Fishquinn to Canada for 5 weeks.

[FQ]

Hi all,

I have made this thread to say by for 5 weeks (16th September - 23rd October), as I will be in Canada.

Here is the current plan.

Fly from Birmingham - Amsterdam - Vancouver
A few days in Vancouver
Hire an RV (camper van) and head to Saskatoon via the Rocky Mountains
A few days in Saskatoon
In the RV back to Vancouver via the prairies
Train to Seattle
A few days in Seattle and train out to Tacoma and back
Hire a car to go to Friday Harbour and go around the Olympic National Park and back to Seattle
Train back to Vancouver
A few days in Vancouver
Fly from Vancouver - Amsterdam - Birmingham


Hopefully I will be able to get on here a bit (motels/hotels) using my mums I-pad as I won't have to Computer or Laptop.

Tomorrow night (Monday 15th September) I will be spending the night in a hotel above New Street station so I should be able to post then.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

...
Hire an RV (camper van) and head to Saskatoon via the Rocky Mountains
...
In the RV back to Vancouver via the prairies

I'm completely not jealous at all...

 

[FQ]

Well thats good

I forgot to mention that while we are in Vancouver, we will be going to the aquarium and we will be going on a Whale Watching tour from Stevenson Harbour which you should see lots of Orcas, sea lions, golden eagles and, at that time of year, Humpback Wales.

Here is the link for Vancouver Aquarium.

http://www.vanaqua.org

and here is what they have.

http://www.vanaqua.org/experience/exhibits-and-galleries

 

[Hardcastle]

You certainly get around, one place I would like to visit is Vancouver so enjoy, I hope the NYMR diesel this weekend was good too.

 

[FQ]

You certainly get around, one place I would like to visit is Vancouver so enjoy, I hope the NYMR diesel this weekend was good too.

I really am looking forward to it!

The gala was really fun, thank you.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

You are at an age where you will really appreciate the vastness in size of that part of the North American continent. I hope that everything goes well, itinerary-wise.

 

[FQ]

Thanks, the hotels in Vancouver are booked, and so is the RV.

 

[Bevan Price]

Enjoy your holiday.
But I hope that your friendly neighbourhood burglar is not reading this. He/she might think (rightly or wrongly) that there could be a property to target.

 

[Qwerty133]

Enjoy your holiday.
But I hope that your friendly neighbourhood burglar is not reading this. He/she might think (rightly or wrongly) that there could be a property to target.

Or the local council, £300 (double if he has any siblings) must be appealing to them.

 

[yorkie]

Enjoy your holiday.
But I hope that your friendly neighbourhood burglar is not reading this. He/she might think (rightly or wrongly) that there could be a property to target.

I'm not sure you could call it a 'property' but I agree; I hope the boats are kept safe for the 5 weeks! Enjoy!

 

[FQ]

The boats will be fine, as we live in a safe area with lots of people around. Also one of our old friends will be doing a bit of 'boat sitting' so they should be fine.

Thanks all for the kind words.

 

[Kite159]

Good time to do the Rockies, should be quieter and places should be open (if like last year it tends to close down after Canadian Thanksgiving which is in October)

 

[FQ]

Good time to do the Rockies, should be quieter and places should be open (if like last year it tends to close down after Canadian Thanksgiving which is in October)

Oh, right! That will be good then. The main reason we are heading to Saskatoon is because we have family living there (great aunt and great uncle) and we arrive (purely through co-incidence) on my great uncles birthday so we are going to have a little party that evening!

 

[Techniquest]

Well have an absolutely fantastic time, jealous of the aviation and rail legs for sure!

I hope you'll have plenty of photos for us all to look at and be even more jealous when you return!

 

[FQ]

I will definitely take lots of photos, of everything, including wales and mountains!



--- old post above --- --- new post below ---



Its the 09:40 flight from Brum if anyone is interested.

 

[Welshman]

I will definitely take lots of photos, of everything, including wales and mountains!

It sounds a wonderful trip and I hope you enjoy it.

[But the only photos you may get of Wales would be from 30,000ft - sorry!]

 

[FQ]

It sounds a wonderful trip and I hope you enjoy it.

