My Wife Thinks I’ve Lost My Mind.

That was her immediate reaction when I announced that I’ve pretty much decided to take another trans-Canada train ride. Since I’ve already made that trip several times, I must say I thought her response rather harsh.
It’s a case of applying your personal standards and tastes to someone else and judging them wanting when they aren’t in sync.
“Honestly, it’s so irritating that you won’t even trythis plain non-fat yogurt!”
I’m sure you know what I mean. If you’re married. And male.
Anyway, she thinks I’ve gone off the deep end, not because I want to take VIA Rail’s premier Train Number One, the Canadian, from Toronto to Vancouver again, but because I want to do it in the middle of winter. And the colder and the more snow the better.
For one thing, I think just traveling in those conditions will be an interesting experience. But I’ve also been told that it’s a totally different on-board experience … that most of the passengers are non-tourists, primarily Canadians traveling for a myriad of personal reasons … a much different crowd compared to the affluent tourists enjoying this marvelous train during the rest of the year.  One more reason to go.
Oh … and because I’m a member of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, I’ll get a 10% discount on the fare, too.

How do I love thee, VIA? Let me count the ways!