My train(s) to Raleigh were due to start at 11pm last night, so we departed at 12:30am. Two hours on the train with a woman who insisted on speaking to me even though I was clearly trying to sleep was followed by an hour of waiting to get into Charlotte, where I had the joy of yet more waiting for the 7am train to Raleigh. I'm now on the train and running on probably one hour's sleep. To be fair, that's better than Vegas.

I crawled off the train at Raleigh and cunningly had my big bag checked in. Amtrak have to hold bags for 48 hours at the destination, which is great as I could carry my smaller bag and day bag with me to check out downtown Raleigh on the R Bus and get some much needed coffee and breakfast. I wandered up the street to the North Carolina History Museum, then took the R Line back to the Amtrak station to meet Jen and Ray, who I'd be staying with for two nights. They took me back to Cary where we talked shop for a while, I showered and we went back to Raleigh to have a drink and some food with Kevin Myers and his wife and Rob Clark. Back at Jen's I watched Dr Who and finally, finally hit the hay.

When I eventually resurfaced, Jen took me out for lunch (yes, lunch) with BBQ pulled pork. Later I took Jen's truck, which is unbelievably big, and drove into Raleigh town centre to check out the natural history museum. I was pretty tired but the drive was fun and the museum pretty interesting. I then went to a suspect park and enjoyed the afternoon sun before going back to Jen's where a hungry Ray took us out for Mexican! Raleigh has been chilled out and just what I wanted. Thanks to Ray, Jen, Dingo, Abie, Emma and Ed for their company!