CANADA

Visas, Embassies and Border Crossings

The telephone number of the Canadian Embassy in Germany is 228-9680.
Lutz Hankewitz - Germany (June 98)

Travel Tips

The British Columbia provincial government has made smoking in public buildings (including bars and restaurants) illegal in Greater Victoria of January 1, 1999 and in all of British Columbia as of January 1, 2000. Fines range from a minimum o$100 for a first offense to thousands for multiple offenses.
Kat Tancock - CAN (Jan 99)

Be warned, it can exceed forty degrees below (Celsius) on the prairies during the winter, BUT, In order to view the Northern Lights the colder and further North one goes the better. I have seen people moved to tears by this phenomenon. It is a must for those who can brave the winter and should be covered. As for getting there, hitchhiking is generally safe and most Canadians love foreigners. (One can even encounter free places to stay on occasion) If you must fly then in WestJet. It is a discount airline with daily no frills service across the prairies to the West coast.
Stephen - CAN (Jan 99)

I just returned from a visit in Vancouver and discovered something you may not be aware of. If you call many of the hotels you have listed in LP - like St. Regis Hotel - they will quote you rates of say, $125/night, but if you call the British Columbia Tourism Office reservation office (800-663-6000) they will book a room at the same hotel for $59/night for two people. Apparently BC Tourism books so many rooms that hotels are willing to give them blocks of room at very good rates. Not the BC Tourist Office is not the same as the City of Vancouver tourist information office.
Dave Kruse, US (Oct 98)

Jasper-Whitewater rafting: 1998 will be the last season for rafting on the Maligne River. It has been banned from next season onwards in order to protect the habitat of rare ducks found in the area.
Vancouver Aquarium:ORCA FM now broadcasts from the Aquarium. The soothing soudns of whales an ddolphins are thought to calm the stresses of rush-hour driving.
Fiona Lyle - UK (Aug 98)

Those planning on doing things in the outdoors in most of Canada should be aware that black flies and mosquitoes can make the experience anywhere from aggravating to intolerable without the proper preparation. The worst times are mid-May to mid-July and the worst places are the boreal forests. Coastal and alpine areas tend to be better. Suitable preparation includes an insect repellent (Off and Muskol are common brand names), clothing that covers and, sometimes, a head net. The best plan is to travel in the outdoors in August and September when the biting insects are on the decline. Late September to mid-October have the added advantages of autumn colours (the season varies by latitude.).
Philip Coo (Feb 98)

Anyone camping in BC: You could pay $10 -$15 a night to camp in a national park with thousands of others in their huge caravans. You could try to camp wild and risk incurring the wrath of the authorities. On the other hand you could walk into any Tourist Info Centre (in most towns and even signed from the highways) and ask for a Forestry Service recreation map of the area. These free maps, around 1:200 000 in scale, provide details of all the BCFS camping sites in the area-between 25 and 50 sites per map, as well as walking and hiking trails and most minor forestry tracks. Most sites have a capacity of 5-30 tents/vehicles and they are usually in really pretty areas. The larger ones have pit toilets and sometimes waste collection and drinking water. Even if there is no drinking water, however, most are close to a river (careful of giardia though!). Few people seem to know about these and this, coupled with the lack of facilities, tends to cut down on the number of huge smelly motor homes you usually get. Best of all, though, they're free. The only thing is that there don't seem to be any in National Parks-but they are dotted all round the outside of them which makes day trips easy. I only found these in BC- when I asked about free camping in Alberta I didn't get very far and I don't know the situation in other provinces.
Richard Alderton - UK (July 98)

Moving Around

I find that LP guides lack information for travel to and from Canada. Case in point: Canada 3000 Airlines is a growing Toronto airline and Canadian international charter airline. They offer discount fares to numerous destinations worldwide. During the winter they fly to Australia , Rarotonga, Hawaii, and New Zealand. Their website is www.canada3000.com - check them out.
Stephen Leslie - CAN - (Jan, 99)

Recently, a couple new regional air carriers have popped up, and it now only costs CAD$129 (same as the bus) for a one-way ticket in between Vancouver and Winnipeg. Its on WestJet, based in Winnipeg, that you get these fares. The only drawback is that WestJet only flies west of Winnipeg. Bjorn Anders Radstrom - CAN, (Jan 99)

Cheapest way to get across Canada by air is flying standby. Canada 3000 and Transat both offer good rates on 1-way fares-I got from Toronto to Vancouver for $175.69 CDN. Canada 3000 has the most standby flights available, to many Canadian cities, but also a number of flights nto the US. Tickets 1-way from Toronto to LA cost $180 CDN plus tax.
Rates and destinations are advertised in NOW magazine, Toronto's free weekly entertainment rag (find it for lotsa tips on gigs and bars) and in the weekly travel section in "The Globe and Mail" Otherwise just tunr up at Terminal 1, Pearson International Airport and ask at either the Canada 3000 or Transat airline counters.
Flying standby is no good if you've got a schedule, but if you don't have to be anywhere (which is the only way to travel) it's a great way to meet people, make contacts, exchange numbers and after the wait, get on a flight for 50% less than all the others on board. I had to wait thru 3 flights-24 hours all up, but I was lucky enough to have friends near the airport where I crashed for the nights. Otherwise, it's a matter of finding the most comfortable bit of floor.
Tim Kong (Aug 98)

