After two totally relaxing nights and a whole day and a half with Debs,
feeling almost totally unwound and with newly sculpted arms (all arm
flab gone from the weight of lifting both those cameras all week long),
they dropped me off at King Station in Seattle for my journey down the
rails to Los Angeles.
Oh my..... I really had no feelings regarding this part of my trip - it
was a add-on, an afterthought of sorts. But what a surprise. The
station was beautiful! The benches were loooong wooden benches which
were totally comfortable. I did not have long to wait until it was 'all
aboard!" The thrum of the motors underfoot, the huge windows and the
atmosphere has such a magic feel to it. I was told where to find my
roomette - on the upper deck. Well, I thought the cabin on the Ferry
was small.... I walked into the room, and that was all there is. Two
oversized chairs that face each other, a bed that will be folded down
tonight and a perfect window with a small fold down table under it. The
chairs become a bed at night too. Although there is a lovely window,
there are so many more windows all over the train, so I wont be spending
much time in the roomette. Its totally sufficient for me, but it did
make me laugh when I first saw it.
So, after a few hours on this train - The Starlight, I am still feeling
all revved up. We are passing through Oregon now and everything and
green and so lush. The train horn blows regularly adding to the magic
of the ride and there is quite a lot of movement, but the sound of the
wheels on the track is a lovely constant background sound - not noisy,
but lovely...... clickety clack, clickety clack. This is lovely,
relaxing and beautiful! People wave as the train goes by, but it seems
to be quite a normal thing for most people to ride the train.
I made friends with another lady traveling alone and we chatted for a
while, got off at Portland and wandered around there together before
heading south again. She is not going all the way to LA, but thats ok -
I am! :)
A glass of wine is adding to the perfect-ness of the hour :) Now - many
hours later. We have clicked past Portland, Tacoma, Salem, Eugene
Oregon and now are almost at Klamath Falls Oregon. Its almost 11pm and
they are already saying that we should get into LA almost an hour
earlier than scheduled. Hmmmm, I feel a little cheated. I guess this
means that I am loving this leg of the trip too.
Lunch was had in the more casual dining room this time because both
myself and Becky - my new partner in crime, wanted to try something they
had on the menu. We were seated with another lovely couple and and hour
or so passed beautifully, filled with shared stories and much laughter.
Afterwards I wandered around the train, just exploring to see what there
was to see. Interesting place - especially where the cars join and you
have to press a button to get the door to do an 'open sesame' thing,
then you step onto .....well, its not really something that you step
onto, but a few somethings that seem to be moving together to conspire
to grab any toes that happen to be out there. The floor plates move as
the train rumbles down the line, until you press the next door button
and go into the next car. I love it and will have to video it.
I sat in the observation lounge for a good many hours, just watching
some beautiful lush scenery go by - large fields with sheep and cows,
little towns, towering mountains and oodles of pine trees. A bit later
in the afternoon we climbed higher and I even felt my ears pop. The
views were just lovely and by then three of us were sitting at the
table, chatting and snapping photos through the windows. While I was
sitting alone, a guy - Paul, came to chat for a while which was nice as
just then they announced a 'wine tasting' - thats always much more fun
with company. After that was over Becky came and joined us again and
shortly after that we went to dinner in the fancy Dining Car, where
Patsy joined the table too. It was a happy group of easy chatting and
fun stories being shared.
Its astounding just how fast today has passed - did someone put this
week on a 'fast forward' program? Now its past time to go to sleep as I
want to be up to see the sunrise. My beds were made by the porter,
Mahdee (Gras?), who has one seriously fun grin. All my stuff is on the
top bunk, the door locked and curtains shut. I wont have to the blinds
on the windows as I am on the top floor - no one can see in.... so I
should be woken up by the sun - that would be wonderful. Have I already
said that this roomette is small? Well, sitting on the bed with my feet
up in sleeping position, if I lift my left arm up so that my elbow is at
shoulder height and then bend it at the elbow (well, where else would my
arm bend?), my elbow touches the window... now take my right arm and
stretch it out to the right and if I make a fist, then I can straighten
my elbow of that arm and my fist touches the door. Yup - cozy. Very
cozy. And amazingly, nice.
I have the lights off and while I am typing, I am watching the outside
go by - its mostly dark with lights marching along the horizon way in
the distance and only the occasional puddle of light, showing off a
house or a little corner store. Every now and again the Starlight pulls
into a side track to let a freight train pass by and its amazing how
hard it is to see it passing by. The ride is very smooth - a little
bouncier than the ferry, which I love. I know - I am rambling.... I
dont want to end the day! I dont want to go to sleep. I feel like I am
about 8 years old on a serious adventure! How can I sleep through my
only night on the train??
OK, ok, I will try
Till later
Annie
oh - ps.... the train blows its horn regularly which is not helping me
sleep - and not because of the noise - its just adding to the wonderful
feel of this leg.
Ok - I tried - I really did, but I cannot sleep...... the stars are
amazing - just filling the sky and the trees are tall, strong sillouttes
standing like soldiers against the slightly less dark night sky. Every
now and again we go around a bend and I can see the front of the train -
its lights glimmering on the tracks in front of it, leading the way. I
keep thinking of my Aunt Jans (Tante Jansie) who went on a train trip
long long time ago when I was a very small little girl. I clearly
remember seeing her off at the train station and when she got back, she
had brought me the most perfect little tea set in a little brown box. I
treasured that set for years. And now that I am all snug as a bug in a
rug in my little space on the Starlight - I wonder how different it was
for her.
And that brings me to the bed............ its not the most comfortable
by far, but also better than the ferry beds - at least it does not
squeak and crinkle.... but - the blanket is somehow tied to the matrass
and............ well, it does not behave like a blanket or top sheet
should. Weird, but not uncomfortable.
This is so incredibly peaceful - I cannot hear anyone else on here -
they are probably all sensible and have gone to sleep..... the clickety
clack of the wheels is a constant, along with the bumping, moving,
swaying sounds - but none of them are bad - they all just 'are'.
The moon comes and goes as we go around corners and hillsides. I wish
this part was also in the daytime - the area is beautiful. Its around
Crate Lake, which is stunning country. PIty - maybe next time.
I am going to try again to shut my mind down and go to sleep. My
eyelids are starting to feel like lead doors, which is a good sign. I hope.
xx
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