Unique digital nomad travel adventures from around the U.S.
In the Part 1 of this discussion on Alaska, we recommended some places to visit if you are fortunate enough to visit this beautiful state. This post will talk about some fun Alaska experiences and adventures to have. In no particular order, here are a …
During the summers before and after I went to grad school, I spent the four months working at a helicopter company located next to Denali National Park in Alaska. It was glorious. I love Alaska; next to Idaho it is probably my favorite state. In …
Taking the train across Canada was a dream come true for me. I do not remember when I first learned that it is possible to ride a train across Canada, but I was young and it remained a dream of mine for many years. After my good friend from college and main travel companion decided to get married and raise a family (good for her, not so good for me), I figured the timing was right for me to make that dream a reality. Taking this solo voyage taught me a lot, so I figured I would share my train travel tips for Canada in the hopes that you might learn something for your own trip across Canada via rail.
I had two weeks and very little experience with train travel. Luckily, VIA Rail Canada made planning easy. The hardest part was deciding where to go! After extensive research, I settled on the following itinerary:
My typical agenda included taking a short (less than one day) train ride to a city where I would stay and explore for a couple of days. The only multi-day train ride I took was from Toronto to Vancouver. Below are some train travel tips for Canada that are specific to my experience. Plenty of these apply to train travel in general, but you will find most only apply to an epic journey across Canada via rail.
Canada is huge. It is the world’s second largest country behind Russia. Granted, because something like 85 percent of Canadians live with 100 miles of the U.S. border, rail service is limited to certain areas. Regardless, unless you have a month or two, you are going to have to pick and choose where to visit. On my two-week voyage, I was able to cover a good portion of the populated areas of the country. However, in the interest of time, I had to make the tough choice to eliminate certain places (e.g. Nova Scotia) from my itinerary.
I began my voyage the last day of October. This is not the warmest time to visit Canada. But it did have the advantage of being smack dab in the middle of the railway’s summer and holiday seasons. I paid a lower fare for my train tickets, I sat on trains that were not remotely full, and I was often one of the few people wandering around places like the Butchard Gardens. I gained a lot by traveling in the off-season.
Originally, I planned to begin my trip on Canada’s west coast—probably because I live in the west. Then I read that if you are planning to ride the route between Vancouver and Toronto (known as the Canadian), it is more enjoyable to do so from east to west. You want to end with the Rocky Mountains. Not that there is anything wrong with the views of the Great Plains. But they get a little tedious since you spend the majority of the trip traveling across them. It really is best to go through them first and I am so glad I switched things up. Capping it off with the Canadians Rockies was the pièce de résistance. This is one of my top train travel tips for Canada!
Once you finally get to the mountains, you will want to keep your eyes open. If you are sleeper class (see Tip #5), then you will have access to the park car and observation deck. Make sure you arrive early and secure a seat. In addition to the gorgeous landscape, we saw a lot of wildlife including big horn sheep and mountain goats. My favorite part was watching those from other countries exclaim and comment on things we take for granted here in the west.
There is nothing I enjoy more than staring out a train window. It is my favorite way to pass the time. However, there are times when the train does not move. My train from New York City to Montreal was stopped at the border for three hours while they checked passports. In addition, freight trains in Canada have the right-of-way, so you spend some time stopped while they pass. Then there are the times when the sun has set but bedtime is still hours away. And my all-time, least favorite viewing experience: rain. Sometimes it rains so hard that you cannot see more than 20 feet out the train window.
Times like these are inevitable and you are going to get bored real fast. Luckily, with modern technology, it is easy to find something to occupy yourself. I managed to read half a dozen books and watch several movies during my time on the train—most of it while stopped on the tracks or while it was dark outside.
Of all the train travel tips for Canada, this is at the top (I should have made it number one). Most of my train tickets were the cheapest fare I could find. Of course, most legs of my journey were less than a day. Thankfully, I made the decision to purchase a “sleeper” for the four nights I traveled from Toronto to Vancouver.
Best. Decision. Ever.
The cost of a berth was more than I have ever spent on a train ticket before, but it was still a price I could afford. (Again, it helped that I traveled in the off-season.) When you take into account the food and lodging component, it is even easier to justify. At the time I booked it, I had no idea any sort of sleeper fare puts you in sleeper class, which is essentially first class. I just wanted to be able to lie down at night and take a shower. But the perks started from the moment I checked in and entered the sleeper class waiting room.
