Return Trip

My last few hours in New York were spent stressing out and sweating. It was massively humid and I was struggling to get everything either packed or packaged up in a box (I made a trip to the post office with six boxes that day). When the hour came, I had a friend from FIT help me schlep my three suitcases and three carry-on bags from the taxi to Penn Station.

One of the best things about the decision to take the train was the fact that once I boarded I could totally relax. Packing was stressful and I was emotionally fragile from saying so many goodbyes. But getting on the train was a wonderful relief. My first order of business was to take a shower, because the humidity had left me feeling pretty disgusting. I had forgotten what a harrowing experience it is to shower on the train. The Lakeshore Limited really pitches and rocks, which is particularly disconcerting when you are naked and soapy. I got through it though and felt much better.

The first leg of the journey was fine, but I was really excited about transferring in Chicago to the Empire Builder. When they told us to board I was practically skipping down the platform. Once we were moving and the attendant came with chilled Champagne I practically squealed with delight. I feel like I should have stories to tell from the trip but it wasn’t very eventful. It was just four days of relaxation, over-eating, and beautiful views of the changing landscape.

In my last few weeks in New York, a part of me wondered if I had over-romanticized Seattle and if I would regret leaving the opportunities and friends I had in New York. I think in the coming months I will miss a lot about New York, but it was comforting to enter Washington State and really feel like I was home. The sun came up as we were going through the Cascades, and there were patches of mist hanging in the air as we approached Seattle. The final stretch took us right along Puget Sound, and it was a thrill to see King Street Station in the distance (which, by the way, has 200% more old-timey charm than Penn Station).

The Pacific Northwest is just so beautiful. Unfortunately, this is the current view I have from my bed in my parent’s house: