I realize I have posted these blogs really fast and some of you are having trouble keeping up. I did this because I wanted to tell the whole story but split it into parts so it wouldn't be too long to read. Here are the links for the firstfour parts in case you missed one of them.
Part I - The crazy Lady
Part II - Dazed and Confused
Part III - Sights, Sounds, and Tastes
Part IV - Scooting Around Town
Part V - Homecoming **THIS BLOG**
Knowing I had a long train ride ahead of me, I slept in Monday morning. I left the hotel around 1PM heading back toward the Jacksonville Amtrak station. I stopped on the way fist to eat and then to buy a blanket and some snacks for the train. The rental car company dropped me off at the train station right on time - I had maybe 30 minutes waiting in the station for the train to arrive. Oddly, I met a guy traveling with his 5 year old son who lives maybe a mile or two away from me. Sometimes it really does feel like the world is too small. He was sitting in the seat in front of me on the train and we chatted a bit on the way back and even watched Spiderman 3 on my laptop.
There was also an interesting couple in the seat across the aisle from me. I'm gonna guess that they were in their early 60s and it just happened to be the guy's birthday. They were very caring and considerate toward each other, and seemed to be very much in love even though they had been married for more than 20 years. I know that shouldn't seem odd, but believe me it's a far cry from what I'm used to.
Since I got on the train earlier than on the way down to Florida, I had the option of eating dinner in the dining car. Train food is not the best, but it's not the worst either. I had baked chicken, green beans, and a small salad. It was overpriced, but still it was warm food and something to do for an hour. I sat at a table with the couple I mentioned earlier and got to hear more about their lives which was interesting. Sitting in the seat next to me was a lady who lives in New Jersey and commutes two hours each way to work in New York City. She was actually on the same train that I rode down on Friday (she remembered the crazy lady), but in a different car. Again, small world. Her and I were both heading to work in the morning after an all night train ride. I reached Union Station at 6:30AM, got my bags off the train, and headed for my car. Another nice thing about Amtrak is that they don't really make you check your bags. The one I had wouldn't have been too big for a plane, but I took it with me on the train and saw people with even bigger ones. I was a little worried about leaving my car parked for 4 days in the middle of DC, but it was fine when I got back. The parking cost half as much as the train ticket, but I didn't really have any other options with my schedule being so tight.
Driving my car again felt good. The rental car I had in Florida wasn't very nice, but it got me there. Then 15 minutes into my drive home, my XM Radio goes blank. Of all the times for my subscription to run out, why now? 
I tried to call and have it turned back on, but it was too early so they weren't opened yet. :( I had to listed to the staticy radio all the way home. :cry: Is staticy a word? I guess I lived through it though, and I had my XM back up and running by lunchtime. I made a quick stop at my house just to give my 3-year-old a hug and then headed straight to work. Although the train ride back was much, much, much smoother than the one down, I was still feeling pretty sleep deprived by afternoon. I made it through the day though, and slept like a log that night.
Well that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed reading about my psychotic trip to Florida. I guess I'm pretty spontaneous to be able to do all of that with only 2 days advanced notice and on a three day weekend without taking any time off work. So how about you - what is your level of spontaneity? Can you just pick up and go or do you have to plan things out way ahead of time?