Ngokukhawuleza xa ndangena kumgca wokubhoda kwiSikhululo soManyano sasePortland, ndaqaphela imiqondiso yamaxesha: iimaski kunye neziphawuli phantsi, ndifundisa abantu ukuba bame phi. Iimaski ezigqume impumlo nomlomo zifunwa nguAmtrak kuzo zonke izitishi, njengoko kugcinwa umgama ofanelekileyo woluntu kwabanye. Kuyafana xa bekhwele oololiwe babo. Ngaphandle kwale mithetho, owasetyhini ngqo emva kwam washiya impumlo yakhe ejonge ngaphezulu kwesigqubuthelo sakhe njengoko wayeqhubeka nencoko emnandi kunye neqabane lakhe awayehamba nalo.

Kodwa ndiye ndazikhumbuza ukuba ndibhukishwe kwenye Amagumbi okulala abucala eAmtrak , indawo apho ndibenendawo yam yokuhlala, en-suite igumbi lokuhlambela elinendlu yangasese kunye neshawa, isinki, kwaye, xa ndandikulungele ukuyibiza ebusuku, ibhedi. Ngamanye amagama, ngaphandle kokuba ndikhethe, ngekhe ndinxibelelane okanye ndibelane ngendawo nabanye abakhweli kuhambo lwam lweeyure ezingama-30 ukusuka ePortland ukuya eLos Angeles. Kumntu onjengam onemicimbi yokuzikhusela emzimbeni ebabeka kwinqanaba elinomngcipheko ophezulu we-COVID-19, ekubeni olu khetho lunika umthwalo ongasasebenziyo woxinzelelo.

Idibeneyo: Olona hambo luLungileyo loThutho lokuya eMelika iphela

Ndisondela eqongeni ngaphandle kwemoto eleleyo, ndakhanyisa amaphepha am kumqeshwa owamkela kakuhle owakwaziyo ukubuyisa uncumo olukhulu, nditsho nobuso bakhe obufihlwe emva kwemaski. Molo apho, utshilo ngaphambi kokuba onwabe ngokumangalisayo. Owu, jonga loo nto! Ilizwi lakhe lavakala ngathi usandula ukuphumelela iLotto. Ukumoto 31 - yeyam leyo! NdinguLinda, kwaye ndiza kuba ngumlindi wekhabhathi yakho ndikuhoye ukuya eLos Angeles. Umoya kaLinda wokuchwayita wawusosulela, undinika imvakalelo yokuqala yokwenene yovuyo kunye nokuzonwabisa ukusukela kuhambo lwam lokugqibela, uhambo oluzaliswe kukutya eHouston emva ekupheleni kukaFebruwari.

Yonke into endikhe ndayifunda ukuza kuthi ga ngoku malunga nokukhwela i-Amtrak ngexesha le-COVID-19 kwakubonakala ngathi kukubeka kwinqanaba lokuhamba ngololiwe okude njengokukhuselekileyo, okrelekrele, kwaye -kungathi ndingatsho-nditsho ndiphumle.

Idibeneyo: Olona hambo luLoliwe lutofotofo eMhlabeni

Ngaba eli lixesha lakho lokuqala kwi Ukukhanya kweNkanyezi yoNxweme ? Kubuze uLinda. Kwakungekho. Ngapha koko, ndathabatha uhambo lwam lokuvula indlela yoluhlu lwamabhakethi ndabuya ekuqaleni kukaFebruwari, ndikhwele emazantsi ukusuka eSan Francisco ukuya eSan Luis Obispo emva koko, kwiintsuku ezimbalwa kamva, ndikhwela uloliwe kwakhona ukuya esiphelweni somgca eLos Angeles. Ngelo xesha, ndandithengile itikiti leklasi yeshishini, ukuphuculwa okuza neebhotile ezimbini zamanzi zasimahla, ikhredithi yokutya ebhodini, kunye nokunambitha newayini kwangokuhlwa. I-Intanethi ibinamabala ngokugqibeleleyo, indinyanzela ukuba ndichithe iiyure ndincoma ubuhle bendawo, ukufunda, nokwenza ngokukhawuleza kunye nokulula izihlobo ngexesha lesidlo sasemini kwitafile yam kwigumbi lokutyela.

