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Published: March 27th 2010
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After a brilliant week in Thunder Bay I was totally refreshed and ready to tackle the busy few days ahead. I left Pauline's house will a full packed lunch (to see me through the flight) and despite the flight being delayed, when we eventually took off the journey was smooth and I landed into a rainy Toronto International Airport at 5pm. It was an odd, long and thin plane but there were free drinks and tv onboard which was a bonus. I had a wait in the airport before meeting Crystal and Chris who I was staying with for my two nights in Toronto. After a confusing search to find each other, we eventually met up and made our way out the airport and back to their house. Toronto is huge. The drive out to Scarborough in the east side of the city took a long time. We all had a good meal and then headed to a local bar for drinks and a few games of poker (I was doing really well, surprisingly well actually until...well...I lost). The next day it was cold and raining so I opted for a long lie in and lots of film watching instead of tackling the public transport and what was likely to be a two hour journey into town. I took a walk around the suburb, even went to a library, and then headed back before it started to snow heavily. That night, after another masisve meal, I was taken for a tour around the city. We headed downtown to see the Rogers Centre, the Air Canada arena, the CN tower and much more. We drove on the roads that are used in the Indy Car motor races and we took a drive around the Beaches area (an afluent area to live in). It was good to get to see the city, albeit in the dark. Just like when I was in Brisbane and Singapore, time was limited so couldn't do much but it was still good to see the city all lit up at night. The next day was all about Niagara Falls. Chris offered to drive me out there which was great (anything to avoid the Greyhound). We stopped off on the way at a proper truckers stop...and it was everything you would expect! A big thank you must go out to Crystal and Chris; they looked after me very well. So after arriving at Niagara at 12pm I blagged free luggage storage at the Hilton and spent all day down by the Falls. They are absolutly stunning. Magnificant and totally captivating. They draw you in and it took me so long to take in just how big they were and just how much water was flowing over them. The loud raw of the water rushing over the falls is addictive! It was a beautiful, crisp and clear day which made the photos come out even better. After getting a lot of photos I took a walk up the Lake Ontario side of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. It was stange but good to be fully on my own for a while...haven't had that since I left Salt Lake City on the bus nearly a month ago! The views were brilliant and the wind was super cold! I learn't a lot about the falls during the day as well. Only one person has ever survived after unintentionally falling over the waterfalls...a seven year old many years ago. Stunts have been totally banned now as well (so no more people flying over in wooden barrels!) In the winter, 86 million litres of water flow off of Lake Erie over the falls and down 54m (176ft) into downstream Lake Ontario. The shale and the sandstone erode faster than the dolomite limestone at the top; causing the sharp ridge and the steep drop off the top of the falls. The Maid of the Mist pluge pool at the bottom of the falls is the same depth as the falls are high. The water then runs down through the Great Gorge out into Lake Ontario past the Queenston Heights (where the waterfalls originally started hundreds of years ago). The contol of water flows upstream for hydro-electric power now limit the speed of erosion to just 30cm (1ft) every 10 years. Towards the end of the day there were lots of rainbows forming out of the mist by the falls which provided opportunity for some great photos. I took the Journey Behind the Falls trip which decends 30m below the falls to a look out post, not far away from the water at all and then it takes you 200ft into the Horseshoe Falls with two lookouts behind the falling water. I was so loud and cold down there and almost scary. You would definaly not want to make a mistake and fall into that raging icy water! I also got some photos of the bear...he is still going strong! It was fairly quiet at the falls, not many people and the lights behind the falls did not come on at night and the Maid of the Mist boat was not running but technicaly it is still winter season there so things we bound to be fairly quiet. I was so pleased to get such good weather for the whole day...it was snowing and raining the day before which would have resulted in seriously limited visibility. After the sunset I headed back to the Hilton to take further advantage of their services. Then I was found out not to be a guest there so I made a quick exit to the Inn round the corner to use there computer and wait in the warm before my Greyhound bus to New York at 12.50 am. I headed out to the bus station at 11pm just incase there were any problems but all was running smootly so I had the joy of waiting outside the station until the bus came. Once I got on the bus it was a 20 minute ride to the border and US customs. Easily passed through and I slept on and off the whole way south to New York. Upon arrival I saw the city's skyline when passing over the bridge to Manhatten and it was very impressive. It was odd to see it in real life! The bus arrived into downtown Manhatten at 11.30am and I had two hours to make it out to JFK to meet my Dad. However, the subway lines were a bit confusing after limited sleep and with 3 heavy bags, but I eventually made it (a bit late) to terminal 4 and I met my Dad! Great to see him after 6 months away! We got a hire car, and headed out on the freeway to travel upstate New York and out to Vermont. The journey to Rutland was smooth and it was so good not to be sat on a greyhound bus! The New Hampshire liscense plates that occassionaly appeared did ammuse me; "Live free or Die!". So, I am now up Rutland and Killington for 2 weeks of skiing. There was fresh snow fall last night and the forcast is for cold ish temperatures and sunny all week. Pretty good. Next update will be after my time here and before my long weekend in New York City! Check out all the recent photos on facebook and to sum up...Niagara Falls was awesome...truly impressive and very much worth the visit.
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