Holiday Recap Part 3: Over the River...

and through the woods to my momma's house I go! During the holiday season (Thanksgiving through Christmas), I travel back home to NJ about every 2 weeks. It's about a 4-hour trip and I've done it all: driven, flown, bussed, and trained it. The train is sooooo the best way to travel. It's pricey, yes, but vs. flying, I don't have to show up super early, I don't have to go through security, or check a bag (and pay for it), the seats are bigger and my ears don't pop. Versus, driving, well, I can sleep, read, IPOD which I couldn't do behind the wheel. Plus, driving time can be unpredictable. And the bus just sucks. BIG TIME.

No, I am not an employee of Amtrak. It's the truth. There are even quiet cars if you don't want to hear someone yacking away on their cell phone or that ever-present baby crying.

The reasons above are important, but the number one reason I like taking the train is that it's like a trip down memory lane for me. My life has taken me progressively south down the Eastern seaboard. Take the trip with me.

First, you must properly prepare yourself for the trip. Starbucks' Venti Caramel Macchiato (or a Venti Solo Caramel Macchiato with extra caramel in and out to be specific [how did they come up with this stuff?!]), a mag, IPOD, and my phone and I'm all set!


We make it to Philadelphia, were I spent 3 years in graduate school. Cool city, historical and quaint but still relatively cheap. It's like it doesn't realize its worth. Art museums (Rocky, anyone?), the Italian market, vibrant nightlife, eclectic shops and of course, cheesesteaks are abundant. Couple that with tons of colleges and universities and you have a great place to study and live.

Next, to NJ's capital city, Trenton, where I went to undergrad. This bridge is probably its only highly recognizable landmark. It reads "Trenton makes the world takes." The saying is reflective of Trenton's manufacturing history in the early 1900s.

And 3 hours later I arrive home. Why do I do it? Easy, because nothing beats home for the holidays. Besides, look what welcomed me when I walked in to my mom's...

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree...

If you have the opportunity to take the train, do it! It's a great experience. The train that originates in DC terminates in Boston. Surely, you can find somewhere to go along that line, right?