I forgot to mention
yesterday that when I got on the bus to return back to the hotel there was a
family, mum, dad and two teenage daughters who had obviously come from the
airport. Father and the two daughters were constantly looking at cell phones
and bus timetables. After a while, I could not help but ask where they were
going. I was then able to tell them about the beach shuttle and the app,
nextbus, that would tell them when one was due at their stop as well as all the
stops along the way.
They are on holiday from Ohio for a week, they live south
of Clevedon. They got off at the Square and a shuttle arrived soon after. It
was funny to watch them as they were still not sure if they should get on it,
lol, what it is to apparently be a naive traveller! I have learned so much over
the years.
I did not sleep that well
and was up before the alarm. I had a quick breakfast and then it was time to
pack my cold stuff and check out. I was nice and early at the bus stop although
the bus was a bit late. After a few stops a young woman got on and we started
talking. She has an 8 year old
daughter and a bit of a gypsy. The family spent time in Panama before returning to the US and spending 15 months at home in Ohio, south of
Cleveland. Her daughter went to school but found it very stressful, being authoritarian, with armed cops patrolling and 2 hours homework every night. They were not allowed to go to the toilet during class time so there were lots of accidents. She has now changed mind on home schooling! She helped me off the bus with my bags and a nice young man
took my case from me and put it in the sidewalk.
The taxi was a few minutes
early so all good, it was the same guy who has looked after me previously! I
was nice and early at the bus stop and the Amtrak throughway bus was there but
boarding was not until 11.30 am. Amtrak describes it as a curb-side stop but it is
actually by a truck stop attached to a Pilot garage, at least there was somewhere
to go out of the heat and restrooms.
I walked back to wait for
the bus and found a cellphone beside a car. I took it into the store along with the
car rego. I also wrote a note and put it under the windscreen wiper. While I
was waiting a guy came to the car, his English was not that good and he
could barely understand me, lol! However, it belonged to a lady in his party,
she did not even know she had lost it. They were very grateful.
I was allowed to board just
after 11.20 am I had my
choice of seats. It was just about departure time, 11.45, when a woman walked
very slowly towards the bus. She arrived and then said her daughter was coming.
The daughter was laden down! Instead of showing the driver their tickets she
got on her cell phone, the diver finally had to tell them to get on the bus,
lol!
We stopped at Port
Charlotte, no pickups then near Sarasota. The woman who had been slow at Fort Myers wanted to get off and buy a drink, he would not let her, lol! We took on two
passengers, one who apparently missed yesterday's bus!
Bradenton was the next stop followed by Saint Petersburg - Pinellas Park (Clearwater) which was the final stop
before Tampa. There were two people to pick up, it had an Amtrak
office and waiting room, the first one we had come across on the trip, lol! I used their restroom instead of the
one on the bus!
We drove over some neat bridges along the way and across to Tampa!
There was a while to wait
at Tampa Union Station so I finished a book I was about half way through. The train was about
ten minutes late arriving and came in backwards, lol.
I have a sleeper and this
is my first trip in a single car sleeper, it has its own toilet and washbasin,
lol!
My tea was two egg sandwiches I had made at the hotel and a cup of tea, it was very enjoyable. I do have a trail bag that keeps things cool with the freezer packs inside.
Later on the evening, we pulled into Orlando and our coach attendant just told us "This is Orlando, House of the Mouse", lol! Once again there was a gorgeous sunset!
Wednesday
I had the best night's
sleep ever on a train! I am not sure if it is because it is a single deck coach
or because I was so tired!
After getting a cup of hot water for the inevitable cup of tea, I made my breakfast, a jam
sammie! The train
stopped at Rocky Mount while I was eating and it was bang on time, lol!
Well, I spoke to soon, just
south of Richmond it all turned to custard. First there was a hold up, then
track workers on the track. They must know what time trains are due to come
through and be ready! We had to go really slowly, a real pain as I do not have
that long to make my connection in Washington, grrrrr!
From Rocky Mount to
Richmond should take about two hours, it took two hours and fifty five minutes! We were eventually just over an hour late into DC!
Just south of Richmond, we crossed another river and again it was very muddy I am not sure I would have taken a small boat onto it, lol!!
When we had left Alexandria and I asked our Coach Attendant, Leo, if he could find out where the Capitol would leave from as that was supposed to leave at 4.05 pm.
They requested a Red Cap but no-one showed so Leo grabbed my bag and we took off! I was hard pressed to keep up with him, lol, But he got me to the correct platform and then gave me a hug, lol!!! Many thanks to Leo that I made the train, which just happened to be late leaving, lol!!
It seems as if I have brought the warm weather with me, lol!
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