To the Empire State and beyond

Our final day in Chicago was once again warm we decided that we would head off to the hard rock cafe to get the standard badge for Chris and maybe visit A and F again!! We didn't so don't worry ma and pa we still have funds!! We went back to the Navy pier and strolled down Lake Michigan from Lake Shore drive to Monroe. Following this we returned to the McDonald's across the street from the Village, where we would eat tonight, to complete the Chicago Blog!!

Unfortunately we still had not finished by the time it came for dinner, so blog was put on hold. We headed off to the Village and once again were not disappointed. We shared the 12" pizza which was just right for the two of us. On finishing our $15 meal it was back to the hotel to collect bags and transfer to Union Station. We had the most miserable taxi driver...normally they get your bags out of the car etc at your destination....this one sat there miserable as sin....only a small tip for you mate...here it is..cheer up if you want any tip of any monetary value.

So we checked our bags for the Chicago to Buffalo part of the journey and were told as we were sleeping accommodation we qualified for first class, that meant access to the metropolitan lounge!!! In we went, drinks and food free at the entrance and free Internet.....bingo time to complete the blog...Chris chipping on the tribune building info!!


So at 8.30pm we were called to board, blog still needed to be spell checked and grammar checked as a certain follower of our blog has commented on our lack of attention to such detail. This annoyance meant we had to be extra careful....we weren't going to let him down!!!!!!!!!! (Who could it be???!!!) So it was left overnight for such detail to be fine tuned.

We were (the 1st class passengers that is) called to board early as we had complimentary wine, soft drinks and cheese before departure....both of us hate cheese but we guessed that with cheese you are likely to receive crackers and grapes! Once settled we headed for the dining car....as expected grape and crackers....yummy!! Slightly stale though...oh well!! We sat with the most unsociable man we have yet to meet....we had sat down first, on his arrival at the table he sat and immediately turned sideways trying to find a way to involve himself in the conversation across the walkway....fine no problems we don't have to speak to a***h***s. So we left to return just before grumpy across the way who at least had the courtesy to be grumpy in private. We have come to the conclusion however that most single travellers of Amtrak are grumpy gits!

Our roomette on a view liner had a toilet....but it wasn't enclosed...just there right next to the bed....hummm...interesting...fingures crossed the train doesn't shake Chris!!....I'll take the top bunk for this journey!

So we settled into our bed...we found them a little small, it's not worth giving up space for a toilet really is it!!!!

Chris was slightly more territorial over his than me....




In all seriousness though the cabin was bigger than on Superliner, more space for the bags too. Though when either of us went to the loo one of us still had to leave the cabin so the addition of a toilet wasn't that much of a bonus for brother and sister!!






We settled into our bed and prepared for a nights sleep as the train arrived in buffalo at 9, plus on previous experience we gave them an extra hour!! Alarm set for 8am....give us time to have a game of cards or something.....

We had just bought some cards in Chicago and as we settled to play a game of snap, rummy or chase the ace; Chris noticed something weird....the cards weren't a normal deck apparently there is a game called stud....not just a brand of cards!!!! Nice one Mongo... you done it again... all Chris could do was laugh at me....so polite isn't he! So that meant we had to chat...that lasted about 10 minutes!!

We eventually went to the land of nod only to be woken by a knock on the roomette door at 7.30am Buffalo is the next stop as the train came to a halt. First of all what happened to huge delays and second of all....1.30 mins early what!!!??

After dosing himself with blood thinners to relieve the enormous stroke he'd just had Chris and I began packing frantically, only to discover that next stop meant next next stop....Oh come on!!!!! The next stop is in an hour and a half.... we all know how much Chris loves his beauty sleep.

When eventually we did arrive in Buffalo we found ourselves with a 6 hour wait for our train, some annoying taxi drivers kept wandering around offering, people like us who had such a wait, taxi rides to Niagara Falls for a mere $80,

'Cheaper than waiting for your train and your tickets'
'Not really our tickets were only $11'

'Oh well you got a bargain there... but what a waste of your day, not well planned that...'

'Excuse us! oh and p.s. Knob Off no-one asked you anyway! just take us to the mall, there lurks Starbucks and A&F' they are worth the wait! We also had access to internet there and the completion of Chicago blog could commence.

Many dollars and completed blogs later we returned to the station and boarded our train bound for Canada...the Commonwealth and Her Majesty's Sovereign Territory here we come!

The adventures of Mongo and The Boy, written and experienced by

Kate 'poor planner, if you believe a money grabing taxi driver' Davies

and

Chris 'never moved that fast in the morning and never will move that fast in the morning again' Davies