Well, I finally took my long necessary holiday. So, this too shall be part of my blog. It was expensive for a four night cruise including train fair (business) at $4000.00 from Toronto, or was it? I thought that the taxi to and from the cruise was included but no it wasn’t and that was infuriating. In Toronto people really try to please you and that did not happen, not even under the threat that I would not recommend the trip, nor take it ever again. So here goes - my relaxing trip.
I had ordered the taxi from Beck (Beck is a long standing taxi company in Toronto and they are managed well by a woman married to a fire fighter. That is all I take in Toronto and I recommend them). The trip from my home to the station cost about $25.00 and I added a tip. Once I boarded the train, I was on my own with the suitcase which I may refer as my brief case. It is a Walmart, Air Canada special which usually suits me fine when I go anywhere by car. However, when I packed, I had to be careful since it filled up fairly fast. I only had room for one jacket, one set of spring clothes and the rest of the trip for hot weather. My carry on cotton gym bag which I bought in Kenya, carried a thick Stephen King book which I never opened. I left Toronto as it was going to warm up and entered Kingston knowing there would be a cool down. My suitcase was too small to keep it where I usually do - in the luggage compartment. I was informed by the female worker, that I had to keep it in the overhead compartment which for some reason, I couldn’t lift that high. The female worker informed the passengers that they could not place the suitcases overhead for us because imagine their backs at the end of the day. Well, my solution would be to make more baggage compartments - this is first class? However, when I asked the male Via worker, there was no hesitation. Thank you.
I don’t drink because of the sugar in it and my pharmacist taking a hissy fit if I do. All I had was about three spoon full of wine at Christmas and that was enough to have him take a flip. All free on the train and at meal times on the cruise, so they are making a deal on me. The food was fine on the train. I had a delightful elderly man from Montreal sitting beside me. His mission to Toronto is top secret but I did find out that it was three times a year. He was well dressed and looked like a professor, but in my experience professors love to talk. He did not. I focused on my coffee and the scenery and before I knew it, I was in Kingston (my shortest trip ever by VIA rail). Now I had a new problem. The elderly man’s tray had not been cleared and I was trying to leave the train. He was taking his time, while I remarked that I did not want to end up in Montreal. People were now boarding the train and when I finally manoeuvred around him (I had the window seat and I also had my seat changed for some reason) - no big deal. I asked a tall handsome man if he could take my suitcase down for fear of dropping it on the elderly man’s head. He provided a wonderful smile which lit up his face as well as mine, and gallantly performed the task for me. At this point there were many people coming through and they suggested I go the other direction. Since I had no choice, I did so to find out that there was no way out. I returned when it cleared and looked at the VIA workers. When I saw panic in their eyes, I felt doomed. I was going to Montreal and would miss my cruise. They began talking on the walkie talkie while the female employee told me how sorry she was. The male on the walkie talkie explained to her that I had been blocked from exiting. To be continued.....
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