On the Road (sort of) Again 2014 #6

It was dark by the time we left Jasper and so there was no point heading towards the Dome car for my usual seat. I would have like to see Princess Falls or some of the higher mountains but perhaps next time the train will be on time and I will get some pictures. The car was quiet, the new people quickly settled in and by just after 8:00 the lights were dimmed. I read for an hour or two and then made my "bed " .


Some helpful hints for economy class passengers - a blanket really is a necessity. The temperature on the train is inconsistent. While it was never really cold, there were times that I was glad that I had brought my sleeping bag. A pillow or in my case a rolled up fleece sweater is also a basic requirement. The window and arm rests are just too hard to lean against or to lay one's head against. But the most important thing to do before going to sleep is to put both seats back as far as they can go. This increases the seat space considerably and allows far more room to curl up. Then one arranges the foot stools That is it. On a good night I can get three- four hours of uninterrupted sleep.

The train stopped in Kamloops. It was there for a long time. I am not to sure why except I heard one of the attendants talking about the cars needing servicing. As I saw a septic truck parked by the train and there was certainly a somewhat faint but real aroma of outhouses - I think they were pumping out a tank or two. Why they didn't do it in Jasper is beyond me. However, what was exciting was the fact that in the six hours between Jasper and Kamloops the engineer had made up at least one and a half hours. Perhaps we would not be so late after all.

In fact we got into Vancouver by 11:15ish. Only an hour and half late. I guess, considering the weather and the fact that the train had travelled over 3,000 kilometers, that was not too bad. Although one does wonder why, if the train can make up the time between Jasper and Vancouver, why can't it go faster on other parts of the trip?

In the 10 or so minutes as we were getting ready to leave the train, I learned more about my fellow passengers than I had in the preceding two or three days. The middle aged couple behind me and across the aisle were moving to Vancouver from Toronto. The couple across from me were going to Vancouver and then Victoria. Then they were heading back east again. They had gotten on the train on an impulse! I am sure there were some interesting back stories behind both of these couples..... I wish I/they had been more talkative early in our trip.

I got off the train, made the Skytrain and then the bus connection without a hassle and got to the ferry with ten minutes to spare. The sun was bright and after traveling through the western provinces, it was almost balmy.
I got picked up at the terminal and a hour later I was in Duncan. Time to sleep in a real bed with my legs stretched out straight. It felt like a luxury!!!