I hate good-byes!!!!
Red Line: Amtrak to New York route....about 770 Kms and takes about 12 hours.
All went well, got to the train station with plenty of time. Made it on the train and got a window seat - had nobody sitting next to me for the entire journey - great! However, the train had no wifi, so my goal to do some blogging went out the train window... hi hi. Instead I ended up watching some movies after it got dark, Michael had downloaded them ages ago onto my laptop (at least there was a power outlet to plug into). I felt like I was on a plane....
Union Station, Toronto, Canada
I am very comfortable....
Tried a self portrait...not very successful... oh well - it still proofs I was on the train....
There was a small food outlet in one of the cars - (on the Canadian train they came through with a trolley and serve you), here I had to go to the car to get my morning coffee....I had prepared some sandwiches and snacks to take with me - just as well, as the food choice was not very good on the train, to say the least....
I was looking forward to the beautiful New York State countryside, my friends told me about....but we had to get through the American immigration and customs at Niagara Falls first - what fun. The train driver was very sarcastic about the American customs officers, he announced: We are now stopping at the boarder, the officers will come through, they don't care about people or our timetable, they only care about security. So please co-operate, stay in your seat and hand over all your paperwork. Depending on what they find or whether anybody annoys them, it can take a few hours or half a day.... He obviously had some bad experiences with them before....
The officers came through, checked the whole train (they didn't bring the dogs though), then checked passengers' papers, they sent some people away somewhere and asked a lot of questions. They were very condescending and arrogant officers - I did not like their attitude, but they have the power and they know it!
After checking my papers he asked me some questions -
one officer is holding my passport asked: and what Nationality are you? I wanted to say: Can't you tell from my passport? but I refrained and said: German....
How many days were you in Canada? - 7 weeks
Where did you stay? - with family
Where are you going? - NY
Staying with family? - No in Hostel
When will you go back to Germany? - end of October! Which day? - 28th
Then to his colleague: She is ok!
Puuhhh, what idiots - I am sorry - they think they are clever asking these questions, but they still don't get the whole picture.... anyway.... they let me back in!!!! That's the main thing....Can you tell that they annoyed me...noooo....
It took 2 hours for them to check the train and all passengers and we were on our way again.
I must say, I a bit disappointed with the New York State landscape - it was nice, but nothing too special. Maybe because Canada has amazing landscapes.... Anyway - it was still a comfortable train journey....
Canadian landscape....
We found it alright - behind scaffolding... there is me thinking: Oh my God - what did I book???? But it turned out to be ok - very basic - no frills - clean! I had a little cell to stay in - nobody can see you, but the whole floor can hear you!!! There was good security - keys for the floor and keys for the cell.... and the place it staffed 24/7. So I wasn't too worried about my valuables....
Cell - ceiling.... security plus!
View from my cell window!
I made it.. I am in New York!!!!
Good night and sweet dreams!
S & D
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