Chugga Chugga Choo Choo!!

Gray skies and dormant orchards are what central California is made of in the winter. In the spring the trees come to life and you can see the Sierra Nevadas in the distance, but in the winter everything is cold and gray. The fog here can be unbelievable when the clouds settle in the valley. 

I can think of countless car rides with my sister where we tried to name all of the little towns that are spread between Atwater and Bakersfield. The crazy thing about California is that it is hundreds of miles long, so you can drive for hours and hours and still be in the same state. 

Traveling by train is definitely the way to go. You can get up and walk around, use the restroom, and get a drink whenever you like. Plus, Amtrak has free wi-fi these days. The trip does end up taking an hour or two longer than driving by car, but it is a much nicer journey. 


Today, I'm heading back down to Southern CA to visit friends before we make the long trip back to Dominica. Some of my "must-do's" for the next week include watching the last Harry Potter movie, having several caramel brûlée lattes, and making a trip to the Irvine Spectrum or Marketplace to use a few giftcards that I have tucked away. I'm hoping that there will be some shorts and tank-tops at the stores down south after the first of the year. Wish me luck!