It was a shame to be in Calgary for only a couple of nights as there’s so much more to see and do, but it was great fun meeting up with Kat again. I have been to some great places, but Canadian hospitality is second to none.

Next morning, I caught the Brewster Express to Banff. Banff is somewhere I have always wanted to visit since I did my work experience as a travel agent when I was at school and this was their top winter location. I remember seeing the snow covered mountains, crisp clear blue skies in the brochures (no internet back then!) and thinking how wonderful it must be to go there. Well now I was finally doing it. The bus picked me up from the hotel in Calgary and dropped me off at the hotel in Banff which was really handy as it meant no walking with my backpack in freezing temperatures. The journey was only about 2 hours door to door and it wasn’t until we came over a crest of the hill that got a glimpse of the mountains. Although I had seen them previously whilst on the train from Vancouver to Edmonton, they never fail to amaze.

Once at the hotel, the Banff Park Lodge, and checked into my room I changed into thermals and then went straight out. It’s too good a place to stay in a hotel room. The hotel was only a 2 minute walk to the centre of town. It is very picturesque, almost quaint with nice little signs hanging up outside each shop.

There are bus stops along the road with live ETA information displayed electronically. Just because it’s a remote town doesn’t mean it’s without technology. It was 15 minutes before the next bus was due but being -23 it was too cold to stand at the bus stop, so I visited a couple of the shops instead and bought some maple syrup caramels, which were really nice, and waited until the bus arrived.

It was $5CAD for a 24 hour bus pass so it was worth it. The Banff Gondola is a pretty big tourist attraction in Banff and the bus went straight there. It was about $63CAD for a round trip on the gondola, but it certainly saves a good few hours hiking in the thick snow and freezing cold to the top of Mount Sulphur at 2,451m high.

Despite its name, there is no sulphur smell. At the base of the gondola there is a sign warning people to wrap up warm as it’s usually 10 degrees colder at the top than at the base. It was already -23 at the base… The best views were sitting with your back to Mount Sulphur and as the gondola rises the view of the Rockies and the Banff Fairmont Springs hotel present themselves.

After about 8 minutes I was at the top and really could not believe the views I was seeing.

At the top there is a visitors centre with cafe, restaurant information centre and of course a gift shop. There is also a mountain ridge walkway which is really worth doing. Most of it is on wooden decking. There were no slip issues despite the snow and ice but the air was so clean and fresh. I swear if that could be bottled somehow, it would make someone a millionaire. Despite this, I felt like a millionaire on top of this pretty much deserted mountain, surrounded by stunning views in every direction. In fact stunning does not do the views the justice they deserve.

After a few hours at the top, I went to the cafe and had a black cherry cola to rehydrate which was very nice, if not a bit sweet and a coffee to warm up. I then caught the gondola back down to the base, again brilliant views as I descended. There is a very popular sky bistro at the top which always seems to be fully booked for dinner and am not surprised.

Once off the gondola, there is another attraction within about 5 minutes walking and it is the Banff Upper Hot Springs. These are naturally heated pools on the side of the mountain. It was less than $10CAD to go in and you could stay in for as long as you liked, up until 22.00hrs. The outside temperature was now down to -28 but the water was +41. The water was shallow, say about 2ft deep but enough to sit / lay down in. It didn’t take long to get too hot so I ended up sitting on the side with ice was forming in my hair. That was quickly dispensed with a quick plunge, only for it form again in a few minutes time. The views would be great, seeing the sun set and the shadows form on the mountains, but in reality couldn’t see that much of the views here because of all the steam and vapour.

I stayed in until the sun had set and besides, I was beginning to prune. By sheer coincidence as I arrived at the bus stop it was only a 3 minute wait for the bus. If I had missed this one, it would have been 51 minutes until the next. Back in town, showered and changed I went straight back out again and went to quite a famous restaurant called Saltlick. The steak, beers and an Old Fashioned cocktail were absolutely amazing and was a perfect way to end a perfect day. I highly recommend it.

