Chicago - Washington, a long way!

So off to Washington DC, goodbye 812 Miller Street,Chicago, loved being here!

Because I had bought a sleeper for this 25 hour trip to Washington ( well Alexandria, suberb)

I was ushered to the 1st class lounge where there are free drinks and snacks. Also the chance to store your luggage if you want to go off for a while. 

Derek met me at my room no 3. He explained he would be my attendant for the journey and I could ring for him night or day!  Well...what an offer!   My room was about 7' x 4/5 '. Cozy! But had a toilet and drop down sink. Two seats that Derek would magic into a bed.

Call for dinner, which was short rib beef cooked in red wine with mash ( and the Americans can make mash) and veggies! Was delicious. Offered a delicious sweet but declined.

It had got cloudy and dark very quickly as we left Chicago so not much to see.

When I got back ,bed was made up,nice sheets and blanket but must do something about the air con. It was blowing just at back level. Managed to block it all off and settled for a good nights sleep I hoped. But...... The trains hooter blows nearly all of the time, no idea why. 20 seconds was the most it was quiet for.

I must have slept for some of the time though although I did wake a couple of times. The last time it was 5.45 and I threw back my curtains and there was a platform of people waiting to board. We were at Ashland, Kentucky. So I slept or not, through Indianapolis, Ohio and most of Kentucky. It wasn't long before we crossed the W Virginia state line.

Call for breakfast, so quick wash and brush up and left apartment for Derek to tidy up!

Good breakfast and sat viewing in one of the other cars as I could see both sides. 

W. Virginia is beautiful, has all the houses with verandas with chairs on, just like Johnboys.

We climbed and passed huge wooded areas, waterfalls and went through great bend Tunnel under Big bend Mountain and through Anderson on Greenbier River. Passed White Sulpher Springs, where presidents have played at the famous golf course. Went through the Allegheny tunnel which runs under the Allegheny Mountains and marks the boundary between Virginia and W Virginia as well as the Eastern Continental Divide.

We stopped at Charlottesville  by the Shenandoah National Park.

 Unfortunately we didn't have any kind of information given, I know we were to go through the Blue Mountains and certainly all the mountains I saw had a blue sheen over them but I wish someone had confirmed that. Lunch I had with a young lady going to Washington University for a year, at that time we were going though a national park, Google told her.

At 6.00 we were at Alexandria and only 30minutes over schedule! 

Within 20 mins I was in a plush hotel room in the shower. At first glance Alexandria looks very up market!