I (Rae speaking) was thrilled when I found out I’d been selected for the Amtrak Road to The Root 100! I mean, I love the Root, our blog has been featured on a few of their lists and I read the site daily.
Each year, The Root releases its “The Root 100”, a list of the most influential African Americans ages 25-45 and throws a fete in New York City in November to honor influencers and Fly People, like Shonda Rhimes, Kevin Hart, Jay-Z, Kerry Washington, Beyonce Knowles, and many more. I took the Acela from New York City to Washington, DC to handle some last minute errands in preparation of the coveted event. And arrived back in great time to attend The Root 100 Gala!
Here’s how it went down. I had not taken Amtrak in years, but I was extremely excited due to all the good things my commuting, jet-setting friends raved about. Can I honestly say all that praise was justified? Yes, 100 percent. As I pumped through Penn Station headed towards my allocated track, I began to feel at ease with how easy it was to navigate my way through this maze of busy commuters. I hate feeling like a tourist, but the Amtrak information booth was helpful and accurate. Checkmate. I rushed with the crowd towards the train. Yes, I was ready. As I stepped aboard the train car I was surprised to see how great the set up was… Outlets were at every seat, conference tables for holding meetings were strategically placed throughout the car, a cafe car was available to grab a bite to eat, and they had my favorite feature available – free Wi-Fi. I was in professional heaven! And the overall ride? It was about as smooth as one would imagine it could be.
But the absolutely best feature? I was sitting in the Quiet Car, which means the chatter of phone conversations that nobody wants to hear was forbidden. YASSS! I didn’t want to hear your arguments, business chatter or your weekly call to your mom, and now, I don’t have to!
#Jackpot
The trip back to New York was even better, as it seemed I had the entire car to myself! I put my feet up, plugged my laptop in, tuned into my playlist and rode in complete comfort. Acela definitely delivered the speed I expected and the convenience (I think) I deserve. I truly experienced business travel upgraded. I seriously can’t wait till my next trip! With outlets at every seat, conference tables for holding meetings and cafe cars to grab a bite to eat, Acela delivers the speed you expect and the convenience you deserve.
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Amtrak via The Root. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Amtrak.
-Stay Fly!
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