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Our Christmas trip is cancelled :-( :-(
Some of you know that we take an annual Christmas trip by train across Canada and return, to stay with our daughter and family in Nova Scotia.
Some of you also know that VIA Rail, the train company, opened the reservations site briefly back in June, and that I booked this year's trip, leaving here on December 12th and leaving NS on December 27th, spending New Year on the train "somewhere between Toronto and Vancouver", as usual. I did it because VIA offered a full refund if the trip was cancelled by them or because we had to.
I've been hanging in there, watching all the events occurring across the country, including the fact that VIA cancelled the day train from Montreal to Toronto (but that was OK, there are other trains on that route), the fact that the Maritime Provinces (which includes NS) still have their borders closed to everyone with a 14 day quarantine required if you get permission to enter, and now the arrival of the second wave of Covid with increasing numbers in all provinces but especially Quebec and Ontario.
OH even phoned the Medical Office for Health in NS a couple of weeks ago (they've known each other for over 40 years), to ask what would be the requirement for us to be able to enter NS ............... there was one option, a compassionate permit!
I was therefore not too surprised to get a call from very nice lady from VIA Rail this morning with the information that the train from Halifax to Montreal would very probably not be running, and certainly the train from Montreal to Halifax before Christmas would not be running on the 18th!
So, finally, I made the decision to pull the plug, and she cancelled all the reservations.
The trip before Christmas was booked using our VIA Rail Prestige points, and they have already been moved back into our accounts with them. The cash refund will take 5-7 days to be credited back to M/C, and then I think I have to work out how to get the cash from them into my bank account!!!!
Daughter and I had a sad little phone conversation about it. She's also devastated, of course, because we last saw them when they put us on the train on December 27 2019. Although we knew it was very likely to happen this way, we were still full of hope.
We're thinking we MIGHT be able to take a trip over there in July or August, IF there's a vaccine, IF all restrictions including border closures and quarantine requirements have gone, and IF, IF, IF ...........
Hopefully, if not then, then maybe Christmas 2021.
She can't come this way, because she might have to quarantine here, and would most certainly have to quarantine back home.
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Aw Sylvia, so sorry to hear this. How very disappointing for all of you.
This blooming virus affects everyone in everyway and we are totally at it's mercy.
I dont do Skype but have done a phone video to my brother & fam last xmas but it's still not the same.
I havent seen any of my family now since Oct 2018!
I just hope they my parents are still alive next year and like yourselves there is a hope we may be able to travel to be with our loved ones.
Florence in the hebrides
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Sorry to hear that, Sylvia.
Most of Australia, with the exception of WA, is hoping to be open by Christmas, at least for interstate travel
There are still cases of Covid bubbling away both in Victoria and NSW.
WA has had no community transmission for some time, but there have been several ships with infected crews which have docked here. These are bulk ore carriers and live sheep transport ships.
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Oh dear Sylvia, I am so sorry your trip has had to be cancelled.
As you say, maybe next year. That's what I keep telling myself about visiting my son in America. I cancelled my planned trip to see him in August, and I keep telling myself "maybe next year". I've not seen him for 4 years. Maybe we'll both be planning our trips next year about the same time! Hopefully anyway, fingers crossed.
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Oh Sylvia, that's a shame. Let's hope you can do a summer trip in 2021
Florence, I hope your family will be ok and you can see them next year.
I am so glad my son lived locally.
Lizx
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Sorry to hear that Sylvia but health-wise it's probably for the best. Even if Ontario and Quebec finally get their act back together again it will still be difficult travelling through here. I haven't bothered going downtown since this started and if I remember correctly you'd have to spend a night down there?
If people behave for Halloween we might have some sort of celebrations allowed for Christmas but it's not looking good for anything big.
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Thank you all .................
We knew it was likely to happen, but you know how you hang on, hoping and hoping.
Still I had a nice chat with the woman from VIA :-D
yes, Caroline ...................
we have to overnight both ways. It was 1 night in Toronto on the way to NS, and a 2 night stopover on the way back this time so I had set that up to be 1 night in Montreal and 1 night in Toronto. That actually gave us most of a day in Montreal, but I prefer that city to Toronto.
Can't avoid the Toronto stop because of train times ............... we arrive too late from Vancouver to get to Montreal that same day, and even then we'd have stay overnight there.
Coming home, the train to Vancouver leaves Toronto at 9:30 or 9:45 in the morning so we HAVE to be there the previous day/
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Oh well when you do make the trip I'll buy you a coffee on your stopover :-D
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Sad times Sylvia. Sorry you have had to finally cancel. So many families apart what an awful disease this is. <3 <3
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Sad for all of you Sylvia.
I hope we get some respite next year and you can make the trip a midsummer one.
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