Ngeli xesha, ndandikwelinye lamagumbi okulala abucala akumgangatho wesibini weemoto ezimbini zokulala zikaloliwe. I-Amtrak's Coast Starlight yiSuperliner, igama elihombisayo elithetha ukuba uloliwe ohamba kabini-, njengoko bendinokufumanisa, ilungile kwimibono, kodwa inokufumana ilitye elincinci kwigumbi lakho labucala.

Sifike egumbini lam ndachukumiseka kwangoko. Nangona sele iphindwe kabini ubukhulu begumbi lokulala, iikhabhathi zegumbi lokulala zibanzi ngakumbi kunokuba zibonakala kwi-Intanethi. Nangona kunjalo, igumbi laliphantse labekwa umhla-i-nostalgic nkqu. Ibhentshi elisongiweyo lokuhlala kunye nesihlalo sokubukela senziwe ngelaphu elifana nelo ubuya kulifumana kwindiza. Ngapha koko, igumbi lonke lalikhangeleka ngathi bendilindelekile ukuba ndilifumane kwigumbi lokuqala lokuhamba ngenqwelomoya ngenqwelomoya yamazwe aphesheya ngeminyaka yee-1970 (ukuba babenze babankulu). Kwakukho nesinki yokusetyenziswa kwesinyithi, udonga lweplastikhi olubunjiweyo, kunye nendawo yokuhlambela elingana nenqwelomoya ngombhobho wamanzi wokuhlamba ngaphezulu kwendlu yangasese.

U-Linda kunye nomtsalane wakhe onomsindo wathi kum adieu, ethembisa ukuba uza kubuya azokundibonisa izinto ezintsha endizenzileyo emva kokuba ekwazi ukudibana, ukubulisa, kunye nokukhokela abanye abakhweli beemoto ezileleyo kumagumbi abo. Kwaye kulapho ndafika emsebenzini. Emva kokutshixa ucango emva kwam ndavala ikhethini yabucala, ndakhupha kwangoko ibhafu yam esula iClorox. Ndenze umkhwa wokunika zonke ihotele ihotele okanye i-Airbnb endakhe ndahlala kuyo ngexesha lobhubhane ndazisula ngokuzithemba nangokhuseleko lwam. Ndizise owam umqamelo.

Ngamanye amaxesha, ukwenza wonke lo msebenzi ungaphezulu kundenza ndizive ngathi ndingu-paranoid, kwaye phantse ndingawenzi ngeli xesha. Ndaziva ndiqinisekile ukuba u-Amtrak wayephezu kweenkqubo zabo zobhubhane, ingqokelela yamanyathelo amatsha okucoca kunye nokhuseleko ezempilo awaphuhlisileyo kunye neqela labo lezonyango kunye nokhuseleko lwempilo abanamava ngaphambili kwi-COVID-19. Oku kubandakanya izinto ezinjengokucoca zonke izihlalo, igumbi labucala, indawo yokugcina iimpahla, igumbi lokuhlambela, iqhosha, ikhefi, imoto yokutyela, kunye nezinye iindawo ekwabelwana ngazo esidlangalaleni ngesibulali-ntsholongwane esibhaliswe kwi-EPA ngaphambi kokuba uloliwe ahambe - ungasathethi ke ngokuqhubeka nokutshiza nokucima konke iindawo eziphambili zokuchukumisa, kubandakanya igumbi lokuhlambela, zonke iiyure ezimbalwa.

