Travelling winter Europe, one train at a time

Paris travel columnist Karon Sinning is pictured with her niece, Ellen Brooker, during a visit to the Netherlands. Brooker was raised in Paris and now lives in the Amsterdam area.

Karon Sinning

Paris Independent Travel Columnist

Our travels for 2025/2026 started December 29, 2025 as we headed over to England to spend time with family. Travelling to Pearson on the 29th saw us driving through near white-out conditions on the 401. Roy is a flawless driver, but as he says, “it’s the other guys you need to worry about!”  The normal hour and a quarter drive took well over 2 hours. 

British Airways was our choice of carrier; it had a good sale on, which was marginally more expensive than Air Transat and left Toronto at a more reasonable time.  

We were an hour late leaving Pearson, due to delays in loading baggage and then a delay in the lineup for takeoff. This is why I always recommend a minimum of 3-4 hours between connecting flights to anywhere. I’ve experienced this delay first hand; missing an Air Canada flight in Vienna and being rerouted to Warsaw, Poland!

While I do love the English trains, sometimes they are not the most convenient or direct route to your destination. From Heathrow, there were no direct trains to Southampton. By train, we would have had to go into London, change trains and then go on to Southampton.  The better option was the National Express bus. This picked us up right at the airport and an hour and a half later, left us within a ten minute walk to the Isle of Wight ferry. 

Our first 6 days were spent in Sandown on the Isle of Wight. The views driving around are incredible. Even in the English winter, around every corner there is an experience, from striking white, chalk cliffs above a vigorous sea, to coming upon horseback riders heading to a trail.  

For New Years Eve, we had planned an evening out with our cousins and I was concerned I’d be a bust due to jet lag. As luck would have it, midnight here in Jolly Ole England was 7 pm at home. I made it to the New Year in fine form. Finally jet lag was in my favour!

The evening was spent at the Sandown Conservative Club and it felt like a proper New Year’s Eve party. Dancing to live music, sharing a pint and I even won the raffle…£10!  The club is a 3-4 minute walk from our cousin’s front door at the end of their lane way. No drinking/driving and everyone had fun. For me it was a totally English experience. 

January 4 saw us head over the Solent (an area of water between the Isle of Wight and the mainland) to Southampton. We had a lovely dinner out at Harper’s Pub, where we have stayed on a few occasions. The rooms are exceptionally nice, the beds are very comfortable and the food is great. On check-in, I was told we’d been upgraded to a comfy super king and it really was!

\What I didn’t need to see on the morning of January 5, was the light dusting of snow!   However, we had planned to be tourists for the day; so we booked tickets for the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. Getting there from Southampton was a quick train ride. 

The tower was built to create a unique landmark. On our visit, its brilliant white, curved sail-like structure was set against a vibrant blue sky.  From the “almost” top, we could see the Isle of Wight across the Solent, along with most of Portsmouth. Like our CN Tower, there is a glass bottom floor that the brave of heart can venture out on. Definitely….not me!  The tower is conveniently adjacent to Gunwarf Quays, an upscale/designer shopping mall. A wee bit of shopping likely occurred. 

From Southampton we had two more family destinations: Haslemere, in Surrey and Herne Bay in Kent. From Haslemere we took a 45-minute train ride into London. With the rail system in the UK, you can get almost anywhere by train. If not, buses are a good alternative as they are everywhere. We had a great stroll around central London, and a wonderful dinner out with family.  

Winter in England can be a very damp and cold experience. But with that in mind, dressing appropriately (layers) can make it an extra enjoyable time. There are virtually no crowds, walking around London after dark also provides a glittering panorama of lights. 

From Herne Bay we did a short car ride to Rochester.  A walk around the castle and cathedral, then back home for a traditional “take away” of fish and chips. I’m not a big seafood lover, but English fish and chips is an all time favourite. 

On my personal bucket list has always been a trip to the British Museum. Our last day/night was spent in London, very close to St. Pancras train station, where we would depart on the Eurostar train to Amsterdam.  I had planned for us to arrive in London early, with time for a quick trip to the museum. Once Ian knew this was the plan, he happily agreed to accompany us. Having Ian along was an actual God-send, not only as a tour guide maneuvering the London tube system, but helping with our luggage.  Travelling to Europe for three months means big suitcases!  

