the_traveler
Engineer
The trip down to Florida makes Amtrak look good!
The first part of the trip was by bus from home to the airport. The Trailways website says they offer half priced tickets is you are handicapped (which I am). But it says you can not book them online - only with a ticket agent. So I did not book it online in advance.
When I went to the agent at boarding time, she said “Our computer is not programmed to offer that. You can only get those at the main Albany terminal.” Huh? :wacko: So why does the website say that?
Then TSA at the Albany Airport did it’s worse - of course! The 3 worst airports for TSA I’ve encountered were Albany, Chattanooga and Grand Junction. I have had no problems at LA, Tampa or Portland. Even with an airline employee pushing my wheelchair (assistance), 1 TSA agent insisted I walk through the screening even though the employee and other agents said to stay in the chair and I’d be wheeled around and hand checked.
The one good thing about the flight was that my seat was the 1st row behind Comfort+ (extra room) and the row in front was empty. So I moved up there to give myself and those in my row more room. Because Comfort+ on Delta includes free beer and wine, I had a glass of wine at no charge!
I know the airlines do not offer complimentary meals any longer, but they do offer food for sale. The flight from Albany to Detroit was a CRJ plus I just ate, so I didn’t try. The flight from Detroit to Atlanta was a midday flight, and I was hungry. But I did not eat in the airport, instead planning on eating on the plane.
Even though the jet had pamphlets in the seat pockets advertising Flight Fuel (food for sale), so after we had departed I asked the FA for a sandwich. She informed me that due to the short (2 hour) flight, none were loaded! So why advertise it? :huh:
So at Atlanta, I grabbed a meal. I brought it on the plane, where I ate it before we departed the gate.
On the flight from Atlanta to Miami, this jet did have IFE. However if you did not have your own headphones, they SOLD them - for $2! They used to offer them for free.
Arriving in Miami, after retrieving my checked bag, I was taken to get my hotel shuttle. However it did not come for about 30 minutes. Despite landing at 9:10 pm, I did not get to the hotel until after 10 pm!
Checking in was no problem. But the room next to me was. It sounded like they were having a party, with LOUD music, LOUD talking and LOUD laughing occasionally. About 12 midnight, with the continued noise and needing sleep, I contacted the front desk to inform them. The desk clerk said he would contact them.
The noises continued until after 1:30 am, when I finally fell asleep. If I’m lucky, I got 2 hours of sleep all night!
Sunday began VERY early (4 am!) in order to make Tri-Rail in order to connect to the SM. I attempted to get the 6:17 am train, however by the time I got the shuttle to the airport and the people mover to the station, it was 6:40 am. I caught the 7:17 am train to Deerfield Beach, arriving at 8:25 am. However, the station does not open until 8:45 am - despite having a departure at 9:08 am! :blink:
The SM arrived at 9:12 am - 4 minutes late! (Can’t Amtrak ever be on time?) I met Jim (JRR) and his wife Susan at the station. Shortly after boarding, we went to breakfast in Harrisburg (the Viewliner diner). The Meteor has a diner, unlike the Star(vation). It was the 1st time I entered from the kitchen end.
The Homewood Suites had breakfast included, but it did not begin until 7 am. Much later then I left.
After breakfast, I fell asleep for a time. (Many say that South Central Florida is boring anyway.) We arrived into Winter Haven at 12:10 - 11 minutes late.
It was 55° and rain, but luckily the station is open and staffed. The Star was late - and getting later and later. It finally arrived at 2:13 pm. In fact, the Meteor was only 4 minutes behind it! In fact, many in the group boarding were supposed to be on the Meteor and not the Star. They were told the Meteor was right behind.
We met Patty (Mystic River Dragon) on the Star. The Star was booked full.
Upon our return to Deerfield Beach, all 4 of us went to Two Georges at the Cove (a seafood restaurant in Deerfield Beach on the Intercoastal Waterway) for dinner. We then went to the Embassy Suites in Boca Raton. Luckily my next door neighbors were quiet. (One of which was Patty!) :giggle:
On Monday, the TPS Tour took Tri-Rail to the Miami Airport, connecting to Metrorail to downtown Miami for a ride on Brightline! At Miami Central, we met Gilbert (GBNorman) who was “stuck” in Miami from IL due to snow. He rode Brightline on Sunday, but came to Miami Central to say hi to us.
We rode Brightline to West Palm Beach in Select (First Class)! Very nice! It includes unlimited snacks and unlimited booze! The 4 of us were assigned a table with seats facing each other. The train and cars are very nice, and the ride is very smooth. I was very impressed!
At West Palm Beach, the Brightline and Tri-Rail stations are about 3 blocks apart. However, they did offer shuttle service in an electric car/cart. We then took Tri-Rail back to Boca Raton. We then went to dinner at Artichoke & Vine, a vegan restaurant in Boca Raton. It’s very hard to find, but I recommend it!
I then boarded Tri-Rail to return to Miami, since I had an 8 am flight the next morning. However due to the weather, Delta Airlines was offering to waive the change fees back to Albany.
So I “forced” myself to be “stuck” in Miami an additional day! However, the hotel I was at was sold out the next night, so I switched to another hotel in Miami.
I transferred to the new hotel. However, from hotel to airport to waiting for shuttle to hotel, it took until noon. So I just decided to stay at the hotel and do nothing instead of sightseeing or train riding.
It was cold in Miami on Tuesday - it was only 70° and sunny! But it is warmer than Sunday and Monday - it was 55° and rain!
