Reg and I sleep fitfully on the train, but at least the loo is close at hand for night time visits! The actual space to stand in our cabin is about 2ft x 1ft when the bottom bunk is down, and only marginally more when it's converted back into 2 day-seats. But it's sufficient, and cosy!
I wake early and decide to have a wash-down before Reg stirs, as "this floor space ain't big enough for the both of us!" I need to be out of the way before he can use the toilet. I pull down the washbasin and run some hot water - this does beat the little red plastic bowl I used on our long trip from Bristol to Singapore, 2 years ago! There's no plughole, but holes in the back of the washbasin. As you fold it back up, the water disappears through these holes into a black hole somewhere! Very clever actually.
All hot drinks. soft drinks and meals are included in the price of our travel. The car assistant, as she is called, has told me that there is coffee available at all times along at a refreshment dock just along the carriage (Americans prefer coffee to tea!). I trundle along the narrow corridor, being rocked from side to side as I go. There is coffee, but no hot water. Reg is able however to get two cups of hot water from the dining car, a couple of carriages down, for our early morning cuppa.
The dining car is really nicely laid out; There are cloth serviettes, and metal cutlery, but the plates and cups are plastic. Do they only use them once? Fried eggs aren't on offer, only scrambled, but there's bacon, and a choice of roast potatoes or "grits" (a sort of porridge made from a corn which is native to America), with raisin bread or croissant, but no toast. I choose roast potatoes - they really are like heated-up roasters, and not actually very appetising. Still, there's fruit juice and tea, and it's a filling breakfast. You do have a choice of continental style breakfast, with "Kellogg's cereal", yoghurt and croissant, if you prefer - I think I might go for that next time we travel overnight.
Lunch for Reg is chicken and mixed salad - I choose the chicken and vegetable soup, with a roll and side salad, and New York cheesecake with fruit topping for dessert! Delicious! We also have dinner on the train - though it's the express menu, as the train is due to reach New Orleans by 7.30 pm. We choose Angus beefburger, with side salad and "kettle chips" (crisps to the uninitiated). I also indulge in a chocoate brownie for dessert.
We learn that the train will be 1½ hours late arriving in New Orleans - so about 9 pm by the time we arrive. The UK is now 6 hours ahead of us.
There's been no wifi on the train, but occasionally a phone signal. We've spent our time reading our books, enjoying our meals in the restaurant car (!) and looking out of the window! The scenery has varied from trees and more trees, lakes, houses (often without boundary fences, in large areas of grassland), rusty industrial sites, roads and small towns, to a vast expanse of water as we approach New Orleans. It looks like sea, with a small boat in view and the sun setting in an orange glow on the horizon - but it's actually Lake Pontchartrain.
Finally, the heat hits us at we clamber down from the train at New Orleans station, from where a taxi takes us to the India House hostel. We've been told by a fellow traveller whom we met in Charlottesville that this hostel is not a good one - but we're about to judge for ourselves!
We receive a warm welcome at reception, sign in and are shown around - the hostel is buzzing with atmosphere and young people! (We are told that the hostel can accommodate up to 200 people!) The young receptionist, Andrew, tells us that the hostel is run not just from this main building, with lounge, TV room, computer and printer, kitchen, outside eating area, outside socialising area, swimming pool, and laundry room, but from several buildings down the street - and we are in one of them, with our own front door! There's a choice of breakfast till late morning, and a set evening meal all at additional cost, plus tours you can sign up for.
Our private double room with ensuite bathroom is basic but adequate. There are 2 small tables (no chairs), a double bed with very creaky springs but a comfortable mattress,with a bunk bed on top, a very old blanket but clean-smelling sheets, and a good sized shower room/toilet. Most importantly for us, there are electric sockets, and there is good, fast wifi. There's noisy air-conditioning (which I turn off) and a ceiling fan which works well. We've yet to meet the cockroaches which we were warned about by the fellow traveller, but there's time as we are here for 4 nights! And we haven't tried out the shower yet.
This hostel is very cheap to stay in, and from first impressions, it's a typical, basic, slightly-chaotic but well run hostel, with everything we need for our 4 night, 3 day stay.
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