Solo Traveler

Thus far I have somewhat neglected my blogging duties however not because I have nothing to say just no time to say it. So this blog entry is a tad delayed in posting compared to where I am now in life/ my adventure but thought it would still be fun to mentoin...so here I go. 

Another twelve hours waits before arriving at my destination of Churchill. Can’t wait this part of the trip is going by ay faster than my thirty hours on the bus. However having said that least this time I have more things to keep me occupied other than sleeping.

21:00 hrs and I have now finished watching Season 2 of Archer and have also finished watching “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” a very intriguing movie I think. Having already read the book I appreciated the movie more, however do wish they had not cut out certain scenes but regardless I have hopes that they will make up for it in the next movie.

22:28 hrs a quick stop in the dark for those departing us  in Gilliam. Not much to see through the darkness but I don’t mind because Gilliam is not my stop.

I have a novel to which I am also hoping to finish before arriving Churchill as it was lent to me by a friend. The novel is called “Frozen in Time” by Owen Beattle and John Geeger. In this book it discusses the fate of the John Franklin expedition and the remains that were found in the early 1980’s to which anthropologists were fascinated with their discovery and as a history major it is fascinating for me due to the fact that I find it important to learn more about our history throughout Canada. I find it more important in especially understanding more of the events that happened in the back yard of our country before learning about the events and history of the rest of the world. I have found; including myself that growing up I found Canadian history to be very boring however as an adult I have learnt to appreciate it. As young children it seems that we could care less how our Country came to be and we could care less about the people who made the sacrifices  in order for us to have what we have today. An example of this would tie into the book I am hoping to start, “Frozen in Time” if you were to ask a young elementary aged child who John Franklin was they are likely to shrug their shoulders. Little do most young school aged children realize that Sir John Franklin along with 129 crew members had set out on the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror in hopes of finding the Northwest Passage. Franklin’s plan was to penetrate the icy unknown of the North; a voyage that would end in tragedy. However this is only one of many shattered dreams of men who have set out to explore the Canadian barren Arctic.  Centuries prior to Franklin expedition which ended in tragedy James Munk of 1619 expedition was forced to stop at the mouth of the Churchill River 61/64 corpses of men were thrown overboard before Munk and two of his men were able to make their way back to England. James Knight a hundred years later would also attempt the search for the Northwest Passage; his expedition was never seen again. The bones of many European explorers are scattered throughout the Canadian Arctic tragic reminders of the dreams and men lost at sea.

07:15hrs note to anyone who enjoys doing photography; taking the train from Thompson to Churchill has some of the most beautiful landscape I have ever seen, having said that you might also want to make sure that your camera battery is charged. Now usually I am the first person to make sure both my cell phone and camera battery are both charged. However this time I was not as prepared as I had thought. But I am sure this will not be the only time that I will be taking the train to Churchill therefore I hope to learn from this minor mishap. Back to my reasoning about photography and landscape, the reason I mention this is due to the fact that between 0630-0715 one of the most amazing sunsets  took place. Working in Churchill I have seen many sunsets especially being out on the water but to see one covering the landscape of the tundra was extra special.

 

0730 hrs, for the first time in ages the train is arriving in Churchill EARLY! About an hour early, I don’t remember the last time the train was ever this early.  

We arrived in Churchill just before 08:00hrs, prior I was in a panic because I had told my friend Hayley that the train wasn’t to arrive until 09:00hrs but luckily she was awake and was there to meet me. Once stepping off the train I was met by some more friendly faces, hugs were given and received upon my arrival back into town. It makes Churchill really feel like home to me.

Shortly after collecting my baggage we left the train station in true Churchillian fashion…on an ATV. We bungee strapped my bags to the front and back of the ATV and headed off to the Polar Inn and Suites. After dropping off my baggage in my room Hayley and I headed to the best place to eat in Churchill; Gypsy’s restaurant and bakery for eggs benny. It’s not any different I am sure compared to making them at home however it’s the atmosphere and company that we enjoy. The owners are really amazing, there is a table always reserved for locals so that despite it getting very busy (especially during bear season) the locals are still able to enjoy the comforts of Gypsy’s.  

One of the best parts of returning home to Churchill  is that I hadn’t even been in town two hours and I was already off and doing a Fort Tour. The Manitoba Hyrdo crew that was in town was hoping to be able to get an interpretative tour of the Prince of Wales Fort before they left town ad since I am usually the Tour Guide for Sea North Tours I was asked if I would do it. Of course without hesitation I said yes; despite having just gotten off a 15 hr train ride and prior to that a 30+hr bus ride I was ecstatic to go.

More importantly I was happy to finally be home!