21st August 2007

Amtrak train to Galesburg Illinois arriving 12H30 local time and then departing at 14H45 by bus for Springfield Illinois for the connecting Amtrak to Dallas. Should get into Dallas about three pm tomorrow after noon. This leg of the trip has been painfull, mostly to the surly attitude of the passengers and more importantly the staff of Amtrak on the train. The only smiley two are an Indian fellow who is a conductor, good for a laugh but totally incompetant at his job, he caused me to move seats three times within a twelve hour period and i landed sleeping on the floor due to the discomfort of my last allocated seat. The other chap is Marc down in the catering cart who mans the snack bar. He is chirpy and full of information. Greets by name and really wants to visit South Africa sometime. But alas i am off soon and will be at an ATM soon enough to draw money. I met a lovely woman here on the train who is a spinster and i estimate is around sixty to sixty five. She and i shared a table, downstairs and she bought me coffee. She lives near Lagoona beach in California, and invited me to stay over. She has a friend that will contact me as she needs a marketing plan and photographs done for her catalogues and cosmetic surgery practice.
She as I said invited me to stay anytime and if I am ever in that area I will take her up on the offer. She seems lonely and eager for company. She was ripped off by one of these fly by night african organisations that invited her to Africa. She was dissapointed and very distressed by her experience.

Gotta go - chat later

21st August 17H40 Springfield

Just boarded a train to Fort Worth, Texas. I arrived in Galesburg this morning off the Amtrak train boarded yesterday in Flagstaff, which is much bigger than i thought it was. That train journey was a bit of a nightmare as i got shunted around as far as seating was concerned. I landed sleeping in the viewing carriage across two benches. Suprisingling enough i slept quite well there. Couldnt sleeep on the aisle seat of the train. Sat next to a korean, or Japanese guy who did not speak english to well. But the bottom line is that i am on a train heading for Shara's side of the world and looking forward to it. I have run out of photograph space so need to delete or transfer soon to make space. But I will only tackle this tomorrow or thursday in Fort Worth when life calms down a bit further. Things have been a bit hectic lately and with the amount of traveling i have done i loose track of time every now and then. I will consolidate the travel miles and destinations when i get back to Austin and have some time to get all my facts and figures together. Combined with the Conneticut and New York trip it should add up to some impressive hours and miles. Austin, Corpus Cristi - Austin to Fort Worth, and back then Austin to New York and Conneticut with the uhaul and trailer and flew back to Austin. Up to Fort Worth for another week and then Amtrak to Chicago Illinois. From there to Denver Colorado, up to Boulder and then to Nederland. Return to Denver and a week later out to San Francisco. From there Amtrak through California to Los Angeles and a few days later to Flagstaff and then out to the Grand Canyon. Left Flagstaff yesterday morning heading for Illinois again this time Galesburg. From Galesburg down to Springfield Illinois and now heading out to Fort Worth again. I will be in Austin by the end of the month. All in all a healthy dose of the united states. I have not got to the 'deep' south namely Louisianna and the flooded areas of Tennessee and the coastal cities along the Gulf of Mexico. I have also not done the East Coast cities as the u Haul trip was direct and i did not have the time to wander around. I have also not got up to the Canadian border areas and the far North West of the united states. The one regret i do have is not doing the Niagra [spelling] falls whilst up in Conetticut. But on my return i will get around to those missed places, when the time is right. Leigh will be in Philladelphia in september and it would be really neat to see her.