23 January

The morning of 23 January dawned – but before that I had been up, packed, showered, dressed and ensured that the room had no material of mine remaining. At the moment I am working on the assumption that as long as I leave nothing behind, I will not lose anything (I just don’t know where it is among the material I am carrying with me). I had also paid my bill – my first experience that a room rate in the US is not what you pay. You have to add other charges, state and federal taxes and room taxes. So my thought that I had scored a bargain missed the bullseye – to be truthful, it missed the entire target. However now I know that I have to add at least 11% to what I am quoted – nearly as good as GST!
Back to the story – the day had not dawned before I took a cab down to the station and got ready to board. I found Australia was not alone with immigrant drivers of taxis. Mine seemed to know the way okay, but not what the funny lights were near the roadway which changed colour meant. We managed to make it to the station in less than half the time it took to get to the hotel.
When we were called to board the Crescent, we had to … you guessed it, QUEUE! I believe Americans must have the patience of Job because it is getting to me already, and I have another thirteen or so days to go on the trains. This time, just to add variation, we had to show photo ID – in exactly the same name as the ticket. Through we went, onto the track, where we were separated into long-haul and short-haul passengers and then we (can I desist using the Q… word, because I’m nearly going to provide it with a colourful adjective?) got into separate lines to show our tickets and ID to board the train.
I had already run into Ben again. He had not slept the night as his friend wanted to show him the preparations for the Mardi Gras, so he was looking the worst for wear. Other news passed on was that some residents whose houses had been damaged by Katrina had received a government grant, but used it for other purposes and were no well and truly homeless. This has contributed to a rise in crime, but as I was asleep all night, it didn’t concern me. I had also run into the Mexican again, but we simply nodded as neither of us could understand the other.
Once on the train (only a single-decker this time, the first disappointment was no power outlets. In just three days I had become spoiled. So I had to be frugal with computer use. The second disappointment was there were more people. Nearly all the seats were occupied (but only one to a double seat, so that wasn’t too bad). Off we went.
The eye-opener were the houses next to Lake Pontchatrain; they were ALL at least two to three metres below the water level. Although the levee bank was obviously between them and the water, to me it showed a faith which I could never hold. The size of the lake was also an eye-opener. I gawked at it as we went past, but everyone else took it as read.
When we were able to go up for breakfast (we set off before 7), I was seated with Joan, a lady from Atlanta who had four children and had sensibly ensured that when they married and set up house, they did so at all points of the compass. She was able to spend much time commuting between their houses, spoil the grandchildren and have a wonderful time before going back to her home when the weather there was clement. The conversation moved to money, I showed her mine ($5 and $50) and she admired the look and feel. A family immediately behind her had a young girl who overheard and was fascinated with the “plaaaastique” money with the Queen of England on it.. She just had to get mum to take a photo of her holding the notes. Her little sister joined in, but despite mum’s protestations, held the notes over her face. Now there will be a photo to embarrass her at a 21st or a wedding! Ray, the travelling website writer, came down at this point and gave me his card. HE declined to be photographed with Australian notes.
After a little more discussion, during which we agreed that if we were both leaders of our respective nations, we could solve the world’s problems, we parted. Back in the carriage, things were definitely quieter than they had been the day before – after all, we were nearly all new to each other.
The scenery was of spindly, bald trees. There was also ivy, which Joan said had been imported from Russia to help bind banks of creeks to stop erosion – and like every other good biological idea, it was disastrous in application. The ivy had become a weed and all efforts were being made to eradicate it (to no effect). The group who did that should be condemned to talk with those who thought rabbits and cane toads were a good idea.
At Hattiesburg MS, a few got off but a few got on. One was a young lady, Ruth, who got herself into trouble by bringing on more luggage than allowed. For this heinous sin, the conductor berated her soundly (but let her keep them). She rolled her eyes and I said, “Don’t worry!” So we struck up a conversation and, after plastic money, we got down to how little she knew about Australia. I showed her some pictures on my laptop and she, being an Arts/Architecture double major, brought her laptop out and explained the troubles she was having opening files. Feeling like I was back at work, I ran through possible solutions – and showed her them in Windows on my Mac. She was amazed, especially that I didn’t have to shut down to start Windows. This information she will pass on to her friend who has a … taa dah dah … Mac! She got off in Birmingham AL and I watched the scenery go by and read another book given to me by a fellow passenger. This book was not as interesting as the last, so I kept dozing off and dropping the book. What kept me awake was the magnificence of the Southern Baptist churches. At first I thought they were large estates, or even high-class hotels – but they were churches. The strikingness of their appearance was made more noticeable by the counterpoint against the poverty evident in the houses around them. When we reached Atlanta GA, my Mexican acquaintance got off to visit his daughter. Then the masses came on! Nearly every seat was going to be occupied, so I lost my “spread space”. Lily, from Philadelphia, sat next to me – she had five children, but four living now, thirteen grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. She had retired from working in a laundry business and now generally helped out looking after the grand (and great-grand) children.
Now, with the carriage nearly fill and picking up more each stop, the study in humanity and the fact that they made a continuous line to the toilet meant I didn’t get much sleep.