Fresh Snow on the Road.

One of the best things about traveling in Canada by train or bus immediately after a snow storm is that it’s so pretty.

In fairness, it’s always pretty but the dusting of or piling of, fresh clean white snow makes everything look like it has been painstakingly crafted for a holiday special. But it’s not that commercial, it’s just Canada, home, in the snow.

 

With Via Rail or one of the bus lines driving, you can relax and enjoy the view.  With power and WIFI at every seat, you can even get a little work done.  Or write a blog post about, say, the pleasures of traveling by bus or train through Canada.

As expected into this winter wonderland a little pain-in-the-practicality must fall.  Last night’s snow has slowed down the buses a little. The bus I’m on will be 45 minutes late arriving. (I’m traveling by Megabus today since  it aligned better with my last minute plans than my preferred Via Rail.)

The snow also makes me miss luggage that was designed to be carried rather than wheeled. Dragging your luggage through the snow, and slush, isn’t really that much easier than carrying it, and the snow leaves the bottom of your luggage and wheels covered in snow and/or gunked up. Usually and. Years of experience have taught me to pack plastic bags at the bottom of my suitcases. They take zero room and are great for snow and crossing rivers (and separating dirty from clean with you are on the road).  Anything that could be water damaged goes in a shoulder bag.

Now Travel Bunny and I are settled into our seats and taking in the view. Even getting a little nostalgic for winter travel past when Xmas meant cross country road trips in the snow.

Alexa Clark

Alexa is a digital marketer and author with over 20 years in digital & interactive communications in the food and tech industries. Alexa's CheapEats Restaurant Guides, for both Toronto & Ottawa, were Canadian best sellers. She is a recognized authority on social media and has been named one of Canada's 20 Leading Women in Social Media.

11 thoughts on “Fresh Snow on the Road.

  • November 27, 2013 at 12:06 pm
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    I miss traveling with you on days like this.

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  • November 27, 2013 at 12:58 pm
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    I miss it too , but soon we’ll be out adventuring together again!

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  • November 27, 2013 at 3:53 pm
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    Underway Wifi Blogging–good grief! I live in amazing times–and have an amazing friend!!!

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  • November 27, 2013 at 3:59 pm
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    Written and photographed entirely on the bus 😉

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  • November 27, 2013 at 4:00 pm
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    Dear got—I used to get a headache just reading on the bus!

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  • November 27, 2013 at 4:09 pm
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    That’s one thing I love about travelling by train to Montreal at Christmas — since it’s so frequently unsnowy where I live near the lake, the trip up along the lake and the river slowly becomes snowier and more wintery. Yep, not going to enjoy that this year: flying to Halifax. But since it will be on Porter, if it’s a clear day, we’ll be closer to the ground to watch the climate changes.

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  • November 28, 2013 at 10:43 am
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    PatAnderson I love taking via_rail’s Eastern in winter.  Especially if I can get a lower berth.  I’ll curl up in bed, turn off the lights, open the window shade and watch the winter countryside slip by as I fall asleep.  That’s how I saw the northern lights for the first time. 
    It’s also fun when you stop in a small town, and you wake up to find your bedroom fully lit up from headlights because the train has lined up perfectly so you are directly in line with the cars lined up waiting for the train to move along.   😉

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  • November 29, 2013 at 11:00 am
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    Luckily I don’t have that issue. Must be the years and years of car travel as a passenger. Thought the part where the Megabus traveled down from Eglinton on Bayview rather than the DVP left me feeling a little queasy.

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  • November 29, 2013 at 11:04 am
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    Toronto trolly buses used to jerk my head about so much I would get the queasies—do they still do trolly buses down town?

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  • November 29, 2013 at 11:26 am
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    Yes, but we call them streetcars 😉 They are my favourite form of TTC since there are fewer stairs and you get to see the city. Best is the Queen Street Streetcar which is a full city-wide (literally) tour of Toronto. Takes over an hour when there’s no traffic.

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  • November 29, 2013 at 11:35 am
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    Wow—Jack and I rode that Queen St “Streetcar” all the way across town. It was 1958–he had come to TO on his motorbike to visit me. We sat in the back seat, and he, being exhausted from the bike ride, immediately fell asleep…his head swinging back and forth like a bobblehead!

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