Ndithe xa ndibeka izinto zam phantsi, uloliwe waqengqeleka ehamba. Besiphumile. Kwi-reflex emsulwa, ndadubula efestileni ukuze ndibukele njengoko sasikhwele ngaphaya koMlambo iWillamette. Ngelixa umbono ngokwawo wawungaphefumli, ndazifumana ndibambe umphefumlo wam. Ekuqaleni, uvakalelo lwaludidekile kwaye phantse lungaziwa, kodwa emva koko lwandibetha: okokuqala ngeenyanga ezisixhenxe, bendingayi ndawo nje - bendihamba. Bendinemincili.

Kude kube kweli nqanaba, lonke ixhala lam ngokuhamba ngexesha lobhubhane likwazile ukuntywila into endingakhange ndiyicinge: ulonwabo lokuhamba. Kubomi bam bangaphambi kobhubhane, ndahamba ndaya emsebenzini izihlandlo ezibini ukuya kwezintathu ngenyanga - indawo ekude lee ne-mile enye endandivalele yona eBrooklyn phakathi kuka-Matshi no-Agasti. Ngokukhawuleza, ukuthatha uloliwe ubusuku bonke ukusuka ePortland ukuya eLos Angeles waziva ngathi ulungile. Kwaye, okomzuzwana, yonke into yaziva iyinto yesiqhelo kwakhona.

Njengoko ndandihleli ebhentshini lokuhlala elisongiweyo ndaza ndakhupha ifowuni yam ukuqala ukuthatha imifanekiso, ndakhumbula ndifunda ngamanye amava wama-Amtrak ngobusuku obuchaza amagumbi asandula ukubulala iintsholongwane. Nangona kunjalo, igumbi lam belingenazo iimpawu zokucocwa ngokutsha, oko kundenza ukuba ndenze uhlolo olunzulu kwaye ekugqibeleni ndicime yonke into.

Ukufikelela ku-Amtrak, isithethi senkampani sathi, 'Impilo nokhuseleko lwabakhweli nabasebenzi bethu iyaqhubeka nokuba yeyona nto iphambili kuthi. Ngapha koko, sinomlawuli osisigxina wezonyango kunye neqela likarhulumente lezempilo nokhuseleko abaye bakwizithuba eziphambili kuqhambuko lwe-COVID-19. Sifundile, sahlalutya, kwaye senza uphuculo kumava okuhamba e-Amtrak ukusuka ekuqaleni kuye esiphelweni, sigxile kukhuseleko kunye nempilo yabantu bethu nabahambi. '

Ndine 29 kunye nesiqingatha seyure ukuya. Ndifuna ukwazi ukuba lwalunjani lonke uloliwe, ndaphinda ndabeka imaski yam ndaza ndaya endle, ndavula iingcango phakathi kweemoto ngokusebenzisa uloliwe i-hands-free, i-foot-level release button. Ndiqaphele imiqondiso echaza ukuba abakhweli kunye nabasebenzi kufuneka banxibe iimaski ngalo lonke ixesha ngaphandle kokuba kubucala bamagumbi abo okutshintsha iiposta zeAmtrak ezindongeni. Ndaye ndaqonda ukuba akukho nanye iifestile kuloliwe ezivulekileyo, kwaye ukukhunjuzwa rhoqo nge-intercom kwenza ukuba kucace ukuba abakhweli akufuneki bazame ukuzivula.

Ukuhamba kwimiqolo yamagumbi, kwabonakala ngathi abantu basebenzise ithuba lomgaqo wobuso-babengenasitshixo ngelixa kumagumbi abo njengoko kufuneka, kodwa iingcango zabo zazivulekile. (U-Amtrak wenqabile ukuphendula imibuzo yam malunga nokuba ingaba oku kwaphula umthetho wabo we-mask okanye hayi, kodwa bathi ukwala ukunxiba imaski kwindawo kawonke-wonke kuyakukhokelela ekususweni kwangoko kuloliwe.)

