|
| Choo choo train |
| Wednesday, December 03, 2014 |
DH and I have a history when it comes to trains. We met on the train during our industrial trip in third year of college. Long journeys across India, from Chennai to Delhi to Agra to Shimla to Goa to Bangalore to Chennai again, brought us really close in the short course of 15 days. After all spending time sitting opposite each other by the window leaves you no option but to talk and get to know each other. Both of us loved the window seats. In fact it is a standing joke that DH had to give up his window seat once we go married. :--P And now with BSK around DH gets the least attractive of seats. But in those days the winter of '99, we fought for window seats.
I travelled by electric train to college, only 5 stations for me, but the few days scholar girls would stand at the door on the opposite side and 'footboard' in the ladies compartment.
When I was 10 we travelled to Bombay in train, my first long train ride, with tunnels!! My brother and I had a blast in the little room we had. Tunnels can excite kids like nothing else can. I went as part of school trip to Lucknow in train when I was 11. And then when 15 to Delhi with family. Long train journeys that are just not overnight, are fun in their own way. You end up playing cards, or singing, or just randomly chatting with folks. Watching small towns go past you, eating tea and snacks and masal vadais are a classic memory of train trips.
Although I complained of dirtiness and tiredness and stinkiness of train rides in India after I moved to US, I have to say it was fun sitting in the cubey with relatives generally joking and pulling everyone's leg. Invariably anthakshari and dumb charades have to be played, of which I have fond memories of as well.
So with that bit of history written down, DH and I decided to give the pleasure of experiencing a leisurely paced train ride for BSK. Without being strapped in the car for 6-7hours, the train provided the opportunity to travel to Southern CA.
We took the Coast Starlight from San Jose to Santa Barbara. Initially we wanted to go up north, but werent sure if the overnight stay in the train was worth it. This train seems a good option, one day in train, one day in Santa Barbara and one day back in train. Simple itinerary.
After the initial hurdle of trying to find parking near Amtrak station thanks to the Turkey Trot that happened in San Jose downtown, we got off to an awesome start. The process to get onto the train was so incredibly simple :--P no security checks, long lines, the platform was right there, the train was right there, not too many ticket checking.
The train itself seemed very spacious compared to flights. Lot of leg room. One bummer was no cubeys like what we are used to in India. How can we play cards if everyone faces the same direction?
I love going from one cabin? to another. Part of the train experience. The train was a little dirty but it was expected. It was a double decker train. Lower level mostly for access folks and restrooms etc, while upper level had seats and windows and dining etc. Which I thought was pretty neat.
Best part of this train, the Lounge car. And there were tables! And large windows for viewing outside. Once we found two tables,each seating four, we didnt move out of the Lounge Area. Sunset was beautiful. 3 hrs after San Louis Obispo was ocean side. Pretty beautiful. Saw some place accessible only by train routes. Close up of prison area, oil drills, spaceX?! Beautiful rolling meadows, country side, tunnels! Best scenery of course is a turning train, when you can see the train winding along a picturesque background.
BSK has super fun with her friend R. We all had super fun. When kids are occupied, parents can relax a little. Ass and rummy kept us busy on the train. Lot of laughs and leg pulling, felt 20 something again.
Santa Barbara was warm, a perfect destination with sunny skies, and shiny blue beaches. And palm trees characteristic of SoCal. Morning we went on a trolley tour, sham, but with kids we could relax and take in what the small city had to offer. Mission Santa Barbara, Opera home, Zoo, Courthouse etc etc. Meal times were the only times which were a nightmare. BSK just wouldnt sit in one spot to eat. She got way too distracted. Big wake up call for me to do something about it.
Post lunch we decided to rent bikes. A double surrey they said could seat 6 but really only 4 of us could sit :--P and 2 kids. Totally loved it. We also rented two separate bikes. Bikes are fun! I stopped biking because my butt hurts after a while :--P But this was fun. Burned atleast a little of the lunch calories. Kiddos had super duper fun. Lot of screaming and shouting. When two kids get together it is like perfect interference to increase amplitude of banter.
Detoured to a quiet area of the beach. BSK didnt have her swimsuit. Kr was wearing tights, somehow we managed to play for sometime. R little guy fell into the water so many times. Over all it was super fun. BSK had ton of sand in her hair. We returned the bikes, went on the pier had some hot chocolate, coffee, fish and chips, looked longingly at folks eating icecream :--P we couldnt eat because we didnt want to tempt the kids.. We went back to the hotel had a nice bath. Almost sleepy, tummy full.
Went to State street for dinner at a Thai restaurant. BSK was super cranky. Slept off mid way. Poor thing. Came back to the hotel and grouped in the honeymoon suite for a very interesting game of poker.Game went on past midnight, remembered good old kid free days when all weekends were spent doing just that, playing late into the night.
Next day we woke up leisurely, walked to the Amtrak station, ordered Chipotle for lunch since lunch on the train was abysmal. BSK wouldnt eat rice and beans, supposed to be her favorite food. Totally riled me up. Gave her some serious timeout, took her alone and fed her food, as tears streamed down her cheeks and she asked for her daddy. She wanted water, NO, she wanted to go Pee pee, NO, she wanted her daddy, NO, She wanted to go up and sit on her chair. NO. I was a Villi, hated myself for doing it, but she was totally getting out of control. I will not run around her on the train begging her to eat. We saw an immediate improvement in dining manners that very night at Anjappar :--P
More card games, more junk food, lots of fun and laughter later we came back late in the night.
Over all it was a relaxed, simple getaway. BSK loved the train and Santa Barbara. She didnt want to come back home. Hopefully she will remember these trips fondly as she grows up just like we remember our train trips.
|
posted by SK @ 9:59 PM  |
|
| 3 Comments: |
-
oh please train Kitty too,his dining manners are bad,worse,worst - all together at the same time.
-
hey - we have done the train to santa barbara twice- once before Aghoo ( actually babymoon).. once just a couple of months back..
I cant beleive how similar our lives are.. DH and I also got to know each other really well on a train journey- industrial visit in 2nd year to hyderabad and back :)
Anyways- I love train journeys!
-
Meena lol not much success so far!
Daisy, I know!! Too many similarities ;--)
-SK
|
| |
| << Home |
| |
|
|
|
|
oh please train Kitty too,his dining manners are bad,worse,worst - all together at the same time.