The great Canadian train journey
Got myself to Toronto train station at a very early hour and waited to board what would be my home for the next 50 hours – oh man it seems as crazy to be on a train that long.
It was actually a very cool couple of days – managed to even get some sleep – which is a fairly difficult feat and by the second night i had sussed the optimum position for most comfortable and cramp free way to sleep.
The first part of the journey was fairly uneventful until the first smoking stop at Carpeol ( i think that was the name) and met my fellow smoker Kelly we went on a mission for Timmy H but alas could not find him so will have to make do with crappy Via coffee for longer. Turns out Kelly was sat in front of me and became my new best friend whether she liked it or not.
Not much you can do on a train except get to know your fellow companions, read and listen to music. Towards the end of the first day i had finished my first book – so glad i brought two of the thickest books i could find.
That evening was entertained by X Men 3 which isnt that great a movie but it passed an hour or two and then time to grab some sleep with one very thin blanket – lasted an hour before i had to ask for another man its so cold here.
Day 2 came around and met more people at the smoking stop in Sioux Lookout which was very very cold and the ground covered with snow and ice and snow and ice!! Danny and Ali were sat in same carriage as Kelly and I and we spent most of the day again reading and chatting and heading up to the skyline car for some scenery.
We got into Winnipeg early afternoon and had an hour to kill. Again Kelly and I went in search of Timmy H but again he was no where to be found. Think the first thing we do in Edmonton is go on a hunt. Winnipeg didnt seem that interesting and by all accounts isnt a great place so glad i didnt get off here. We decided when we were back on the train to do some ‘fine dining’ and head to the carriage to eat dinner.
Its very posh in there and you need to reserve a seat as its mostly for the 1st Class not us lowly coach class. Well dinner was $30 for a 4 course meal not too bad and actually had a pretty good meal – soup, pork tenderloin and the biggest chocolate torte slice i have ever seen. But it was a nice meal and the most i have eaten in a day in a long long time. Very full and content we headed back to the guys and the skyline carriage where a game of cards was being taught by three girls. I ook one look and asked ‘is that shithead?’ and the answer were cries of yes wow someone knows we arent making this up. turns out they were taught it back in the UK when they were over there and so the game that took up most of my time at College has made it across to Canada.
Feeling nostalgic i entered into a few games – i have to admit it took a while for the rules to completely come back but once they did i was off and away. As the guards were sick of people asking they made another smoking stop in some place called Melville which was mega mega cold.
After some laughs and giggles back in the sky line car we headed back to our seats the journey almost over. It actually doesnt feel like its been a day and a half – you almost feel like you are in a time warp and that time has stood still whilst you speed across thousands and thousands of miles.
One last smoking stop was in order and Kelly woke us all up at 1am in Saskatoon which we were all very asleep for – i dont really remember getting off the train at this point but i have photos that say i did so well.
And finally after 2 days the train pulled into Edmonton and reality again. We said goodbye to the guys who were on the train until Vancouver – another day! and Kelly and I headed into downtown to the hostel where we dumped our bags and found the elusive Timmy H two blocks down.
And that was the end of my great train journey – met some cool people read two books and fine dined and generally sat on my arse and checked out scenery. If you ever get the chance to do this journey its totally worth it and much more fun in coach class.
Tags: Canada
Administrator
Leave a Reply