Guard

Today's the day ........................... to go by train

I've spent the day with this man. I have no idea what his name is - but I think he's wonderful. He's a guard on the train that takes you from Niagara to New York.

It's a journey that takes eleven hours. You can actually fly in about an hour and a half but that would give you no idea of the sort of countryside, towns and people that exist between the two places. The train was very comfortable with big seats and lots of room between them. Our fellow travellers were friendly - and the guard looked after everybody, making sure that everyone got out at the right place with all their luggage and keeping us updated on all that was happening along the way.

I said that it took eleven hours - but two of them were spent motionless on the Canadian/US border. This is when the train was boarded by the US Customs and Immigration officers and all of a sudden the friendly train took on a much more sinister atmosphere. We all had to produce our passports and other documents - and answer lots of questions to satisfy the black uniformed, gun carrying team of law enforcers.

Even the guard looked a bit uneasy ..............