【推荐1】SEEING THE TRUE NORTH VIA RAIL: VANCOUVER AND THE HEART OF CANADA

Li Daiyu and her cousin Liu Qian went to Canada to visit their cousins in Halifax on the Atlantic coast. Rather than travel by commercial airline all the way, they decided to fly to Vancouver and then take the train. For both of them, the thought of crossing the whole country by rail was exciting.

Before starting out, they spent a couple of days in Vancouver, seeing the sights. During their first day, as is typical of Vancouver, it rained. Despite the weather, they were able to take a boat ride out into the bay, and later visit an island that had wonderful shops selling crafts and antiques. The next day was clear and mild, and they were pleased to see the beautiful mountains looking out over the city. Later, they took a pleasant hike in a forest just a short distance away.

The next morning, the two girls arose early to take the train to Lake Louise, passing through the Canadian Rockies. Seen from the train window, the mountains and forests of Canada looked massive. When the train arrived at the station, they took a taxi to Lake Louise, where the blue water literally took their breath away with its exceptional beauty. They spent the night, and then took a coach bound north through the Canadian Rockies to Jasper. Looking at the beautiful scenery, they both agreed that it was the most awesome journey they had ever taken. In addition to seeing spectacular mountain peaks and forests, one highlight of their trip was being able to see many different creatures, including deer, mountain goats, and even a grizzly bear and an eagle.

From Jasper, they caught the train towards Toronto. One of the train’s first stops was in Edmonton, the provincial capital of Alberta, the centre of Canada’s huge oil and gas drilling industry. Edmonton is freezing cold in winter, with daily temperatures averaging -10℃. Since it can be too cold to go outdoors, Edmonton is home to many shopping malls. In fact, one of the largest shopping malls in North America is in Edmonton.

From Edmonton, the train headed southeast across the great Canadian Prairie. At school, Daiyu and Liu Qian had learnt that Canada’s population is only slightly over thirty-seven million. However, they did not anticipate seeing such an open country, and were truly amazed. They went through two wheat-growing provinces, where they saw a bunch of farms that covered a very large area.

After another day on the train, eventually they were back in an urban area, the city of Winnipeg. From there, they travelled through the night, and woke up in Ontario—a land of forests and lakes. The train thundered on, through the rolling hills. The bushes and maple trees outside their windows were red, gold, and orange, and there was frost on the ground, confirming that autumn had arrived in Canada. Night came again, and the train turned south towards Toronto. When they woke up the next morning and pulled back the curtain, they could see the wide stretch of Lake Huron—one of the four Great Lakes on Ontario’s southern border. It was not until 9:30 a.m. that they finally reached the capital of Ontario, Toronto. All in all, their trip from Vancouver to Toronto had taken a duration of four days.

【推荐1】Thinking of where to travel next? Check out these top destinations and pick your favorites!

If you are looking for a cost-effective destination that is safe and has a lot of attractions and activities, Portugal is the place to go. Portugal was recently recognized as the best European destination at the World Travel Awards. Some of the main places to visit in Portugal include the capital city of Lisbon and the city of Porto at a cost unmatched in Europe. Portugal is also one of the safest destinations in Europe and is becoming very popular with travelers; you need to visit it before the crowds take over!

If you are looking for a destination that provides exciting adventures to visit, Iceland surely fits the bill any time of the year. You can take part in glacier (冰川) hiking, experience the Northem Lights around the country and enjoy the lively nightlife in its capital Reykjavik. You will not have a boring moment in Iceland!

If you want to escape the large crowds of Europe but still enjoy amazing food, history, road trips and nature, Ireland is the destination for you. The destination provides great value for visitors and a very relaxing environment. Warning: you may have to give way to sheep on the road!

If you ask children what their favorite animal is, lions and giraffes must be on the top ten list. Then ask them if they’d like to see them. For real! The thought of Africa as a family holiday destination might be a bit scary if you’ve never been there, so why not make South Africa your first adventure into this amazing continent? With beautiful beaches, great weather and all those favorite wild animals, you’ll also find South Africa can be budget (预算) friendly as well.

【推荐3】Time has always been of great interest to scientist...