Headed to Laughlin from Denver. Thruway was good and on time. SWC was on time in Raton. I had a coach seat to myself until ABQ. I had settled in to a seat in the lounge car. When we left ABQ I decided to go back to my seat in coach and there I saw I was given a male seatmate. So I said I was sitting there too but I decided to go back to the lounge car. Really wasn't in the mood to sit with anyone.
After an hour or so I was tired and wanted to recline back. So I went back to my coach seat and my seatmate was sprawled over both seats, I woke him and told him I wanted to sit down. He moved over and as I sat down this horrible stench hit my nose
I figured it could only have come from the seat mate and I had just sat in the smell So I quickly stood up and left, didn't say a word. Went back to the lounge car and sat for some time. Our coach attendant came walking by and I told her about the smell and if I could move. She was really nice and found me a seat. Thank goodness there was an empty seat!
For lunch I decided to eat in the lounge car, ate half of a hot dog and some of the hummus dip they sell. Both were tasty.
For dinner I did go to the dining car and had wonderful dining companions. Chicken and chocolate/peanut butter ice cream, both good.
Spent time with family in Laughlin. My dad introduced us to the hot turkey sandwiches at the Riverside, they were very good. Of course gambled and had a good time.
We then went up to Vegas and had a good time there as well. My mom and I stayed at the Plaza downtown. It is very nice there since the remodel. The ramp which led to the train is still there untouched with the mural. Gigi's cupcakes gives buy one get one free after 9pm, the cupcakes are very yummy.
From Vegas my mom and I took the Luxbus to Anaheim. We really enjoyed our ride on this bus. It was clean, comfortable and had an attendant which served us snacks and drinks. They showed us two movies along the way. We had one stop in Barstow. I really recommend this bus, it was great.
Spent the night in a hotel by Disneyland as this seemed the most logical place to stay since the Luxbus drops you off at area hotels.
Was able to see the fireworks from Disneyland but we just didn't have the time to go in.
We had a shuttle pick us up and take us to Carnival the next day for our cruise. When we arrived at the terminal it started raining and was cold. Thankfully my mom has reached VIP on Carnival so we were able to wait inside. We really aren't sure where the other passengers waited but did see quite a few outside when we were boarding. Once onboard, I went to the restroom to try to dry out my hair and when I returned to our table my mom had two welcome aboard drinks, they sure were tasty.
Really enjoyed our cabin and balcony.
Had a great time on our cruise, didn't have good weather until we were in Cabo. Puerto Vallarta's weather was nice also. We basically relaxed, ate and went to see a couple of shows on the ship. Had a massage in Cabo, it was wonderful Puerto Vallarta turned out to be kind of crazy in trying to find a place to eat. Ended up eating at place by the ship but had a wonderful driving tour of Puerto Vallarta.
Our last two sea days were a bit rough but still enjoyed it.
Upon our return to Long Beach we had family pick us up and we went to the Aquarium which was nice to see. Headed up to L.A for the station. We needed to eat and my mom and I decided we would go to Phillipes for a french dip because I have not been there. After finding a parking spot and walking to Phillipes, inside it was very crowded with everyone but me wanting to go somewhere else. So we had Mexican on Olvera Street. Someday I will eat at Phillipes.
We then went to the station to wait a couple of hours for our train. We had reserved a roomette for our trip home and decided to ask for an upgrade to a bedroom once onboard. We did use the redcap service which is the only way for me to get to the train. Here we met Simon our coach attendant. I posted about him on another thread here on trip reports, it is a thread with his name in the title, if you care to read about him. I saw the conductor and asked about upgrading and price, he said he could get back to me. He found us in the dining car eating our steak dinners and told us it would be $205 to upgrade, we took it. It was bedroom A, I loved it, of course with beds down it was a bit tight but I was in heaven as this was my first bedroom Loved having our own toilet and shower. I debated on whether to use the shower or not, pretty small in there. I actually went downstairs to use that one but it was being used, so I decided to use ours. It's small in there but it was great, plenty of room and I am not petite. After I was done and dressed I just wiped down the space. I did have to put a washcloth over the spray nozzle as water would leak out once in awhile, couldn't get all the water drained from it.
The bedroom is the way to go!
On our arrival in Raton it had started snowing, really snowing and high wind. Our train had to slow down for the wind and we were a little late. After getting off the train and trudging to our thruway bus we were soaked. We get on the bus and it's freezing in there. The bus driver gets on and my mom asks him about heat, it isn't working. So we were very very cold for 5 hours on this bus. I really felt bad for my mom, she is 71, and wasn't feeling well from a cold. Our driver gave her his coat to wear but she was still cold. We had to take ours off because they were wet. I luckily had my travel blanket which I used for awhile but ended up insisting my mom use it. It was pretty miserable.
After our last train ride last year, riding in coach, I knew my mom would never ride the train again. For this trip she wasn't comfortable flying by herself and decided to ride the train with me but she did reserve the roomette. Now after the bus ride I don't know if she will get on the train again. The train ride was great but the bus ride just really kind of soured the last leg of our journey. This was the trip with wind, rain and snow.
I did call customer service today and we are getting vouchers, I think it's a very small amount they are giving both of us, I keep trying to see it as it was only the bus ride that was bad but it was really bad.
