Days 14 & 15 of 30-Days of Running to Rediscovering Freedom

Half a day in Jasper, half a day in Vancouver and a 20 hour long train ride connecting the two. That pretty much sums up the 14^th and 15^th days of the challenge, Sep 25 and Sep 26, 2016.

Breaking news, Sep 25, 2016:

“Every last bit of our instant coffee supply has been depleted.”

This gave us the excuse to spend some money to buy two cups of REAL coffee. So on the 14^th day, we left our hostel in the morning to get to downtown Jasper. There we walked around for a bit till we got to a café, where enjoyed some hot coffee along with free Wi-Fi.

Oh civilization, did we miss you!

From Jasper to Vancouver, the train (VIA rail) runs literally through the Canadian Rockies. However, I am not sure if “run” is the appropriate work, it basically “cruises”. A journey that takes 10 hours by a bus, takes 20 hours by a train.

And those extra 10 hours that you spend in the train, are all worth it.

It is a spectacular ride/experience.  If you can book your ride a little early, the “economy escape” fare is actually very affordable. And don’t forget that you spend the night in the train, so you are saving on a night of accommodation. For people like us, who frequently take long, never-ending, flights from Canada to India and/or Bangladesh, the train ride is an absolute pleasure. Such a change from the crammed seats in aeroplanes.  Plus, with the view of the rockies and the lakes, time scurries, even in the economy class.

Highlights of the travel were the Moose Lake and Mount Robson. The train runs by almost the whole length of the lake, about 14 km. Apparently the lake is so deep, that it is also known as the bottomless lake.

Mount Robson is the most prominent mountain of the North American Rocky Mountain Range and it is the highest point of the Canadian Rockies. Hence it was pretty cool to see it.

We arrived in Vancouver the next morning. Right outside the Pacific Central Station, where the train stopped, is a small park with lots of geese. Such a happy thing to see first thing in a city!

 

Here we are staying at a friend’s (Renee) place. We dumped our stuff here, showered (finally, in a private washroom!!!), walked around the neighbourhood, got some sushi, followed by some more real coffee, did some groceries, came back home to end the night chitchatting with Renee over some home-cooked chicken curry.

I have survived the first half of the challenge. 15 days to go. I start counting down now.