You may not want to show up at the station looking like an unwashed backpacker. That is what I did and after I was escorted to the “first class” waiting room, I felt a little out of place.
Once on board, they serve champagne and hors d’oeuvres in the park car. The park car is essentially a lounge in the back of the train and yes, with a sleeper fare you have access to it as well as the observation deck, which are both awesome. The best part of the experience however, may be the meals they serve in the dinner car. How they create such delicious meals in such a little kitchen in beyond me.
We left Toronto in the evening so it was not long before it was time for bed. There were six berths available, but only I and another woman booked one (score another point for traveling in the off-season). We had plenty of room to move and even after they turned down our beds (another great perk), we had the option to sit if we wanted to. Since there were just two of us, we were the only ones using the bathroom and shower. Another bonus: my companion did not ride all the way to Vancouver. She disembarked in Edmonton so for the rest of the trip, I had the entire berth area to myself.
You will not regret purchasing a sleeper. Look for deals online and if you have to delay your trip in order to save up, do it!
Several staff members told me that the berth is the most comfortable bed on the train due to the direction it rocks. I do not have anything to compare my experience to, but I can tell you that I slept great and I am not the kind of person who can sleep just anywhere. A berth is not as private as the other sleeper options, but that was okay with me. I much preferred getting a solid eight to nine hours of deep sleep every night.
I mentioned the food earlier. To reiterate, it was amazing. But amazing food combined with sedentary days does not do great things for your waistline. A nice couple from England who I met on the train told me that they try to lose a little weight before they embark on a big train trip because they know they are going to eat like kings. They have traveled on trains all over the world and experience has taught them this valuable lesson. Also, do not bother packing snacks. You will not need, want or eat them.
There are planned stops in which you can get off the train to take a breath of fresh air. Some are long enough that you can do a bit of exploring. However, there are plenty of times the train stops and you have no idea if you will be stopped for two minutes…or 20. Smokers will make friends with the staff who will let them know when they can get off for a quick cigarette. A staff member approaches them shortly before the train stops. If you keep your eye on them, you can follow them to an open door, step outside and breath in the fresh air…assuming you do not stand right next to the smokers themselves.
I would recommend working on your balance before a long train trip and yoga is one of the best ways to do so. Walking on a moving train is not the hardest thing I have ever done, but I am far from graceful. And showering is particularly challenging! Working on a balance pose or two before you go will go a long ways in helping you stay upright.
We harp on this a lot, but being prepared is one of the best ways to ensure you enjoy your vacation regardless of the weather. Being prepared is especially important if you are traveling in the off-season. I knew the temperatures would be on the chilly side in Canada during my time there, so I made sure to pack warm clothes and lots of layers (read our post about what to pack for cold climates).
I also read that rain is common in certain parts of Canada during the fall (I even saw a little snow). So I packed my rain boots. It did not rain on me continuously, but it rained enough that I was grateful for those rain boots. In Niagara Falls, the place I stayed had one other visitor: a gal from Finland. She was prepared for the cold but not for the rain. And she was miserable. She did not even bother leaving our accommodations because she did not have anything dry to wear. Poor thing.
Also, it is not particularly warm inside a train car so layers were critical to staying comfortable. I imagine that summer train travel is a whole other ballgame when it comes to the weather. However, the same principle still applies: be prepared.
Although you can spend the majority of time keeping to yourself if you would like, you are still going to have to interact with people during the meals at least. And if you want to enjoy the park car and observation deck, you are going to have to do even more interacting. I tend to be an introvert but still, I met some wonderful people on this trip. One of my best memories was the night a couple busted out a guitar and accordion and entertained the park car with pirate songs. Train travel brings together some of the most interesting people. But you will only figure that out if you make an effort to talk to the people around you.
Strictly speaking, this is not necessary. The majority of Canadians speak English and even in Quebec, all of the official signs and announcements will be in English as well as French. You will get around just fine. However, it is polite to offer a “bonjour” or “merci” and I found “Je ne parle pas français” (I do not speak French) to be very useful while visiting Quebec.
Well there you have it, some train travel tips for Canada. It is a wonderful and unique way to visit a country with such a diverse landscape. In fact, it is my favorite way to see Canada. I recommend you stop waiting and book a train ticket today!
