I needed to go to Chicago this past weekend. I wasn't ready to drive. My brother drove me from Ft. Wayne to Chicago, and I took the Amtrak back.
It was the nicest train I was on in all of my trip. Really.
There was a lot of room between rows of seats. The seats tilt back further than any I encountered. And they have a rest for your lower leg, as well as a foot rest. Features not at all found in a coach seat in Europe. Clean bathrooms too. (You know I'd put that info in.) There was dining service, but I was waiting for Mom's home cooking, so I didn't partake.
So go on! Give it a chance! The train was packed. All the cool kids are doing it!
08 June 2006
Hey Jaycees!!
The following is for the JC's in the crowd, so the rest of you can skip over this...
I wrote a CPG for this trip, which is why there is a link from the Peoria JC's web site to this blog.
Of course, I had a set of goals for this CPG, and now, it's time to see if I've met the goals. So, if you're a JC, please post a comment with the following info:
Let me know if you have any questions about this...
I wrote a CPG for this trip, which is why there is a link from the Peoria JC's web site to this blog.
Of course, I had a set of goals for this CPG, and now, it's time to see if I've met the goals. So, if you're a JC, please post a comment with the following info:
- Your name (first name only is ok). (You can send me an email if you prefer that. Click on my name to the right, and my blogger profile will open up. Under "Contact" you'll find a link with my email address.)
- Your chapter, if not from Peoria
- If you have conducted a web search as a result of something in this blog
Let me know if you have any questions about this...
Hey all!
OK - I'm still alive. I was just enjoying a bit of a time out from the blog. Buster has needed a lot of scritching (ala Snoopy and Charlie Brown).
I've ordered a mobile from Verizon via Amazon. As an FYI, Amazon has better deals on the phones than going directly to the company. You do have a middle man without a store, but that's the trade off. I'll send out an email once I know the phone number. This should happen early next week.
I still have not driven my car. I've put it on the "to-do" list for tomorrow. Buster should go to the park, or I should go to Walgreens for some decongestant. Probably both. And both are probably related.
My ambitious goal for next week includes stops in Cleveland, Urbana, Peoria, and Flora. Don't worry if you live in one of those places and don't know about my plans. I don't really know them either. In some ways, figuring out the when was a bit easier when I had to get on the internet and check plane/train/bus schedules. There were finite times available. The "drive myself" option is so open...
I've ordered a mobile from Verizon via Amazon. As an FYI, Amazon has better deals on the phones than going directly to the company. You do have a middle man without a store, but that's the trade off. I'll send out an email once I know the phone number. This should happen early next week.
I still have not driven my car. I've put it on the "to-do" list for tomorrow. Buster should go to the park, or I should go to Walgreens for some decongestant. Probably both. And both are probably related.
My ambitious goal for next week includes stops in Cleveland, Urbana, Peoria, and Flora. Don't worry if you live in one of those places and don't know about my plans. I don't really know them either. In some ways, figuring out the when was a bit easier when I had to get on the internet and check plane/train/bus schedules. There were finite times available. The "drive myself" option is so open...
01 June 2006
Skills and lessons...
Things I've learned, and things I've found handy:
Learned:
- Stop to check the map often. If things seem a bit different than you expected, check in concentric circles around your last known location. You're really WAY off the mark.
- Don't navigate via mosque in Istanbul.
- Don't navigate via canal in Amsterdam.
- Observe carefully. Sit there for longer than you really want to. Sooner or later, someone will complete the very action you desperately want to know how to do. Works for entering mass transit and buffet lines.
- Use small words. Go slowly. Don't be surprised when your question of "Do you have a bigger/smaller widget?" obtains a response of "We have many more items for sale over here...."
- If you can't read the menu, it's ok to just point at something else you see.
Skills to have/ things to know before you go:
- Use of chopsticks
- Riding a motorcycle. I didn't know, so got by without it. Lots of people get on, but you have to be really careful with this one.
- Compass and map reading
- Pack a black marker.
- Pack light. You don't stay in one place too long, so no one knows you're always in the same two shirts.
Learned:
- Stop to check the map often. If things seem a bit different than you expected, check in concentric circles around your last known location. You're really WAY off the mark.
- Don't navigate via mosque in Istanbul.
- Don't navigate via canal in Amsterdam.
- Observe carefully. Sit there for longer than you really want to. Sooner or later, someone will complete the very action you desperately want to know how to do. Works for entering mass transit and buffet lines.
- Use small words. Go slowly. Don't be surprised when your question of "Do you have a bigger/smaller widget?" obtains a response of "We have many more items for sale over here...."
- If you can't read the menu, it's ok to just point at something else you see.
Skills to have/ things to know before you go:
- Use of chopsticks
- Riding a motorcycle. I didn't know, so got by without it. Lots of people get on, but you have to be really careful with this one.
- Compass and map reading
- Pack a black marker.
- Pack light. You don't stay in one place too long, so no one knows you're always in the same two shirts.
Buster
So I was reunited with Buster yesterday. Dad let him out of the house, and he came running out. And then he proceeded to bark at me with the "Stranger Danger" bark.
I said "Hi there!" and the scene changed immediately. He started to do the "happy dog" dance. He did urinate on the driveway. He was quite excited.
We played tug of war, and he gave me my first scratch. I retaliated by giving him a bath.
Several rules have been relaxed in my absence, so I am trying to re-establish order. I've seen him eat carrots. But he did sit on his blanket for dinner.
He no longer sleeps on the bed, instead going to his bean bag. So it was not all bad...
I said "Hi there!" and the scene changed immediately. He started to do the "happy dog" dance. He did urinate on the driveway. He was quite excited.
We played tug of war, and he gave me my first scratch. I retaliated by giving him a bath.
Several rules have been relaxed in my absence, so I am trying to re-establish order. I've seen him eat carrots. But he did sit on his blanket for dinner.
He no longer sleeps on the bed, instead going to his bean bag. So it was not all bad...
Other issues....
- Brooke drove me home from the airport, and it was really fast. She was going no more than 60 MPH.
- Put the lid down. Don't hold down the lever, as the toilet will flush on its own. Butt gaskets at RDU are outside the stall. Take one in with you.
- ATMs do not give me five language choices. (English, French, Spanish, German, plus local language if not listed above, such as Polish.)
- I wandered around the earth for seven months, and the first accident I was involved in was in NC. No one or thing was hurt. But the people worried about transport options abroad were a bit misguided.
- I still haven't driven. That will need to change soon.
- I can spread out my things when I sleep in the same place more than two nights.
- Price tags: The price on the sign in Europe, and a few other places, was the price that you paid. The tax was included in the figure. The receipt did provide a total amount of tax.
- Water comes with meals. No asking for tap water is really necessary.
- Put the lid down. Don't hold down the lever, as the toilet will flush on its own. Butt gaskets at RDU are outside the stall. Take one in with you.
- ATMs do not give me five language choices. (English, French, Spanish, German, plus local language if not listed above, such as Polish.)
- I wandered around the earth for seven months, and the first accident I was involved in was in NC. No one or thing was hurt. But the people worried about transport options abroad were a bit misguided.
- I still haven't driven. That will need to change soon.
- I can spread out my things when I sleep in the same place more than two nights.
- Price tags: The price on the sign in Europe, and a few other places, was the price that you paid. The tax was included in the figure. The receipt did provide a total amount of tax.
- Water comes with meals. No asking for tap water is really necessary.
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