I'm taking 'the Canadian' a transcontinental train from Toronto to Vancouver travelling with only occasional stops for four days covering 4466kms!! Through the wildest parts of southern Canada on a route built in 1881.
Two of us are asked to open the doors in emergencies, happy to oblige we get a little training in dropping the steps, in those emergencies we're locatable by the fluorescent tags above our seats!
Off we go and bye bye Toronto!
it's a little sad to leave, in the time I've been at the 'Planet traveller' hostel I've made friends, some I'm still in touch with, one I'll possibly meet in Vancouver!
it's a little sad to leave, in the time I've been at the 'Planet traveller' hostel I've made friends, some I'm still in touch with, one I'll possibly meet in Vancouver! The train heads off and through the suburbs over a Freeway then stopping and weirdly reversing before changing direction!
A mistake? Who knows!
As we head out into the countryside there's an announcement, completely by accident/luck I've ended up traveling on the 70th anniversary of the Canadian!
The actual anniversary is tomorrow the 24 April, were gifted momento's of the event! Including the golden ticket!
other celebrations will happen as we travel west!
other celebrations will happen as we travel west! Travel we do, the train is so slow after the hectic rush of European trains , when checked it was 87kmh or 52mph..... We can actually experience the scenery quite close up without it blurring.
Through farm land to lake Simcoe
after which the terrain changes we enter the Canadian shield miles of undulating rock strata breaking through the largely thin topsoil covering half of Canada from the Great lakes to Hudson bay! with silver birch and tall skinny pines in the thin soil which become our constant companions today, around the same time we get our first stop for the smokers, and for the rest of us to stretch our legs and breath fresh air, we're at Perry sound station.
just prior to the station we cross the longest bridge in North America crossing the sound 
and most of the town.
after which the terrain changes we enter the Canadian shield miles of undulating rock strata breaking through the largely thin topsoil covering half of Canada from the Great lakes to Hudson bay! with silver birch and tall skinny pines in the thin soil which become our constant companions today, around the same time we get our first stop for the smokers, and for the rest of us to stretch our legs and breath fresh air, we're at Perry sound station.just prior to the station we cross the longest bridge in North America crossing the sound and most of the town. Picking up some locals were obviously in a religious area, with set ways, the ladies here are wearing bonnets think of 'little house on the prairie'!!! A couple come aboard being waved off by some ladies in this modest attire
Exploring the train a little I head up into the observation coach above the little kitchen
this will make some great photos in the mountains I think!!As we've been travelling there have been and like the trees will continue to be very wet marshy land known to the Algonquin tribe as Muskeg.
As the route heads west the scenery stays the same but the temperature drops and consequently we have snow in view,
spring may be a little farther behind here, we have headed further north to get around lake Huron which parry sound spills out into!
spring may be a little farther behind here, we have headed further north to get around lake Huron which parry sound spills out into! The next stop at Capreol gives us the chance to wander along through the train yard, not much more but it's good to see the Engine of this rather huge train... I've yet to count the carriages