EJ Videos
"It's all about the trains"
ph: 06-3230003
erin
Blog - Day 1
Introduction
For those of you who are interested in the rail scene in the USA, Erin has kindly provided me with this space to write up some articles of our tour we recently returned from.
First of all this trip was taken in the Western States of the USA, and I am frequently asked why I have not run tours to the Eastern states. It's not that I dont want to see Railroading in the East, that's far from the truth (and in the future you will see Erin put together some Eastern trips) but the West to me is fairly hassel free, with wide open spaces, and the lack of people, and great variations in scenery. Yes before I run foul of Eastern Fans they have the scenery, and the people!
Day 1
4 June 2011
We headed out of Auckland on the 14th June on an Air New Zealand 747 "Christchurch" well named when we consider some of the turblance we stuck I am sure if any southeners were on board they would have felt at home.Touch down at SFO was right on the button, and I was somewhat surprised how quick'ly we passed through customs - look at passport, look into camera checking pupil, place thumb on pad, have a nice day, and we are on our way to the luggage carrousel grab our bags and catch the people mover to the Avis Rental depot. Things do not change in a hurry in picking up a rental car, a voice yells "next !"- over to the desk and argue with a poker faced rep, who you tell 10 times that you do not want that insurance as it was sorted out before we left NZ. We are told what bay our car was in. What they dont say is how far you are going to have to lug your bags before you find it.
Load up our gear in our flash Chrysler "Town and Country" start up, turn on "Never Lost" GPS system, punch in info for hotel, and we are off on what should be a short 10min trip.We exit the parking building and I say to Geoff who is driving why are they tooting at you and pointing, we wave back, as Geoff says "Sorry you drive on the right side, dont you" right! Now that that's sorted out we will be at "Days Inn" San Mateo in a very short time. Wrong! Never Lost, they call it, how wrong can you get it! always lost when I'm trying to work it out, no wonder some of the street's were looking familiar, we were going contiually around the block.
We work the system out and book in, we are feeling stuffed after 12 hours in the air, but there is still daylight and we are not going to waste it. We head down the road and find the "Caltrain" San Mateo station, and park in a street with parking at rails edge, about 700metre's from the station. We dont have to wait long befor a non stop service blasts past us, with an EMD F40PH on the head end, being in the evening rush period we are entertained with the passing parade.Back to Hotel, feed and bed.
ph: 06-3230003
erin
