The Travel Industry News - Editorial Archives

June 1, 2001

The ‘Rest’ of the Journey...

There is something special, relaxing, thought-provoking about train rides. You sit back, let your mind dream of things that were , things that could have been, things that are...and maybe...things that may be.

The countryside and destinations come to you. No airports, no flights that come and go...but who knows why or when?

These rails stretch into the distance..but you know they’re there and you know you can choose to sit back, or move around with ease and all the while your train devours the miles while your eyes drink in the scenery and life that passes by. The “Whistler Northwind” carried the ‘Travel Gang’ northwards. Suddenly darkness...the tunnel was one mile long...and then we burst into daylight.

Along picturesque Howe Sound we traveled. Mountains formed a snow-capped backdrop, islands jutted from the waters that had seen Captain Vancouver pass this way many years ago. A B.C. ferry was majestically cruising into Horseshoe Bay.

Water, sky-touching mountains, green-clad sentinels of the land, oh yes, B.C. is one beautiful province and this train journey is going to be one popular trip or my name isn’t David ‘Twain Twack’ Bond.

This was early May, in another month sailboats will be adding their billowing sails to the beauty that Howe Sound offers.

Cameras clicked away, people talked, Californians kept their coats buttoned, Northwesterners strolled & talked-sans coats.

The sun became shy as laughter & chatter mingled with oohs & aahs, it lurked behind a cloud...or was that a mountain top?

There are two classes of service available on this ‘Northwind’ for your clients...or you.

1. PANORAMA SERVICE features at-seat dining in your panoramic carriage...plus access to the beautifully restored 1954 mid-train club car with cocktail bar (eat your heart out Boeing & Airbus devotees!)

2. SUMMIT SERVICE which we savoured and appreciated. “Summit” also provides you with your panoramic carriage, a pleasing vintage dining car AND private access to a separate & lovingly restored 1939 tail-end lounge car...with cocktail bar “Brunch is served”...brunch that featured elegant china, fine linens and silverware. We all made our way to the 1953 vintage dining car where the original cut-glass dividing panels spoke of bygone craftsmanship and even the original chairs, now boasting new upholstery, proved that oft times “old is good”...anyway that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

Now let me see, fruit cocktail...with a passion syrup (love these old-timers), chef’s salad of crisp greens with hazelnuts, maple-cured ham and asiago...with a lime-scented dressing.

Now...should I have smoked salmon on poppyseed bagel with capers & onion...OR...frittata, Canadian bacon, egg; Italian cheese & pasta bake with grilled back bacon & vegetables?

Oh my...the difficult choices one has to make to travel with class...much easier on flights where a bag of nuts suffices.

AND...that’s not all...I then had to choose between apple purse, maple caramel sauce filo-wrapped baked apple with caramel cream or crepes, brie, blue cheese & oatmeal crackers...the things I do to report back to you!

Adding to the charm of the dining car..in my opinion anyway...was a colorful mural that runs the length of both sides of the car depicting the countryside & legends that the Whistler Northwind passes through on this journey. The artist was B.C.’s Dana Irving.

Talk...once again...flowed freely during brunch but if there was one minor criticism on this journey, it was that the service was a little slow. As this was the ‘shakedown’ cruise...so to speak...I feel that this will be corrected.

As we made our way back to our “View on Wheels”, passing between cars, fresh air invaded my thoughts...real fresh air...the kind that once was the ‘norm’ in our corner of the world.

The Northwind offers two trips from which to select. The ‘NORTHBOUND’ option-3 days-Vancouver to Prince George- with over nights in Whistler, 100 Mile House and finishing at Prince George.

The ‘SOUTHBOUND’ option-2 days-Prince George to Whistler. These programs run from May to September.

We passed waterfalls, homes perched above us, mountains, granite walls carved by time that climbers clung to like ants, virgin forests, a glimpse of a golf course proving that man was out there...somewhere.

I wandered back into the ‘bull-nosed’...or was that...’reared’ club car. Armchair side tables...bar set mid-way. I sat soaked in the atmosphere while outside we crossed a trestle over Cheakamus Gorge as cascading waters cried into a river that ran through.

Train journeys have been called “Land Cruising’...and as I sat looking from windows that people had shared with me...60 years ago...it seemed like a good analogy.

Meanwhile...during our journey...the background music recalled the past, I recognized ‘The Tennessee Waltz’ (my mum told me about it!) amongst others. We were pulling into Whistler...the end of the line for me. Whoops...the music playing was...”Just One of Those Things”, and this train journey on this particular train certainly is that!

David (Once In a While) Bond

BC Rail: 800-663-8238
www.whistlernorthwind.com

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