Ah trains. One of the best ways to travel. Yes they have their downsides: it does take a rather long time to get anywhere. But I figure if you're not in a rush, why not enjoy the journey? I could have flown from New York to Toronto, but I couldn't pass up a train trip. Amtrak is the only service that operates in the State and it runs the Maple Leaf, covering the journey in about 12 hours. It was only a quick walk from Jeremy's to the Station. I'm really grateful he let me stay with him. I'd actually booked a hostel for my last night because I didn't want to be a bother by getting up early, but he's up early anyway so it worked out well.
I'd paid a little bit extra (about $30) for business class. It wasn't much money in the scheme of things, plus I knew I would appreciate the extra space. And oh did I. I had a seat by myself that was big enough for me to curl up in, plus it reclined with a huge foot rest so it was like curling up in front of the TV at Mum and Dad's. I slept for the first few hours and then passed some time in the cafe carriage chatting with some of the staff. Mike and 'J' (he wouldn't spill on what the J on his name badge stood for) travel the line six days a week. Up one day and back the next...three times a week. I'm not sure what their actual job is. They just sat and chatted to me and a girl from Nepal who is studying in Canada and made the occasional announcement.
The scenery, what I saw of it, was nice. We followed water for a while and I could see a bit of the little towns we passed through. It was nice to be out of the city. At Niagra we all hopped off to go through the border check. I had to get my working holiday permit issued and the woman at the desk wasn't very helpful to begin with. At first she said she wasn't sure she could issue it, then said she could but she would have to start the machine and it could take an hour (meaning I would miss the train to Toronto), then suggested I get it processed when I fly into Vancouver, then realised I couldn't do that because it had to be done on entry to the country, then said she could do it but warned me again about missing my train. I said she should do whatever she had to do. I needed to get it activated so if that meant the night in Niagra, so be it. When she processed it she initially said I only had a year, even though the permit could be for two. I'd only bought insurance for one year so she was going by that. After a bit of a conversation where I promised to extend to insurance if I stayed in the country longer than a year (which of course I would!?), she approved it for two years and I was good to go. Luckily, being in business class I'd been one of the first off the train to the customs desk so even with the time it took her, I was finished before some other customers. It would have been a different story if I'd been further back in the line. There would have been no train for me to Toronto.
At the station I met my Uncle Mickey...well once we found each other. I hadn't seen him for 11 years but turns out he looks just the same. I doubt the same can be said for me though. I was 15. I really hope I don't still look like the scrawny teenager I was back then. Well, not that there's much scrawny about me after two months with lots of food and no gym. Mickey and his partner Lyn live a couple of hours out of Toronto so it was a little drive back, but again, nice to be out of the city.
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