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Travelling
Solo
Linda Bailey was the only Section UK member
on a Section USA Friendship Week during 2015.
She describes part of the programme which was
punctuated by the occasional travel hiccup.
I
flew out to Chicago
and met up with an old friend made on previous
friendship weeks in Sri Lanka and Canada. Annabella had flown in
from Milan via Paris and sadly that’s where her suitcase was!
Thirty one of us met up at Union Station to catch the Californian Zephyr
which was due to leave at 1400. We complain about our trains - this one
didn’t leave until 1700! We anticipated arrival at Salt Lake City at 2300
the following day, however, owing to many unforeseen circumstances,
we had an extra night on the train and pulled into the Utah city at 1100
the next morning.
We were given a guided tour of the city which included Temple Square,
the State Capitol Building and the Olympic Park of the 2002 Winter
Olympics. Later, I accompanied Annabella to buy clothing. (It was actually
three days before her case turned up in Chicago and was delivered to La
Quinta ready for our return).
We travelled to Montpelier, Idaho to visit the National Oregon/California
Trail Centre. Then on to Jackson, Wyoming and witnessed a ‘cowboy fight’
before heading to the Million Dollar Bar where the bar stools were saddles.
The photos taken during the visit can only hint at the the stunning
beauty of the mountains and lakes of Grand Teton National Park, and
Yellowstone National Park with its hot springs, waterfalls and river.
We stayed in Glacier Park Lodge in Glacier National Park, Montana.
Yet another amazing place - the highlight being climbing the Going-to-
the-Sun Road in a Red Ford Jammer, an original stretch limo holding
seventeen passengers.
Boarding the Empire Builder train we wondered if our return to Chicago
would keep to time. No, - only five hours getting in – 2000 instead of
1500!
Some of the group bade farewell at the
station, others made arrangements to meet
for breakfast. Back at La Quinta, Annabella
was reunited with her case. I was looking
forward to a few days in Chicago with
some new friends.
What an amazing time we’d had.
Linda Bailey,
BTP Branch
Linda’s article made news in
Section USA’s ‘National Reporter’.
The front cover showed the group
on the ‘Going to the Sun Road’,
Glacier National Park.
Old Faithful
Baby Moose
Grand Teton National Park
Temple in Salt Lake City
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POLICE WORLD
Vol 61 No. 1, 2016
Article