[But the only photos you may get of Wales would be from 30,000ft - sorry!]

Apparently the boat gets quite close, so that and a telephoto lens in my camera should be a good mix!

 

[overtonchris]

Hi Fishquinn.....I hope you have a fantastic time in Canada ....B.C. is a superb place for scenery and Vancouver is a really laid-back friendly city - (be a a bit cautious if you go down the side roads near Gastown though). Stanley Park (I think that's the name) quite quirky if you like totem poles and Native American Stuff!!!!

If you get the chance do the Icefields Parkway...a long way from Vancouver - but with all that time to kill - totally worth it...(BIG glaciers, mountains....easy driving this time of year (normally!!!!!)). Kamloops had a load of freight when I went there 2006......maybe "off route for you?

Victoria (city and island) is a great experience......went whale watching from there...a few Orca's and 3 Humpies...one (mother?) enormous. Worth every cent.

Look forward to seeing your shots!!!! Enjoy you lucky chap!

 

[FQ]

Thanks Overtonchris!

My folks have been before and they really enjoyed it then. Might try Kamloops in the RV and I think the plan is to go Whale Watching from Steveston, as there is a direct bus service from outside our hotel.

Dad says that he wants to do the Icefield Parkway as he did it last time and it was amazing.

Again, thanks for the suggestions!

 

[overtonchris]

Thanks Overtonchris!

My folks have been before and they really enjoyed it then. Might try Kamloops in the RV and I think the plan is to go Whale Watching from Steveston, as there is a direct bus service from outside our hotel.

Dad says that he wants to do the Icefield Parkway as he did it last time and it was amazing.

Again, thanks for the suggestions!

Enjoy Mate....I wish I was going!!!!!

 

[FQ]

Might be my last chance until holiday, so

BYE!

 

[Whistler40145]

fishquinn, have a wonderful time in Canada, especially British Columbia. I've been to Vancouver & the people are extremely friendly.

 

[FQ]

Thanks!

 

[Kite159]

Make sure you try and do a bit of the Vancouver metro, they are like the DLR in being driver-less.

 

[FQ]

Make sure you try and do a bit of the Vancouver metro, they are like the DLR in being driver-less.

Will do!

Plane leaves in 25 minutes.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I will definitely take lots of photos, of everything, including wales and mountains!

Have a wonderful time in the 5 weeks in Canada.. What you say above sounds like you intend to take photos from the plane in the early stages of your flight.

 

[FQ]

Have a wonderful time in the 5 weeks in Canada.. What you say above sounds like you intend to take photos from the plane in the early stages of your flight.

Whalewatching tour and driving through the Rockies.

We arrived in Vancouver ok, currently 16:03

 

[ATW Alex 101]

00:09 over here mate, bet you're tired!

I hope you enjoy your beast of a holiday though, sounds amazing!

 

[FQ]

00:09 over here mate, bet you're tired!

I hope you enjoy your beast of a holiday though, sounds amazing!

Thanks Alex,

In the end I got to bed about 20:00 here, so 04:00 there, not good with an 06:00 start yesterday, so I was up for 23 hours!

Currently what we have done is the 07:10 VT (390135) from Birmingham New Street to Birmingham International arriving at about 07:20 and then the 09:40 plane from Brum airport to Amsterdam arriving at 12:50,an hour an a quarter at Amsterdam before a 9 hour flight to Vancouver arriving at 13:41. We checked out, bought Skytrain tickets and taken it to Bridgeport, where we got a bus to our motel and later on walked back to Bridgeport for another Skytrain to Waterfront, grabbed dinner and went up the observation tower for a bit. Then it was back down to Waterfront, Skytrain back to Bridgeport and bus back to the motel.

Hopefully we will have a good time, aquarium today!

Currently 06:56.

 

[higthomas]

Sounds brilliant, I'm sure you'll have a great time.
Do give some photos, also if possible, I imagine there may be some impressive rail freight around there which might be of interest.
It is on a different scale in North America to the UK. I am currently in the US and some of the train, yards and general freight facilities are indeed amazing, so be sure to check them out.