October 10, 2009 Day 1: Standing in the Railway Station

I've been operating on the assumption that my train left at 2:41pm. I never even looked at the confirmation email until the Amtrak quick check-in kiosk wouldn't accept my reservation. Then I had to stand in line for what felt like forever. I was horribly chagrined when I presented my reservation and the ticket agent said, "Yup you missed your train."

I wanted to cry, I really did. But I didn't. So the agent gave me two alternatives. He could get me on tomorrow's train, but there was only coach seats, no sleeper. A chair to sit in for 46hrs? No.

But he could get me on another train leaving in 20mins. But it would be 3days on a train, but 1st class all the way. I don't think I had much of a choice.

So now I'm a sleeper cabin, all my meals included, turn down service too. I'm chilling, watching the pilot episode of a new TV show I downloaded from iTunes.

I have watched too many TV shows and movies that make it look easy to just jump on the train and go. What did I think I was going to do? Make a running jump unto a moving train? I am not Jackie Chan.

As with every last minute getaway plans I make, something always goes wrong. So I missed my train, but I'm on a nicer ride through the desert and by the Grand Canyon. Sometimes you don't get what you just think you want, you get what you need.