(In the sky over Los Angeles) Or so I imagined! In the process of working on the planning for this trip I used several different sources to make it work and so that I did not have to re-invent the wheel. Hotels are a mystery to me and booking them even more so. I did the review bit on the various travel sites. I looked at hotels that were not too far from the depots in the cities I intended to visit. Even used Google earth to see what they looked like. The final selection was could I make a deal where I would always use the same chain. Which was the solution I used and right at this point it’s working but it’s the first hotel too. A couple of factors came in to play. Free Wi-Fi, if I belonged to their “club” I got that free, what if I arrived early or late depending on the train? Guaranteed reservations! This was necessary in Seattle as the train might be late and it was already arriving late as it was. So it was the Hilton chain all the way, I get reward points, wi-if, chocolate chip cookies on arrival and I have reserved time no matter when I turn up. ( Oh yes, do they have a restaurant on site as I am not going in search of one since I have things I need to do in the silence of the room-that, by the way is not in motion.) So in Los Angeles, here I am on the 19th floor high above the LA police car park and Korea town. But it’s mostly quiet- except for sirens-( it’s a big city, and they are busy! Hello?) It cannot be any worse than at home with train whistles all night! It was kind of an insult to the cab driver to run me from the depot to the hotel, but I had anticipated that and made sure there was a nice tip in it for him. So in the morning I will repeat the trip and have the concierge call me a cab ( “so -you’re a cab!) On the Southwest chief I scheduled a room, on the Coast Starlight I will have a roomette, less space but for a shorter time and I really don’t need the shower!
Oh, one thing that being on the 19th floor in Los Angeles that makes it a unique experience, helicopters fly almost at window level, which to put it mildly is a bit disconcerting. I keep thinking that the CIA is spying on me, but a helicopter is not very subtle! 
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