The ETA just kept getting later each time I looked. Finally, we left about 10.45 am when the train was due about 11.25 am (it should have been in Bryan at 7.05 am). I made a double cappuccino and took that with me, Lisa made her coffee so off we set. We arrived with about 15 mintes to spare and there were quite a few people waiting to catch the train, often I am the only person, lol!
I manged to get a left window seat and was joined by a nice young man. The cariiage was very full! After a while the young man asked me if that was Lisa Khov that ad dropped me off. I said it was and it ruens out he went to school with Lisa's daughter, Deena, and his best friend was Lisa's good friend Shirley's son! We exchanged names and a few pleasantries then he fell asleep, lol!
We chatted off and on after he had woken up, he told me he is a Physical Therapist, I told him I was a teacher! The train seemed to be at least holding time, if not making some up and then after South Bend we were held up for an hour due to freight traffic. This meant that people who were booked on three trains, including the California Zephyr and the Empire Builder, had missed their connections. These trains only run once a day!
A fourth train, the South West Chief, was due to leave at 3 pm and as we neared Chicago they were given instructions about how to get from our platform to the other one. The train personnel should have asked those people to move forward to be near the doors that would open but they did not do that. We arrived at 2.50 pm so they would need to hurry I am not sure if the train was being held for them!
The nice young man helped me off the train and offered to wait with me while I waited for the Red Cap service. He had an Uber ordered so I declined the offer but thanked him very much!
We discovered that the late departure form Boston was due to a dead unit so they had to replace it!! just after South Bend, the Cafe Car attendant came over the intercom to apologise for the grumpy face people had seen, she said she was very tired and stressed. She also said that her face apologised, lol!!
I arrived at my hotel about 3.30 pm and after checking in I went out to find a Food Market up the road to get some milk and tomatoes. 
I wandered up to the end of the road which leads into Lake Shore Drive, a very busy thoroughfare! It was also quite blustery. I dropped the items ff in my room and then went out for a walk along North Michigan Avenue, it was very busy!
I was feeling thirsty and ended up in a hotel where there is a bar/cafe and managed to get a Latte, so I decided to have a Baileys and ice with it, lol! The fellow who took me up, after I had asked if he knew where I could get a coffee, was Jamaican and a cricket lover so we had a very interesting conversation and he has watched cricket from Christchurch on New Zealand!
I returned to the hotel, showered and had my tea, tomato rolls!
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