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Riding the Rails
By Alexis Pearson
“I’ve always wanted to do that,” is something a lot of us say, but we don’t seem to follow up. Scuba diving, reaching the top of the CN Tower and seeing the Grand Canyon are three things that are on my list…I may get to them, I may not, but this past summer, I was able to cross of a big one for me. I rode the train across Vancouver Island.
For me, riding the train takes me back to a simpler time in my life – before I had a car and had to sit in rush hour traffic. When I was a child I used to see trains on television; people were laughing and smiling, the scenery was beautiful and there wasn’t a car in sight. As an adult, I’m reminded of cars every day as I practise my deep breathing exercises to alleviate the frustration I feel as I’m cut off by one driver and am tailgated by another. I wanted to be the one laughing and smiling. Fortunately, I found the Mid Island Explorer package to Painter’s Lodge.
I live in downtown Vancouver, so the thought of seeing the island “off the beaten path” was exciting. We caught the train in Victoria, and within minutes saw the buildings and houses change into forests and mountains. It was a different experience than driving as I felt so much closer to nature…I was right in the forest instead of two concrete lanes away from it. We chugged along through lush trees and along coastline with stunning views of inlets. We cruised through small mill towns and villages that give the island its charm.
After a beautiful ride, we varrived at the town of Courtenay and were whisked away by bus to Painter’s Lodge in Campbell River. This historic lodge boasts a long history of salmon fishing and, although we weren’t fishermen, we did enjoy seeing some of the boats come in with local salmon. Next time.
We enjoyed renting kayaks at April Point Resort & Spa, the resort across the passage. We took a little boat to the resort and enjoyed seeing the beautiful grounds of this resort too. We were tempted to skip kayaking for the spa, but thought some exercise would do us good. Kayaking close to the resort was so peaceful. We saw a couple of beautiful blue herons perched on logs and a few seals popping up from the water every now and then. For me, the best part was simply sitting in my kayak, feeling the sun on my face and just listening to the sounds of nature…sure beats downtown traffic!
Our trip would soon come to an end and we enjoyed the train trip back to Victoria. It was nice not to have to worry about where to go, or what to do. We cruised through the forest, enjoying the views just as much as we did on the way up!
After getting back to Vancouver, I felt refreshed and renewed. Now, every time I’m sitting in traffic, I remember the sun on my face in my kayak. Everything seems just a bit less stressful…and I got to cross something off my list of things to do. Maybe we’ll do the CN Tower next summer, but then again, maybe we’ll try fishing at Painter’s Lodge.
The best of Vancouver Island in one trip
Take the historic E&N rail line from Victoria and travel north to Painter’s Lodge and April Point Resort & Spa.
The E&N line winds its way up Vancouver Island’s east coast seven days a week, leaving from the “Blue Bridge” in Victoria each morning and returning around 6pm. Shortly after leaving Victoria the scenery changes quickly: Urban gives way to rural as the train travels up the Malahat. You travel over picturesque trestles, through lush forest and along spectacular mountain vistas, all dotted with the small towns and villages that give Vancouver Island its unique charm. If you’ve always wanted to ride the E&N line but have never made the time, this is the perfect opportunity!
Package includes:
- Two nights’ resort accommodation,
- Round-trip train tickets from Victoria to Courtenay, and
- Tansfers from Courtenay to the resorts via Oak Bay Marine Group’s private shuttle
from $299 per person, plus GST.
For reservations or more information, call 1-800-663-7090 or contact us online.
Rates are per person, based on double occupancy. Some restrictions may apply.
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Media Contact
Wendy Oppelt
wendy_oppelt@obmg.com
1-800-663-7090
To download images visit www.obmg.com/mediagallery/.
