The Trip to Canada Has Begun

After several days of unusually stressful packing, my Canadian Rail Adventure is underway. I had decided some time ago to spend the night near Denver’s Union Station, since I have an early departure in the morning. Tim drove me to Denver, and I checked into the Thompson Denver Hotel. I’ll meet him in Vancouver on Saturday.

I had never stayed at a Thompson Hotel, part of the Hyatt chain, and I am impressed. At check-in, I was greeted with a glass of champagne and a sweet treat, and I learned that my room had been upgraded to a high floor. The room is lovely, and I have a view of the mountains. 

A Nice Welcome to Thompson Denver

The View from My Room

After settling in, I wandered down to Union Station and learned that I would be served breakfast on the train and that I could check a bag. I had received an email last week stating there would be no checked baggage on this train, so I was happy with the news. Had I known this earlier, however, packing would have been much simpler.

After a quick bite to eat, I returned to the hotel and was grateful to just relax for the evening. A very pretty sunset was icing on the cake.

The Sunset View from My Room

For a quick reference, here is a map of the various segments of this Canadian trip. Tonight, I’m at the blue train symbol in Denver.

I'm At the Blue Train Symbol Tonight