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Blogs from Banff, Alberta, Canada, North America
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The winter in Canada December 2012- February 2013
Published: January 31st 2013North America » Canada » Alberta » Banff
January 30th 2013
So you want to be a Canadian?? A phrase that appears in books, T shirts and from many mouths here in town. But did we? After settling in to our new home on Muskrat st, meeting the other tenants and riding for a few weeks we were not so sure. Banff had become our "bubble" community. It is a transient place with Calgarians coming in for the weekends and young gap year students during the week. Prices are inflated and "touristy" doesnt come close! If you want a fossil of a megasaurus or a T shirt saying "I like big dumps" you have come to the right place. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the town, it has a restaurant and bar scene which can keep you occupied for a few weeks before you would need ... read more
Canada- The beginning 14th Nov-3rd Dec 2012
Published: December 11th 2012North America » Canada » Alberta » Banff
December 3rd 2012
So after going home and saying 'Hi!' for 2 weeks, we were off to the cold depths of Canada. Airtransat was our carrier and we were not expecting much, however we were pleasently suprised. Those extra leg room seats for £10 more were worth their weight in gold!. Our own screens and loads of room. Bargain at £250 each. A long flight later and we touched down in Calgary. It was all going so smoothly until we hit immigration. Question " how long you staying?"" 5 Months" we said. "Ummmmmm, thats a long time, are you going to be working?" "No, just snowboarding" " So how are you supporting this trip" "Savings". "Show me your bank accounts". Well it just got worse and worse. They ended up going out and speaking to Marks cousin, who was ... read more
CANADIAN ROCKIES - HEAVEN ON EARTH
Published: October 31st 2012North America » Canada » Alberta » Banff
October 31st 2012
Our western side road trip commenced in a huge vehicle called Dodge – Grand Caravan. With my BIL on the wheel & yours truly as the apt Navigator (fully equipped with maps, GPS etc), the rest of the team was sure of having a fantastic trip. The two of the largest national parks of Canada –Banff & Jasper National Parks, were eagerly waiting for our arrival. Elk, bison, moose, mountain goats & caribou must have established their own pathways in Jasper National Park long before humans arrived in the Canadian Rockies. Known as the gentle giant of the Rockies, Jasper - the shy cousin to bold, brassy Banff, was our first destination. “If you are really lucky, you will spot a Black Bear, and if you spot a Grizzly your life has been blessed” – a ... read more
The Rockies: Vancouver to Kelowna to Banff to Jasper to Banff!!
Published: October 25th 2012North America » Canada » Alberta » Banff
October 23rd 2012
On Thursday 18th October, I joined a 4 day tour to travel into the Rockie mountains. The tour left Vancouver and had stopovers in Kelowna, Banff, Jasper and then back to Banff for the final night. We left Vancouver with about 19 people and then finished in Banff with about 15 (no bear attacks, freezing to death etc. it was a hop on/hop off type tour and a few people left the tour along the way). Day 1 - Vancouver to Kelowna On Thursday morning I met the 19 people who would be my travelling companions for the next four nights. Leaving Vancouver we had our first stop about an hour and a half later at Bridal Veil Falls. A short walk got us to the base of the falls so named due to their likeliness ... read more
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Sightseeing on the way to Banff, in Banff and around Banff
Published: August 15th 2012North America » Canada » Alberta » Banff
July 30th 2012
30th July ’12 Golden to Banff, Alberta OK so we thought we were getting up at 9 am but hadn’t counted on there being a time difference, so we were actually up at 10 am. There wasn’t as far to drive today though so it was fine. Our first stop today was to see the Spiral Tunnel, yes another one of those railway engineering feats up the side of a mountain. At the look-out point it took us a while to suss out it was actually on the other side of the valley, half way up the mountain. You could see an entrance and an exit tunnel but that was it, marginally better than the one in New Zealand but without the cute wire coat hanger model to look at this time! Maybe if a train ... read more
May 27th 2012
Hi I hope you hav enjoyed reading about my wonderful 9 week trip of the States and Canada. Apologies go out for taking forever to finish the blogs off, and I hope the wait for some people was rewarded. I thoroughly enjoyed originally writing my journal as I went on my Tour, then writing it up into a book, then extracting and editing each entry for my blog, and as I finished entering the last few entries, even almost 2 years after it had all happened, all theemotions came back to me once more. I would just like to finish the blog with a brief summary of what has happened since the Tour ended. I'm sure there are people who might like to know, whilst others may not give a damn. Here goes: After coming back ... read more
May 23rd 2012
Awful sleep again. I took a sleeping tablet and wore ear plugs but could still hear the drone of the fridge in our room. In the middle of the night I pulled the fridge out of its cabinet but there was a mass of wires all tangled up behind so I had to leave it. When I woke Ian up this morning he asks me did I sleep well as I had kept him awake all night with my snoring???? After another buffet breakfast we head up to Sulphur Mountain. The gondola takes you so far then there is a wooden walkway should you choose to take it to the top. We were knackered when we got there but great views and a little family of chipmunks playing at the top. They run about so fast ... read more
Last full day in Banff - probably last blog
Published: May 24th 2012North America » Canada » Alberta » Banff
May 23rd 2012
As it is our last full day in Banff we really should be making the most of it but we are in can't be arsed moods as we had crap sleep again. We head down to the Banff museum, it is not much bigger than the cabin we had at bear ranch! but it is very informative and they have a lot of stuffed birds and animals that have been there since it opened in 1903. I was quite shocked at the size of the cougar, glad we haven't met a real one on our travels. We drive down to Lake Minnewanka and then on to Johnson's Lake. We have been told the walk around this lake is lovely, not too long and no elevation. They lied about the last bit! It was a lovely walk ... read more
May 22nd 2012
Monday morningwe get up quite late so check out and go into the town to get something to eat. There are two bakeries owned by the same people - The Bear's Paw and The Other Paw. They sell many different coffees and bread; bagels; muffins; scones and cakes - all baked on the premises with the kitchen in full view of the customers. We buy two coffees, a bagel with cream cheese, an egg and ham barm and two raspberry and white chocolate scones and pay $15 or £10. That is the cheapest place we have eaten and definitely one of the best. We visit Patricia Lake and Pyramid Lake but again the lake I really wanted to see, Maligne Lake, is still frozen. We start the drive down to Banff which is the Icefield Parkway ... read more
