10 June 2022

Branson Scenic Railway Branson Missouri


 Branson Scenic Railway is a leisurely ride through the Ozarks.

After arriving, we picked up our pre-ordered tickets 11:30 tickets inside the depot then waited outside on the crowded front deck.

Our grandson finished eating lunch--you are not allowed to bring food or drink on the train.


You can sit anywhere that is open. We were surprised to find a dome coach open. Perhaps it was because the air conditioning doesn't do so well in the three glass-topped coaches. But the views great.

The photo below is from the domed coach facing south as we head toward Arkansas on a sunny late Spring day in June.




The short video clip below is from the window above. It should give you some sense of the scenery and the journey in case you are thinking about going. You will hear some old music in the background, which attempts to add 1940s ?) ambience.







You can explore the train between the end diesel locomotives. In this room, there was only one chair.


At the end of the journey, people mill around to take photos. I was surprised at the length of the train. Although the outside waiting area was crowded, there was plenty of room on the train.



The journey takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The website says there are two different journeys. On this one we headed south for about 40 minutes before returning. 

The Ozark Zephyr is a diesel-powered locomotive. The passenger coaches (or cars) are restored and date from the 1930s to the 1960s. If you want the best air conditioning, it felt cooler in the cars with blue or red leather seating--no guarantee that will be true on a future ride.




Some tips

Book online if you can. Tickets are numbered and you board by the number on your ticket.

In 2022, you had to have a paper ticket to board. So, even if you purchased online, you still have to enter the station to collect your tickets.

You can buy tickets inside the depot if available but your number will be higher than those ahead of you.

The station is small. Although there are two restrooms, the line was long and slow when we were there.

Consider mealtimes. We booked the 11:30 am departure. They are very strict about not permitting food and drink on the train. There is a small snack bar on the train with limited options. Cookies were $1.10. You can buy some drinks for $2.00.

Refunds are limited. We purchased tickets the night before but I can't say if that is a good idea.

They do travel on rainy days.

Parking is across the street in a gravel lot north of the station. There is no additional charge for parking.

If you want to eat before your trip and don't have time for a sit-down restaurant, there are fast food restaurants west of the station.

There are restrooms on the train. The toilet stalls are very small. There was soap and water and a few paper towels. There were sanitizing bottles throughout the train.

Smoking and drinking alcohol are not permitted.

They announced that no guns were permitted--including concealed weapons--but I did not see them check to see if people had a concealed weapon.


And other notes from June 2022

Most of the passengers were senior citizens. Some children were with the seniors and there were a few families.

Those using a walker or wheelchair board first.

I noticed one conductor and one woman who gave a brief commentary during the first let of the journey.

More Information

Website = bransontrain.com



My website     suttong.com


My videos on YouTube      SuttonTravels


03 June 2022

Phone plans and Phones for Travel





Photo of Tower Bridge taken with Pixel 4. 

PHONE TRAVEL PLANS

I check the major plans and decided Google Fi is best for us. Verizon and ATT seem fine but when I checked, I thought the  Google Fi Unlimited Plus   plan was the best. For a flat fee, I get Unlimited data and texts

I travel to visit family in England so I need a good international travel plan. My  Google Fi plan   worked seamlessly from the time I turned it on when arriving at Heathrow for the 4 weeks in many English towns and villages and on return to Chicago and home in 2021.

Before leaving, I switched from the low cost   Flexible plan  to the  Unlimited Plus plan. On my return, I switched back to the Flexible Plan.

In England, I called or texted my cousins or message them over unlimited WIFI. I was able to buy rail tickets, museum tickets, and uber rides easily.

On previous trips, Google Fi service popped up on cruises when we were near an Island in the Caribbean.

I had no problem uploading photos to the   Google Photo site.   Uploading videos takes more space so if you shoot a lot of 4K videos you may need to add   inexpensive storage.

PHONES

My current phone is a Pixel 6.

I decided against the Pro version because of the cost. And no phone can get the zoom length of a camera.

Note, lower cost options are available for reconditioned phones.


Of course, you can use other phones like the impressive    iPhone 13    and  Samsung models. One of my English cousins has a Samsung note, which is interesting-- my wife and I both owned Samsung notes in the past and were happy with them. The new Galaxy 22 series is worth a look.

WHY I STILL USE A CAMERA

I admit that the three phones mentioned above take awesome photos but the long optical zooms on cameras and easy pop in spare batteries allow me to get better photos and videos without running down my phone battery.

I use a moderately priced point-and-shoot camera and carry a spare memory card and batteries.

I have been happy with a Panasonic Lumix Camera with 4K video. Mine is a little old but still works fine. 

Newer versions like the  LUMIX FZ2500 offer a 20x optical zoom. 

Memory cards are inexpensive compared to buying more memory on a phone.

It's a matter of choice of course. Phones can do a lot and reduce what you have to carry.


Note. Just because I have had a good experience I cannot guarantee anyone else will.


 Phone Accessory Gift Ideas for Travelers

Memory: Buy the largest phone memory you can afford unless you are using a separate camera with inexpensive memory cards.

Zoom: Consider. Better phone models are larger and have better cameras. They cost more and may not be as good as a camera.

Battery: Consider battery life. Location with directions apps and taking videos consume phone battery life. You can buy small phone recharger units called  power banks   --some attach to phones.

Storage: Consider extra cloud storage for large video and photo files

Protection: People drop phones so a case and screen protector are important

Drop Prevention: I use a 24 inch tether  (example)   to my phone case, which has a wrist strap

Adaptor: Consider a cord adaptor depending on your phone charging cord for example C to USB for charging options in some locations.  Examples of USB to C.

Portable Charger: This can be vital when traveling all day. A variety of inexpensive chargers are available.    Examples on AMAZON

Waterproof: Depending on where you go, protection from rain and other water can be critical. I carry a waterproof case.    Examples on AMAZON

Electric Adaptor and Converter Set. I bought a small power bar adaptor and converter set. Some hotels and homes have only one outlet. There are various brands. Example.


Photo of the London skyline close to Tower Bridge taken with Pixel 4




Contents

Google Fi Phone Plan

Google One and Storage

Lumix cameras


Google Pixel Phones on  AMAZON


Apple iPhone 13   Price on AMAZON


Samsung Galaxy 22   Price on AMAZON


Phone cases with  loops example  straps and lanyards

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If you are traveling to the UK, you might find Mind the Gap 2 an interesting, fun, and informative read.



VISIT the UK