Next morning I had booked a one day tour to Lake Louise. The lake is famed for its turquoise clear waters but this still being a Canadian winter, you wouldn’t actually be able to see the lake itself as it was under about 1.5m of ice and then snow covered too. I was picked up promptly and transferred to another bus which was about a third full. On the drive out there, the guide provided lots of information, perhaps too much as could not take it all in and also stopped in various locations, allowing us out to take some pictures.

Once at Lake Louise we had about 4 hours of free time to explore and if am honest could have done with at least 8 hours. We were dropped off at the Fairmont Chateaux Lake Louise which is a rather plush hotel and just the sheer volume of snow on top of a small wooden building gives an indication of how cold it gets.

The skies were blue, not a cloud to be seen. There were intricate ice sculptures by the side of the lake from a competition that’s held annually and people were jostling to get photos with them, myself included.

After that, I went for a walk on the lake itself. How often do you get a chance in life to walk on a frozen lake? I should point out it was safe to do so, the ice was well over 1.5m thick, vehicles could drive on this without fear of falling through so I think I was ok… Once in the shadow of one of the mountains, the temperature dropped at least a further 10 degrees so it was a relief to get back into the sun again.

Walking back people snowshoeing and cross country skiing passed me going the opposite direction, at one point even a horse drawn carriage went by.There were options to go dog sledding or snowmobiling but I just opted for a leisurely stroll in the snow.

The following day and back in Banff, I just wondered around the town and walked part of the was down the Bow River.

I wish I could have spent much longer here as it by far one of my favourite destinations I have ever been to, but I think the “less is more” is right here. Besides, I had to get back to Edmonton and catch the train to Toronto. It’s the same train I took from Vancouver to Edmonton, but it would be 4 days before I arrive in Toronto.

Unfortunately the train from Vancouver does not go to Calgary. The nearest station would be Edmonton and then I would have to catch a bus. There seem to be two bus companies operating in western Canada, Red Arrow and eBus, both out of the same office. The Red Arrow is the more luxurious coach, an express with more room etc. but it’s twice the price of eBus at $76CAD one way from Edmonton to Calgary, a journey of around 4 hours. I opted for the eBus and got a return from Edmonton to Calgary for $68CAD and it was a good and prompt service. One of the big differences is that the eBus stopped a handful of times along the way rather than going direct but I was in no hurry. They were new coaches, you could smell the fabrics inside just like it was a new car and there were USB charging ports at the seats, plenty of room and it was a smooth, comfortable journey.

In my mind I had imagined Calgary to be a picturesque town with a stunning mountain backdrop. Turns out it’s a town built on the oil and gas industry, banking too, so there are a lot of high rise buildings build in blocks with quite industrial outskirts. Also as it gets super cold here (-30 with added windchill), there are heated walkways on the 2nd or 3rd floors, linking buildings. It’s possible to walk from one side of the city to the other without going outside.

The reason I stopped in Calgary was 10 years ago when I travelled and was in Australia, I met Kat who was from Calgary and on the same tour as me around Uluru.

Over the years we have stayed in touch through social media and as I was passing by I messaged Kat and she arranged a couple of excellent activities for us. First she picked me up from the apart-hotel I was staying in and we went to a pub for dinner where we met up with her husband Phil and friend Christina. The food and beer was excellent and although it’s been a while since we last met, it seemed like it was only last week.

Dinner was followed a Canadian institution, a hockey game. Kat managed to get some tickets through work and the seats were excellent and close to the ice. We got a really good, close up view of the action. It was a lower league game rather than NHL but I think this was better for my first hockey experience.

The atmosphere was really nice, warm and friendly, plenty of beer flowing and the game was fun to watch. The guys were explaining the rules of the game to me as it went on so I could at least try and understand what was happening. I was very happy as had bought myself a giant foam finger and we were cheering for the local team, Calgary Hitmen but the game went to extra time / golden goal. Fortunately after about 8mins of extra time the Calgary Hitmen hit one into the back of the goal and won 3:2.

