The best intentions

I am traveling this week from San Francisco to Boston to New York, then back (more on the trip some other time), and had booked a simple itinerary to get around.  While in Boston, two colleagues of mine mentioned they much preferred the train to NYC over the flight, since it ends up being about the same amount of time.  As a frequent traveler, I’m all for anything that is an easier journey, and the described train ride sounded quite blissful.

It took less than 10 minutes from leaving the station (maybe less than 5) for me to realize how much of a bad decision this was for me.  I’m sure many folks find it more relaxing, less rushed, etc etc.  I am sitting here pulling hairs out of my beard, one at a time.

First, I can’t do email because the bumpiness is causing a ton of retyping and this is about all I can bear.

Tried watching TV using my Sprint PPC6700 tethered to my Vaio to watch my Slingbox.  Was painful, but killed an hour until I couldn’t deal with the dropouts anymore.

I’m sitting at an angle, because I’m too tall to have the laptop right in front of me, so I’m sure I’m putting a nice crick in my back.

I had a hot dog for dinner (Hebrew National at least).

It’s just one of those things where you realize how different people are.  Me?  I’m perfectly fine with a drive to the airport, dealing with security, boarding, flying, etc.  Maybe I’ve just done it so much (~175K miles on the year).  Maybe I like “the action” of it. 

I think, at the end of the day, when you have a short flight you may spend “as much” time as you might on the train, but you only have to kill an hour or so.  The ~4 hours on Amtrak is just too much for me.

Plus I think I feel a little safer in the air.

ps – to make matters worse, I forgot my DVD pack at home, so the only thing I have to watch is Monty Python and the Holy Grail – great flick, but you do have to be in the right mood for it.  I’m listening to the Director’s Commentary this time through.