more catch up information

Sunday 19th September
It was an interesting wake up call this morning. Some heavy shunting movements give me the feeling that we should be awake. However checked my watch and found that it was coming up for 6am. Then raising the window shutter, it was clear that we were in sidings in the region of Capreol, waiting for another mile long freight train to pass by.
It was to become the theme of the day. That, and the endless views of forests, lakes and hundreds of telegraph poles that were in desperate need of repair as they sunk into the swamplands. It wasn’t the day to play ‘I Spy’.
We had breakfast whilst the staff folded away our beds and left 2 chairs in our room.
The views were magnificent and seemed to capture some true sense of space and wonderment that was typically Canada.
During the course of the day, staff were providing look-out calls for Moose and Bears… however we were to find their alerts were to be less than reliable.
Our meals, (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were all excellent and company varied at all of them, as we were randomly matched up with others who were travelling in sleeper class
We stopped for a 25min break at Hornpayne and were allowed to get off for a short walk and remind ourselves of what fresh air was.
People travelling home to Edmonton, Vancouver and another person from Poland. One couple celebrating their 58th Wedding Anniversary kept us entertained for dinner.
But the scenery started to register the enormity of the country and the expanse of land.
Whilst at our final meal, the Via Canada staff had been into our rooms and unfolded our beds again, ready for our next night of slumber.

Monday 20th September
We had been informed the previous evening the plans for this mornings stop in Winnipeg.
It was a planned 4 hour stop, so that once we had breakfast we were free to explore the city of Winnipeg. And at last a chance to get a mobile signal and check al was well at home.
The train arrived ahead of schedule, however the first come first served breakfast became under pressure for a while, but the log-jam soon cleared.
We packed items away and loaded back-pack with camera etc. and set off in search of what Winnipeg is famous for.

will attach some photos shortly