The first part of the trip was by bus from home to the airport. The Trailways website says they offer half priced tickets is you are handicapped (which I am). But it says you can not book them online - only with a ticket agent. So I did not book it online in advance.
When I went to the agent at boarding time, she said “Our computer is not programmed to offer that. You can only get those at the main Albany terminal.” Huh? :wacko: So why does the website say that?
Then TSA at the Albany Airport did it’s worse - of course! The 3 worst airports for TSA I’ve encountered were Albany, Chattanooga and Grand Junction. I have had no problems at LA, Tampa or Portland. Even with an airline employee pushing my wheelchair (assistance), 1 TSA agent insisted I walk through the screening even though the employee and other agents said to stay in the chair and I’d be wheeled around and hand checked.
The one good thing about the flight was that my seat was the 1st row behind Comfort+ (extra room) and the row in front was empty. So I moved up there to give myself and those in my row more room. Because Comfort+ on Delta includes free beer and wine, I had a glass of wine at no charge!
I know the airlines do not offer complimentary meals any longer, but they do offer food for sale. The flight from Albany to Detroit was a CRJ plus I just ate, so I didn’t try. The flight from Detroit to Atlanta was a midday flight, and I was hungry. But I did not eat in the airport, instead planning on eating on the plane.
Even though the jet had pamphlets in the seat pockets advertising Flight Fuel (food for sale), so after we had departed I asked the FA for a sandwich. She informed me that due to the short (2 hour) flight, none were loaded! So why advertise it? :huh:
So at Atlanta, I grabbed a meal. I brought it on the plane, where I ate it before we departed the gate.
On the flight from Atlanta to Miami, this jet did have IFE. However if you did not have your own headphones, they SOLD them - for $2! They used to offer them for free.
Arriving in Miami, after retrieving my checked bag, I was taken to get my hotel shuttle. However it did not come for about 30 minutes. Despite landing at 9:10 pm, I did not get to the hotel until after 10 pm!
Checking in was no problem. But the room next to me was. It sounded like they were having a party, with LOUD music, LOUD talking and LOUD laughing occasionally. About 12 midnight, with the continued noise and needing sleep, I contacted the front desk to inform them. The desk clerk said he would contact them.
The noises continued until after 1:30 am, when I finally fell asleep. If I’m lucky, I got 2 hours of sleep all night!
Sunday began VERY early (4 am!) in order to make Tri-Rail in order to connect to the SM. I attempted to get the 6:17 am train, however by the time I got the shuttle to the airport and the people mover to the station, it was 6:40 am. I caught the 7:17 am train to Deerfield Beach, arriving at 8:25 am. However, the station does not open until 8:45 am - despite having a departure at 9:08 am! :blink:
The SM arrived at 9:12 am - 4 minutes late! (Can’t Amtrak ever be on time?) I met Jim (JRR) and his wife Susan at the station. Shortly after boarding, we went to breakfast in Harrisburg (the Viewliner diner). The Meteor has a diner, unlike the Star(vation). It was the 1st time I entered from the kitchen end.
The Homewood Suites had breakfast included, but it did not begin until 7 am. Much later then I left.
After breakfast, I fell asleep for a time. (Many say that South Central Florida is boring anyway.) We arrived into Winter Haven at 12:10 - 11 minutes late.
It was 55° and rain, but luckily the station is open and staffed. The Star was late - and getting later and later. It finally arrived at 2:13 pm. In fact, the Meteor was only 4 minutes behind it! In fact, many in the group boarding were supposed to be on the Meteor and not the Star. They were told the Meteor was right behind.
We met Patty (Mystic River Dragon) on the Star. The Star was booked full.
Upon our return to Deerfield Beach, all 4 of us went to Two Georges at the Cove (a seafood restaurant in Deerfield Beach on the Intercoastal Waterway) for dinner. We then went to the Embassy Suites in Boca Raton. Luckily my next door neighbors were quiet. (One of which was Patty!) :giggle:
On Monday, the TPS Tour took Tri-Rail to the Miami Airport, connecting to Metrorail to downtown Miami for a ride on Brightline! At Miami Central, we met Gilbert (GBNorman) who was “stuck” in Miami from IL due to snow. He rode Brightline on Sunday, but came to Miami Central to say hi to us.
We rode Brightline to West Palm Beach in Select (First Class)! Very nice! It includes unlimited snacks and unlimited booze! The 4 of us were assigned a table with seats facing each other. The train and cars are very nice, and the ride is very smooth. I was very impressed!
At West Palm Beach, the Brightline and Tri-Rail stations are about 3 blocks apart. However, they did offer shuttle service in an electric car/cart. We then took Tri-Rail back to Boca Raton. We then went to dinner at Artichoke & Vine, a vegan restaurant in Boca Raton. It’s very hard to find, but I recommend it!
I then boarded Tri-Rail to return to Miami, since I had an 8 am flight the next morning. However due to the weather, Delta Airlines was offering to waive the change fees back to Albany.
So I “forced” myself to be “stuck” in Miami an additional day! However, the hotel I was at was sold out the next night, so I switched to another hotel in Miami.
I transferred to the new hotel. However, from hotel to airport to waiting for shuttle to hotel, it took until noon. So I just decided to stay at the hotel and do nothing instead of sightseeing or train riding.
It was cold in Miami on Tuesday - it was only 70° and sunny! But it is warmer than Sunday and Monday - it was 55° and rain!
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