Trains, Swimming and little kids

Roughly a week ago Diana and I boarded an Amtrak train at Penn station in New York City. We had just finished packing and cleaning up our house not more than 10 hours before. We shipped a few boxes to China, shipped a few boxes to Florida and took the rest with us on the train. We traveled with three suitcases, three guitars, one amplifier, and two boxes. It took us roughly one month to rid of ourselves of nearly all of our worldly possessions except the items we could not part with (yet).
I kept...

• Sent to China
  • 1 box of winter clothes (shipped to China with Diana's clothes)
• Sent to my parent's house for safekeeping (i.e. I won't see them for a while
  • 1 box of books
  • 1 box of artwork and my College diplomas (I can't part with Alice's art)
  • 3 guitars (Electric, Classic and Acoustic)
  • 1 amplifier
• Traveling with Diana and I
  • 1 Suitcase filled with clothing
  • 1 backpack filled with electronics (laptop, f/w drive, digital camera)

Diana has a similar list but that's it. We will arrive in China with just three suitcases and two backpacks between us with a single box of winter clothes awaiting us in China. We have both dramatically simplified our lives by reducing our material possessions and preparing to travel in foreigns lands for the next few years.

Now back to that train ride. We boarded the train in NYC at roughly 12pm on Tuesday July 31st and arrived in Tampa, Florida around 3pm on August 1st. The train ride took roughly 27 hours. We could have flown to Florida in roughly 3 hours but the train was more relaxing, easier and quite a bit of fun. We purchased a roommette, which was quite small but ample, and all of our meals were prepared for us and included in the price! Oh ya, the meals were free! If you buy a room on Amtrak the meals are free (exclusive of alcoholic drinks). oooohhh, I love free meals.

Check out the video of our Amtrak room.

Since arriving in Florida over a week ago my days have been consumed with something of a completely different value. I haven't been "busy" per se but I have been soaking in much valued time with the family. Everyday is filled with talking to, screaming with, running around after, flinging and throwing around, and, of course, swimming with my three year old niece. Of course I've also been spending time with my Sister and brother-in-law as well as my mother and father.

I have a pretty small family and I am the only one that lives far away (recently in NYC and in the future, China) so I have to soak in the family time when I get it.

That's all I have for now until next time!