As our time was limited at the museum, Ian asked what I’d like best to see. Without hesitation, I said Egyptian. Knowing his way around, we found ourselves wandering through amazing artifacts from Egypt. We got separated in the second section. After being mesmerized by all I saw, I was a little shocked when the boys found me and said I had to hurry along a bit more.  We still had to see the colossal statues which were brought to the museum and I didn’t want to miss those. Truly I could spend a week, or more there!

From England we were heading over to Amsterdam to visit my niece Ellen, and her fiancé, Dave. I was very excited about booking the Eurostar train!  On a recommendation from our cousin Ian, we had upgraded our tickets for more comfortable seats and to include breakfast. 

Now, I do have a vivid imagination so when we upgraded those tickets, I admit that I was envisioning something along the lines of “the Orient Express”.  Reality was something “less than” that; but a long walk through the train, for additional refreshment, provided us with a good idea of exactly what the “upgrade” gave us. 

With the upgrade, there were two comfortable seats and breakfast provided where you sat.  In standard, there are three seats in the same two-seat space. The walk from our traincar was about 200 meters to the on-board cafe, so we had a good view of all the seating on the train. 

The trip under the English Channel on the Eurostar is 50 km long; 38 km under the sea bed. It takes about 20 minutes, not really a “blink and you miss it” moment. Other than black out the windows, it barely registers that you’re under water. Speeds on the train varied. The overhead monitor lists how fast you’re going. I saw speeds up to 210/km per hour. 

The cost of the upgraded ticket was $236 each. A cheap flight from London to Amsterdam would have been about $255 each.  So not only did I get to ride the Eurostar, it saved us money!

Ellen and Dave live in Haarlem, a city just 20km west of Amsterdam. Ellen works at Artesano Bakery and we planned a visit. The day was sunny, but cold; we decided to walk anyway. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of Ellen’s fresh baked goodies! After which, Ellen walked us around the historic centre of the city.

In Amsterdam, we visited the Anne Frank House. I think most Canadians have heard of Anne Frank. Her tragic death in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp has been told world wide. I have never read her published diary, but I did have some preconceived ideas of where I thought the family hid.  My ideas were all wrong. 

In my mind, the annex had become an attic. Otto Frank, Anne’s father, was a successful businessman producing “pectin” in a factory. Pectin is used in preserving food such as jams. With the help of dear friends the Frank family, along with a few other Jewish friends, were hidden in an annex of the factory. The staircase to the annex was concealed behind a moveable bookcase, which still exists. Technically it was the attic of the factory. There were several rooms that they occupied. The heat in summer and cold in winter would have been very uncomfortable to say the least. Windows were closed and blacked out. They endured this for two years. 

Tragically, shortly before the end of the war, the family was discovered and shipped off to concentration camps. Otto Frank was the only survivor. Anne and her older sister Margot died of typhus a few weeks before the camp was liberated. One tragic story among millions.

After the family were taken, one of their friends in the factory gathered up all the scattered papers, including Anne’s diary to keep for their return. Our guide for the tour said it isn’t known whether the Frank family were betrayed or the Nazis were simply lucky in finding them. Either way the outcome was tragic. 

Following the Anne Frank tour we hopped on a canal boat tour. Never having been to Amsterdam, I was amazed by how many canals there are. The tour was an hour long and very informative about the history.  

We also enjoyed a couple of dinners out with Ellen and Dave. Having a local connection to provide restaurant recommendations is one of the best parts of visiting family in other countries. I can heartily recommend Nancy’s and for something different, In t’Geode Uur for fondue! 

After 17 days of travel, we were finally heading over to Malta! That’s a story for another edition. 

About the columnist: Karon Sinning is a proud Paris resident who has a passion for travel and storytelling. Along with her partner Roy and friends, she enjoys exploring countries around the world and experiencing new cultures, food and everyday life beyond the tourist trail. Through her travel column, Karon shares those journeys with Paris Independent readers, offering practical insights, personal reflections and a sense of connection to the people and places she visits.