Talking with Passengers

On my ride down, I sat across from a woman named Sarah Thompson. Turns out, she’s a member of the The Society of International Railway Travelers, and had just gotten back from a week and a half tour of Scotland, by train.

Compared to the Amtrak, this train ride was nothing short of heaven. Plush interiors, intricate woodwork throughout all the cars, feathered beds, chefs on call, an “observation” car made mostly of windows, you name it. Occasionally the train would stop at select sites for a few hours. And at night, the train would stop while everyone slept, to ensure that the passengers wouldn’t miss anything along the way.

We exchanged some fun stories, and talking with Sarah made my first train ride an exceedingly pleasant one. I was tempted to tell her about the blog and ask for a photo, but that felt a little too weird. Still, I’m glad we talked and it’s made me associate train rides with meeting (and chatting with) interesting strangers.