Canadians Choosing Canada JE 6
Choosing travel to inspire the future…
Meet Enid K from Winnipeg. Since just before the pandemic, Enid’s world experienced major life events and travel is helping her navigate the horizon.
Winnipeg has been an adventure of cities and lakes. I am so enamoured with the diversity in this heart-of-Canada town and lake region. Key to my cross-Canada study was to venture north to Churchill, Manitoba via round-tip with VIA Rail. Working with my cherished Gunter family and national tourism colleagues, the trip plans were mapped and I sat giddy for the day that I could hear train whistles, my own ticket for passage in hand.
This was the first return trip train ride for Belugas in 3 years, pre-pandemic. Daryl Adair of Rail Travel Tours was expertly leading a group of 34 guests on this journey. About half of the guests were from Winnipeg. Some had completed the adventure previously and most were new, bucket-list explorers, mostly couples.
Enid K, born and raised in rural Manitoba, was a single traveller and younger than the majority of her group. We quickly connected with our matching silver-fox locks and excitement for the adventure.
Me: If you are from Winnipeg, why now for this northern expedition?
Enid: Before COVID, I had just retired, had big life changes and had no where to go. I couldn’t travel and group trips were constantly postponed. I am pushing myself out of my own COVID-rut and trying to shake things up as I decide what’s next.
Me (to myself): Is she me? How did she know that I too was travelling with multi-purposes including sharing Canada with Canadians to inspire travel, and to map out my own next steps.
Enid’s train adventure was intended to push her comfort zone, to get out of a ‘norm’ or funk. Man do I get this. Enid was ready to engage in all of it and in life: to consider everything possible and to fully participate with the group, the activities, the people and conversations. I am grateful for her friendship and shared experiences. We parted ways upon arrival, excited to share stories on the return trip.
When Enid boarded the return train, she had new sun-kissed colour in her skin, she was laughing and sharing in a camaraderie with the group that revealed a wonderful experience. We both agreed that it met and exceeded our expectations and she is grateful to have chosen the northern border of her home province for travel.
Her next adventures are still percolating - again this is familiar to me. She inspires and reminds me to stay open-hearted and let life come - present with our intuition.
I know there are other travellers or wanna-be travellers like Enid and I: newly single, 50-something, silver-haired, solo female travellers taking life head on. And invariably, we’ll be charting our next adventures and grabbing all the golden rings we can from this life.
#churchillmagic
#choosingjoy
#viarail
#inuit
#dene
#metis