We made it to New Orleans on Amtrak’s “City of New Orleans” nearly an hour early!

Turns out, the train does stop many times along the way but sometimes not for more than three or four minutes. They announce which stops are for getting out and stretching your legs and which are not.

And oddly, the train just leaves. There is no “we will be here for 5 minutes” or “we’ll be departing at 12:42″…nope, wheels start rolling. On to the next stop!

We stayed cozy in our little room. The A/C was cold, and we were glad we brought blankets. It was just the way we like it! The sleeping, though…

Cold room, warm blanket, slight rocking and hum of the train…we slept so well! Best sleep ever!

We headed down to the “cafe” and picked out a packaged sandwich, chips, and such. There were soups and other microwavable meals, if you were into that. Both breakfast and lunch came with our tickets (as well as one alcoholic beverage per meal), and coffee, water, soda, and tea were free for sleeper car passengers all day.

There are apparently Amtrak trains with dining cars where lovely meals are served. This was not one of them. And Ms. Snarky Pants (Lisa) in the cafe was not suited for serving fine dining patrons. This train food was akin to convenience store food, and Miss Ma’am epitomized convenience store service. The whole scene made us giggle.

I loved watching the scenery pass. From fields to forests, ratty industrial zones to quaint towns, there was always something to see.

It was raining when we rolled into the New Orleans area. We still were able to see the swampy bogs, and we looked hard for alligators. I saw a bright pink bird flying with the other white swamp birds, and our friends told us they turn pink because of all the shrimp they eat.

Coming into Union Station, we passed under a winding, stacked circuit of highway over passes. As we winded through and underneath, I saw the most elaborate homeless encampments I’ve ever seen, bicycles organized neatly along a fence, linked tents with sturdy roofs, coolers with tables crowded with cookware and dishes. Beneath the highways, they were mostly protected from the elements, but I could only imagine the effort it would take to survive or relocate in the event of a hurricane.

Then the train was greeted by Smoothie King Center and the Super Dome, both rising straight up from the tracks and shadowing our arrival.

Getting suitcases and our stuff off the train was a moment and one that could have been publicly broadcast for laughs. The stairwell from our upper level to the ground level is about 16 inches wide, takes two turns, and the steps are steep. I, and my luggage, are apparently more than 16 inches wide, so it was as much a comedy of errors coming down as it had been going up. They don’t help you.

That’s actually a thing that was interesting about taking the train…if you’re a rookie, good luck. There are few, if any, instructions. Nobody directs you. No staff member explains what comes with your lunch. The announcement are few, without much detail, and rather upbeat but directive. You’re pretty much on your own. I was glad I watched a million YouTube videos before going so we kind of knew what to do.

Our local friends picked us up at the train station and spent the rest of the day with us. Spending time with them was priceless! They are probably the best, most like us, and closest friends we have ever had. Good times!

I ate my first oyster, Y’all. I’ll tell you about that soon!

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