In just over 48 hours, hubby and I will be boarding a train. A train that will take us on a long, long journey across Canada. From Toronto to Vancouver and back again with 10 days in the middle to spend with old friends. I'm so excited about the trip and about the time we'll have for reading, thinking, dreaming.
The train trip is symbolic of the next chapter of our lives. In less than 2 months we'll own a beautiful old Victorian home and together we'll be running it as a B&B, something that we've thought about for quite some time. We always considered it as a possible plan for our retirement, but life has handed it to us on a platter right now, and we're definitely up for it. Once we're in the B&B it could be some time before we can take a vacation, so we thought it would be good to do it now while we have the chance. Plus the price was right and I don't think we'll ever get a better rate. You can check ViaRail for some really great discounts!
I've always thought of trains as a romantic way to travel, sort of mystical and full of magic. Certainly traveling by train has got to be more memorable than by plane, and I dare say we've done a lot of that in the past 16 years or so. My faourite writer Paul Theroux likens plane travel to time travel- you get in a silver capsule, close your eyes and you've arrived. The best you can say is that nothing bad happened- no turbulence, no bad food, no screaming children etc. But a train- well! Lots of interesting things can happen on a train! You see the country at ground level, perhaps you'll have a few great conversations, some good food, and maybe watch a little intrigue. Who knows!
