z - An Incredible Journey!

(Episode j - y do not exist either - not yet............ the z is
especially for you, Denny!)

The time has come, the walrus said........... well, whatever he said, I
have changed it to: the time has come for me to be home, to stand on
something that does not move, shake, shudder or roll, fly or float.

The train, the Ocean Starlight, slowly rumbled down the tracks, going
down some good switchbacks on a very steep hill and past some stunning
ocean views - even seeing a whale. I recognise some of the places along
the way from other times I have been out here. Lunch was great, the
wine refreshing, chatting with Becky fun, as always.... the views are
ever changing - from vineyards to strawberry fields dotted with brightly
clothed people bent ove,r filling baskets, to very worn out farm homes
where one can see that scratching out a living has taken a serious toll
on whole communities. There are a good many homeless people sleeping
along the railroad tracks, some in little tents, others with stretched
tarpaulin and some sadly only with cardboard shelter from the elements..
Trundling past pretty middle class housing right now and everything
looks dry already - it reminds me a bit of South West Africa with the
brown grasses waving in the wind and the cattle clumped up in the shade
of the trees.

I really am loving this, but two days is going to be a perfect length of
time. It seems as if the train might be about an hour early into Los
Angeles which will give me even more time to get myself to the airport
and checked in there. Lovely. Every meal I have been seated with
different people, all of who have been so easy to chat to and come with
really interesting stories. All food on the train is included in my
ticket but any wine or beer is extra. Yesterday I joined in with the
wine tasting event - they had some good wines and I felt quite mellow
afterwards. Tonight, almost two hours from Los Angeles, we could see
the Channel Islands out on the horizon and the setting sun is turning
everything a sweet orange tinge. The views of the ocean along the way
were just stunning and we sat soaking it up, regularly interrupting
sentences to catch the view with the cameras. Perfect evening.

Last night was a very long night - I really did not want to go to sleep
and it was so peaceful looking outside, but eventually I gave it up,
snuggled down, got my mind quiet and managed to sleep for a little bit.
Until dear Maggie lovingly thought of her Grannie Annie and just had to
text her - at 4am my time! I had a chuckle, dozed a bit till sunrise at
around 6am. So, my last day on the train has been a long one, but it
will probably help me sleep on the flight home tonight.

We did arrive in Los Angeles a little early and after yet more goodbyes,
hoiked the backpack on my back and set off to find the Skyflight bus to
take me to LAX for the final leg home. Here is fair warning - any of my
friends or family who move to Los Angeles, should not hold their breathe
for me to visit if I need to drive! Oh boy - that traffic was a
nightmare! The bus driver was definitely boss of the road and there
were a good many times that I had to close my eyes, and that was not
from lack of sleep!

After a couple of hours wait and chatting to more people, I boarded the
flight. What a treat it was to look out of that window and see us
screaming out on the bay, with the lights of the city looking like gems
flickering in the moist night air! It took my breath away. That view
is such inspiration for writing fairy tales. And so as the miles flew
by, I tried to doze, but that did not work and about five hours later,
arriving in Charlotte, I was weaving on my feet. It was interesting to
see that we flew almost directly over Chattanooga on the way to
Charlotte - oh how I wished for a parachute right then!

It was lovely to get home finally, to be on my own turf..... everything
looks so green and beautiful and that smile is still firmly plastered on
my face.

That night on the train, as the stars swept past my window, I was
thinking of the highlights of this adventure of mine.... and there were
so many that I could not possibly name them all without writing
everything all over again and then some extra - which I wont do. But the
best was the anticipation, the imagining how it would be, with both the
train and ferry and then finding out that it was SO much better, so much
deeper, that the experiences were so much richer than I could ever have
imagined. The snow capped, pink tipped, towering mountains stretching
way back behind, and in front of, the ferry, were beyond description.
The peace out in deck while the wind whipped my hair and kept that smile
plastered to my face was priceless. The easily forged friendships, the
many laughs and shared excitement was so very welcomed and now totally
treasured.

All the way, at every level I have felt so incredibly fortunate to be
able to do this. Starting the trip is always a bit hair raising for me
- I begin to doubt myself on a good many things and wonder why the heck
I would do it, but once I am into that first airplane door - that's it -
the game is on! I feel as if I am learning at every step, learning to
just be, to accept that some things change. One of the main concepts to
accept on a trip like this, has been that everything can change -
whether its because of the tide, rain or someone else's misfortune.
When we were all about to get off the ferry, we were told that there
would be a delay. Apparently one of the ropes that was used to tie us up
broke, and snapped someone's leg. They are huge big ropes and it must
have hurt like heck. I have had all my flights changed, so far, the
ferry was changed from one ship to another, the tide held us up at one
point, eliminating the ability to go ashore, even for a little while
seriously messing with some peoples forward travel plans and even the
train has had some slow downs every here and there........ but its all
worked out beautifully. And so it does, usually.

On airplanes, boats, buses, train and more airplanes - I have done an
amazing circle of this incredibly beautiful country! I really should
calculate the miles - its like a huge lassoo of the western USA. From
those misty views, majestic mountains, the regal eagles floating those
inner passage skies to the rumble down the rails, showing everything
from riches to rags along side the road, it has been and incredible
ride. And that does not touch on what was most precious... the meeting
up with wonderful friends, both new and old, new connections made,
laughter shared and memories made. Totally priceless!

So with a huge thanks to my dear friends Debs and Tom, to Karen and Jere
and all the Road Scholar group and to everyone along the way who shared
a meal, a story, some quiet time, laughter and joy - you will forever be
a part of my memories of this fantastic adventure.................. till
next time.

Love and light
Annie