My Train Ride Up the Pacific Coast

I took the Pacific Surfliner train north from LAX to San Luis Obispo, CA.

After a 6 hour flight, 45 minute bus ride, and 4 hours waiting at Union Station, one of the last places I wanted to be was on a train for another 6 hours.

After spending almost a full day traveling back from Boston to my apartment in San Luis Obispo, the long commute was becoming apparent.

When I was living in San Diego, it only took 20 minutes in an Uber to get to the airport. Now, living in the Central Coast of California, the journey is a lot longer and more cost prohibitive.

In a way, it's a deeper commitment in my choice to leave the East Coast, along with my friends, family, and everything familiar, to pursue a life on the opposite side of the country.

However, my decision to move out West is consistently reinforced every day when I wake up to warmer weather and knowing I'm never farther than 20 minutes from the beach.

I've driven up the California coast many times via the Pacific Coast Highway, or "PCH", on my way from San Diego to LA, LA to San Francisco, and back down again.

This time, tired and half in a daze, I gaze upon the ocean from the window of my box car.

I look melancholily out my window, thinking about my family and how each hour that passes is an hour further from them.

Music plays through my headphones and I notice the sun going down over the water.

I grab for my phone and press it against the window to record the final moments of daylight.

As the sun goes down, darkness melds everything together and reflects my inability to see what lays ahead of me in this new place.

The last breath of light dwindles on the horizon before the night swallows it whole.

Unsure of what the future holds, but increasingly confident in myself, I crack half a smile, ease back into my seat, and enjoy the ride.