Due to some scheduling issues, I recently found that I was going to be in Sacramento, California – 100 miles from my home and office in Truckee – without a car after a breakfast meeting.
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Rather than give up on my carpool down there and take a second car, I thought that I could use a little adventure and I booked my return trip on the Amtrak train from Sacramento to Truckee. It was just a three-hour train ride (through a beautiful area), and it ended up being a much-needed soul recharge.
As I started to think about why this silly little adventure had turned into a highlight for me, it made me think about how our travelers could really get the most out of trips with Journeys Within as well. So here are my top 5 ways to embrace the adventure and get the most out of every travel experience (written from the train).
- Do something new: I’ve driven between Truckee and Sacramento more times than I could count, but taking the train was a whole new experience for me. I wasn’t sure where to catch the train, how long it would take, or how it all worked, but I got on Amtrak.com and then called friends I knew had taken it before and I worked it out.
- Remember: I’ve spent a lot of this train ride with memories. I remember my Grandma telling me about the train ride she took to her new home in Malawi when she moved to Africa. I remember riding the train as a kid in England with my mom and sister. I remember riding the trains in China and Vietnam with Brandon, of course in the cheap seats and meeting fascinating people. I remember other trains in Vietnam – to Sapa when my kids were small, and to Hue with Anna (when we acted like kids). Having experiences that connect you to your past and then reveling in those connections is a wonderful way to make travel timeless.
- Go all in: You know we’ve all rolled our eyes at the tourists dressed up in saris in India and the many conical hats we’ve put on in Vietnam, but the truth is, when you really embrace the experience and show that you’re all in, you get more out of it. I have an old hat my Grandma told me was her train hat. When I booked the train ticket I couldn’t help but think about it, so I packed it and this morning I put it on. Somehow this just made the adventure feel all the more exciting. It helped that I had Anna with me and we had fun with some old photos, but everyone stopped and mentioned my hat. The conductor even sat with me and told me interesting facts about the train I was on. You see, I think people saw me embracing the experience and wanted to be in that moment with me. It was fantastic and I’m so glad I was willing to be a bit embarrassed to really be all in.
- Talk to people: When the conductor commented on my train attire, I explained that I love trains and that it makes me nostalgic and he immediately agreed and we started chatting. He answered all my questions about the train and how it runs, who takes it and how he became a conductor. Isn’t that the experience we all want when we travel, to meet the people and really feel like we made a connection. All it takes is asking questions and then really listening.
- Be thankful: This is my new motto for life, but it really becomes true in travel. Appreciate the experience you get to have – whether it’s a three-hour train ride through the Sierra Nevada mountains, or a three-week trip to Southeast Asia – be thankful for those that make it possible and enjoy the moment. When I get back to Truckee I have to go to work; I have to pick up the kids; I know I have to clean the house and the laundry is all there; but for now, I’m on a train cruising through some of the prettiest scenery in the world and I’m wearing my Grandma’s hat. And that’s a moment I’m thankful for.
