Today is SHEP20715 birthday....wish him a H.B.

Would you like to be buddies?

Welcome aboard buddy, have a nice day

I sentyou a buddy request awhile back..Some messages don't go thru. Did you get my invitation? Thanks

Hi, jtfftj! I just wanted to wish you the Happiest Birthday, ever! I hope you're doing well and thank you for being my Gas Buddy.

I'd like to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2013.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your whole house, my friend.

I see about half of what I wrote was posted! Dave

I think the empire builder is the old Great Northern line. The one from Chicago to the Pacific Northwest. When it gets to Glacier NP, it gets dark and the rest of the way coming and going! So ALL of the best scenery can't be seen! What I wanted to talk to about was going to Japan. It is fabulous! Everything was by way of train,except city bus in town. The reason I say that is because I have been to 75 countries. If you are able I would suggest you go over there for at least a week, two would be much better. You can do the math to see if it could work out. Call or email the JNTO/ Japanese Nation Tourist Organization, they have about 10 of them in the USA. Also ask them to send you a tourist package! They are free as far as I still know. They can tell you a one or a two week exchange order/rail pass would cost and the airfare are the 2 biggest costs! Almost all of it would be by bullet train with your pass. I think all but one of these are on the bullet train line. See the best shrine at

Hi: I saw the derailment on your pic and thought it was an old covered wagen! Which I haven't seen since the early 1980's. The three most interesting places I've been on the train would be Japan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka! The ride from Olso to Bergen in Norway is pretty good too! In Japan I had a 3 week rail pass which cost me $700 in 1996. It was good for everything except the fastest shikansen. I was able to circle the 4 main islands. In Malaysia in 2001 it cost me, I think it was 27 Ringgit, $7- to go almost all the way across the country! In Sri Lanka one of the train rides cost about $.07. I remember seeing some orchids along the way. The train from Kandy to Colombo was about $2 usd but I had to pay a extra $1 to ride in a special observation car. The AC didn't work that well because almost know one used it. When I was there only 2 people were in the car! Dave