After the hockey game we headed off to a pub called Bottlescrew Bills. The volume and variety of beers (local and international) on choice here is mind blowing. The micro brewing industry is in full swing all over Canada. Here, they have these passports called Around the world in 80 beers.

You start off with a red passport which tends to be lagers and IPA’s. You need to have 80 of them, all different, collected and drunk before moving on to the black passport which is 80 more ales and stouts. I should point out that there is no time limit to completing the passports, you are not expected to complete it in one or two sittings. Nor would that be possible. I started my red passport but Kat and Phil were on their black passports and were making good progress completing their second lot of 80. However, Christina was on her green passport and had her name on the wall of fame having completed this back in 2015 and who judges in beer tasting events similar to CAMRA back home.

I slept pretty well that night but had a stinking headache the next morning. That was soon sorted out with a hearty breakfast, some decent coffee and a brisk walk outside in -24. Later that afternoon and back at Bottlescrew Bills, there was a beer festival on from 14.00 – 17.00hrs. This was part of the reason we went there the previous night, to get tickets to the beer festival. It wasn’t like any other beer festival I had been to. It was nice that it was on only for a few hours and good job too as I had another bus to catch the following morning.

Dotted around the pub and outside on the heated patio, were about 50 local brewery tables, each with bottles and cans of their products ranging from sours, to heavy porters and stouts, as well as red and amber ales. The pub was packed and the beer festival tickets were sold out, I think we caught the last few. Instead of pints or half pints, we had tiny little glasses that probably hold 150ml. Obviously still a little delicate from the previous evening, it was much nicer drinking a smaller quantity of beer but being able to sample a huge variety without any ill effects. I am very impressed with the Canadian beer scene. I thought we had some good beers in England, but Canada is in a different league.

After the beer festival and within 5mins walking distance (outside of the heated walkways!) was a restaurant call Briggs. Canadians do like their food and they do like their steaks too. One of the things on the menu that caught our eye was something called the Tomahawk steak. It’s a 48oz steak on the bone with about 6 side dishes too which serve 3 – 4 people. Just our luck that there were 3 of us now so that’s what we ordered. It reminded me of the film The Great Outdoors where John Candy ate a 98oz steak.

It was huge, perfectly cooked and tasted absolutely wonderful. How steak should taste. The staff cut it up for us but as I was the guest, I had the privilege of gnawing the bone which was almost the size of my mountain bike handlebars.

It was an absolutely fabulous weekend. Catching up with friends, hockey, beer, a foam finger, more beer and of course steak. Canada is definitely my favourite country I have visited so far by miles and I still have so much more of it to see. The next morning, I had another bus booked to Banff where I would be for a few days.

One of the journeys I have always wanted to do, is the Rocky Mountain Explorer train. However, that is ridiculously expensive, on par with say The Orient Express, but what an experience it would be. Nevertheless, I am at the start of The Rockies and having made the decision not to fly or drive, I’m taking the train. Fortunately there is one called ‘The Canadian’ operated by Via Rail which runs across the country from Vancouver to Toronto in just over 4 days.

Passenger trains take second place to freight trains, often held at signals or waiting in sidings, maybe up to an hour or more, while the huge freight trains trundle past. They can be up to 4km long and weigh 18,000 tons so easy to see why. That’s not really an issue in The Rockies as the scenery is simply picture postcard breathtaking. It’s not uncommon for The Canadian to arrive at stations up to 12 hours late or more, depending on weather conditions.

I booked my train journey in two legs. The first would be Vancouver to Edmonton taking one and a half days. Then about a week or so later, Edmonton to Toronto taking just over 3 days. The train was set to depart Pacific Central station at midday. I checked out of my hotel, walked one block to the skytrain and after four stops I arrived at Main Street, yards from the station.

