Peace out ILL. Next stop NOLA

Peace Out Illinois. Next Stop NOLA

Water tower seen from train

On Wednesday night we made the trip to the Champaign train station. As we left my apartment we yelled out “Peace out Illinois, next stop NOLA”. Kate, Rachael, Brynna, and I drug our luggage into the building huffing and puffing. We sounded like we just ran a marathon and got smacked in the face from the cold hitting our faces. We waited in the station for what seemed like forever. The anticipation of getting on the train and getting to New Orleans was excruciating. Little did I know that I would get the smallest amount of sleep possible. 

Once on the train Rachael and I settled into our close and cozy seating. If she and I weren’t close before we most definitely were after that night. At first, I found it difficult to sleep. There was this small sense of adrenaline running through my body because I was so excited to be finally on our way, but some of the surroundings on the train threw me off. There was an overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke coming from downstairs. It was so strong I could just feel the stench sulking into the fibers of my clothes. While the smell contributed to my insomnia, the train sways side to side most of the time. I was not accommodated to this, but I feel as if I am now. Rachael spent most of the night sleeping on my shoulder causing me to be cautious with every movement I made with the fear of waking her. I slept in twenty-minute intervals and probably got around 3-4 hours all together. Throughout the night when I woke up, I would check our location. Around 12:30 we had just gotten to Kentucky. I tried to look out the window but couldn’t see much besides some lights every so often or when another train would pass us. Then I noticed around 3:30 we were in South Fulton, TN. Again, not much was seen due to the darkness. Finally, when I woke up at 7:15 we were in Mississippi. I have never traveled through Mississippi, so I instantly woke up. Feeling like I did on Christmas morning when I was 9 years old, I perked up and looked out the window to see my surroundings. I saw miles and miles of flooded fields. Still as I am typing this and we are going through Tchula, MS it looks as though someone has been watering the lands and forgot to shut the hose off for weeks. I can only imagine what New Orleans will be like with the impending doom of rain all day today. 

Despite my lack of sleep, the nose burning smell of smoke, and lack of caffeine, I am not letting this damper my mood because soon we will be in NOLA!

As I sit here in the observation room, I can’t help but think how incredible it is that I have this opportunity to do things I have never done- riding a train and traveling through many states being huge right now. It makes my night of sleep seem like a small grain of sand in the ocean. This realization has helped me reflect on some things thus far.

Breakfast on the train. Featuring terrible coffee

1. Make sure you bring plenty of snacks and drinks on the train because a bottle of water is over $2. 
2.  Traveling from train car to train car should be in the next Olympics. The amount of skill and timing you need to have when in between the cars is exhausting.
3. Sleep the night before or nap prior boarding the train because you will get a wink of sleep which also comes along with a stiff neck and back.
4.  If you order the coffee on the train you might as well grab the entire tray of sugar and creamer. The taste and smell takes me back to when I was younger riding in the tractor with my grandpa and he would drink straight black coffee out of his thermos.
5. People on the train differ on which car you’re in. When in the observation and food lounge, everyone seems happy and full of life. One woman even commented on how comfortable Kate and I looked sitting on our laptops. Many of them will exchange smiles with you and friendly comments. When going to the regular cars most people appear to be dead. Multiple times I thought I needed to stop and check someone’ pulse. Many people extend themselves over two chairs and look right at home. You might even get a few evil stares that you feel all the way to your soul if you walk through at the wrong time.
6. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I intend to make every minute count by being positive to the negatives and having an open mind.

Another realization I have for this trip is that I want to be pushed outside of my comfort zone. I am going to try foods I would not normally try. I am going to create conversations with people I would usually throw a smile at and go on with my day. I have a craving to get to know the people and culture of this vibrant city we will be experiencing. I hope when I reflect back at the end of the trip, I will be able to say I stepped outside of this cushion of comfort I often hide behind, and it helps me grow as a person. Furthermore, when it comes down to the good and the bad of this trip thus far, I am so anxious to continue expanding my horizons outside of Illinois. See yah in a week, ILL.