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Day 28 - Wed 28 Apr 2004
Train
Up at 6:30 and finally got my pancakes (they were off all the way on the other train) Chatted to an old guy who has done all 50 states and all Canadian provinces. He's just had a family re-union on "The Canadian". Had a shower and swapped my shoes... The train is now almost 2hrs late. Let's hope that the Albany->Boston one waits for me!
We're in another time zone now - so the train is an extra hour late.
The conductor has told me that I've got an old time table, so I'm not as late as I thought I was. This carriage has to be the worst ride I've ever experienced. The vibration is awful, like there is a square wheel - I'm tempted to move to another carriage, but the seats are smaller.
It was 2:30 before we left, so we won't be into Boston before 7pm
We now seem to be stuck in the woods, there was an announcement, but it was so quiet I couldn't hear it. the only bit I got was "Dispatched from the station" and that sounds bad to me!
In front and to my right I have a child whose method of communication with his father is a series of belts and slaps. In front of me is a red head who almost fainted when I talked to her. Behind me and to the right I have "Nokia Man" (it's a mobile phone, not a megaphone). Finally behind me is a guy who has alcohol seeping from every sweat gland, and whose way of dealing with the delay is to belt the back of my seat.
I'm betting 8:30 for Boston. I know that the British rail system is in poor shape but Amtrak isn't looking good. Not one train I've taken has left or arrived on time. But as I told the Italian lady on the sleeper - you've just got to go with the flow.
We're on the move again - after about a half hour delay. The drunk is now snoring away. We're not in the middle of no-where here, but I bet you could see it from here!
Shinkasen travel at 300kph, that's close to 200 mph. I've travelled 100 miles in 3 hours (and counting) I make that 33mph. A super power with a third world train system.
You can hear the toilet flush in the carriage - someone is trying to flush themselves down the toilet as a means of escape from the train from hell.
Well I arrived at Back Bay just after 8pm. Found the B&B after checking the directions with a couple of people. The lady who runs the B&B is very nice - she's from SF but moved here years ago.
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