Daniel

My travelling companion and I will be in British Columbia in early August for two weeks. Part of it will be on a six-day train and boat tour called the Totem Cirle, and the rest will be in Vancouver. <BR> <BR>We am enamored with train tours, and the Totem Circle caught my eye immediately. Has anyone taken this tour? Is it as good as the pictures and descrptions make it out to be, or is it a tourist trap (to put it bluntly)? <BR> <BR>We imagine lugging luggage during this tour, so we want to travel lightly, perhaps packing everything to one piece. This would be fine if everything is generally casual and we don't have to concern ourselves with carrying along finer clothes. <BR> <BR>However, we also want to take in a few fine restaurants while in Vancouver, or, perhaps, even during the Totem Circle tour. Would we be able to walk into C or Tojo's in jeans or shorts and hiking boots? <BR> <BR>You can imagine the logistics: If every place has little or no restrictions on forms of dress, we can pack lightly and be done with it. On the other hand, we would have to also pack better threads and extra pairs of shoes, thus spending the top and end of each day lugging luggage. <BR> <BR>I won't deny that my concerns may well be unwarranted and there may, in fact, be accommodations for the extra luggage. In the meantime, the quandary of whether to go lightly and be limited or thoroughly and be weighed down nags at me. Any insights would be useful. <BR> <BR>Ultimately, if the Totem Circle is not an excursion worth taking, or if hiking-ware is acceptable in the better dining establishments, then we can be at ease.

April

I would ask BC Rail about the luggage situation. When my husband took the Rocky Mountaineer and stayed overnight at a hotel, he just took what he needed and the rest was locked up on the train. Or are you more worried about the Vancouver part of your trip? <BR> <BR>Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable at a better restaurant in hiking gear. (Where will you be hiking?) <BR> <BR>Sorry, I don't know about this trip but it sounds like fun to me. It covers a lot of ground anyway.

Lidija

I would not wear hiking boats into C. Vancouver is very casual but not that casual. Jeans I'd say are okay with a nice shirt on not a t shirt.

Daniel

Thanks for the replies. It didn't occur to me that BC Rail (and VIA Rail in the second portion of the tour) could simply lock up the luggage I don't need to lug with me. I'm accustomed to taking everything off the train when I disembark. I'll have to check with them about that. <BR> <BR>As far as the hiking-ware, we're thinking in an extreme case. In an effort to keep luggage to a minimum, and the possibility that there will be time to take in a hike during one of the stops (Prince George, Prince Rupert, Port Hardy, Victoria), we imagine having only hiking boots and light clothes. But if the rail cars can store the rest of the luggage, (and, for that mattter, transfer them between trains and ferries and coaches), then it'll be a lesser concern than before. <BR> <BR>All I need to find out now is whether this tour is worthwhile.

Carl Z

I did a search for which Totem Circle you're taking there seem to be a few. <BR>In any case I've traveled all those routes by rail& ferry and I can state unequivocally that the scenery is beautiful, breathtaking, outstanding, etc.,etc. <BR>As to whether the tour itself is worthwile why not ask the Operator for email addys of people who've taken the Tour? <BR>As mentioned no-one walks into fine restaurants here in Hiking Boots expecting to be served, it just ain't done. <BR>Hiking opps in PG,PR&PH aren't that great, Locals drive everywhere. <BR>In any case you'll need transport out into the Bush to Trailheads, such as they are.