Day 5 - Manitoba to home, sweet home

Saw a moose in the muskeg, yesterday. Also moved the clocks ahead one hour, for the last time on this adventure.

Stopped to let a passenger off at Sudbury Junction. Sent a text to my (curling) skipper to let her know that of all the people I know in Sudbury (1), I was thinking of her. 

I’m still the funniest person she knows. 

She needs to get out more.

I haven’t addressed showering. There are three sleeper cars in our part of the train. Each one has:

4 single curtained berths - during the day it is a single seat, plus a toilet (with just the curtain for privacy). At night the chair unfolds over the toilet. 

6 cabins with private toilet (door included!), basin, two chairs during the day. At night, the chairs fold up & two berths fold down (upper & lower). 

3 pairs of facing loveseats which convert to upper & lower curtained berths.

There is a separate mens & ladies roomy bathroom.

...and one shower. 

So...if the car is fully occupied, there would be 22 people sharing the shower. Not all at once...it isn’t THAT large!

But only six people using the bathrooms. Although, if I was in a single berth, I’d be using the “public” facilities, as the private one isn’t really all that...private.

Towels are provided as well as soap & shampoo. The shower room is quite large. It has an ante room for changing & a proper shower stall. Push the button & out comes the water. It runs for about 90 seconds. Enough to wet yourself thoroughly & soap up the hair. Push again to rinse. Then soap up & rinse again. No long showers.

Just coming around the top of the Bay (Georgian Bay). You may recall we had massive forest fires in the area last summer. We are passing areas where you can see the the devastation...but also the beginnings of re-growth. We haven’t seen where the hearts of the fires were. Just the outer pockets, where the many firemen & women were able to stop the spread from crossing the tracks in most places. 

We went over Parry Sound or through the town (same name) while we were at brunch/lunch. Home town of Bobby Orr!

The VIA app SAYS we’ll be arriving at Union Station at 5:42pm. 

Passed Bala & beautiful calm waters, blue sky & trees. 

App says arrival is now 5:16

Every level crossing gets long horn warnings from the train. Day and night. They have been few and far between, until now. We have hit cottage country.

Even though we have a room with a view, we have taken to sitting on the love seats on our train. No one has been in/on them since Winnipeg. So comfortable. I’m on one side of the train. Sarah on the other. 

We have actually stopped at Washago - someone must be getting on or off.

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Unfortunately, we arrived just outside of Union Station during peak time, so had to wait our turn to get to a platform.

But! Arrived eventually, got our bags from the carousel. Then out to get a taxi. Which took FOREVER. Roads were closed for the Raptors away game. The downtown area was being transformed into a very large “jurassic park” for the fans to watch the basketball game on big screens.

Dropped Sarah off at her place (and WHOOSH, she was off to the cottage). Sushi dinner with curling team mate (order in), then bed. Don’t recall the head hitting the pillow. So disorientated when I woke up in the middle of the night! Had to think long & hard as to where I was...

But now, it is tomorrow. Up at 5:45am. In the car & on the road by 6:07am. On the verandah, sitting in the sun.

And now. NOW! I am home.

Dorothy was right, there’s no place like home.

Day 4 - Exiting Manitoba, Returning to Ontario

Beautiful Manitoba. It really is. We saw bison but, they were vacationing in Saskatchewan. Lots of red winged blackbirds - my favourites, deer and prairies. That was west of Winnipeg. We also must have gone through the bug capital of Manitoba! The observation car (front window) is covered in bug splat. Eeeew.

It was fascinating watching the transition from prairie to...not. There was a wide valley starting just inside the eastern boundary of Saskatchewan and continuing into Manitoba.

Still six hours late. Now we are east of Winnipeg & it is lakes, trees and pre-cambrian shield.

Welcome to Ontario. Lakes, trees, pre-cambrian shield. 

Regardless of train traffic, it takes over 24 hours to get from the western border of Ontario to Toronto. 

Something I didn’t realize...thought our time zones were tied to the borders of the provinces. Not the case for Ontario. NW Ontario is in the same time zone as Manitoba (Central Time). The rest of Ontario is in the Eastern Time zone. 

