Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 October 2016
As is common on returning from the USA our flight home is an overnight trip so we have much of the day free in Boston until late afternoon.
We decide to head out once we have to check out of the hotel, but they will store the cases and we will go and find some lunch and then return to the hotel in plenty of time to be collected for the journey to Boston Logan airport.
We did make one mistake – I had suggested we go and see the Boston Tea Party Museum but in the light of our experiences in Salem decided it would probably be overdone so we agree we would not go there. We later heard that we had missed a treat from fellow travellers – so if we ever get to Boston again we must do it (although that seems unlikely). So if you are in Boston do not miss the Tea Party!
Jackie had previously identified the best place for a proper American burger, which happens to be in the old area of North Boston we visited yesterday, so we know where we are going. We then go back to Quincy Market for a wander around running into some of our fellow travellers before returning to the hotel. This time we walk it in both directions and again the weather is pleasant and conducive to a gentle walk through the City.
Summarising some of the distances we have travelled:
London – Boston is 3272 – so 6544 miles.
Boston – Falmouth return is 154 miles.
Boston – Portland is 106 miles.
Portland – North Conway is 63 miles.
North Conway – Salem is 121 miles.
Salem – Boston only 16 miles.
So known distances total a little over 7000 miles plus the mileage on the trips across to and around Martha’s Vineyard, to the two railways and around the White Mountains. All without difficulties or problems.
Unlike our return from Australia our journey home is relatively smooth and we are back from another long promised holiday. Still many more to go!
Really enjoyed all of this trip. There were more trains than some of our holidays which was welcome – but they were digested alongside some of the parts of the USA which have more history being the first settlers and more recently the Boston powerhouse which drove the Kennedy family to prominence. And our prime aim was to see the famous autumn colours which we may not have captured – but we certainly saw. The whale watching was a bonus after the problem at the end of the Canadian trip! And by and large we enjoyed some excellent weather – warm sunny days throughout most of the trip which always adds to the enjoyment. The tour was well organised and it operated very smoothly.