So we departed DC and got on a train to Charleston. Given the distance between DC and Orlando, we wanted a short-ish break somewhere in between and decided upon Charleston.
It seems that the permanent status of Amtrak trains is late. It's just a matter of how much. The ridiculous length of the freight trains in the States means that if you have to wait for one to pass the other way it can be a lengthy delay. Anyhoo, the upshot is we got into Charleston about 90 minutes late. Thankfully we got to check-in before the staff left for the night!
The hostel was cool. It was effectively two houses turned into various rooms. Our bed was very squeaky, but comfy. Bagel breakfast and free use of the washer/dryer was a bonus.
The weather? MUGGY! I am certainly not designed for that level of humidity! We did hide in a coffee shop for 3 hours to avoid a thunderstorm. At the moment, it seems that when it rains, it really rains!
We got around by using the free 'DASH' trolley service, which was a real time saver. Downtown Charleston is not huge, but the trolley made getting to the separate destinations much easier.
Charleston is very quaint, steeped in revolutionary and civil war history. We visited a slave mart, where slaves were bought and sold. Chilling to think human beings were bought and sold where we were. We also visited 'Rainbow Row', a very pretty row of houses painted different colours.
We took a tour of an old jail, used by us pesky Brits back in the day to lock up non-compliant Yanks. Our guide was dressed in old-timey garb, which always seems a nice touch.
So Charleston is definitely a place to spend a few days in if you like your history. Plus it was quite a change from all the big cities we have stayed in thus far.
The worst part of the trip? We had to catch a 5.06am train from Charleston to Orlando, which meant getting up at around 3.45am. Fine for doing that again!
Jess will post about Orlando next. Expect lots of Harry Potter. Until next time muggles...
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