Wednesday 14 September – Jasper-Toronto #1
This morning we both woke without an alarm as early as ever but it was nice just to wake up by the lake at our own pace. Coffee and cereal in the room then the job of re-sorting and packing so that our big bags could be booked through to Toronto.
We then went over to the main lodge and treated ourselves to a latte. Elaine then went on the 3 km walk around the lake while I went back to the cabin to download photos and charge cameras.
Once we had our bags ready we rang for them to be taken to the lobby. The little buggy came and the man gave us a ride as well. We checked out and spent a little time enjoying the ambiance of the huge fireplace and all the large comfy wing lounge chairs in a huge room of stone with wood panelling. Jeanette and Graham arrived with their bags and we ordered a taxi to take us to the station to check in our bags and collect our tickets. We were then free to wander the small town of Jasper.
We had seniors lunches at Smitty's. It was delicious and just the right size.
After we had browsed through town we sat on the railway platform and watched the trains and people for the rest of the afternoon. One freight train had 116 trucks and 2 diesel locos. All the trains are extremely long.
Boarding the VIA Rail train was at 5:30 even though the train had been in since 3 pm. The cleaned the train inside and out and I guess had deliveries of food and linen.
We inspected our cabins (Jeanette and Graham are in the next door cabin!) then headed to the Activities Car for the Welcome champagne and hors d’oeuvres.
Then into the Dining Car for dinner. I had savoury crepes and they were delicious.
We then sat in the Observation Dome to watch for wildlife and enjoy the sunset. The scenery changed to more clearings amongst the trees, less mountains, but still the fabulous “Christmas trees”.
While we were at dinner our carriage assistant Jessica prepared our beds. Once we returned to our cabin we had no space to do anything except take it in turns to change and get into bed where I wrote up my diary and we both read for a while before turning off the lights.
Thursday 15 September – Jasper-Toronto #2
Overnight on the train was relatively good. I slept most of the night in the top bunk but Elaine did not sleep well. She was in the bottom bunk. The room is extremely squishy whereas Jeanette and Graham's next door is, by comparison, palatial. however, we do not seem to be spending much time in the cabin.
We spent the day in the Activities Car playing Take Two, writing diaries, typing diaries, labelling and editing photos, or in one of the Observation Domes. There was a game of Bingo (I won a bookmark) and a talk about Winnipeg a few hours before we were to arrive there. The staff changes at Winnipeg and the train is cleaned again so we'll be there for about 3 hours.
The scenery has changed from flat prairies when we woke then to more rolling farmland in the afternoon. Apparently they have had a dry summer but there is water everywhere and the rivers we've seen today have been quite fast running.
There have been many times today that I have really missed having Surrey here. All this farmland that he would have enjoyed seeing. Every now and then I take a photo of some farm thing thinking I'll ask him about that when I get back. I guess I'll just have to remain ignorant or find out for myself. I miss him too for just being with. He would have loved this trip.
The meals continue to be fantastic. I just love the times we don't have to find food especially as always seem to have to find it ourselves in really expensive places. One coach driver explained that Banff actually stood for Be Aware Nothing For Free. And how!
One of our servers at dinner gets his guitar and serenades us. He is really quite good – just two or three songs.
As we pulled into Winnipeg the moon rose over the city large (just past full) and red (from the stubble burning still done by some farmers in the area). The Winnipeg was actually longer than 3 hours but I was asleep by the time we pulled out.
Friday 16 September – Jasper-Toronto #3
We woke close to 7 am today to more trees, lakes, a frost, and fog on the water. Quite beautiful, in fact, watching out over the scenery at breakfast with the autumn colours just beginning to show. We had both slept well too.
We've now seen a few beaver lodges but no beavers yet. I saw a fleeting glance of a moose by a lake just nearing Armstrong.
We are now in the Eastern time zone which we will be on for the next few weeks. No more time changes for a while.
We stayed in trees-woodlands-wetlands-lakes type scenery for the whole day with the speeding trees beside the railway prohibiting most photography.
We were entertained before dinner with another game of Bingo and a few games of Take Two and after dinner we watched the movie “Because I said so” - a great chic flick which Graham left early to go to bed.
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| A quick fix of our broken chair in our cabin. |
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