It's COVID but Brenda felt she did it the safest way possible

[theking]

..by booking a Viewliner and a Superliner..  :

Brenda Nguyen Traveled Solo Across the U.S. by Train During the Pandemic — Here's What She Learned
“What this whole journey has taught me is that I am a lot braver than I think I am.”




Brenda Nguyen didn’t initially intend to take a train across the country. When she accepted a job in California earlier this year, her plan was to take a road trip from Boston to her new home in San Francisco. However, due to the many complications brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, her cross-country move didn’t exactly go as she anticipated. Nguyen will be the first to admit that it certainly wasn’t the quickest or most cost-effective way to get to her final destination, but she told Travel + Leisure that the trip changed the way she views herself as a traveler for the better. And for the skeptics, she documented her entire journey on TikTok.

“I’ve always wanted to do a road trip across the country, but considering how there would be so many stop points and … more opportunities to be exposed to people, that was concerning to me,” Nguyen said. She ultimately decided on the train because it would limit her touch points with people along the way.

Nguyen booked a Viewliner Roomette, which she described as a “cozy and cramped space.” The private cabin has space for two passengers, with a chair that converts into a bed, as well as a top bunk, toilet, and sink, with a shared shower in the hall. Nguyen said she was able to remain socially distant from staff and other passengers for the majority of the trip, and noted that the only time she spent in common areas was the dining cart for dinner. For guests’ safety, Amtrak takes reservations ahead of time and staggers tables, which Nguyen said reassured her sense of safety.

...But first, a two-and-a-half day journey that took her across the rest of the western U.S. She stayed in a Superliner Bedroom on the Zephyr, which is a bit more spacious, since it includes a bed, chair, and in-room bathroom, with both a toilet and private shower. Perhaps most importantly, this train provides stunning views of the Rockies and Sierra Nevadas.

While on the train, Nguyen kept herself entertained with her Nintendo Switch, journal, and, of course, the breathtaking views outside her window. Some areas had limited cell phone service and Wi-Fi, which Nguyen said she was ultimately grateful for. “It was really a time to unplug, reminisce, stare out the window, and soak in all the views. At one point, I had my camera out to take some photos, but I just didn’t want to take any photos anymore because I wanted to take it all in.”

[DuMa]

I did something similar when I was younger. 

Bought them greyhound weekly passes and just took off.  You can go anywhere they travels and has like a week to do it.   Got to see the west to east route.  Stopped at a bunch of cities to explore.  Went from south to north then from mn back to cali.  3 different sessions

met a lot of interesting people.  Too much stories to share.  People who sat in the back are sketchy like kaydoo cooking his pipe behind me or how about ins hoping on board and saw an illegal mexican ran into the desert scenery or how about this one other kaydoo hoping that the bus would stop at place where food stamp was taken.   Like he would buy a loaf of bread and ham and that's his meal for the trip. 

Too many stories I tell ya.  Even fell in love with a few young solo riders but it was all in my head. 

[theking]

Road trip is one of the best way to explore a wide area of land IMO. I fly quite a bit over the years and it's faster to get from point A to point B but can't really explore much...