Travel in Canada question(s)

[Cliff Rogers]

Planning a 4 week trip there later this year, West side, Vancover & British Columbia.

Any advice welcome.

Anybody ever used a motorhome in Canada? Good, bad, whatever?

[yachtie]

Hi ,
in 2007 we wentfrom Buffalo US across the top with a campertriler towed by ford Taurus 6 cylinder Like a falcon.
Lessons
1 car tuned at sea level is not good at 10000 feet (long 40 km uphill strrrrrretches)
2 Left hand drive no problems except when reversing everything works back to front
eventually sorted only used drive thru sites
3 Campervan scary in bear country at night when rustleings heard in undergrowth.
4 Both Canadians and US very friendly and helpful but US border security have no sense of humor
5 Roads generally excellent but lots of wildlife ( BIG ) in mountains
6 No roundabouts (well very few) and no idea how to use them
Great country we had a wonderful trip
John

[Cliff Rogers]

Thanks.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Hi Cliff,

We were there late last year starting in New York and then moving up to the larger cities on the east coast (Toronto, Montreal etc) before flying over to Calgary. From Calgary we took a few days to drive to across to Vancouver.

It was an easy enough drive but you really need to allow time to get out of the car and walk a little bit to experience the environment. There were quite a few recommended stops along the way in the national park and there were short walks of around 1 hr or so. There would be some good B&B's along the way if you have the time to use these as a base to explore from.

We had a few cars but mostly small and they coped ok. A bit hard on the brakes coming down from the hills at times.

We stayed in Vancouver (downtown) for a few days (similar to lovely Melbourne) ..... If you go to Dr. Sun Yet-Sen's Classical Chinese Garden and then walk north the few blocks to get to the gas town area you will feel like you are walking through Hampstertown from The Wire but it seems safe enough. Funny thing is we mentioned we had gone to Vancouver to friends and without even raising it they mentioned the same thing.

From Vancouver we took a sea plane across to Vancouver Island. We spent a day or two in Victoria which to be honest didn't really do much for me. Not a bad place to launch a trip of Vancouver Island from but you will see enough using it as the pickup and drop off point for a hire car.

From Victoria we drove across to Tofino which was wonderful. Full day sea kayaking was a highlight and well worth doing (nothing particularly stressful). We had planned to do a few day trip however the Stinkette was heavy with the little Stinkling and we were not sure how she would cope. We also did the Black Bear viewing on the boat which was ok but not as enjoyable as the kayaking (you also need a long lens camera!). The road to Tofino cuts through the big tree walk which is worth stopping for (not quite as impressive as the red woods in San Fransisco but worth a stretch of the legs). It is difficult to watch however the parents letting the kids run wild climbing over the fences and over the trees etc.

We both enjoyed our time on Vancouver Island so if the rest of B.C. is anything like it you will have no trouble finding a great outdoors experiences. On our way back home we spent a few days in Seattle which was good fun (Rockler and Woodcraft!) and provided a good contrast to the more natural side of Vancouver Island.

As for the motor homes .... they were a bugger to get around. Slow up the hills and super fast on the way down. If you are going to get one please be considerate and pull over if there are 50 cars waiting to get past. Whilst most have a lovely painting of the landscape across the back window it is better to be able to experience the real thing and not be stuck behind one for an hour!

[Cliff Rogers]

Thanks. :2tsup:

[BobL]

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/pacific-north-west-woody-adventures-part-2-a-118999/) was by far the best woody stuff we saw in BC.

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f122/rocky-mountain-panoramas-119650/) wasn't bad either.

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/milling-bc-122372/) was a pretty interesting place.

[_fly_]

I rented a car in US, then the minute I went over border the GPS stopped working and kept saying, "TURN AROUND GO BACK" over and over.
BC wasn't to bad ay.
Vancouver IS like Melbourne (right down to the druggies walking the streets) ay.
Now the 'ay' is a bit like your qld 'but" or a kiwi 'bro'.
You put it at the end of everything you say ay but bro...

Oh, and the money looks different.....
Hope that helps.
You'll have a great time.
I'm available to carry bags as well.
Peter

[pmcgee]

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/pacific-north-west-woody-adventures-part-2-a-118999/) was by far the best woody stuff we saw in BC.

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f122/rocky-mountain-panoramas-119650/) wasn't bad either.

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/milling-bc-122372/) was a pretty interesting place.

Good God Bob ... it must have been *awful* for you ... :U

Paul.

[Cliff Rogers]

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/pacific-north-west-woody-adventures-part-2-a-118999/) was by far the best woody stuff we saw in BC.

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f122/rocky-mountain-panoramas-119650/) wasn't bad either.

