What do you get when you cross a steel locomotive and Bourbon Street? Thirteen CSC members who actually made the trek to Birmingham to board an Amtrak train headed to New Orleans (NOLA)! I was very nervous about this trip as it was my first time to captain a trip that involved another mode of transportation besides a truck or a car. I was already extremely anxious due to the fact that on a group ticket everybody in the group was on one ticket voucher which I had in my possession with instructions from Amtrak that if I lost it . . . Well you get the picture.
At the Amtrak Station in Birmingham, we discovered that parking your vehicle was extremely difficult. After numerous trips to the parking garage with no one on duty or anyone to ask (it seems that Wednesday December 26th was still a holiday at the parking garage) finally everyone was able to park (don’t ask, but some parked without a ticket to leave the parking deck).
The train ride (for several of us it was our first ever real train trip), was wonderful. The seats were wide with plenty of leg room, Amtrak did not check or weigh our bags, and we were able to carry on adult beverages. Of course, we were all very moderate consumers!
NOLA was great; here are just a few of the comments from CSC members that went on the trip: Dee Campbell wrote,” Wonderful adventure to New Orleans. Even though we had to experience rain each day we all laughed our way back to the hotel each night. We were blessed with a great group and enjoyed all our train travel each way. If there is ever another adventure to New Orleans, everyone needs to join together and make this trip.”
New CSC member Paula Guffey wrote, “The NOLA trip was great!!! It could have been hard to say what the best part was, but being treated to a celebration of a life well lived -- a New Orleans jazz funeral -- made the pick easy. I also enjoyed that there was plenty to do solo, with a few friends, or with the whole group…whatever your mood was for the day. The hotel was great, the train ride was great and the company was amazing.”
Mandee Taylor wrote, “Honesty I have no complaints. I would love a bit better weather and an extra day. The train ride was great. Parking in Birmingham was a challenge. Looking forward to our next adventure.”
Remember: what happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans!
Go with us next time,
Barb
