Forgot to say in the last post that we visited the natural history museum in New york - we looked at all the native american art and artifacts which was great. We also went to the american mammals section, they had stuffed grizzly bears in an exhibit opposite some alaskan brown bears, lthough the grizzlies wer big they would have easily fitted into the massive broad headed alaskan bears - this did freak both of us out a bit making us a little scared and apprehensive about the trip to Kodiak. It is going to be amazing but also a little frightening.
Anyway lets get back on track (ho ho) the empire builder to Seattle has a lot more going on. We are currently stationary which has been quite a theme for this journey as we stop to let freight trains go in front of us every five minutes and are running five hrs late as a result. As recommended by the in-train magazine we are watching out for beavers at this point. . . none spotted yet but its getting quite competitive as Ralph thinks he`s already seen one (which i `m sure he has. . . . .for the record i definitely did!). We`re piling on the pounds with our three meals a day in what they called community dining which Ralph thought sounded like some sort of care project. It`s been great for meeting people including a former picadilly line tube driver who left for florida in the 70`s but still loves his cuppa tea. It s been flat all the way, almost Bedfordshire so which I didn `t expect but more than making up for it now in Cascade Mts where peaks are apparently a mile above us. We have been very lucky as unbeknownst to us this route has been closed for three weeks due to flooding, the train runs along side rivers most of the way and only opened to trains two days before we set off. We`ve been going dead slow and stopping so much as they`ve had to build up the levees to raise the train out of the floodwater and I think its a bit of a temporary wobbly fix.
We missed montana and the start of the rockies as the train was five hours late due to the back log of freight trains. This meant much of the most picturesque parts of the trip were undertaken in darkness, although the approach to seattle was really nice. Slightly frustratingly we spent a lot of time dring the trip pulled into horriblly unpicturesque and decidly industrial sidings waiting for frieght trains to pass having, much to are dismay, flown past the most amazing wetland habitats teeming with bird life at a speed that made any identifying any almost impossible. Are patience was eventually rewarded at the most scenic siding - a bit of littley grazed pasture,it was here that we saw two separate species of king bird which were really cool.
Although the delay was a bit anoying the trip was great fun and we spent most time either dining,at he observation car or in are cozy roomette - Which, to start with at least, looked like it would require a maneouvre similar to the you tube clip of the twin contortionists getting into a perspex box that my mum sent me (google it its pretty creepy). However, once we had stowed our bags elsewhere did the job nicely. I think train is my favourite way to travel although the boat was pretty amazing too.
I am really glad we are writing this blog otherwise i think we might forget some of the cool things we have done.
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