas and added my two cloaks to the bed.

I had been so looking forward to sleeping on a train. And you know what? This first night I barely slept at all! The excitement, the cold, the noise, the rocking, the starts and stops, the guy snoring next door….Mike wisely put in earplugs. He slept Ok.

And even if I didn’t, we were on a train! Together!

All night in my head Arlo Guthrie sang Steve Goodman’s famous train song “The City of New Orleans”. We were riding our daddy’s magic carpet made of steel.

Good Night America, how are ya?