Silver Star, Amtrak from NYC to Miami, Winter 2021

How do you travel from New York to Miami? During a pandemic. Fly? Not safe, since we're not yet vaccinated. Drive? A lot of driving for two people. I'd rather read, sleep, watch movies, have Zoom calls. Train? We found we could have a compartment for two with a private bathroom. Let's try it. If we get vaccinated while we're in Miami, we can fly back to New York City.

So how's it working out? Twenty-four hours into the trip, we've seen lots of amazing scenery, varying widely as we go from New Jersey oil storage to Georgia line forests, rivers ranging from the wide Delaware to the narrow St . Mary's that marks the boundary between Georgia and Florida, lots of swamp and Spanish Moss, and the edge of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.

We had a good night's rest, but while we were resting, the Silver Star apparently rested, too. It lost four hours, or 13% of its 30-hour schedule.

The meals have been tasty, especially since they are all included in the ticket price of $784 for two people. The car has a nifty little shower, in addition to our compartment's toilet, sink, and seats that convert into beds. And a picture-window view of the countryside.

The red clay of Georgia gives way to the sandy soil of Central Florida near Lake Beresford and Deland.