Travel Planning Take 2

It didn't take long for me to realise that simply deciding "this shall be my route" is not all there is to planning an epic train journey.  Reality is beginning to set in (and not just the reality that I'll be doing all this solo, and will have a huge suitcase to lug behind me the whole time).  I'm going to have to think of a definite plan (there I was thinking I could just say "hey, this city looks nice, let's jump off here"), the time frames involved, and see just what exactly I can afford.  This means making the dreaded journey onto my online bank account - always a depressing venture!


Rather than face all the "grown up" aspects of my adventure, however, I've just been planning the route more thoroughly.  Much more fun that way!


Turns out I can't have the specific journey I want, so I've started over.  Still trying to get from Indianapolis to Orlando, but then carry on from Orlando and fly out from somewhere else.  I had a lot of fun on the Amtrak website and their interactive route atlas.  I thought the site wasn't as easy to maneuver as I'd have liked, but it was acceptable.


I can have 12 segments of travel, within a 30 day period, for $649.00 (approximately £420).  A segment of travel counts as when I get on, then off, a train.  So if I have to change trains as part of my journey from A to B, then that will count as multiple segments.  For example, if I am travelling from Orlando, Florida to Charlotte, North Carolina, I will have to change at Cary, North Carolina.  This will then be two of my segments.


My latest (ideal, but probably still unrealistic) route is as follows -


*Finish at camp*

Indy (Indiana) - Cincinnati (Ohio)

Cincinnati (Ohio) - Charleston (West Virginia)

Charleston (West Virginia) - Charlottesville (Virginia)

Charlottesville (Virginia) - Richmond (Virginia)

Richmond (Virginia) - Savannah (Georgia)

Savannah (Georgia) - Orlando (Florida)

*Go to Star Wars convention*

Orlando (Florida) - Cary (North Carolina)

Cary (North Carolina) - Charlotte (North Carolina)

Charlotte (North Carolina) - Birmingham (Alabama)

Birmingham (Alabama) - New Orleans (Louisiana)

New Orleans (Louisiana) - Memphis (Tennessee)

*Fly home to the UK*

If I stick with this route, (which is not wholly likely given the time frame I have), I will have the opportunity to visit seven new states.  Not quite as good as my original plan of eleven, but still a significant number!

So there you have it, the fruits of the last couple of hours of my life!  Is there anything you suggest I do if I make it to those cities?  Or places you recommend I go instead?  Birmingham, for example, is just on there as it was a big city in Alabama on the train route!

All the best,

Charli