The VIA train station in Edmonton has been relocated. Unfortunately it is no longer just a short walk from the bus depot and the downtown area. It has been moved out to near the airport and the only real way of getting there is by taxi (`C$15); when I was there (July 1998), there was no bus service unless you caught the bus to the airport, then an infrequent shuttle bus to the train station.
Stephen Smith - OZ (June 98)

The Edmonton (Alberta) VIA Rail Station is no longer downtown. A new station (still under construction, but opened 1 week ago) is at 12360-121st Street (Mid-way between 124th Ave and Kingsway) In the construction phase VIA is offering passengers complementary "donuts", coffee and orange juice. A taxi downtown costs approx C$8.50.
Innes Keighren - Scotland (June 98)

New info about Nova Scotia-Yarmouth. The Ferry leaving from Bar Harbor has been changed. New ownership and a new quicker ride. Supposedly it only takes 2.5 hours. The new ferry is a catamaran and it travels at 45 knots. They don't start running til May 28th. The new # is 1-888-249-7245.
Margaret Darby - US (Apr 98)

Check out Canada 3000, this is the airline for cheap fares, but good service and near new planes (A300 series). Canada 3000 also flies to Alaska... I got a return flight to Alaska in June 1997 for $199+ tax, usually $600+ They also fly round trips to Sydney via Honolulu and Fiji for $800-$1000.... Well worth a look.
Tim Hildebrandt (May 98)

When buying tickets for trains or buses between Canadian Cities and US cities (e.g.. Montreal to New York; Vancouver to San Francisco) ask the fare in both US and Canadian dollars, compare them using the prevailing exchange rate, and pay the cheaper fare, which will probably be the currency of the company operating the transportation. e.g.. Montreal to New York fares, bought in Canada, might well be much cheaper if bought in US funds, as the train company is Amtrak and the bus company is the US Greyhound line.
Greyhound International, whose European office is in East Grinstead, West Sussex, England, market both US and Canadian bus passes that are much cheaper (if you are doing a lot of traveling) than single fares bought in North America. The Canadian Greyhound pass is valid on VIA Rail trains between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, there being no more Greyhound buses between these cities. A Canadian ticket is available that is valid for 15 nights in youth hostels and 15 days' travel on Canadian buses and the above train service. A map issued by greyhound International shows the main routes in each country, together with symbols showing which cities have youth hostels affiliated to Hostelling International.
Edgar Locke - UK (April 98)

Gems, Highlights & Attractions

Howdy!!! If you have ever wanted to see a great Rodeo, come to Calgary during July. The Calgary Stampede is held annually and is a great place to chat with people from other countries, enjoy a very western atmosphere, or buy souvenirs. In the evening, you may enjoy different bands or be amazed by a hypnotist. (you never know) Tickets can be purchased at the gates (check for prices). The best way to get there is to take the LRT but its best to avoid rush hour (around 12pm or in the afternoon). Check for days that it runs because it varies from year to year. Y'all come see us soon, you hear?
Monika J - CAN (Feb 99)

If you ever happen to go to Calgary, you must absolutely go to Nose Hill Park. From there you will have the absolutely best view of the city. It is a natural area, so this is probably one of the last places where you can see what the prairies looked like before farming took over. Also, it is quite a good place to go bird watching, mountain biking, hiking, kite flying, or simply to get away from the city below.
Stefanie (June 98)

Yarns, Fables & Anecdotes

Off we set, on a jolly three day walk into the wilds of Singing Pass near Whistler. We had heard all about the problems of meeting bear so we decided to make sure we were well prepared. Most of the eight hour walk was spent clanging a mess tin with a penknife to ward off the evil packs of man-eating monsters. About two hours into the walk we started hearing rustling coming from the trees beside the path, after that came the growls. Just a few at first and then more and more often. It seemed to be following us-maybe even stalking us. Maybe it's a cougar, I suggested. Nevertheless, we continued up the path and spent two nights in a hut at the top. During the two nights we sat, frozen with fear every time there was a noise outside. After very little sleep, and quite a few cups of hot chocolate we set off back down into Whistler. Proud of ourselves for having avoided certain death by bear attack, we got chatting to some skiers who were heading up the same path on the same day that we were heading down. We told them of our lucky escape from the hoards of bears that we had heard. Of the rustling and the deep growl in the bushes. That was when I saw them begin to smile, and laugh as they let us into a secret. There certainly are bears around Whistler. But there are also a fair few mountain grouse. They make a low growling noise and live in the bushes. They also, of course, move around and follow people. And they're not quite as deadly as an encounter with a grizzly. And the bear tracks we had seen ? As I looked up, I saw a family setting off for a walk, with their dog. A common mistake, apparently.
Richard Alderton - UK (July 98)

For detailed up-to-date travel information check out Lonely Planet's Destination Canada.

For more news, views and the odd bit of gibberish, drop in on the soc.culture.canada and rec.travel.usa-canada newsgroups.