Phoenix: Live Love Laugh

Canada, Family & A Few Lessons Along the Way

There is something about taking a solo trip that reminds me just how far I have come. This was my third solo Amtrak trip, and this time I was headed toward Canada. Well… sort of. Originally, I wanted to take the train all the way to Ottawa, Canada, where my sister lives. But I couldn’t get Business Class all the way there. Since one of my brothers lives in Syracuse, New York, I decided to turn the trip into a little 2-for-1 special: Syracuse AND Canada. Why choose one adventure when you can have two?

And We’re Off… Sort Of 🚆

I booked Business Class from Wilmington, Delaware, with a transfer along the way before continuing to Syracuse. My adventure started at 11:40 p.m.The station was practically empty. And this is where I learned my first lesson: NEVER AGAIN.

I had indicated when booking my fare that I have a disability and need assistance, but there was no one there to help me board. I also didn’t know exactly where the Business Class car would stop, so naturally, I positioned myself near the front of the train. Guess where Business Class was?

THE BACK. And apparently, we had about three minutes before the doors closed. The attendant told me to just get on and walk through the train cars. Ummm… excuse me? For someone else, walking through several moving train cars while pulling luggage might be an inconvenience. For me, it can be a safety issue. I have balance problems. I don’t like walking while the train is moving and doing it while trying to manage luggage makes it even more difficult.

I booked my ticket indicating that I was a passenger with a disability who needed assistance. I expected assistance. I received none. Amtrak, we need to talk.

Wait… Trains Have Layovers?! 😳

I also learned something new on this trip. Apparently, trains can have layovers. Who knew?! At approximately 1:00 a.m., we had a three-hour layover. THREE HOURS. At 1:00 in the morning. Another piece of information to add to my growing collection of Things Drea Learned While Traveling Solo.

The Maple Leaf portion of my journey made its way through New York with multiple stops, including Yonkers, Croton-Harmon, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, Hudson, Albany-Rensselaer, Schenectady, Amsterdam, Utica, Rome and finally…

SYRACUSE!

Was I staring out of the window amazed by breathtaking scenery the entire way? Nope. Honestly, nothing particularly excited me about that portion of the ride—but I also wasn’t looking for excitement or sightseeing. I had a destination to reach.

And eventually… I MADE IT.

Syracuse Came With a Surprise ❤️

My sister picked me up from the Syracuse train station. Before heading to Canada, she needed a few clothing items for an upcoming European cruise, so naturally we squeezed in a little Burlington shopping. Then we went to visit my brother. And that’s when I got my surprise. Another one of my brothers was there helping him with repairs to his house. I hadn’t seen him in YEARS.

There are some moments you can’t plan. You don’t buy a ticket for them. You don’t put them on an itinerary. They simply happen. And seeing my brother again after all those years was one of those moments. It was wonderful.

Next Stop: CANADA! 🇨🇦

After lunch, my sister and I headed toward Canada, driving across the Thousand Islands Bridge. Ohhhhh, now THAT caught my attention. My sister started telling me about the islands and how beautiful some of them are. I have already made a promise to myself: I am going back. That deserves its own trip. No squeezing it into something else. I want time to explore it properly. Because apparently Third-Solo-Trip-Drea is already planning Fourth-Solo-Trip-Drea’s adventures.

My sister owns 19 acres in Canada, and her newly built six-years home is BEAUTIFUL. But the property? Absolutely lovely. Suddenly, I understood why that woman is ALWAYS outside working in her yard and garden. There is something peaceful about having that much land around you. I even got to drive a side-by-side through the undeveloped portion of the property.

Yes. Me. Andrea.

Driving around 19 acres in Canada. Look at my life. 😂

Exploring Ottawa 🇨🇦 We also spent a day exploring Ottawa.We visited Hog’s Back Park and the falls, Parliament Hill, the Centennial Flame and some of Ottawa’s beautiful historic buildings. For the first time in forever I walked 15,300 steps. This was more my kind of sightseeing, being able to slow down, look around, learn a little history and simply enjoy being somewhere different.

A Short but Sweet Weekend With My Brother

Back in New York, I spent a short but sweet weekend with my brother. We went to church, which made my Sabbath away from home feel a little more like home. We also visited Chittenango Falls State Park, home to its beautiful 167-foot waterfall. The weather cooperated with us for most of the trip—beautiful sunshine mixed with what I like to call a few showers of blessings. Because sometimes rain isn’t there to ruin the day. Sometimes it’s just part of the experience.

And Then There Was Penn Station… 😩

My return trip included Amtrak’s Empire Service back toward Penn Station. And Penn Station? Listen.

TOO PEOPLE-Y.

The experience was completely different and far more confusing than it had been on my way there. People were everywhere, rushing who knows where, while I was standing there trying to figure out where I was supposed to go. I asked several New Yorkers and other travelers for help before finally finding someone in uniform who helped me with my bags and pointed me toward Amtrak. And then there were the escalators. With luggage. I don’t like them.

For someone with my balance problems, maneuvering luggage onto an escalator can be genuinely scary. Eventually, though, I made it to my Business Class seat. And once I was settled? I was okay.

Amtrak, We Still Need to Talk

I enjoy traveling by train. Clearly, I do, because this was solo Amtrak trip number THREE. But traveling with a disability has shown me areas where the experience could be much better. If a passenger indicates that they require disability assistance, there needs to be a reliable way of making sure that assistance actually happens. There also needs to be better assistance with luggage, clearer directions during transfers and greater attention to those intimidating gaps between the train and platform. For some passengers, these things are minor inconveniences. For someone with mobility or balance challenges, they can determine whether we feel independent and confident—or unsafe. Accessibility isn’t about doing everything for us. Sometimes it’s simply about giving us the support we need so that we can safely do things for ourselves.

What Solo Trip #3 Taught Me ❤️

Despite the frustrations, I am glad I went. Very glad. I got to spend time with my sister. I unexpectedly reunited with a brother I hadn’t seen in years. I spent time with another brother. I worshipped. I stood beside waterfalls. I explored Ottawa. I drove around my sister’s beautiful property. I crossed an international border.

I laughed. I learned. I navigated confusing stations.I asked strangers for help. And once again, I traveled solo.For somebody else, that might simply be a vacation. For me, it means something more. After my stroke, coma, brain injury, memory challenges, surgeries, balance problems and all the changes that came with becoming this version of Andrea, independence doesn’t always look the way it once did.

But it is still mine.

I may need help. I may get confused. I may have to stop and ask directions. I may decide that 11:40 p.m. departures from empty stations are officially on my NEVER AGAIN list. But I’m still going. I’m still learning. I’m still exploring. And apparently…

I’m already thinking about the Thousand Islands.

The Adventure Isn’t Over

This trip didn’t make me afraid to travel solo again. Quite the opposite. My fourth solo Amtrak trip is already booked!

North Carolina — August 27, here I come! 🚆

This time I’m traveling with a little more wisdom. I know more about what assistance I need, what questions to ask, where I want to position myself, what I need to confirm before boarding—and what I’m absolutely NOT doing again. Having a disability doesn’t mean I have to stop exploring.It just means I learn what works for me and travel smarter the next time. And there WILL be a next time. Because apparently, this solo-travel thing has become part of my new chapter.

Trip #3: Canada 🇨🇦 — DONE.
Trip #4: North Carolina 🇺🇸 — LOADING…