This will be my last post for several days. Today, I’m getting back on the train to travel from Jasper to Toronto. I’m posting the map of my trip again as a reminder. For those of you who have just started, make sure you go back. I have ten posts before this one for this trip.

I have completed the Vancouver-Jasper-Banff part of the trip. I traveled by train from Vancouver to Jasper, then took a bus from Jasper to Banff, then a bus to Lake Louise, and traveled yesterday evening by bus from Lake Louise back to Jasper.

As you can see from the map, the rest of my journey will be completely by train to Toronto, and I learned from the first train journey of the trip that there is little if any cell service between towns.

I’ll be writing about the trip every day in my journal, so I don’t forget, and taking pictures (of course); but I won’t be able to post every day. In fact, I probably won’t be able to post anything until Toronto, so that would be Friday, January 20, at the earliest.

Yesterday, was really bittersweet. I am excited about getting back on the train and being just in a relaxed space without having to repack and move for a couple of days. To just sit quietly and look at scenery and read. To not have to think about what I’m going to eat and where until it’s time to go to the dining car.

However, I am going to miss the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. I’m glad that was the last bit of the adventure part of the journey because it was definitely a highlight. As I said to a couple of people already this morning, I wouldn’t be upset if I never got to come back to Jasper or Banff (sad, but not upset), but if I never got to go back to Lake Louise, I’ll be really sad. I didn’t even have time to see the town!

Yesterday began with room service! Remember that gift card? I definitely put it to good use.

Yes, I did get eggs benedict again because I truly love it, and I NEVER have it. I also never think to pan fry cherry tomatoes like that. They were delicious.

But the best part? Combining room service with a rewatch of Cherry Magic,the Movie. Many of you know how much I love the show, the movie, and the manga. It’s just feel good all around, and it seemed perfect to watch this while being in my room in my pajamas at a chateau!

My schedule for the morning was to pack up, check out of room by noon, leave my bags with the bell service, and check in for my 1 pm sleigh ride at 12:30. Everything went as planned. Or rather better because when I called the front desk asking for advice about this, they said they would just send someone up to get my bags and told me not to worry about them until I had to get my bus.

So, I didn’t. I’ve let go a lot on this trip.

I wrote the blog for yesterday, did some work (yes, I checked emails), and finally put on my layers for the sleigh ride. We were warned to put on our warmest things because the ride lasts for about 45 minutes, so I planned my packing with this in mind.

[I’m going to put in a plug for smartwool cushioned hiking socks. Super comfy, warm, but your feet won’t sweat either when you’re inside.]

After they came to get my bags, I left my room and went to find the sleigh ride sign-in place and then walked around for a bit outside while waiting. They are starting to do some ice sculptures, and I noticed details about the place that I hadn’t when I walked on lake yesterday.

Finally. Finally, it was time for the sleigh ride. Did I start humming “Sleigh Ride” as soon as I saw the sleigh pull up? Yes, I did.

The sleigh ride goes around the lake almost to the end–the place I wanted to walk but didn’t have enough time to do. It really gives another perspective of the lake. I took video, but I can’t post. sigh.

We also got a close up view of the ice falls as well.

The sleigh actually goes onto the lake to turn around, so we got to see the lake while being on it from the sleigh.

We learned that the ice on the lake is at least a meter thick right now and that it doesn’t completely thaw until April and sometimes not until June!

It was also fun seeing the Fairmont from the sleigh as well. You can see it in the distance in the picture above on the left. But here are some from on the way back.

Brewster Sightseeing was one of the first companies to do tours in the Banff National Park. They started out hauling things for the hotels and the train companies and particularly the Swiss mountaineers that the railroad brought in to teach people to hike the mountains. A subsidiary, Brewster Adventures, is responsible for the sleigh rides in winter and horseback riding tours in summer.

Apparently, there were too many deaths of people thinking it would be fun to hike these mountains like they hiked other hills, so the railroad hired Swiss and Austrians to come over and teach people how to climb “real mountains.” There are still several tea rooms in the mountains because they were built for them.

There was a guy behind me on the sleigh wondering about this, but I thought why not? Of course, Swiss people are excellent mountaineers. I mean when you have the Alps in your backyard . . .

After the sleigh ride, I went inside and looked around at some of the shops I didn’t see yesterday, trying to decide if I had space in my suitcase for yet anothr souvenir. I really wanted a Lake Lousie tshirt, but they were too expensive in the chateau shops. If–no when–I come again, I’ll make sure to get into the town of Lake Louise and go to gift shope for regular people.

I should have known that I wouldn’t be able to afford anything in the gift shop next to the fine jewelry shop!

I did go to the Guide’s Pantry where they have food you can buy to take out for hikes and picnics and such. I learned they are open 24/7, so there is still real food to have if you come back from climbing, hiking, or skiing after the restaurants are closed.

I sat in the hall outside the pantry on one of the window seats with my pricey/fancy BLT. and enjoyed how pretty even this corridor is.

Afterwards, I just went and sat in the lobby to read until it was time to go to the waiting area for the bus.

I have tried all of the different chairs in the lobby, and the one below is my favorite. It doesn’t look like it would be, but gosh, it was perfect for my back. I sat in it for at least 90 minutes reading without my lumbar support (it was with my luggage), and my back felt great. I can’t say that about any chair I’ve sat in for the last six years at least. It’s straight up in a 90 degree angle in the back, which makes it look uncomfortable.

There was a man sitting in this chair’s twin on the other side of the table, telling his wife the same thing. He was already in his chair when I sat in mine, reading a book, and he was there when I left. His wife and her friend kept coming back to check on him, and he’d just wave her off, telling her he was fine.

Around 3:30, I went over to the bell captain’s booth to get my bags and headed over to where I had been told to wait for the bus.

I hadn’t checked the map, so I did not realize that there was a whole other hallway of shops that leads to the wing where they have conferences. Can you imagine having a conference here?

I didn’t explore too much because I wanted to make sure I was in the spot when the bus arrived.

The drive back to Jasper took longer than the drive from Jasper because it had snowed some in between, but more importantly, we didn’t leave Lake Louise until 4 pm. It was already a bit overcast and there had been flurries all day, so it got dark fast. The bus driver did let us take a break to stretch our legs halfway, and there were even some people brave enough to go behind some of the snow dunes to go to the bathroom, but it was too dark for pictures.

I had forgotten how dark it gets at night in the north. So dark. We could barely see anything beyond the bus headlights.

I, of course, fell asleep and slept until we reached Jasper.

It was actually nice coming back to a place with which I was familiar. I have a different room at the same hotel: The Crimson. It’s one that is wheelchair accessible, so it’s on the first floor and much closer to the front desk than I was before. I think they did that because they know I have a train to catch today and was only spending the night, so I didn’t need to be that close to the sauna or pool.

Someone also came by the room to give me the envelope with the cash that I left in the safe last week!

I feel very lucky and very fortunate.

Despite sleeping so much on the bus, I was too exhausted to go out to dinner or even order in. I didn’t get to my room until after 8. I just went to the vending machine and got a snack. You know I haven’t used a vending machine in ages because I didn’t even know vending machines take credit cards now.

Don’t laugh, people. I finally understand that I can just tap my card now.

I’m paying for not eating a proper dinner because now I am really hungry.

I’m going to finish this post and go to a local bakery that is close by then stop by Nesters for some milk for breakfast.

I’m not really worried about eating a full breakfast because I know I will be eating a lot the next couple of days. Three full meals each day on the train! Woohoo!!

Thanks for reading and commenting.