The Pendleton Round-Up has been on my bucket list for years and I have finally checked it off! I am going to tell you all about it, but first, let’s talk for a minute about bucket lists. Now you may not be quite as obsessed …
As has been mentioned a time or two, I’m a bit of a fan of National Parks. Likewise, B and I are big fans of getting away for short weekend trips. These two likes came together last weekend when we ventured northwest to the North …
Last weekend I was feeling a bit nostalgic so I watched Roman Holiday on Netflix. In this movie, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck spend a whirlwind day doing all the things Audrey wanted to do in the Eternal City. It made me think about my own whirlwind one day in Rome. I had joined my best bud and her family as they toured Europe and on a whim, a few of us decided to forgo one of our three days in Tuscany in exchange for a quick trip to Rome. Obviously, one day in this historic city is not enough. But like the Stones advise, when you can’t get what you want, you should get what you need.
We awoke at the break of dawn and hopped on a train heading south. The train ride was only two hours so when we arrived in the Rome transportation hub, it was still pretty early. We picked out five major destinations we wanted to see and hit the ground running. With just one day available, here’s where we went and what we saw.
Our first stop was the Vatican Museums. When we arrived, there was already a line but within 30 minutes we were able to get through security (remember, the Vatican is its own sovereign state). Everyone who visits the Vatican Museums should prepare themselves for what they are about to see. I was blown away by all the amazing art crammed into every nook and cranny. The Sistine Chapel is well known for art on the ceiling. But before you even get there, your neck will already hurt from looking up at the different paintings and frescoes on the ceilings all throughout the hallways.
When you get tired of looking up, look down because the floors are all intricate mosaics. Then there is the stuff on the actual walls–I was so excited to see many of the paintings I had learned about in humanities classes in college. The School of Athens in the Raphael Rooms was massive and might have been my favorite at the Museums.
After winding our way through 50 plus different rooms and hallways, we ended up in the Sistine Chapel and we got to take in Michelangelo’s little number (you may have heard of it?). The Sistine Chapel is big–it is a chapel after all–but I wasn’t expecting it to be so big and have so many other scenes to look at. The main wall has the Last Judgment painted on it, complete with scary scenes of hell and those iconic fingers touching. But beyond the main wall and the ceiling there are frescoes all on the walls. You are in the room with hundreds of other people of all different nationalities and languages, all taking in the famous art.
Advice: if you are into art history and plan on seeing the Sistine Chapel, you should read the Agony and the Ecstasy. It’s long but really good.
After exiting the Chapel, we made a short walk over to St. Peter’s Basilica. This building has been called the ‘greatest of all churches in Christendom.’ Not too shabby, right? Besides being important for religious reasons, let’s just get this out right now–this baby is huge. Like the biggest-church-ever huge. Like twice the size of the National Cathedral in D.C. It is shaped like a cross and has a huge dome that dominates the Roman skyline.
Work on the Basilica started in 1506 and names like Bernini and Michelangelo worked on the design and decoration of St. Peter’s. So it should come as no surprise that it is a work of art in itself, and is then decorated by more works of art, such as the Michelangelo sculpture, La Pieta. I am always amazed when I see sculptures and think of these life-like scenes were created from a chunk of rock. La Pieta is quite beautiful and depicts Mary holding Jesus’ body after he was crucified.
Seeing stuff like this makes you wish our Presidents and leaders would commission works of art the way the Popes did during the Renaissance. As we exited St. Peter’s onto St. Peter’s square where 80,000 people sometimes gather, I experienced one of those weird little travel moments that seem so improbable. There in front of me were some people I knew from back home. Even when you feel like you are thousands of miles from home, home can come to you. Maybe the world isn’t such a big place after all.
The next stop on our trek was the Roman Forum, culminating in the Colosseum. We learned a valuable lesson that jaywalking was unwise as we crossed several busy Roman streets. Unless you wanted to be hit by twenty or so angry scooter drivers. I would advise anyone crossing streets in Rome to only go when Italian-looking citizens (tight pants, lots of leather) do so. We survived though, as do the many structures that make up the Roman Forum. The Forum is a collection of the remnants of buildings, arches and statues, all left over from a few thousand years ago. As in thousands. How these people managed to build such large structures that have lasted so long is incredible.
The Colosseum looks just the way it is supposed to and after waiting in line for a while, we got to go wander around inside. There are three levels of arches that are built on top of each other into a large circle. The floor in the center is not solid; instead it looks a bit like a maze when viewed from above. There is a wooden bridge across the center (reconstructed) so you can get an idea of what it looked like when the floor was solid. The theory is that this floor was removable so if they were reenacting a water scene on that particular day, they could flood it and play real-life Battleship.