Who knew?

A little disappointing...the train no longer goes along the northern edge of Lake Superior. Not that there’s anything wrong with the route we are taking...wherever we are! The north Superior route took you right along the edge of the lake. Trestles high above gorges. Lots of trees, small lakes...and freight trains. Fewer freight trains than yesterday...thank goodness!

We’ve been sitting now, for over an hour...in the middle of nowhere. We stopped while at dinner and were told there’d be a short stop for smokers. I suspect that was a “smoke screen”. A freight train went by about 30 minutes ago at a fair clip & still no movement from us. 

Oh well. Our beds are turned down & it’s a pleasant enough evening. And still 24 hours to go, until we reach Toronto. 

We were told by our new crew (all changed in Winnipeg, in the wee hours this morning) that we can make up time. Yes. I’m sure we can. But doubtful we can make up 7+ hours.

Finally started moving...backwards! After three freight trains. Back out from the spur & then on to the main line.

Hopefully.

Day 3 - Prairies

We have been caught by lots of freight trains...and something which I only thought of when driving...the summer season of road works. It is also the season of rail works. Makes sense. 

We must be over 4 hours late. But...once we start moving again, they believe we can still get to Winnipeg on time! Wonder how fast the train will go, once we start moving...

We were able to get out & stretch our legs at the Saskatoon rail station. Train now about 6 hours late. But glad we got out. Suspect we won’t be in Winnipeg until...well...after bedtime. So no walking there. 

Sioux Lookout...now that was supposed to be around 6am. Stopping for just under an hour. Perhaps we’ll be able to get out then. Be interesting to see how much we’ll have caught up. Currently, still west of Winnipeg...about 5.5 hours late.

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At school, I had many wonderful teachers. They gave the greatest gift of all: The desire to keep learning.

One will get special mention here: Mrs McRae. She taught english in senior school. Doesn’t matter what grade. But she was trying to get across the concept of “magnitude”. I didn’t get it. She said...Think of the magnitude of the skies on the Prairies. I’d never seen them. Not until this morning.

Prairies: Magnitude of the skies

Thank you, Mrs McRae. I get it, now.

Day 2 - Crossing the Continental Divide...and on...

We had the second seating for dinner, which worked out perfectly. A lovely couple from Guelph were seated with us. Lots of laughs. That is one of the (many) fun things I remembered from crossing Canada by train...WAY back when. Meeting new people at dinner. 

Now that I have been aboard a ship...there are parallels. Think of this leg as a land cruise. But maybe with a bit more motion.

There was enough noise that Sarah didn’t hear me get up twice and knock the ladder to (my) upper berth across the passage way. The bunks were comfy...and surprizingly roomy. I was able to sit up to put jeans & socks on to wander down & along to the head (bathroom).

For anyone not aware of how our train system is set up in Canada. The company that runs cargo owns the rails. The company that runs the passenger service...does not. Therefore, the cargo trains have the right of way which causes the passenger trains to be notoriously late. 

Which is what has already happened. We were originally supposed to get to Jasper by 11 or 12. Now they are saying we’ll be there by about 2pm.

Amazing scenery, going through the mountains! From brilliant blue sky to moody clouds, mountains, rivers & muskeg. 

We even saw a bear out the window at lunch! The food service manager ran through the train to draw everyone’s attention to it. That’s service!

We had about an hour to get off the train in Jasper & stretch our legs. We have moved to our cabin. And now we wait as a car is removed from the train, before heading to Edmonton. Estimated time of arrival: 10pm.

Time was revised...closer to midnight. 

Berths were pulled down & made up by the time we were back from dinner. So tired, my eyes hurt. So hauled myself up to my second floor apartment, got in my jammies & listened to a book (think I started at 9pm). Stopped at 1am...it is possible I slept through some of it. We were just leaving Edmonton, I think.

Final leg! (Day 1)

Since cutting our teeth on sea planes, way back when in Ketchican, in the back of my mind I was thinking it might be an option in the future.

The very near future. 