Imoto yokujonga kwiAmtrak Coast Starlight Ityala: UKatherine Alex Beaven

Ukufika kwam emotweni yokutyela, bendixolile kukubona uSandy, igumbi lokutyela, egqunyiwe kwaye esula iitafile. Zonke ezinye iitafile zazinophawu kuyo, eyalela abakhweli ukuba bashiye umnquba ungenanto ukuze bagcine ukudideka ekuhlaleni. Oku kushiye iitafile zokutyela ezintlanu zivulekile (zonke ekufuneka zibekelwe ixesha elithile kwangaphambili). Nangaliphi na ixesha lokutya, ndafumanisa ukuba zintathu kuphela iitafile ezintlanu ezakhe zahlala abantu. Kubalulekile ukuba uqaphele ukuba iimaski azinyanzelekanga kwimoto yokutyela xa zihleli esidlweni, kwaye abakhweli abafuneki ukuba banxibe iimaski kwenye indawo ngelixa besitya okanye besela.

Uninzi lwabakhweli beyihlonipha imithetho, nangona bekukho umntu ngamanye amaxesha osebenzise lo mthetho njengendlela yokuhamba enxibe imaski ixesha elide kwamanye amacandelo, njengemoto yokujonga. Abaqeshwa bayacelwa ukuba banxibe iimaski ngalo lonke ixesha, ngaphandle kwamagumbi abo abucala. Nangona kunjalo, oku bekungenjalo kuloliwe wam. Ndijonge abo bangena egumbini bengena kumagumbi abucala abakhweli abanganxibanga zigqubuthelo.

Ukusukela ukuba uhambo lwam belukhangeleka lwahlukile kwinto endandiyifundile ngamanye amava obhubhane eAmtrak, ndaye ndagqiba kwelokuba ndifikelele kumbhali wohambo uAli Wunderman, owayehambe ubusuku bonke ngololiwe waseAmtrak waseBuilder, ovela eChicago usiya ePortland, eOregon. Ndifuna ukumisela ukuba amava am ayengaphezulu okanye aqhelekileyo. Kwezi nyanga zimbalwa zidlulileyo, ndithathe oololiwe abane ngaphezulu kweendlela ezintathu zeAmtrak, wandixelela uWunderman. Kwaye ngelixa ukhuseleko kunye nococeko zazibekwe phambili ikakhulu nokuba ndandihamba ngoluphi uloliwe, amava ayengalingani. Ndiqaphele ukuba kwi-Empire Builder, umlindi wam wayehlala ecoca imoto, igumbi lam lalinuka isibulala-zintsholongwane xa ndikhwela, kwaye umqhubi wayevakala ngokungathandekiyo malunga nabakhweli malunga nokunxiba iimaski.

Uqhubeke wathi akazange ambone umntu ohamba egumbini engenasigqubuthelo, ngaphandle kokuba bebekwigumbi labo umnyango uvaliwe-kwaye kwangoko, bakhawuleza ukuya kunxiba imaski ngaphambi kokuba bamvulele. Nangona kunjalo, kwiindlela apho izibhengezo zokubhoda zazingavakali kangako malunga nemigaqo-nkqubo ye-COVID, abakhweli babebonakala ngathi abanamdla wokulandela imigaqo. Kwinxalenye enkulu, bekubonakala ngathi ziyalandelwa iiprotocol, kodwa xa abasebenzi babonakala ngathi bayekelele ngakumbi malunga nokucoca nokunyanzelisa umgaqo-nkqubo wemaski, abakhweli basebenzise elo thuba ukungakhuseleki ngokwabo.

Ukutshona kwelanga ukusuka eAmtrak Coast Starlight ubusuku bonke ukukhwela uloliwe Ityala: UKatherine Alex Beaven