The Colosseum would have looked a lot different back in the day. In my mind, it is basically what a giant football stadium in present times would look like–except minus the plastic chairs and replay screens.
Trevi Fountain is located in the Trevi district of Rome. That seems like an easy enough destination, but alas…we got lost. We stumbled upon a fountain, and not remembering exactly what the fountain looked like, threw our euro coins in with a wish. We must have looked ridiculous and we certainly felt ridiculous when we eventually stumbled upon the actual Trevi Fountain.
There should be no mistaking this thing–it is the massive fountain on the side of a building that depicts Oceanus flanked by men and winged horses. Nothing like what we had found earlier. We threw more coins in, like so many others do. The coins are reportedly collected and buy food for needy Romans, so I was okay with buying another wish.
Advice: carry around a map or G.P.S. when exploring a new place. And not a lame one like you get at the hotel when you check in, which is what we were using.
The final must-see for our trip was the Pantheon. In 126. A.D. Hadrian completed the Pantheon, but for what purpose seems to be up for debate. After its first few hundred years it was dedicated as a church and has basically been that ever since. The building itself is circular with a massive dome and several columns at the front. The most impressive part of the Pantheon is its dome–it is the size of the one at St. Peter’s and has a big circle right in the middle.
The reason this is so impressive is because the engineers who came up with this did it using concrete–without any metal. Oh, and remember, they did this 2,000 years ago. I kind of get why these people took over much of the world with those kind of skills. Several tombs inside the Pantheon, most famously this is where Raphael was laid to rest.
After a very busy day, we headed back to the station to get on the train north. We were exhausted, but exhilarated by all we had been able to see and do in a mere one day in Rome.
At the end of Roman Holiday, Audrey and Gregory know that they shared a magical day in a magical city, but also that they would never again get to replicate it. As I think back on my own great day in Rome, it is also a little bittersweet because one of my dear friends is no longer with us. While that makes me sad, I am able to smile when I remember trekking all over this famous city. We’ll always have Rome!
I have no doubt that I will get to visit Rome again at some point. However, I will never regret squeezing one day in Rome into the trip to visit the five sites listed above. Have you been to Rome? What were your must sees?
I was lucky enough to experience a New Mexico weekend getaway and I highly recommend you plan one yourself. I feel New Mexico is a gem and one of our most underrated states. So I suggest you visit before the secret gets out. You do …
Panama has more than just hats, people. For one blissful month after finishing grad school and before the student-loan repayment plan kicked in, I was able to join my family in this cool Central American country. Here are ten interesting Panama facts. Locks Panama was …
Last year, R, C and I did a little traveling through Poland. Below are a few do’s and don’ts from our experience there. The first “do” is, of course, go to Poland! After that, you can worry about the specifics below.
Come prepared to learn.
Assume you already know everything you need to about WWII.
Unlike R, my knowledge of WWII is rusty at best. I expected I would learn more about the topic when we visited Poland. But I did not realize just how much. Poland is basically ground zero for WWII and almost everything you will do or see has been impacted by that event. Your time there will be full of moments that will both fascinate and shock you. And if you do it right, the experience will change the way you look at the world.
Visit Auschwitz.
Do anything else that day.
I knew Auschwitz would be difficult—and it was. What happened there is nothing short of horrifying. But I still feel it is a place everyone should try to visit if they have the chance. It is a powerful reminder of a time in history that should never occur again.
Because you are going to be emotionally drained after you visit Auschwitz, I would recommend you don’t plan on doing much else the rest of that day. Something light and easy would be best. We decided to take a little walk around the Jewish Old Town in Krakow. Not only did we enjoy the weather and the views, but it was so good to see that despite Hitler’s best efforts, Jewish folks are alive and well in Poland.
Eat at Wierzynek.
Wear your grubbiest clothes.
A coworker of mine is from Poland and she highly recommend we eat at Wierzynek in Krakow. The restaurant dates back to 1364. That kind of history is pretty incredible and it was a fun experience. However, for whatever reason, we opted to eat there on our first day in town—before we had had a chance to shower or change our clothes. This place is nice and it wasn’t until after we were seated that we started to feel a little self-conscience about how we were dressed. We were treated wonderfully by the staff. But it would have been a much more enjoyable experience had we smelled a little better.
Walk around and explore.
Sprain your ankle if you can help it.
