Traveling On Your Own

People often ask me about traveling solo. I usually will  schedule the itinerary from home,  and meet up with friends once I arrive. On the last one,  I had arranged to take the train with a talented Fosse dancer that I worked with when I was seventeen. We discussed  meeting at Union Station, which is a convenient midway point for us.  Unfortunately, she wasn't able to get away from work, so I went solo.

I enjoy traveling alone because I always meet interesting people. I also like the freedom of it. On the first train, a young man who looked to be about eighteen asked me if he could sit in the seat next to me. "Sure," I answered. He settled in with his cell phone. I found it amusing to hear his nonstop conversations with his friends. Most of them were about meeting girls and his car breaking down at the beach. It made me chuckle.

I did some work on the shawl that I'm knitting. It was a little tricky, with the movement of the car, but I managed. It's relaxing to gaze out the window from upstairs and to soak in  the ocean view. I loved the magnificence of it.  Having someone else do the driving means that  you can read, write, text, or take a nap. It's a very leisurely journey.

When I went to see the show, I was seated with a group of women who were close friends. They had been drinking at the bar. They were instantly very friendly with me, and we felt like we already knew one another. I had a great time laughing and talking with them. I had already enjoyed an animated conversation with a couple at the table across from me, over dinner. They were eager to see Ben Vereen in the show, and I told them that I knew they would love it. They invited me to sit with them, but I was content with my seat. I elected to stay there, after thanking them for the offer.

On the last part of the trip home, a student from LA asked if she could sit in the vacant seat next to me. I smiled and nodded. We had an interesting conversation about train travel. She has been saving money for college. She takes the Metro or Amtrak to visit her boyfriend on the weekends. He lives in San Diego. "I hate driving," she confessed. She explained to me that it's cheaper to take the Metro than Amtrak. We had a nice discussion about technology, and why she prefers having a Smartphone, (the gps,) being car free, and  other matters. She was such a sweet, bright, and polite girl. I really enjoyed her energy.

The trains are quite full this time of year. On the first leg of my return trip there was a three year old little boy traveling with his grandparents. It was amusing to listen to him. As we neared San Clemente station, he kept bellowing, "Whoa! Whoa!" I think the rocking motion was intense to his little body. He had  his legs dangling from the seat. His grandpa escorted him to the cafe car, which was probably very exciting for a child. They returned with boxed sandwiches and coffee for grandma. "That's not fair!" he kept insisting. I wasn't sure what he meant, but it was funny. If you want a perfectly quiet ride, I recommend earbuds. They sell them in the Cafe Car for $5.00.  I flipped through my email messages and Facebook as the coast rolled by on our left. I have always loved train travel. You meet the most interesting people. I was glad that I had brought my shawl. It came in handy for warmth and comfort, with the air conditioning. Once I arrived home, I sighed, picked a couple of very large zucchini, made dinner, and unpacked my belongings. "It's good to be home," I thought to myself.

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