Travel Travails

After my last nightmare trip to New York, I vowed never to drive again. I'd take the bus or the train and relax while someone else did the work. I would sleep, read, snack, annoy other passengers by making phone calls. Hah!

I took the train this weekend and I must say, it was awful. The trip down wasn't bad, but the trip back definitely tried my soul. Here's what my $45.50 got me.

The trip starts off on time and I have a seat by myself. Suddenly it's pouring--who knew the weather would be so extreme. It gives everyone something to talk about.

After New Haven, things start to go bad. There's track work. There's signal trouble. There's only one track open and two trains. Blah blah blah. At least they're announcing something, even if it's lies.

We stop. We go. We stop. We go 5 miles an hour for an hour. They say we'll be delayed, but that once we get beyond New London, we'll go at a normal clip, and maybe even make up some of the time.

Harry has already arrived to pick me up when they announce that a tree has gone down at Westerly and that service is suspended indefinitely. Driving on I-95 suddenly seems like a great way to travel. The conductor announces that we've received special permission to pull into the New London station where we may choose to disembark or stay on the train. The train will back up to the middle of nowhere to allow work crews to get by. By this time, rumors are swirling that there are four hot dogs left in the dining car, along with a bag of potato chips and some soda.

I got off the train. Not everybody did. I called Harry and told him how to navigate to the station in New London, about 40 minutes from where he was waiting for me. Props to Harry for good driving and having the patience to drive through two states to pick me up. Thankfully, I'll be moving permanently to NYC at the end of August and won't have to worry about transportation from E.G. to NY. We'll have to come to RI to close on the house, but Marty can drive and maybe we'll time it so it doesn't take five hours.

Anything can happen (and has), but at least in a car you can look for alternate routes.