I could probably write a whole thread about the rail trip, but will concentrate on high level stuff for now.....
We started in Niagara Fall Ontario - took a train to Toronto and switched to The Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver. We did not plan to get off and spend time in one of the towns or cities - or go to Prince Rupert and ferry back to Vancouver, because DH has limited time off - however, if that had not been a factor, that is what I would have done.
The
accommodations - best understood in viewing the official documentation - although the most useful tool I found were some
youtube videos (might have even been on VIA Rails own site) of a couple of young British guys who did all the trains and showed them all in detail. Must be a big thing in Britain, there was a tour of 29 from Britain just in our passenger area.
The train had 25-30 cars attached - all passenger. Each set of 3-4 passenger cards had its own dining car, park car and car where they had tables and games.
The
food - very good - limited selection (Eg 4 entrees at dinner)e, but well prepared.
The
wine - two choices - Cabernet, Chardonney - both Wayne Gretsky's - CAN$7 per glass - decent value
The
company - real salt of the earth people - dining care space it limited, so two-somes double up for dinner - very nice conversations with all of them. There were about 6-12 single guys traveling - some just loved trains - two of them had wives who preferred to fly home - one guy was from France - wanted to see Canada - many retired school teachers.
What sets rail travel apart - the degree of being "unplugged" - no internet, poor satellite signal for phones - this is about scenery, chatting, reading, eating, no place to be, no TV really (one DVD player in game room) - moving from one place to another in an unhurried way. Truly relaxing.
Scenery
Day #1 - Canadian Shield - rocks, trees, lakes
Day #2 - Prairie, plains - fields, cows, farms, quarries
Day #3 - Rockies - beautiful (if you haven't seen Alaska, which is spectacular)
Random thoughts
1. No lock on your room - you don't need it - it takes a couple of days to get used to the idea that no one fears theft - college kids left laptops on their berths
2. Shower at end of hall - thought it was going to be cramped and grungy- but it was spacious enough, brightly lit, hot and sufficient pressure, rarely a wait.
3. No open place to take pictures - every picture is taken through windows (not as clear as the ones I took on White Pass, from an open platform).
4. You meet the nicest people on trains!
5. It actually costs more per day than the
DCL Alaskan cruise
6. We would do it again, but since that was our first trip, we are likely to try Amtrak next year - Buffalo to Chicago to Seattle - getting off for a couple of days in Chicago - maybe Glacier National Park - then back to Alaska. The gentleman from Baltimore, who has riden all the rails, says they are comparable on amenities (although my parents say Amtrak's upper berth has little clearance because of the double decker construction).
So - we probably passed each other on the ship - I was probably pre-occupied with my family and sister - but now and then people remember me because I am somewhat tall and have mostly white hair. One lady in the ship elevator said she noticed me on deck - and I kidded her that it was probably because I was the last woman in America with gray hair, under 60 (for now).