Other than the bus ride we really did have a good time on this trip. For the most part my thruways have been decent.
Ready to start planning another trip, thanks for reading!
After an hour or so I was tired and wanted to recline back. So I went back to my coach seat and my seatmate was sprawled over both seats, I woke him and told him I wanted to sit down. He moved over and as I sat down this horrible stench hit my nose
I figured it could only have come from the seat mate and I had just sat in the smell So I quickly stood up and left, didn't say a word. Went back to the lounge car and sat for some time. Our coach attendant came walking by and I told her about the smell and if I could move. She was really nice and found me a seat. Thank goodness there was an empty seat!For lunch I decided to eat in the lounge car, ate half of a hot dog and some of the hummus dip they sell. Both were tasty.
For dinner I did go to the dining car and had wonderful dining companions. Chicken and chocolate/peanut butter ice cream, both good.
Spent time with family in Laughlin. My dad introduced us to the hot turkey sandwiches at the Riverside, they were very good. Of course gambled and had a good time.
We then went up to Vegas and had a good time there as well. My mom and I stayed at the Plaza downtown. It is very nice there since the remodel. The ramp which led to the train is still there untouched with the mural. Gigi's cupcakes gives buy one get one free after 9pm, the cupcakes are very yummy.
From Vegas my mom and I took the Luxbus to Anaheim. We really enjoyed our ride on this bus. It was clean, comfortable and had an attendant which served us snacks and drinks. They showed us two movies along the way. We had one stop in Barstow. I really recommend this bus, it was great.
Spent the night in a hotel by Disneyland as this seemed the most logical place to stay since the Luxbus drops you off at area hotels.
Was able to see the fireworks from Disneyland but we just didn't have the time to go in.
We had a shuttle pick us up and take us to Carnival the next day for our cruise. When we arrived at the terminal it started raining and was cold. Thankfully my mom has reached VIP on Carnival so we were able to wait inside. We really aren't sure where the other passengers waited but did see quite a few outside when we were boarding. Once onboard, I went to the restroom to try to dry out my hair and when I returned to our table my mom had two welcome aboard drinks, they sure were tasty.
Really enjoyed our cabin and balcony.
Had a great time on our cruise, didn't have good weather until we were in Cabo. Puerto Vallarta's weather was nice also. We basically relaxed, ate and went to see a couple of shows on the ship. Had a massage in Cabo, it was wonderful
Puerto Vallarta turned out to be kind of crazy in trying to find a place to eat. Ended up eating at place by the ship but had a wonderful driving tour of Puerto Vallarta.Our last two sea days were a bit rough but still enjoyed it.
Upon our return to Long Beach we had family pick us up and we went to the Aquarium which was nice to see. Headed up to L.A for the station. We needed to eat and my mom and I decided we would go to Phillipes for a french dip because I have not been there. After finding a parking spot and walking to Phillipes, inside it was very crowded with everyone but me wanting to go somewhere else. So we had Mexican on Olvera Street. Someday I will eat at Phillipes.
We then went to the station to wait a couple of hours for our train. We had reserved a roomette for our trip home and decided to ask for an upgrade to a bedroom once onboard. We did use the redcap service which is the only way for me to get to the train. Here we met Simon our coach attendant. I posted about him on another thread here on trip reports, it is a thread with his name in the title, if you care to read about him. I saw the conductor and asked about upgrading and price, he said he could get back to me. He found us in the dining car eating our steak dinners and told us it would be $205 to upgrade, we took it. It was bedroom A, I loved it, of course with beds down it was a bit tight but I was in heaven as this was my first bedroom
Loved having our own toilet and shower. I debated on whether to use the shower or not, pretty small in there. I actually went downstairs to use that one but it was being used, so I decided to use ours. It's small in there but it was great, plenty of room and I am not petite. After I was done and dressed I just wiped down the space. I did have to put a washcloth over the spray nozzle as water would leak out once in awhile, couldn't get all the water drained from it.The bedroom is the way to go!
On our arrival in Raton it had started snowing, really snowing and high wind. Our train had to slow down for the wind and we were a little late. After getting off the train and trudging to our thruway bus we were soaked. We get on the bus and it's freezing in there. The bus driver gets on and my mom asks him about heat, it isn't working. So we were very very cold for 5 hours on this bus. I really felt bad for my mom, she is 71, and wasn't feeling well from a cold. Our driver gave her his coat to wear but she was still cold. We had to take ours off because they were wet. I luckily had my travel blanket which I used for awhile but ended up insisting my mom use it. It was pretty miserable.
After our last train ride last year, riding in coach, I knew my mom would never ride the train again. For this trip she wasn't comfortable flying by herself and decided to ride the train with me but she did reserve the roomette. Now after the bus ride I don't know if she will get on the train again. The train ride was great but the bus ride just really kind of soured the last leg of our journey. This was the trip with wind, rain and snow.
I did call customer service today and we are getting vouchers, I think it's a very small amount they are giving both of us, I keep trying to see it as it was only the bus ride that was bad but it was really bad.
Other than the bus ride we really did have a good time on this trip. For the most part my thruways have been decent.
Ready to start planning another trip, thanks for reading!
