Leaving on a Jet Train...

Train Travel Musings


First term is over and I’m finally going home for Christmas Holidays, but I really hate flying, so instead I am taking the train from Halifax to Montreal, and then Montreal to Toronto. All in all it will be a 27 hour train ride, so I thought I would document my adventures on the train

11:21am

I’ve been at the train station for almost an hour. I didn’t plan to get to the station by 10:30, but I was more efficient in packing than I thought I would be, and the cab came much faster than I thought it would. It’s finally snowing in Halifax, on the day I leave. Thanks for that, universe. I think there’s something incredibly romantic about train travel in the snow. But I also fear that it will cause delays to an already very long ride. I do however, hope I get a window seat.

There is a guy sitting on a bench playing a blue ukulele with a reusable grocery bag discussing the benefits of organic produce. This makes me miss Halifax already.

One of the coolest professors at Kings (think Blackadder episodes in the middle of lectures) is also at the train station. I bet we’re taking the same train. I like his hat.

Ukulele boy’s girlfriend is sitting beside him now. She looks exactly like the kind of girl I’d expect ukulele boy to be dating. They’re like the poster couple of Halifax culture. She’s holding the cardboard ukulele box, so it’s probably new. This takes them to new levels of hipsterdom. I will definitely miss Halifax.

11:37am

The line up is starting to get long. I think I will join it, maybe talk to the guy in the chartreuse skinny jeans and bright orange sweater. He looks fun.

12:30 am

Skinny jeans guy was nice, it made waiting in line much better. My friend Katie is also taking the train all the way to Toronto, so I have a train buddy, which is really great. I could have dealt with 28 hours of solitude, but having a friend is waaaay better. The snow is falling in thick flakes and collecting on the ground. It’s pretty much the best. The scenery out my window is beautiful. I’m pretty sure there won’t be any snow in Toronto, because there is never any snow in Toronto, but I will get to at least enjoy looking at the snow while I am on the train. Also, all the best graffiti is by the train tracks so not only do I have beautiful scenery to look at, I also have interesting art. Train travel is pretty much the best.

My friend has just informed me that there was a blizzard in Toronto, so maybe there will be snow when I get home after all, but part of me doesn’t want to keep my hopes up.

We are now driving past a lake surrounded by evergreen trees. Covered in snow (duh) I love Canada so much. I wish I had brought my camera with me. But just picture a scene from a Christmas card. That I what I’m seeing out my window.

They just blew the train whistle. It was awesome. I feel like such a child, but I’m so excited that I actually sounds like “choo choo”

We’re out of the city completely now and I’m so taken by the beauty of the “wilderness” and the wooded areas. I really want to do more camping in Nova Scotia. I haven’t gone winter camping in a really long time, maybe I’ll try and work something out in the New Year. I really need to take advantage of the fact that I’m living in one of the most beautiful provinces ever.

1:25pm

They just made announcement that Santa Buddies was playing in the entertainment longe/car. Santa Buddies. A bad movie starring adorable puppies who save Christmas. But unlike a plane, I don’t have to be subjected to an annoying giant screen with the movie playing, because it’s in another car. Score 1 for trains.

3:04

I have no cellphone signal, so we must be in New Brunswick by now. Also there’s a lot of nothing around, which makes the likelihood of being in New Brunswick even greater (Not that I don’t love New Brunswick, it’s just doesn’t have as many cities, and in my experience of it, is a giant dead zone for cellphone signal). I like that I look out my window and can see nothing but trees. It’s lovely. There’s less snow on the ground, but I can see bits of blue sky, and even the sun peeking out from behind the clouds (cumulo-stratus). The light dusting of snow on the ground and on the evergreen trees makes me think of Narnia when the white witch starts to lose her power and the snow starts to melt.

Katie and I spent the last hour having a conversation that ranged from Wikileaks, to Feminism, to religion, to Sex Education, to Philosophy. I’ve realized that I still really love Leibniz, even though I was up till four writing a paper about him. I’m also pondering how we can look at the optimism of early modern thought in light of the Holocaust. This is why I love my school, because it’s full of people that I can have fascinating and varied conversations with.

