New York to Boston

 My last Amtrak leg.

I woke up, said goodbye to Matt and Avery and made my way to NY Penn. Moinyhann has taken the experience of waiting for your train tolerable. Anyone who has waited for Amtrak in New York before it was built understands the misery. The joys of fluorescent lighting and feeling like you’ve been shoved in MSG’s basement.

I boarded and took the nap I needed after getting home at 4 am last night (happy Halloween). The ride was uneventful. Connecticut has some of the best views to be found on the NEC, marshes and meadows overlooking the Long Island Sound. The downside is that this otherwise utilitarian line takes forever to get through the state. You do 125 in Trenton and Providence and 25 in Mystic. It hurts.

I’m spending my time overviewing my bookings and looking for other things to nail down, there’s a lot to handle. Other hotels and flights to book. On and on. Never stops. I talked for a bit with my seatmate and he was confused by my traveling. Not everything is for everyone I guess.

We pulled into South Station and I felt this sense of finality. A major chunk of my trip has come to an end. I’ve been on the road for a month now and only just beginning. The top of the NEC looks like Everest, we’ll see what is next.

I hop the T to North Station and head to Harvard where I am meeting my friend Ryan for dinner. Since I have time to kill and I deserved a treat, I went for a tiki bar, the only one in the city. Nothing like a Mai Tai after a long day stuffed in a train. I have my round and walk across the street for dinner. Ryan is in town for grad school and swamped, time is short when you work full time, go to school full time, and have to plan a wedding. Unfortunately dinner was brief because we both have tight schedules but at least it happened.

Chahles

North Station, The Garden, and catching my next train as it is departing. Congrats to the T Regional, you win the prize for loudest train (non BART category) and gnarliest train bathroom. I’ll spare you the details but I wish I held it for the hour ride to Haverhill. I’m up there to visit my friends Evan and Abbie. They’ve bought a house up here and now have a baby on the way. Lots to catch up on.

Pictures you can hear