Now, trains. Not the most exciting of prospects, but by golly trains are the way to travel. Decent leg room, air conditioning and less enforced physical contact. The train to Vancouver would take about two and a bit days, travelling through Jasper and the Rockies. After stocking up on drink crystals and bread - essentials to any journey, I believed I was ready.
I was probably correct to bus to Saskatoon and take the train for the remainder. I've never seen a place as flat as mid-Canada. It's actually terrifying in its flatness. The journey by train was totally different though, with epic cliffs, views over tranquil lakes and more mountains than you can shake a stick at. It was humbling to make my way through them, being looked over by these craggy behemoths. With the viewing carriage - a coach with a viewing blister bolted on, it made for a spectacular ride.
It's a little hard to describe the views. It looks like a stock Windows desktop background. It looks photoshopped. Just miles of unmarked beauty, like a snapshot of a bygone era. I wouldn't be too surprised to see dinosaurs roaming around if I'm honest. After the noisy and cramped bus, the quiet running train and open spaces acted as a beautiful dichotomy.
I even saw some moose, which has basically been the highlight of my life. Big Fuckers, moose. According to the driver's frantic announcements, there were also bears, which caused a flurry of iPhones, but they escaped my notice. Apart from that it was just stunning scenery until Jasper, a tiny town nestled in the mountains.
Almost absurdly picturesque, with cabin-like shops on the backdrop of towering mountains. Course, all these shops were Starbucks and Subways, but still a beautiful town. I found an independent bakery, and brought one of the best chai lattes and apple turnovers of my life. After piling back on the train, a guitarist named Jordan Raycroft began playing in the food carriage, and somehow I became the official photographer for the mini-gig. These things happen sometimes.
The night passed, and I awoke to the onboard employee poking fun at my sleeping position. In all fairness, cramming my frame against the chair in a comfortable enough position to sleep probably was pretty laughable. It was another day of lying back, reading, podcasting and watching the peaks roll by. It's a hard life, travelling.
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