Ride A Slow Train Now! Natural Majesty!

• Author: jayhaan
• Accommodation: Vancouver Coast & Mountains

Ride A Slow Train Now !…. Natural  Majesty         – Based on true story –

Today in Lillooet there was a little shower, and was also  cloudy.I prayed for a nice sunshine day for a little trip to Seton  by train.When I arrived at the station, no one really showed up  for ticketing until the train’s arrival ….

The ticketing lady stayed in the train while it was running. Finally, the train arrived at 11 am (with a 30 minute delay). I paid for a round trip for $10.00 and got on the small train. When the train began to move it felt awfully bumpy- perhaps I haven’t ridden a train for a long time. Soon, I got used to the bumpy ride. When we passed Seton lake I witnessed the most beautiful view on earth- with the rock mountains on the other side of the lake, wow, it was a spectacular view. ..

Half way to the Seton portage, the train operator stopped and did a routine check around the train. It was a 3 minute stop. After 45 more minutes of the train ride, it stopped again, and I soon realized that there were two Eagles sitting atop a tree. That, also, was beautiful and spectacular. It was a memorable moment. The train operator, “Hogi”, said he had 25 years of experience in the Canadian Railway company and ran 7 years with this train. He was kind enough to stop and show some entertainment to the customers today.

After a 50 minute ride we had to go through a dark and narrow tunnel(Seton tunnel ??), passing BC hydro’s electric generator site area and passing by Shalalth. The train didn’t bother to stop because nobody was heading to Seton portage at Shalalth today.

It was about an hour ride when the train arrived at Seton portage. There were around 10 people waiting to go to Lillooet for shopping, to meet friends and relatives, maybe looking for love… The look on their faces were so happy, they were smiling, and were welcoming to the visitors. What a lovely town! Seton portage!

Early in the morning (before getting on the train)-

My wife had said, Jay, don’t go on the Kaoham train to Seton portage

because if you miss the return train, you might get stuck in Seton portage

for a long time. Since then, the wife, “Bo”, never saw Jay again. When

Jay came back after spending 35 years in Seton portage, Jay’s hotel

was run by some young couple. When they saw Jay they asked, “Are you looking for a room tonight?” Jay had no idea what to say about his 35 years at Seton portage. “Yes, I need a room for tonight, but I’m really wondering about “Bo”, and have you heard about the former owner of the hotel?” The young receptionist replied, “Yes! A little about it..

She moved to England after 3 years of her husband’s absence, her children have all married and live in Japan and Ontario.. I’m sorry, but who are you?” Jay’s eye showed a lot of tears and began to weep. He was able to control his emotions after a while.  He told the long story which had passed 35 years one morning, about the weird happenings on the Kaoham shuttle train. The train would normally take an hour to arrive at Seton portage… Unfortunately, no one remembers the actual happenings of that day, not even himself…”Oh, where can I find the lost 35 years of my life…”

About the morning story above: it was a  fiction, we were joking about his crazy absence. He is currently happily living with his family in Lillooet since the train ride experience. He came back right after a 10 minute stay in Seton portage. He was supposed to stay in Seton portage for 2 hours and 30 minutes but the train schedule had changed due to off season.

I will bring my wife to the Seton Portage next time…

                                                                                    Photo & Story by Jae Han

Hotel DeOro