Around the World in 80 Days: Canada

The final stop on George Jerjian’s Around the World in 80 Days adventure was Canada – a country he’d visited before, but never like this. With his Caxton card in his wallet and a lifetime of insight building behind him, George explored forests, flew over islands, and watched the Rockies roll past from a train dome – all while reflecting on what comes next.

George flew from Tokyo to Vancouver, crossing the International Date Line. “I gained a whole day – it was like a real-life Groundhog Day,” he laughed. “I relived Saturday. It was the perfect metaphor for the gift of more time.”

Vancouver was his entry point into British Columbia. George cycled for three hours through Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world. “There’s even a rainforest in the middle,” he said. “Totem poles, 200-year-old trees – it’s magnificent.”

Then came one of his favourite adventures: a mail run flight to Salt Spring Island. “There are about 300 islands off Vancouver, only 12 are inhabited. We flew in one of those small planes with skis – just nine seats. You take off and land on water. It was beautiful.”

The small planes weren’t just scenic – they’re also how some people commute. “A 30-minute flight into Vancouver harbour, and off to your meetings. It’s very cool,” George mused.

From Vancouver, George boarded a sleeper train heading east. “The service was top notch – crystal glasses, silver cutlery, cloth napkins. The only thing missing was Hercule Poirot.”

His destination? Jasper, in Alberta, on the edge of the Canadian Rockies. “It’s spectacular,” he said. “Mountains, snow, forests, rivers. The kind of awe that triggers dopamine – that opens you up.” George spoke of awe not as scenery but as a psychological tool: “It expands you. It puts you in the right state of mind to think about your future.”

He took the Jasper SkyTram to a mountaintop, overlooking snow-capped peaks and vast wilderness. “Everything around you is massive. It puts your own life into perspective.”

Top Destinations

• Stanley Park, Vancouver – George cycled through rainforests, past totem poles and centuries-old trees.

• Salt Spring Island – Reached via seaplane on a traditional “mail run” flight.

• Jasper, Alberta – At the base of the Rockies, this mountain town served as George’s final major destination.

• Canadian Rockies (by train) – A glass-domed observation carriage made for an unforgettable ride.

Top Tips

• Use the seaplanes: “It’s how locals commute and how tourists get the best views.”

• Book a glass-dome sleeper train: “It’s sealed, air-conditioned, and elegant – but you’ll want to step out at every stop for fresh air.”

• Expect long travel times: “Canada is vast. Trains take days, not hours.”

• Let awe do its work: “The scale and silence are what open your thinking.”

Top Recommendations

• Cycle Stanley Park: “Three hours in nature inside a city. It’s unforgettable.”

• Do the mail run to Salt Spring Island: “The water landing, the views, the simplicity – it all stayed with me.”

• Travel by rail through the Rockies: “The domed observation car, the silver service, the views – the best way to see Canada.”

• Take the SkyTram in Jasper: “From the top, you see the mountains, the forests, the rivers – and maybe your future too.”