Here in New York City, going on a West bound journey -- often means taking a train to New Jersey. It's not that New Jersey is that far, it's just that people living there have a different mindset than New Yorkers. So for some of us it's a bit like going to a foreign land.
I have an aunt that actually told me one day: "well, I'm going to another country today" --so when I asked her where (and I'm not making this up) answered me: "why...to New Jersey, of course!" As if to say---doesn't everyone know this? But I like visiting New Jersey, I have friends and relatives living there that would not, for all the money in the world--move to New York. They can not understand why I don't want to live there.
To me the journey to New Jersey, it's an adventure all by itself. Since I don't have a car, and don't like to travel by bus, I have to make my way to Penn Station, where I can take New Jersey Transit trains. This to me is a great way to travel, as in a train you get to relax, and can take in the scenery as the train rolls along the various towns, etc. Unfortunately-- most of the trains in use now, are really ancient., and not the most comfortable. They are small and cramped, and not equipped to handle the huge amount of people that use them to get around.
The last time a group of us took the train, we were fortunate to find seats. That was the good news, the bad news was that my seat was one of those decrepit seats with big springs inside, and there was one broken spring, that made it very uncomfortable to sit. The whole trip I had to sit on just one corner of the seat, so as not to get punctured on my backside.
The worst ---was the lack of shock absorbers, as the train went on the rails at high speed, every time the wheels hit a bump, people would be sent flying up on their seats, it looked really funny. And was a constant source of amusement for us, as we were on a trip that would take an hour to get us to our destination.
After a while, I decided to stand up, since--- between the springs on the seat, and the constant bouncing up and down--it was getting quite annoying. By the time we got to our destination, I felt like a milkshake, and thinking that maybe getting a car wouldn't be such a bad idea.
