Where have I been? Yale University, a long train ride there and an even longer ride back, the grocery store, the gym,
Who have I talked to? Part of the reason for going to the symposium, was to connect with a bunch of old friends, I rode up and back with Erica who replaced me as director, I also saw Alison, Cathy a former Secretary of Aging, M.T. Connolly was effusive in thanking me for doing a review of her great book, Ron. It was great fun.
Who have I corresponded with? Mitchell, Catherine, Paul, Woodchuck, Andrew, I am sure there are a couple more.
What surprised me? I liked Yale University. I previously had a bad impression from a few graduates I had met over the years. The campus is pretty, the people were nice. I will go back.
What disappointed me? Amtrak, about 10:00 AM I started receiving text messages that there were mechanical problems with our 4:30 PM train. The 4:30PM train, became a 7:30PM train, getting me into DC about 15 minutes too late to get the subway home. I made it home at 1:45 AM, instead of 11:00 PM. I did get a travel voucher for about 70% of what I had paid for the train ticket. It was an expensive train ticket.
What have I seen? I love passing through Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York on the train, watching the daily life along the way. I need to book more train travel.
How have I mellowed this week? I kept thinking, and saying, this is outside of my control, as the train was delayed. I am along for the ride, and no matter what happens, I will deal with it. I found a taxi to take me to the subway station near home (I had parked my car at the station.) In the past I would have been a raving lunatic at the delay. Not that doing so would have changed anything.
Who deserves a big Thank You! The Red-Cap at the train station in New Haven. A Red-Cap is sort of a porter, passenger helper - a hold over from when the station had staff to carry your bags for you. I was standing in line to see if I could rebook to another train. He asked me what train I was waiting for, and said, "they just said on the radio that the mechanical problem has been resolved and they are loading passengers." Amtrak didn't announce that for another 30-minutes, his kindness of information was the best information in a three hour wait. I told him, "THANK YOU, that is the best thing I had heard all evening."
When is the next adventure? Cincinnati in about six weeks,
I adore train travel and if I can take a train there I always will. Nothing like being able to sit back and relax instead of the stress of driving.
ReplyDeleteI have never driven north of Baltimore, too much traffic.
DeleteIt is pointless to get upset about a train situation like that. Everyone will be doing their best to make things right. What you then do is to later complain to management. They are the ones who run the system and are responsible for it. The compensations seems quite fair, and so it should be.
ReplyDeleteBeyond my control
DeleteI love train travel. That redcap was a gem.
ReplyDeleteEmployee of the week
DeleteProud of you for not loosing your head in that situation, that was a real hard test to pass. Your BP also thanks you.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about alternate plans
DeleteHow magnificent that you got that 70% voucher!
ReplyDeleteI will use the voucher.
DeleteHow fortunate to run into that Red Cap!
ReplyDeleteHe was so helpful.
DeleteGlad you kept calm and got home safely.
ReplyDeleteI was very relieved, the forecast snow didn't start to fall until I was nearly home, and there were taxi's waiting at the train station.
DeleteGood for you for not letting it get to you. I remember the exact moment when I suddenly realized there was nothing I could do to change a delayed situation and to stop fretting.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am flying, once I have checked in and gotten in the security line, it is out of my control.
DeleteI took the train from New York down to Washington once and was amazed at all the cities we passed through. (I'm from Arizona and didn't get to the East Coast that often.)
ReplyDeleteAnd if you are going to those cities in between, the train stops in the city, not miles away in the suburbs or beyond. The last I knew, Delaware had no scheduled airline service in the entire state.
DeleteYou seem to be on the on go.
ReplyDelete