After we had the long commute from the ship to Tsawwassen, ninety minute ferry ride, 40 minute taxi ride...it seemed reasonable to look for alternatives.

So...that’s the plan. We booked our flight on the way back from BIG walk on the first day. 

So civilized! Combo flight & sightseeing all in one package.

Clockwise from left: Victoria fly port; flight-seeing; Vancouver fly port

Arrived in Vancouver, where I watched the sea planes take off & land...WAY back when, before heading out to Japan. 

From there, we walked up a very steep ramp from the sea plane docks (low tide!), to get a taxi to the train station. Good thing I checked on the internet ahead of time. The trans Canada train leaves from an inland station & not the one near the Pan Pacific Hotel. THAT would’ve been a mistake!

Quick ride to the station. We were able to check our bags to be put in the baggage car & leave our bags that we’d have with us. Still civilized. Then off for a pub lunch, before boarding the train.

Layout of the “Canadian”

What I booked & what I THOUGHT I’d booked...well...let’s just say it was something of a surprize. 

I THOUGHT I’d booked a cabin with an upper & lower berth, with our own bathroom/head. 

A scene from White Christmas?

Room with no view…at least from the upper bunk

We climbed aboard our car & couldn’t find our cabin. Because it didn’t exist. What I apparently booked (sigh) can only be described as two love seats facing each other. With an upper bunk which will be dropped down at night time.  I suspect this will be like a scene out of the movie “White Christmas”. We’ll see.

In the meantime, I’ve asked for us to be moved to an ACTUAL cabin. One will become available in Jasper, tomorrow.

Until then...we’re going to live the life of movie stars. Or at least the characters they play. 

The good news is...we have our table booked for dinner tonight. At least we will be fed!

And I have biscuits from the ship & a package of Walkers’ shortbread. We’ll survive.

Day 2 & 3 - Victoria

How unusual...three days in a row AT THE SAME PLACE!

Wonderful to explore Victoria on foot. The only plan we had, was to meet a cousin of Douglas’ who lives here, for a high tea/lunch at the Empress Hotel. 

Tea at the Empress Hotel

Before that, we’d heard a ship’s horn, so wandered over to the port to see it dock, but we were too late. Apparently there are three more ships expected today, so all is not lost. 

On the way back from tea/lunch, we stopped at the Bateman Gallery. Robert Bateman is an artist originally from Toronto, but now makes his home in BC. 

As an aside, I shouldn’t put off making notes of what we do on any particular day! What did we do & on what day?

Oh well...digging deep into the memory banks, the key seems to be (sadly) what we did for meals.

Breakfast has been fruit in our rooms...that’s easy to remember. 

On day 2 (Saturday) started as mentioned above & finished up with a walk BACK into town. The one thing I have wanted (even more so since leaving Japan) is sushi. Apparently not REAL sushi, but our Canadian version of it. So on the recommendation of a lady here at the hotel, off we went. It was sooooo good. And not a squid or snail in sight!

Day 3 (Sunday), no cruise ships in port. But we still had some excitement...laundry! Last laundry until we get home. Walked to a tapas spot recommended by a family for lunch. Afterwards a short hike to Craigdarroch Castle. Similar to Casaloma in time & structure. Sadly, the fellow who built it (Dunsmuir) died before moving in. His wife enjoyed it for 18 years, though. Built on top of the hill, it would have had stunning views. 

Yummy tapas

Dinner, this time...we were looking for a place with a harbour view & TVs to watch game 2 of the NBA finals (Raptors). The first place on our list was fully booked with a wait time. We walked out at the same time as another pair. They overheard us chatting & said we weren’t missing much & that it was over priced. They asked what we were looking for & suggested a place we’d already been to. Then we were directed to another spot...just down there, turn right and up a block. Very nice folks, so followed their advice.

The directions were close...except if it was a block, it was a very long one interspersed with a fair number of crossroads. But it was yummy. Boisterous and had TVs with the game on (it was close, but we lost).

Back to the room(s). Time to re-pack and get ready for the last leg of this adventure.

What’s next? Wait & see!