After ringing in 2023 in Cincinnati, we decided to do something a bit different this year. My wife amassed quite the stash of Amtrak points over the past six years, and we have redeemed almost all of them for a bedroom on the Coast Starlight train from Los Angeles to Seattle--an estimated thirty-four hour journey--and then two seats on the Cascades train the following morning from Seattle to Vancouver, BC. I expect that we will pass into 2024 somewhere in Northern California or Southern Oregon.

The most recent review of the Coast Starlight train that I could find is from two decades ago, so I think that writing this report will be worthwhile. And taking a page from the prolific JapesUK, I'm going to try to keep this report more or less live.

The first order of business is getting to LA, and so I type this as we prepare to head to JFK. Our trip is off to an auspicious start, as our upgrades to business class cleared last night--I'm glad that we didn't bite on the $242 upgrades that we were offered yesterday.

Next stop: the Greenwich Lounge at JFK.