(Somewhere in the wilds of Los Angeles) One piece of the great trip has been accomplished, we are now in Los Angeles having arrived here this morning in a flurry of fog, trunchiated breakfasts and for goodness sakes, the arrival on the train of a couple of cops and their drug sniffing dog! ( I was all ready for them, as I had some really good beef jerky with pepper in it in my luggage but I never saw them!) It was actually a glorious morning coming through the Mojave Desert just at sunrise- worth getting up at 5 am and seeing it- and by the way the only time they would serve breakfast on the train! Last night was a good night of sleep where the night before was not. It was cold as the AC knew no mercy and could not be persuaded to turn off. Even with the an extra blanket I found, the blanket from the upper bunk and my own I was still cold and uncomfortable. So last night with the assistance of the SCA ( Sleeping Car Attendant -no longer called “porters”), we turned the bed around and I slept much better. Of course, there was the interesting noises that train made the night before and a recurring thought was who put the square wheels on this car in the first place and why did I not see them do it? And dreaming that with all that noise the train was about to run off the tracks and we were all about to meet our maker. Which also did not happen!
For those of you who know about the room facilities on the train, know about the shower. Which is not very big and also contains the toilet. I would like to say here and now I did not take a shower on the train! I had intended to but with the temperature at what seemed to be minus figures and the space being miniscule, I opted out of the experience for now. ( although after considering the instructions which are some what like the zero gravity toilet pronouncements found in the movie 2001- and start out ” perhaps you might find it more comfortable to shower while sitting on the toilet seat.”) The whole business might be more of an experience than I bargained for! the other more dangerous experience was trying to shave while the train was moving about 90 miles an hour-especially with a plastic razor- all I wanted was a clean shave not a self-sacrifice! I found it most convenient to sit on the edge of the bed and sort of peek at the mirror like “Kilroy.” In my compartment, the faucet had an attitude of its own whether or not off was an option, on was fine but off was not a selection it took lightly and only with several swift and unfriendly socks to the handle did it finally shut off. Even in the little things, train travel is an experience and an adventure.
( Coming through New Mexico and Arizona)
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