Day 288, 18 April 2013, Whitefish, Montana, We are exceedingly fortunate it seems. We are in the most popular roomette/sleeper compartment on the Empire Builder. When we were safely ensconced just prior to departure another couple arrived with a ticket saying No. 6 - just like ours. Aside from possession being 9/10ths of the law, our names showed up on the conductor's list for Room 6. They went to Room 5. At 2 am this morning, there was a loud knock on our d...

Day 287, 17 April 2013, Vancouver to Seattle (Washington), then joining the Empire Builder Amtrak train for a 46 hour trek across America through seven states (Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and finally Illinois). Ok, Ok. Trek might be too harsh a word... For the sake of a few extra dollars, we did elect to have a sleeper compartment - which actually includes all our meals. As the slogan of Beaver Creek, Colorado goes... we're ...

Day 286, 16 April 2013, Vancouver, B.C. Skytrain/Bus to Steveston Fishing Village, Davie Village - Indian buffet, Stanley Park and spring flowers. We had such huge fun with the travel pass yesterday that we bought another one for each of us and decided to take the Skytrain all the way to the end of the Canada line - a place called Richmond-Brighouse. Known for Asian food. Obviously going to have multitudes of sushi shops. We had just been discussing the hones...

Day 285, 15 April 2013, Vancouver, B.C. Skytrain to Yaletown, Davie Village, Robson Street Mall, Passport collection (legal again!), Lunch on the waterfront, Waterbus to Lonsdale Quay - shopping and tastings and the bus through Highland (North Vancouver), magnolias and cherry blossom everywhere. The best deal you can get in any city is quite often an all inclusive travel pass for single or multiple days. In Vancouver, where a single bus ride can cost $2.75 - $...

Day 284, 14 April 2013, Vancouver, B.C. Had a very slow start indeed today. Didn't get much sleep in the worst room in the hotel - right next to a fire door being opened and slammed all night and with a bunch of drunk blokes in the room next door getting back at 3 am and crashing about like a herd of elephants. If ever there was a case for justifiable homicide... Having put the fear of God into the Duty Manager when we dragged ourselves down at 8 am for break...