Just a quick post from the new European train specialists. Well not really specialists, but we know a lot more than we did when we started and that was absolutely NOTHING.

Each train we got better and by the last train today we were in a "quiet zone" a compartment to ourselves with a glass door. This is a great way to travel but very confusing at first. It was an adventure and we actually enjoyed it. Today we made a train with one minute to spare. Jumped on doors closed almost immediately and off we went.

Saw the new AMACERTO and the AMAVERDE with the new larger cabins. Enjoyed Uniworld it was better than I anticipated particularly the suite cabins.
We saw one of the new LONGBOATS of Viking. Tomorrow more trains to visit the Uniworld newest ship, Marie Antoinette. Been a good education.

Looking forward to coming home it has been VERY long days lots of travel and dragging bags around. Be back in the office on MONDAY.

Sounds like the two of you should take a luxury cruise! No packing and unpacking. There are many of us here on this board who can recommend an excellent person to contact! Looking forward to catching up on Shamrock-

We took a train from Florence to Venice a few years ago and really enjoyed it. The ladies coming down the aisle with the drink/snack cart so made me think of the train to Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies. Much different than riding the Long Island Railroad. Have a nice quiet trip home.
--------------------
Helen

make sure you stay together....Doug and I went to different doors/cars and one got on and one didn't...Doug had the tickets and bags and keys to the apartment and didn't get on and I did and I waved to him as I went by with tears in my eyes...He arrived 6 or 8 hours later than I did....after two train switches...

OH ANDI that would have unglued me!!!

" The nice conductress said, "Dry your tears, You are on a non stop first class train have a full dinner, a comfortable first class seat...no luggage to deal with and will arrive in a few hours and have unlimited drinks. Call your neighbor to let you in and don't worry. It's your husband who has to worry. We can chat and play cards for a few hours."

Poor Doug...he was stuck for many hours weighed down with so much luggage he couldn't get to a bathroom or snack bar, got on a second class train with no food, couldn't understand the German announcements or speak German....arrived after midnight....

I think he held up very well and made lots of nice friends but he got the rougher deal...

HE DID get the bad deal!!!!

Lol, same thing happened to me and George in France, except that in addition to the luggage he had 2 boys ages 6 and 11. I was standing on the siding as he and the boys went by. He speaks no French and only had a vague idea of where we were going. Fortunately I was able to explain what happened to the lady at the train station. She radioed ahead and had someone get him and the boys and all the luggage off and sent back on the right train.