Njengokutshona kwelanga kusuku lwam lokuqala, ndandikulungele ukubiza ubusuku. Ndithathe amagqabantshintshi okugqibela ngaphandle kwefestile ndazibuza ukuba zeziphi iimbono endiza kuziphosa xa sidlula ebumnyameni. Ndikhe ndachitha usuku ndibukele umhlaba ongaphandle usiba ngathi yifilimu ethe cwaka, imizuzu embalwa ngexesha. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku kuhambo, bendike ndazimisa kumhlaba oneenkuni zePasifiki yoMntla-ntshona, ndizincamathelisa efestileni njengoko sasirhabula kwimithi esele ipeyintwe ngegolide ephuzi, iiorenji eziqaqambileyo, kunye nobomvu bomlilo. Ndiyayithanda ikwindla, ke le yayiyinto enkulu kwaye yamangalisa kakhulu-ndonwabile onke amagqabi ajikayo, ndisazi ukuba yayikukuphela kombono wamagqabi okuwa I & apos; ndifumana kulo nyaka. Iidolophu ezincinci zokulala kunye nomhlaba omkhulu weefama nazo zahlanjwa ngaphandle, zidibana kwaye zazisa amabali kunye nabalinganiswa ababekhona kuphela imizuzwana. Ngawona mava okugqibela: Phantse nje ukuba ubone into ngefestile, ihambile, emva koko yonke into ekugqibeleni iyaphela mnyama.

Ndiphakamisile u-Linda, owabeka kwangoko ibhedi yam, waqinisekisa ukuba ndilungiselelwe ubusuku, emva koko wandishiya ndiphulaphula incwadi yeaudiyo endiyikhuphelileyo kunye nokuthumela imiyalezo kubahlobo bam ngexesha lokungena kwenkonzo (I khange uzame ukujoyina i-Wi-Fi kule ndawo ujikeleze kuyo.) Kuvele ubusuku oburhabaxa, bugcwele ukungxola kunye nokuduma.

Ukufika kwam kwigumbi lokutyela ngengomso, emva kwexesha lesidlo sakusasa siphelile, uSandy noLinda bandibulisa. Ndithathe ikomityi yekofu esandula ukwenziwa, ndafaka iodolo yam yesidlo sasemini. Ukuqaqanjelwa okungalindelekanga kohambo lwam lukaloliwe yayikukutya- okumnandi nokuzalisa. Babenokhetho olufanelekileyo lokukhetha imifuno kunye ne-gluten-free.

Endaweni yokutya kwimoto yokutyela, ndisebenzise ithuba lenkonzo entsha yegumbi lika-Amtrak kwaye zonke izidlo zam zasiwa ngqo kwigumbi lam ngexesha lokukhetha kwam. Into ekufuneka uyiqwalasele xa ulinganisa i-pros and cons of booking a private room - bonke beza nezidlo zasimahla, kubandakanya ukukhetha iziselo ezihlwahlwazayo kunye nesiselo sakho sokuqala esinxilisayo, kwaye unokukhetha ukutya kwimenyu yokutya okanye uhambe nento engaqhelekanga. kwimoto yekhefi.

Amtrak Coast Starlight ubusuku bonke bokutya kunye nendawo yokuhlambela Ityala: UKatherine Alex Beaven

Isidlo sam sasemini sihanjiswe kanye njengoko singena kulolona hlobo ndiluthandayo lohambo, xa ubuhle bendawo esembindini weCalifornia busanda kunye neewayini zePaso Robles, emva koko basijikeleza macala onke neentaba. Kwenye indawo emva kweSanta Barbara, kungene iyure yegolide, kwaye imikhondo yasizisa phantse emaphethelweni amawa abaleka kuLwandlekazi lwePasifiki. Ixesha lethu lalingenakulinganiswa kwaye lihambelane nokutshona kwelanga. Ikhethini lekhabhathi yam lavalwa, kwaye engafuni ukuba ndiphoswe ngumbono, uLinda waxhuma kwi-intercom yemoto yethu esenza isibhengezo. Nokuba uloliwe uhamba ngokungqamene namacandelo athile ohola wendlela, ezi ziindawo onokuzibona kuphela kuloliwe.

Ngexesha endandinyathela ngalo eqongeni kwiSikhululo soManyano- ngeli xesha eLos Angeles - ndandikulungele ukugoduka, kodwa sele ndilahlekile kuloliwe. Ngelixa iindawo ezininzi zamava am zisilelayo ukuhlangabezana nolindelo lwam, bekukho nezinye ezibagqithileyo.