This (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f132/milling-bc-122372/) was a pretty interesting place.
Thanks.

So you did 'drive yourself' where did you stay?

Did you pre-book accommodation or just drive in to the first place you found with a vacancy?

[Cliff Rogers]

I rented a car in US, then the minute I went over border the GPS stopped working and kept saying, "TURN AROUND GO BACK" over and over.
BC wasn't to bad ay.
Vancouver IS like Melbourne (right down to the druggies walking the streets) ay.
Now the 'ay' is a bit like your qld 'but" or a kiwi 'bro'.
You put it at the end of everything you say ay but bro...

Oh, and the money looks different.....
Hope that helps.
You'll have a great time.
I'm available to carry bags as well.
Peter
Sheyet ey? :D

That & "Yep, yep, yep, no." are favourite endings in Qld.

Same question for you... Did you pre-book accommodation or just drive in to the first place you found with a vacancy?

[yachtie]

Cliff,
during our trip we didnot book ahead there was no problem with accomodation, actually we did book in Vancouver and Toronto All the rest pot luck. Most sites were excellent with good facilities and helpful staff.
John

[_fly_]

Cliff,
I was working at microsoft for a short time and they closed up for some long weekend while there.
So I drove up from Seattle to Vancouver.
I just stayed in youth hostel for the 4 nights. So can't help much about proper accommodation.
Gave me 5 days to look around.
Peter

[BobL]

Thanks.

So you did 'drive yourself' where did you stay?

Did you pre-book accommodation or just drive in to the first place you found with a vacancy?

Yep we hired cars and mostly drove ourselves.
We arrived in Seattle and stayed there a week visiting family - also went to Mt St Helens and Amboy - best chainsaw collection ever.
While in Seattle we hired a Chrysler Cruiser and also used it to drive to Vancouver where we stayed for a week in a Holiday Inn in downtown Vancouver - booked ahead of arrival. From here we did day trips to Whistler (3/10), Roberts Creek (10/10) etc
There is heaps to do in and around Vancouver.
I highly recommend the Museum of Anthropology at The University of British Columbia (9/10) - best Native American indian displays except for perhaps "Head Smashed in buffalo jump" museum in Alberta.
Other things we did was the Aquarium (9/10), Maritime museum (7/10), walks around Stanley park (9/10) Granville Island Markets and Brewery (8/10)

We then left the Cruiser in Vancouver and took the Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver to Calgary (10/10) - exxy but well worth it.
I stayed in Calgary for 10 weeks and we hired a Honda Civic for 6 of those weeks. From Calgary we visited BC many times. At Lake Louise (10/10) we stayed at Deer Lodge, it's a short walk from there to the lake but is much less $ than the fancy Chateau right on the Lake. From Lake Lousie we went to other lakes, Columbia Ice fields, Jasper etc.

The Milling photos are at a place in the middle of BC called Williams lake. I flew there from Calgary for a long weekend. From there we drove to Barkerville - a almost intact gold rush ghost town - (9/10) it's quite a long way but highly recommended

I highly recommend a complete drive (up and down) of highway 93 - one of the top 10 drives in the world! Best road for wildlife and spectacular Mountain scenery ever (11/10).

We thought about hiring a camper van but had such a broken up and varied itinerary that it was not going to be worth it.

Roads are good people are friendly and BC is wonderful - Alberta is pretty nice too.

[BobL]

Good God Bob ... it must have been *awful* for you ... :U

Paul.

There is heaps more (12,000 photos if you have time!) but lets stick to the thread :)

[Cliff Rogers]

Well, it is that time already..... We check in at 9:50am tomorrow morning. :D

Going Air NZ, Cairns to Auckland to Vancouver .

Staying in Vancouver 3 nights & then picking up a camper van from Canadream & hitting the Wallaby... hang on, Frog & Toad.... brown bear? :think:

Anyway, we plan to spend just over 3 weeks wobbling around BC & maybe into Alberta to see Lake Louise.

Forums are great, managed to find a 'top bloke' in Vancouver on a guitar forum who will lend me a guitar for a month.... how good is that?

Almost packed.

[whitewood]

Check with a travel agent as to which is the best season to visit in order to see what you want to see while your there. We just did a 2 week APT tour at the end of their summer. It was great but we missed out on the winter sights.


Whitewood

[Cliff Rogers]

We are in Vancouver already & it is still Friday here. :D

Been out for pizza & red wine & some jazz.

[Sir Stinkalot]

:2tsup: Have a blast Cliff!

[BobL]

Hey Cliff, What's happening in BC?

