I've been on the two-day California Zephyr between Chicago and San Francisco; the two-night/one-day Sunset Limited between Houston and Los Angeles; and the two-day Southwest Chief between Los Angeles and Chicago. So, in terms of your basic needs (sleep, food, using the bathroom, and, if you like, prayer), how will you survive?? Train lay-out First,… Continue reading How to survive your 2-day Amtrak trip
Tag: travel stories
The train is better than the plane from Houston to LA
To get from Houston to Los Angeles by train, there is no need to ever switch trains or any hassle like that: all you do is take one single train, the Sunset Limited. And I think you should almost definitely take the train, and not fly, because it's a cute train; and it's nice scenery;… Continue reading The train is better than the plane from Houston to LA
Walking Brays Bayou in Houston
I've wanted to walk along one of the canals in Houston to get to an event. The canals here are called "bayous." Whatever floats your boat. This was the route I approximately wanted to take: starting from around the Museum of Fine Arts, and ending up at the University of Houston stadium. Hey, you know… Continue reading Walking Brays Bayou in Houston
The overnight train from North Carolina to Florida
We did an Amtrak trip from central NC to Orlando. Let me first say - the train (trains) weren't all that late! Wow, Amtrak! I know that's a rare thing for you, so I thought I'd give credit where credit was due. First, we took the Piedmont train out from central North Carolina. This is… Continue reading The overnight train from North Carolina to Florida
The train in Pakistan is faster than Amtrak
Did you hear that, Amtrak? Okay, it's not always faster, but just lookie here: The train in Pakistan goes from Rahim Yar Khan to Karachi in 10 hours. That is 386 miles, or 621 kilometers. Meanwhile, I have been on the "Carolinian" between Charlotte, North Carolina and Washington D.C. about 50 times. The route, which does… Continue reading The train in Pakistan is faster than Amtrak
Is Pakistan safe for tourists?
Security for travelers in Pakistan is intense. There are rifle-wielding guards everywhere. When you approach the airport in Karachi, you have to pass through a couple of check-points before you ever get to the airport. At the checkpoint, there will be a guard with a rifle pointed straight at you a little ways away. Then… Continue reading Is Pakistan safe for tourists?
Stuck in Pakistan
I wasn't stuck in Pakistan; but someone I knew was. Let's call him Jassim. Jassim went to Pakistan for two weeks to attend conferences at two different universities. Just so you are aware, purchasing a regular tourist visa to Pakistan, at least for Americans, costs almost $200, but because Jassim was going for conferences, it… Continue reading Stuck in Pakistan
Amtrak’s clever plan for getting from Houston to Chicago
Let us first examine the map, so we know what we're talking about: See that, Houston to Chicago, a straight shot north across the United States. Here's Amtrak's proposal: Step 1: take the Sunset Limited train from Houston to Los Angeles. Step 2: take the Coastal Starlight from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon. Step 3:… Continue reading Amtrak’s clever plan for getting from Houston to Chicago
Nothing to eat by the station
I was supposed to have a simple 4-hour trip by public transportation from Chapel Hill to Concord: Step 1, bus from Chapel Hill to Durham. Step 2, train from Durham to Kannapolis. Step 3, bus from Kannapolis to Concord. First, I showed up to the bus stop in front of Carolina Coffee Shop in Chapel… Continue reading Nothing to eat by the station
The bus in Concord
They have something called the "Rider" bus system here. I think it's six different routes, all color-coded. I needed to get to the train station last week, and I hate driving, and didn't want to leave my car at the train station anyways, so I decided to take the bus. My train left at 10:55.… Continue reading The bus in Concord
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