On the Road (sort of) Again 2014 #3

34 degrees Celsius below 0... that is what the attendant announced before we disembarked for our layover in Winnipeg. That was a bit colder than I planned on. But it had been a long night and I was ready for a change of scenery and of people. At some points during the night it sounded as if there were four or five people close to me who were coughing almost non-stop. Deep throaty sick type coughs. One would start and like a well trained chorus the rest would join in.  I wanted them to stop coughing or failing that to find some sort of mask so that I would not inhale one of the viruses that were drifting in droplets along the aisles.

I had had quite a few cat naps throughout the day and so I was not that tired, but the lights were dimmed by 8:00 and most of the people seemed to be getting ready for sleep. I suppose with nothing to see out the window most (including me) were bored. while I may be slowly shrinking, it is still difficult for me to fold my body into any sort of configuration that is truly comfortable. I can find positions that are good for an hour or two, but as soon as I move a limb or my head a few inches, I need to sit up and go through the whole process again of rearranging my limbs. My wrist had also gotten quite sore since my fall and kept me awake until I took a pill.

There were at least three families in my car. The kids generally behaved well all day and except for the occasional cry during the night, I think they slept well Once again I admire parents who can travel well with their kids. Even the ones who bring crafts and activities to do, it is still a boring trip for the kids. Their natural energy could exhaust a saint. - that energy needs to get directed somewhere and there are not a lot of places on a train for it go.

While in Winnipeg, after psyching myself up to face the cold I waked across the road the the Forks , a collection of small stores, restaurants and takeout places. It was a bit early but fortunately a few restaurants were open. For less than $8.00  I had great breakfast. I then went to a sandwich place and bought a few sandwiches for lunch and perhaps supper. Shopping done I headed back to train station. While it had not felt that cold on my five minute walk over to the mall, the wind was against me on the way back. It was so cold that even with a hat pulled down over my ears my forehead was almost numbed in the five minute walk back. It is not surprising that as I look out the window heading through the outskirts of Winnipeg that there are few people out and about.

On previous trips the WiFi has been slow to non-existent in the Winnipeg train station. This time it worked well and I managed to check my email, Facebook, send a few messages and post two blogs. I got back on the train just before 10:00. I could have waited in the train station but the seats in the train are more comfortable and there was no way I was going to go for a walk again outside.

The train left 15 minutes late and then we sat outside for another 15 or so minutes. I don't understand why the schedule is so hard to follow.

The heating system in the train is a bit inconsistent. While it is warm enough for me to walk around in sandals, there are times when it is almost too warm and I want to take of a layer of clothing and other times when it is just a bit cool. I suppose it is hard to keep the consistent in such a large vehicle.