We have left the building

With nothing really planned, we slept until after 8, waking up with the realisation that breakfast finished at 9. Less than an hour to eat 5 courses could be difficult. But not as difficult as the family who turned up in their pyjamas with 15 minutes to go.

We packed and left 5 bags at reception.

Did I mention the heat? It was back again today. We walked a long way to relieve some of Annette's modern history lessons. There was a small house that used to be used in helping slaves escape. It's good to get some kmowledge, and even better when it's air conditioned knowledge.

From here we wandered aimlessly through the heat. Back near our hotel we grabbed some lunch including more sugary liquid goodness in lemonade.  

Memphis is so strange. It's like a big country town but with no people. It could be that they are just too smart to come out in the heat.

Something happened. Can't quite recall as it was a couple of days ago and have been using up my brain cells trying to rewrite posts that keep vanishing.

What I do remember is wandering around trying to find the Gibson Guitar factory. We saw it yesterday not far away but now it has vanished. Finally Annette asked somebody and we were a few blocks off. 

Once again the relief of air conditioning was sensational. We booked the last tour of the day, and with an hour to kill went shopping in Beale St.

Since the revelation this morning that we get 2 bags, not 1, to take home, things have changed. And with money left in the budget, the last 2 days could be dangerous. 

Grabbed some last minute shirts and prints and of course harmonicas, and did some of Santa's work early.

Barely having scratched the surface shopping, it was time for the tour. Armed with giant safety goggles we saw the process involved in making guitars. It was sad to hear that those guitars that aren't perfect get demolished. Standards are high to reflect prices.

Once again, leaving air conditioning for the outside world was a shock but we entered enough shops back at Beale St to cool down.

With no need to be at Amtrak until 920pm, we hung back at the hotel for a while before heading out for pizza. The place was packed and it took a while to get seated . Once there we ordered and then waited forever to get food.

Did I want a 12 inch pizza to myself? No. Did I eat it all when it eventually came? No. If you leave a tiny bit of crust, your conscience is clear.....until you eat the cheesecake.

To the surprise of staff, all of the luggage behind the counter at the hotel was ours.

Not much was happening at the station. Judging by the sign pointing to platforms 5 to 9, where there were no platforms, this used to be a big station or they just go by Wayne Whiteley's mantra of build the sign and they will come. 

The double decker train arrived just as the fuelling truck drove in and we lugged our 5 various items up stairs only to find somebody trying to muscle in on our cabin. Problem solved, but now the next problem. How to get our luggage and us in the cabin.

As the designated window seat sitter, I scored the top bunk. I would describe it as being buried alive. 

We hurried to the one shower for the carriage. I followed instructions and had a wonderful, not hot shower. Apparently instead of 2 instructions they needed 3. Annette got the hot water that I was deprived of.

Then it was sleep time. Of course our beds have been made in the wrong end so the reading light switches were at the wrong end. I proceeded to rub my left eye and lose my contact lens somewhere in my eye. Good luck trying to find it and get it out in the dark, or trying to find the light switch without getting a severe concussion. Finally I made my way down the ladderless bunk to find a mirror. I think that I had pants on.

There are around 1000 road crossings between Memphis and Chicago. The train whistle blows at every one.

It was not a great sleep.