August 15.
We’re in the Thompson station sitting on the
train to Churchill; it’s slowly filling up with passengers. Let’s just say this
is not a luxury ride – more of a low-cost economy class. Folks lined up
outside, a large group (43) boarded first in one car and we’re in another with
lots of tourists. It’s like a plane without the stewardess. The seats are dirty
and ripped but they’re big and squishy, recline way back and they have
footrests.
There’s
quite a mix of passengers, from Aboriginals to Indians of the Eastern variety to
the invading whites. The dome car is for the sleeper car people only so we’re stuck
here with our window seats. It’s good that we brought our own food on board, so
supper is assured. We’ll be in Churchill for breakfast.
Between hotel checkout at 11 and boarding the train we spent a couple of hours at the museum,
had samosas for lunch (Would you believe there’s a large and growing population
of East Indians in Thompson, three Indian restaurants and lots of spice?). Jim
got to know the names of most of the hotel staff so we’ve been well looked
after.
The
train has an overhead bag shelf just like the old planes, and coat hooks for
hanging stuff and blinds that lower over our huge 6x3 window. Too bad no one
washed the window; photos are going to be a tad murky.
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| Tundra sunset |
We
expect to have seatmates as we’ve been warned the train will be full.
5:32
and we’re moving! We had to switch seats but I like them better – two beside
each other. A group of kids just boarded; they had to get here from God’s Lake
Narrows (Google that one!) and that’s why we’re a half hour late getting
underway.
So
we shuttled backwards for a while, then got on another track then sat for a
while. More taxiing than the reef runway. But we appear to be off! It’s 5:50.
An
hour and a half into our trip and it’s miles of boreal forest and muskeg and
forest and muskeg with outcroppings of white rock and big lakes and small bogs.
In fact bogs are almost continuous.
August 16, 7 am
Although
the night wasn’t used much for sleeping (the woman behind us has a smoker’s
cough that didn’t quit) I am awake and happy. The landscape changed during the
night – to vast plains of tundra with boggy spots, stretches of lava covered in
a cream-colored lichen, and stunted trees. I have never been this far into the
wilderness. Hour 15 of a train ride heading north, well beyond roads, trails,
lights and humans. Of course, at the end of the journey is the town of
Churchill so it’s not like we’re going to chug right off the end of the earth.
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| Sunrise rainbow over the tundra |
We
were graced by the most spectacular sight at 5 am – brilliant red sunrise on
the right, brilliant double rainbow on the left, stark against black clouds
full of lightning and rain. The morning light was an eerie orange haze.
During
the night the train made two or three stops in the middle of nowhere and a man
walked along both sides with a powerful flashlight, obviously checking the
train – but for what?
We’ve
seen two swans and no other wildlife.
Personal note about trains. Could any type of travel be as
elegant as train travel? Flying is expedient, cruising may be exhilarating,
driving is economical. But trains… sheer elegance in the movement, the speed,
the front-row seat to the world passing by. The coach may not be fine stuff but
as long as the seat is padded sufficiently and reclines to a satisfactory
angle, the seatmates friendly but quiet, and the windows mostly clean – the
elegance of traveling by rail is unsurpassed.
Churchill
Well,
wouldn’t you know it… no room at the inn. Jim’s “reservation” didn’t take and
we were homeless for half a frantic hour. Fortunately we found a B&B with a
room. Check-in is at 5 so we walked around town, visited some of the
attractions, looked for polar bears along the shoreline and river, saw dozens
of beluga whales and are now on a
minibus tour of the area. Our group is all East Indian except us.
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| Inukshuk on the Hudson Bay |
It’s
early fall here and yet people are complaining about the heat this week.
Kaitlyn is our guide and carries a gun for our protection against polar bears. She’s doing an
orientation now including the warning that polar bears can swim 2 km in 5-7
minutes, just in case we wander along the shoreline. Yes! We saw a polar bear
– I spotted it ambling along the beach on the other side of the river.
We
saw the Ithaca (shipwreck), the abandoned satellite domes, the Northern Studies
Research Center, the polar bear jail, the port (now closed), the community
building housing everything from the hospital to the bowling alley to the
town administration, the rocket launching area and lots more. What was supposed
to be a 4-hour tour was a tad short of 3 hours: started late and then part of
our group was late coming back from an earlier tour.
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| Jim and our armed guide |
At
5 we were met by Jennifer from Blue Sky Bed & Sled (they take bed ‘n’
breakfast one step farther, offering dog sled/cart rides with their 'crew' of
32 mushing dogs -
http://www.blueskymush.com/bandb.html) and off we went to a plain but homey two-storey wood frame home
and a wonderful two-day stay. She and Gerald (100 percent Metis) gave us a fine welcome
and so much more: two fabulous breakfasts, always-available strong coffee and
homemade bannock, a special drive out to the cape to see the sunset, advice and
stories. They even arranged a massive thunderstorm the afternoon of our first
day.
Around
11 our second night, they hustled us out into the bush to see a Northern Lights
extravaganza with 360-degree lightning, full moon, shooting stars, fog and a
satellite. The Lights were magnificent. Home around 1 am so we didn’t get much
sleep before it was time to get up, shower and eat another huge breakfast. At 6
am we were woken by gunfire – an errant bear wandered into town and was being
“escorted” out. That happens a lot in Churchill and we were often told to look
in all directions, especially behind, wherever we walked. When we first arrived
at the B&B Jennifer warned us, “Do NOT go in the back yard.” We complied.
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| Under the Northern Lights |
We
were going to go out on a zodiac this afternoon but the fog rolled back in, the
wind came up and it’s cold as anything – so the Maui Wimps cancelled. Instead,
we wandered in and out of trading posts and bakeries, and had lunch with Jennifer
at the Lazy Bear Inn.
And
then it was time to pack up and say farewell to the folks who rescued us from what
could have been a disappointing few days. The family who stayed in the B&B
are leaving today as well.
If
we come back – and I hope we do – we’ll definitely stay at Blue Sky Bed & Sled again and
take advantage of the dog sled tours they offer as well.
And then it was time to get on the train and met up with our many new friends
from all over the world. This
train was much cleaner and newer than the one that brought us up here. We both
slept during the 17-hour night and feel that if we get one good night in our
hotel here in Thompson we’ll be ready for the long drive to Grand Rapids
(Manitoba) tomorrow.
Thanks
for going along for our Churchill adventure. More to come.