There was a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air as people checked in. The scenery on this journey is perhaps amongst the best in the world and is on a lot of peoples bucket list. Some passengers were going all the way to Toronto, others like me, were getting off somewhere along the way. Checking in was a very smooth and efficient process, better than checking in at most airports. At check in they ask if you would like first or second sitting for dinner and give you coloured vouchers accordingly. I went for second sitting and was handed a green voucher. My bag was processed and transferred to the luggage car. Fortunately I had remember to put a wash kit in my hand luggage but they do provide amenity shower kits with towels better than in most hotels.

I had booked a sleeper plus ticket which cost about £330. Very reasonable when you compare alternative transport options and timescales. It meant that I had lounge access at the station with complimentary drinks and snacks and priority boarding.

On the train I had a upper berth seat, access to the panorama cars, the park car, the dining car with a la carte meals included as well as free hot and cold soft drinks throughout. Alcohol was extra but reasonably priced.

My seat was 3ft wide and converted into a bed in the evening. Although they say it is 5’ 10” long, I was actually able to stretch out flat and am 6’ 2”. There are cabins for 2, 3, or 4 people but they are more expensive and there are prestige cabins but they really are expensive. With only 3 people including myself in this part of the carriage, we were able to spread out in the evening. The next day, one of the 2 berth cabins was available so I managed to sit in there for a few hours just to lord it up.

Unlike the trains back home, people actually talk to one another. I guess having journeys in days, rather than minutes or hours makes the difference. There are people of different ages and backgrounds using the train for different purposes, business, pleasure, holiday, something they have always wanted to do, or have flown across the country to get the train back, the list goes on.

When the dinner announcement is made people disappear to the dining car. There’s a hand sanitiser to use at the entrance and then you are shown to your table. There are about 16 tables each seating four people and you could be sat with different people at each meal service.

This is a really nice way to engage with the other passengers and exchange stories. There were people from Canada, England, Netherlands, Germany, USA, Asia and elsewhere. Many of the people I spoke with over meals were amazed by my travels but all seemed to want to discuss Brexit. Yawn. They really feed you very well on board and there is no chance of going hungry. I think I ate more on the train than I did when I was in Vancouver! The quality of the food was very impressive too and always 3 or 4 main course choices. After each meal you are asked whether you would like first or second sitting for the next meal and again, handed a coloured voucher accordingly.

You are not confined to your seat or cabin while on the train. The panorama cars are definitely worth spending time in as you get to see the majesty of The Rockies. Perhaps the only issue is, the windows become slightly dirtier as the journey goes on but not too much. There are no windscreen wipers to keep the windows clear, but it would be nice if at various stations they were wiped down. How often do you get a chance to see views like this.

One of the nicest cars on the train is the park car. This is the last car on the train and is more of a plush lounge. The view from the rear of the train is unique and nice to look back down the rail tracks.

It has a panorama section too, a bar with snacks plus free tea, coffee and hot chocolate. Just the job to keep the cold out. In the evening there is sometimes a resident musician performing for a couple of hours and movies on show too, or just a place to relax with a drink and exchange stories.

When it came to sleeping, the sleeping car manager, David, had made up all the beds ready. We didn’t have to do anything and it was a really nice luxury experience. The train was very smooth, mostly, so managed to get some decent sleep. At no point was it too cold, uncomfortable, noisy or too shaky. Remarkable when you consider the age of the train.

After a good nights sleep and a very filling breakfast, we stopped in Jasper and were able to get off the train. This is a very picturesque town.

But getting off the train I was hit by the cold instantly. Although I had a coat, hat, gloves and thermals, my face was exposed and there was a bizarre sensation of the moisture in my nose and my nose hairs freezing. Not too surprising when it was -26 degrees centigrade with added windchill. I wondered round for about 10 minutes in the biting cold, taking a few pictures but this was too cold, even for me. I found a tourist souvenir shop and bought myself a scarf. An essential piece of kit here helping prevent frostbite.

Back on board the train and a few hours later, we arrived at my destination of Edmonton. I had booked a hotel here for a couple of nights before I was to catch the bus to Calgary where I would meet up with friends I met in Australia 10 years ago on my first Walkabout. Or as am here in Canada, my first Walkaboot 😉