First Comes Amtrak, then the Rocky Mountaineer.

The first few days of this journey feature long hours and early wake-up calls. The Hawaiian Airlines flight from Maui didn’t arrive until 11:15 p.m. and by the time were got to our hotel in Seattle, grabbed a bite to eat and got to bed it was 2:00 a.m.

The next morning we caught one of Amtrak’s Cascade trains for the four-hour ride up to Vancouver. The service has become very successful and there are now two round-trips a day. Paula and I relaxed in he lounge car as the train skirted several miles of the Puget Sound shoreline.

The following morning bright and early we arrived at the Rocky Mountaineer’s station and boarded one of heir bi-level coaches. Seating is on the upper level and there is a dining area and kitchen on the lower level. The kitchen crew turns out fabulous meals, by the way …

… as we were to find out shortly after our departure from Vancouver. Behold! My very favorite meal, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner: Eggs Benedict.

For the first several hours of this journey, the Rocky Mountaineer passes through the Fraser River Valley with mountains of the Cascade Range providing a stunning backdrop for lush fields and tidy farms.