3:21

The train is about to stop in Amherst I guess we’re not in New Brunswick yet. Amherst is a place I’ve always kind of wanted to go to, just because it had a pretty name and I like going to random places for adventures, but there is nothing here that look remotely adventure worthy. I guess I will have to find a new place to find adventure.

3:41

Pulling into Sackville station. Now we are in New Brunswick. There is not much to say, but at least I still have cellphone signal.

4:10

Katie pulled a giant carrot in out of her bag and started eating it as a snack. Katie is the greatest.

5:00

Just pulling out of Moncton after a 15 minute stop. Katie pulled another carrot out of her bag and offered it to me. Katie is my new best friend.

I realized I that I might have kicked my iPod habit. Usually I need my iPod to help me stay sane on long trips, even when I’m travelling with other people, but I haven’t had to use it at all. In fact I haven’t used my iPod very much this year. This means I am either becoming more comfortable with silence, or I’m becoming comfortable with the thoughts in my head (or both) either way, I think this is a good thing, I’m becoming less plugged into my head and more open to human interaction. Take that Steve Jobs!

5:23

The all nighter I pulled last night is starting to kick in. Time to try and nap.
6:23

Nap accomplished. There is not very much good vegetarian food on the train. Katie and I bemoan this fact and get more excited for the train station in Montreal when “The world will become our culinary oyster” this is a direct quote. I buy Hummus and crackers from the canteen while Katie drinks tea out of a Mason jar and eats her third carrot. She also tells me to note that she is wearing mucklucks. The combination of the shoes, the mason jar and the fact that the carrots are from Homegrown Organics (home of the weekly vegetable boxes) makes her the perfect example of a young Haligonian. The fact that she is writing an essay on post-modern feminist French film in French is the Cherry on top.

I went to go to the bathroom, but a man was already in their who had forgotten to lock the door. I apologized profusely and tried to close the door again, but it didn’t work. I was mortified.

6:54

We’re in Miramachi. I now have Donkey Riding stuck in my head. Which is a step up from do they know it’s Christmas. I can’t believe this train ride has only lasted for 6 hours. Katie wants it on the record that this would go by much faster if there was wifi on the train. Preferably twitter

The road is lined with inflatable Christmas decorations. One was a rock band fronted by Santa and a bunch of penguins. I would like to point out that penguins live in the south pole, and Santa lives in the north pole. The house beside them had a boat with three snowmen in it, but it was deflating on one side, making the boat look like it was sinking. Also, they were all paddling on the same side, so the boat wouldn’t have gone very far. The Christmas decorations are all pretty spectacular. I can’t wait to see them in Quebec.

7:33

I feel like we are legitimately in the middle of nowhere. There is no light outside and I have no cellphone signal, which is frustrating because I’m trying to send a text message to someone. It’s like the train is travelling through a black void of nothingness (insert New Brunswick joke here)

8:31

I figured out how to make my chair recline, but unfortunately it compromises my leg room rather than the space directly behind my seat. Nice for the people behind me, not so nice for my legs
9:54

Still in New Brunswick, I had no idea New Brunswick was so big.

10:30

After many false alarms we arrive in Campbellton. Our need for cash and fresh air means Katie and I almost get stranded in Campbellton. Although we think that it would provide great material for a hit song, we are glad that we reached the train in time
10:57

Katie and I eat dinner in the observation car, and celebrate my first train ride with Gin and Tonics. Classy (and way too expensive).

10:19 (Say what?!)

We arrive in Matapedia, Quebec. Eastern Standard Time for the win.

10:48

Going to give that sleeping thing a shot. Here’s hoping I wake up in Montreal.

7:30 am, December 18th

Woke up in Drummondville after mostly uncomfortable sleep. We are driving past endless amount of snow covered farmland. The rising sun is bright red. It’s beautiful, but I make a mental note to warn any sailors I might meet on my travels.

8:40am

We drove past a highway sign that said “Chateauguay” I don’t know if we’re anywhere near Chateauguay, but if we are then we are near to where my country house was. I’m feeling very nostaligic going through this part of quebec anyway, most of the small towns look the same.

9:00

We’ve arrived in Montreal! First leg of the journey done, now I’m off to get some food before boarding the next train to Toronto. I’ll be sleeping in my own bed tonight, and that’s super exciting!