4 nights on a train

The month of July was spent travelling around Canada with Dan aboard VIA Rail. We were among the lucky 4000 youths who snagged a pass, albeit with some panic and 3AM madness. I'm sure this will be one of the stories we tell young'uns when we're seventy, on our rockers and sipping a cup of tea.

As it was the first day of travel available for those with the pass, there were celebrations aplenty awaiting us at Union Station. They were squeezing every last bit of the marketing they could get from the crowds of youth lining up for hours atop their luggage. We were showered with free candy and sandwiches to keep up our spirits.

We spent 4 days and 4 nights on a train. No beds, no showers, and minimal food available. Misery loves company, and we had a lot of it. It just so happened that our nearby seatmates were travelling solo, and we made friends with them.







Our days consisted of sunrises, sunsets, prepackaged foods, silly games, naps, reading, journaling, and awaiting the next stop so we could stretch our legs and get some fresh air.

Another highlight was definitely the magic of the changing scenery; from the forests and wetlands of Ontario, to the plains of the Prairies, and then finally entering the grandeur of the Rockies.






The major stops we had were in Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Jasper. When we were in Edmonton, some people on the train got McDonald's delivered via UberEats and proceeded to delay our train further. A very hilariously millennial moment.

Another observation: every cart had their own smell. Some of B.O., some of diaper, some just of stale air - ours obviously smelled the best.

Our route; I don't know why Google is lying, but in reality it takes nearly 5 days.



Note: If the crazy order of these posts are confusing you - you're not alone. Find the chronological timeline here.