Train ride 1 is accomplished! Cannot believe more people don't travel by Amtrak. They have huge almost fully-reclining seats, the most legroom in the known world, and only moderate numbers of screaming children! Downside is 30hr journey length and actual freezing nighttime temperatures. Have reworked my proposal to DAS: in order to save the world's environment, America's offices need to stop pumping every last piece of warmth they contain out into the atmosphere. Then a) I will be warm and b) I will not be drowned by rising sea levels.

Made it to Chicago about midday today, having used train-time productively to read several novels and practice my cold-management skills for any future arctic expeditions. Went to the Aquarium and saw some thoroughly disgusting looking fish (let's face it, the only reason any of us go...) and dolphins doing tricks! Very excited. Have just gopt back from my evening architectural boat tour, and now understand the difference between art deco, modernist and post modernist buildings, with a bit of classical modernism thrown in. Highly educational and much fun. I hope to bore you all thoroughly with my new building-spotting techniques.

Tomorrow my plans include several exciting elements:
A) trying not to patchily burn any more flesh. I shall be piebald by the time I get home. Much like a pony (but less smelly)
B) Going to the natural history museum to see the DINOSAURS! Raar.
C) Going to the Gallery of contemporary art to sneer at / admire it alternately.
D) Buying a blanket before I get back on the train. Or a tent. One or the other.

Next stop, a mattress on the floor in Glenwood Springs (they have abiker convention there, and it was the only way they could fit me in. At least I pay reduced rates!!!)

PS. Zoe - I went to Chipotle! It rocks!

The end!
Bye!