It’s train day it’s train day…toot toot!!

 *note. There were a few missing details, factual errors and typos in my last post so it has now been updated!*

So the day has finally arrived! I mean we’ve had such an amazing, once in a lifetime type trip here and yet we still have this amazing ride on the Rocky Mountaineer to happen. I just can’t believe how lucky we are to be able to experience all this.

Slept fairly well but I have now come down with a flipping cold (must be the virus that Dan started with and then fought off).

It’s far from a bad one but is one that means I get instantly all bunged up in bed so I keep waking up needing drinks. If that’s the worst of it, I’ll take that

We were up nice and early - I’ve never know Dan set an alarm for a time so far in advance of our pick up time! 

Pick up time was 7.30am but we got a call at 7.15am from reception telling us they were there already! Thankfully we were only minutes from being fully ready so we just carried on gathering our final stuff and headed out. Ooh it was so cold and dark making it feel even more exciting.. 

Only a couple of further pick ups and we were at the station and the train was ready for us to board. 

We quickly found our seats and they’re so comfortable and spacious and the windows create such fabulous viewing. 

Here’s what it’s like on board, taken from my seat 

 

And here’s our dining room.

We were taken to the dining room almost straightaway for breakfast which was delicious- you get a menu with plenty of options and as we’re booked on as veggie, we were told they can tweak any meal we see to make it vegetarian, if we prefer that to the actual vegetarian choice. They’ve also said they’re happy for me to have the fish options given they didn’t have any option for Pescatarian on the booking information. Happy days. 

They just cannot do enough for you on this train and the tram are so lovely and friendly. 

The views have been stunning and it’s lovely to see it from this perspective and not from behind the wheel of a car! The mountains have more snow too and we are able to see all of Mt Robson (the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies) which apparently is not often seen in full as it has its own cloud system! 

 Other views so far …

Dan has been geeking out and rushing down to the outdoor terrace every time we stop to let a train pass!!

Mind he’s been hanging out there regularly anyway as we always knew he would. It’s bloody cold out there I have to say. 

Oh and the bar is now open ☺️. The lady that brought my drink to me, Holly-Ann noticed my nails and was all excited about them - in the very enthusiastic way they do here. The rows in front and to the side heard so they wanted to see too and now my work here is done with the nail art idea!!

I’m currently enjoying a ‘Classic Canadian Caesar’ - it’s like a Bloody Mary but made with Clamato Juice not Tomato juice! 

It’s bloody lovely and my 2nd has just made an appearance. Dan is on the Margarita’s! 

I’ll catch this up later with more train details..time to sit back a little, enjoy the views and my drink..

What seemed like no time later we were called down for lunch and this time we were sat with another couple.

We’d seen them at breakfast and they’d been sat with these two American sisters who basically talked at then- well it looked that way to us! 

They were Tony (Canadian) and Moka (originally from Japan) and we had such a laugh with them.

They live in Kamloops and apparently have a few friends who work for Rocky Mountaineer so they had some free passes so were just doing the Kamloops to Jasper and back again ride. 

Tony was somewhat hungover after fully embracing the all inclusive service the day before and also celebrating the Blue Jays win once they got to Jasper. Moka didn’t front at all as she was allergic to something in alcohol that made her instantly sick. 

At lunch I said that I feel like I needed a nap now after the lovely food and drinks and Tony said this was the best stretch to do that but tomorrows route to Vancouver was not to be missed. So I promptly fell asleep when we got back to our seats!! 

Though somehow I managed to keep waking up as they came back around for drinks service! 

Dan disappeared whenever we stopped to let trains past..we’d stop quite often for at least 30mins as there’d be 2 or 3 trains coming past on the track and he’d be straight down to the terrace to watch them and fully geek out! 

We were surrounded by couples that had all travelled on the previous train so were all very friendly and LOUD together. They were very American if you know what I mean. They loved nothing more than stopping one of the team, when they were taking drink orders, to question them relentlessly and chat and tell their life stories whilst we were waiting for our drinks!! Errrm I’m parched here mate! 

Sorry but they were really bloody annoying. 

I had to get away from there at one point to go and join Dan on the terrace thingy and found him there with Tony and Moka who were feeling the same!! 

More window / travel views …..

Loud annoying Americans aside (and no I don’t think it’s all Americans by any stretch, but these people exemplified everything we tend to dislike about Americans), what is not to love about travelling like this. Excellent drinks whenever you want, delicious food and snacks, comfy roomy seats… yep. I’m ok with this!! 

The journey eventually reached its end for the day in Kamloops and we said our goodbyes to our new trains friends! 

The service is seamless and we were given our hotel room keys whilst on the train and advised there was no check in required and our suitcases would be in our rooms.  The train & coaches to take us to the hotel were carefully aligned so that when the train stopped each carriage was right by their coach to take them to the hotel! 

It was about a 15min transfer and we were there at the Sandman Signature Hotel and true enough, our cases were sat in our lovely hotel suite waiting for us.  

We agreed to have a hotel based night as it was now 7.15pm & we are being picked up again in exactly 12 hours.  We simply could not be arsed mooching to downtown to the recommended (by Tony but also by Holly-Anne) restaurants that would likely be teeming with the train oddities!! Hahahah. We’re such travel snobs 😉🤣. No, I think we just have decent arsehole radars and use them to our full advantage!!  

Couple of beers and an amazing veggie burger later and we are now ensconced in bed shattered, full and happy! 

Roll on tomorrow’s Rocky Mountaineer plush adventure!