We didn't really get snow snow - just a dusting on the mountain tops! It melted pretty quickly, and it hasn't reappeared just yet. I expect it'll be back soon, though.
On riding the rails... Honestly, i would really love to do it, at least once. For me the biggest fear is getting busted by the cops. It's not especially illegal (should be just a trespassing charge), but the rail companies make it as difficult as possible and there is a lot of security. Most people i've met who do it have been arrested and fined at least once, and some have spent time in jail.
But on the topic of traveling in general... i definitely would be traveling in Canada right now if it wasn't for the weather. And if it wasn't for the pandemic i would be in the United States, down south where it's warm. So there's a bit of a double-whammy keeping me trapped at the moment. I suppose i could just travel despite the cold, but surviving outside in cold weather requires buying a lot of gear, and although i have the money i feel really stressed out when i own a lot of stuff. I'm not sure how to resolve it.
I think getting to the minimalist mindset is something that already happened for me. I'm not joking when i write that literally everything i own fits into a backpack. I don't buy stuff, i only spend my money on traveling places, eating nice food and keeping a roof over my head. I only rent furnished places, and when i rent a place that doesn't have furniture, then i just sleep on the floor. So that part of not having much stuff, i'm down with.
My current struggle is when life situations lead me to getting more stuff. For example, when i lived in China, i had to buy a wok and some cutlery, otherwise i would have no way to eat (my apartment did have a single burner). So i bought that stuff, used it, then gave it away when i left. That's a purchase i was comfortable with. But here, i feel like i am being forced into buying winter gear, even though i know i will only use it for a couple of months, and it is a LOT more expensive than a wok. And if i want to spend a significant amount of time outdoors, then there is a whole nother truckload of things i "should" buy, like raincoat and parka and boots and bivy and whatever else. I'm finding it really challenging to deal with suddenly "needing" all this extra stuff. I think that's part of what's stressing me out.
On riding the rails... Honestly, i would really love to do it, at least once. For me the biggest fear is getting busted by the cops. It's not especially illegal (should be just a trespassing charge), but the rail companies make it as difficult as possible and there is a lot of security. Most people i've met who do it have been arrested and fined at least once, and some have spent time in jail.
But on the topic of traveling in general... i definitely would be traveling in Canada right now if it wasn't for the weather. And if it wasn't for the pandemic i would be in the United States, down south where it's warm. So there's a bit of a double-whammy keeping me trapped at the moment. I suppose i could just travel despite the cold, but surviving outside in cold weather requires buying a lot of gear, and although i have the money i feel really stressed out when i own a lot of stuff. I'm not sure how to resolve it.
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My current struggle is when life situations lead me to getting more stuff. For example, when i lived in China, i had to buy a wok and some cutlery, otherwise i would have no way to eat (my apartment did have a single burner). So i bought that stuff, used it, then gave it away when i left. That's a purchase i was comfortable with. But here, i feel like i am being forced into buying winter gear, even though i know i will only use it for a couple of months, and it is a LOT more expensive than a wok. And if i want to spend a significant amount of time outdoors, then there is a whole nother truckload of things i "should" buy, like raincoat and parka and boots and bivy and whatever else. I'm finding it really challenging to deal with suddenly "needing" all this extra stuff. I think that's part of what's stressing me out.
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