[Cliff Rogers]

Currently sitting outside the Post Office in Lake Louise Alberta Canada. :D

We have done Vancouver Island & then headed this way via highway 97 & 99 (1)

Going on a gondala ride in the morning & then heading to Banf, will stay there tomorrow night & the head back into BC & down the bottom & back the Vancouver via Highway 3.

[BobL]

Currently sitting outside the Post Office in Lake Louise Alberta Canada. :D

We have done Vancouver Island & then headed this way via highway 97 & 99 (1)

Going on a gondala ride in the morning & then heading to Banf, will stay there tomorrow night & the head back into BC & down the bottom & back the Vancouver via Highway 3.

Sounds good
Did you do any hikes around LL?

[ozhunter]

Be careful Cliff, you may like it enough to want to stay.

We spent 7 days touring around the Rockies in a camper van in June or July '97. Loved every minute of it. If I could have talked SWMBO into it, I would have gone back and lived there. Had a job lined up, but she wouldn't budge:no:

Incidentally, the animal jams are something to watch out for. Tourists stopped all over the road looking at critters. Try to get to Banff if you can, the Elk own the town.

Make sure you have lots of space on your camera. Lake Louise was very nice. I can't remember where it is (other than in either Alberta or BC) but Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump is a fascinating place to visit. Vancouver is a pretty good place to visit to, although I preferred Calgary and anywhere in the Rockies (my red neck didn't stand out at all).

They say to carry pepper spray and wear little bells to warn the bears off when in the woods. Little bears aren't too much trouble but the big ones are. Best way to tell if a big bear or a little bear is hanging around your camp is by the poop. Little bears have little poop, big bears have big poop that smells like pepper and has little bells in it:D

I loved Canada, been there twice and want to go back to do some hunting. The people are very similar to Australians.

Someone said that is not surprising, considering both ours and their ancestors were hand picked by English judges.

EDIT: Just realised you are there already:doh:Have a good one.

[Cliff Rogers]

In Salmo at present, found a Sunday night session at the pub, went from 7pm to sometime after midnight, got to bed at 1am this morning.

2 kinds of music, country & western, dead easy to play along with, mostly 3 chords, sometimes 4.
I knew a couple of them like 'The Green Green Grass of Home' & 'Irene, Goodnight', the rest I just learned on the spot.

Good fun, great people, there is always some drunk at the bar who will shout the band.

We are sitting in Suzee's Diner having a Canadian breakfast while our clothes are in the Laundromat down the street.
Great place, safe enough to leave your cloths & not worry that somebody will steal them.
It is more likely that we we get back & find that somebody has put them in the dryer for us.

[BobL]

Great to hear you are having a good time Cliff.


. . . I can't remember where it is (other than in either Alberta or BC) but Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump is a fascinating place to visit.
Alberta


Vancouver is a pretty good place to visit to, although I preferred Calgary and anywhere in the Rockies (my red neck didn't stand out at all).
I lived in Calgary for 3 months - I think I would prefer Vancouver, must be the old hippy in me, but mainly because unlike BC there is no real wood/trees around Calgary.
I thought the Stampede was a hoot the first time, but after seeing it twice but can see why some of the locals are over it.


They say to carry pepper spray and wear little bells to warn the bears off when in the woods. Little bears aren't too much trouble but the big ones are. Best way to tell if a big bear or a little bear is hanging around your camp is by the poop. Little bears have little poop, big bears have big poop that smells like pepper and has little bells in it:D
Yeah saw a number of idiots with big knives, bells and pepper spray on trails - I kept right away from those guys - they looked like they were liable to hurt themselves just blinking.

[Cliff Rogers]

It was -6 here last night, we stayed in the Stemwinder Provincial Park between Hedly & Princeton.

It snowed up at Lake Louise, looks like we got out of there just in time.

[Cliff Rogers]

Arrived back in Cairns just before 10am Friday morning.

Picked up my new car, ran a few other errands, got some parts for the deck mower, had lunch with a friend & then headed home up the hill.

Had a ton of mail waiting at the post office, not all bills, there was one cheque. :2tsup:

I can recommend Canada for a holiday, easy to get around, friendly polite people, stunning scenery.

[Grumpy John]

Arrived back in Cairns just before 10am Friday morning.

Picked up my new car, ran a few other errands, got some parts for the deck mower, had lunch with a friend & then headed home up the hill.

Had a ton of mail waiting at the post office, not all bills, there was one cheque. :2tsup:

I can recommend Canada for a holiday, easy to get around, friendly polite people, stunning scenery.


I don't believe you..................................................... No Photo's?

[Cliff Rogers]

I don't believe you..................................................... No Photo's?

There are 7.8Gb of photos, were you like them uploaded to? :D