Aboard the Coast Starlight

Our final Amtrak together and we opted to actually sit together this time. I say opted, the train was quite busy and we couldn't get two window seats! However it did make life a bit more comfortable trying to sleep. My previous sleeping companion on board the Lakeshore Ltd to Chicago was a small child who curled up into various positions throughout the night often kicking me in the process or trying to encroach onto my seat. Whenever I had to 'move' him he'd wake up and give me the biggest scowl ask where his toy was and then go back to sleep. Actually, I guess the experience wasn't far off sitting next to Kate!

For some bizarre reason I stayed up until about 3 in the morning sifting photographs on my ipad. Needless to say I suffered for it the next morning and found myself retreating to double seats to curl up in Kate's sleeping bag and take a nap.

As with the California Zephyr we spent the majority of the day in the Observation Car enjoying the views. I opted to splash out and pay to have french toast in the dining car - still the best I've had since I've been here! I sat with 3 strangers from all over the country but the most interesting was a homocide detective from California. He personally dealt with over 20 cases a year and spent his spare time cycling long distances to clear his head which seemed reasonable. He may of course been completely pulling my leg but still it makes for a good story.

We were in the very last carriage on the train which made for some fun photographs out the back window. Despite the name, we ran alongside very little coast. I believe it does larger coastal stretches between LA and San Francisco. In fact we saw the tracks when on the road. That being said we did a specatular stretch along the Puget Sound at sunset which more than made up for it.

After nearly 24 hours on the train took our very first Uber to our wonderful Air BnB in Green Lake. More on that tomorrow.Read more