We do a lot of walking when we travel and Poland was no exception. The Old Town in both Krakow and Warsaw are particularly delightful and it is a lot of fun to wander and take in everything around you. But be careful. Cobblestones are not ankle friendly, as our friend C discovered. On day 1, she hit a dip in the road wrong and sprained her ankle. She was a trooper that day and the rest of the trip. But it was an issue for her the entire time we were in Europe. You’ll want to be very careful not to have an issue like that yourself.
This was also a good example of why you should carry a first-aid kit.
Take public transportation.
Expect to understand what you are doing.
We took several buses while we were in Poland. We also took the train from Krakow to Warsaw. Each and every time, we had difficulty buying tickets, finding the bus or train stop, getting off at the right stop, etc. I actually wrote this in my travel journal: “Miraculously, we found the bus we were looking for.” Public transportation in a foreign country is one of the most challenging aspects of travel. But it can also be one of the most entertaining and educational.
Side note: it can also be the most affordable ways of getting from one place to another. It cost us around $1 to travel to the salt mines outside of Krakow. On that particular bus ride, the old lady sitting next to R was nice enough to “tell” us where to get off. She did not speak English but gestured to us to get off the bus. Obviously, she knew where we tourists were heading! On the way back, another old lady gestured to us where to catch the bus. She could see we were headed the wrong way and thankfully steered us in the right direction.
Visit a salt mine.
Expect a quick trip.
Touring a salt mine was something several people recommended we do. So we said alright and made a plan to visit one near Krakow, the Wieliczka Salt Mines. It wasn’t until we were 380 steps below ground that we realized we would be there for several hours. Don’t get me wrong, it was a neat experience. But it was much longer than I expected. Like everything else in Poland, this salt mine was old and had a lot of history—I actually have a hard time believing I could learn so much about salt. But learn we did. You will see what I mean if you ever have a chance to visit one.
Eat a bagel.
Worry about where you buy one.
Did you know bagels originated in Poland? I surely did not before I visited there. It was a lovely little fact to learn. And it was lovely eating them as well. We ate at a great little place in Krakow called Bagel Mama. It was here that I enjoyed a bagel burger—one of the best burgers I have ever had. You can also pick up a tasty bagel from any number of street vendors for super cheap (kind of like hot dogs in Chicago). I am pretty sure you cannot go wrong eating a bagel from anywhere in the country that invented them.
Try the pierogis.
Expect too much.
I apologize to anyone who loves this traditional Polish fare. It was not my favorite. I got tired of pierogis pretty fast and in fact, I did not want any sort of ravioli/dumpling for months afterwards. But I am still glad I ate them while I was there. You should definitely give them a whirl.
Go to the grocery store.
Stay in your comfort zone.
We’ve said it before and I am sure we will say it again: we love shopping at grocery stores in foreign countries. It is just so much fun to see what other people eat. And groceries in Poland are cheap. Like really cheap. Even if you are not planning on cooking any meals, I still say you go browse and maybe pick up a snack or two.
Explore the cities and all they have to offer.
Forget the countryside.
Krakow is awesome. There is really no other way to explain it. And although Warsaw is bigger and more spread out, it also has a lot to offer. You could spend a lot of time exploring just these two cities. But the countryside is definitely worth a visit. We managed to get out a bit and see a bit of said countryside—especially when we took the train from Krakow to Warsaw. Poland is a good-sized country by European standards and its scenery has quite a bit to offer.
Go to the museums.
Try to visit them all.
Given the history in Poland, it is not surprising that there are a lot of museums. But honestly, unless you are spending a lot of time there, you are going to have to pick and choose. In Warsaw, we visited the Warsaw Uprising Museum. I felt it was very well done and well worth a visit. R and C tried to visit the Science Museum, but it was full (that was the first time I had heard of that happening).We also toured the palace and visited the local zoo. R had read a story about the zookeeper and his wife during WWII, so we decided to go see their house. It was a nice zoo, if you like zoos. What I liked most was the lack of tourists. It was also pretty funny to note the differences in safety measures between U.S. zoos and this one. We were very close to the lions.
There was a lot more we could have done, but we had a limited amount of time. The places we visited were all very interesting as well as educational. Honestly, most of the museums in Poland could probably be described as interesting as well as educational. And like the rest of Poland, the hardest part is going to be deciding where to go.
Poland is a country rich in history. Emotionally, it may not be the easiest place to visit. But it is a fascinating place and one I definitely recommend.
Estonia is a lovely little country located on the Baltic Sea. I cannot think of a single negative thing to say about this country. It is beautiful and easy to travel. Things are really, really, really old. There is a history here that is hard …