Having a HomeKit home is easier than you think. An IKEA or Hue gateway connected to your router, a few lamp bulbs, and an iPad or Apple TV to control it all. That, at the least, will give you "Hey Siri turn on the lights".
Many supermarkets in the UK outsource maintenance of their car parks to private firms, who benefit from being able to charge after a certain period has elapsed. It's the same with hospitals, train stations, council car parks. It makes me sad.
I found the food on the Amtrak Coastal Starlight (Seattle-LA) better than expected, and their wines were much better than I expected (comparable to Asian airlines' wines in business class). A pleasant journey all round really.