TravelStream™ news feed for member seal on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/seal en-us Copyright ©2010 TravelPod.com Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:11:07 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215216240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215216240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215216240/tpod.html Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:11:07 -0500 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Jasper, Alberta, Canada

We made out way from Rampart Creek towards Edith Cavell, but before we got anywhere near there we made the stop at the Columbia Icefield, and go figure my Camera decided to throw a hissyfit and the memory card packed in while taking some breathtaking photos which I am still annoyed about as I will never get them back.
But besides that downside we had an eventful trip to Edith Cavell and when we got there what an absolutey incredible view with Angel Glacier in the background and the Camp Fire buring with the sun hitting the glacier as it dropped below the horizon.
Well it was an earlyish night as another busy day ahead and no sleeping in either.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1229388780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1229388780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1229388780/tpod.html Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:03:28 -0500 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Rampart Creek, Alberta, Alberta, Canada

Our group hit the road early, but made the necessary stop to the local supermarket to pickup all the supplies we would need, as for me I had to make a quickstop at a Surf / Snow shop to grab some boardies incase swimming was going to be required and as predicted it was.
After the stops we made our way out of Banff for the northern region of Albera, and one you get out of town the scenary is just stunning to say the least.
When the day finally came to a close we got to our abode for the evening, a really nice and basic HI Hostel in Rampart Creek, which is literally located beside a Creek, and just happened to bump into a fellow Kiwi who had already heard of me due to some British Girls passing through earlier and leaving tales about me...... (All good from what I was told)
We had a nice meal of tacos and then I called it a day due to being on the go for a very large number of hours, but I really did enjoy the relaxed and basic nature of the Hostel, not having to worry about hot showers and noise from the modern technology.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215310200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215310200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215310200/tpod.html Sun, 21 Sep 2008 05:14:59 -0400 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Banff, Alberta, Canada

 Our moosegroup hit the road around 8:30am after the driver who brought up the replacement bus returned from her coffee stop without even telling Natalia that she was going to do this.


We had a really fantastic drive up to Banff from Shuswap Lake, even though the weather went from clear skies to spitting when we hit Rogers Pass and then full on rain by the time that we had reached the Natural Bridge and Emerald Lake, but it could have been blowing a full blown Hurricane there was no way that we were going to miss out on these sights.


Rogers pass is such an incredible place to visit on your way to Alberta, and even the wild life likes to get in on the act also as Nick was able to get a BlueJay to eat out of his hand which we all have photographic evidence of.


On the way to Banff by way of Lake Louise to pickup supplies for the CANADA DAY celebrations we made a visit to both the Natural Bridge which is a wall of Stone that has had a hole erroded through it so with the water cascading through this small hole it forms a natural bridge across the river. And just up the road from the Bridge is Emerald Lake which by the sound of the name is just that, a lake that is the clearest shade of Emerald, and it is actually one of only a small few lakes left in Canada that are still called Emerald after the name changes of many of them.


We reached the hostel in Banff around 7pm, and got a chance to grab a refreshing shower before dinner, but being the only kiwi on the trip I became the butt of most of the jokes at the dinner table that night. After dinner a group of us then procedded into town to celebrate CANADA DAY as being in a great place like Banff we sort of felt like we had to do something for CANADA DAY.


Hit two bars which became pretty packed when the fireworks display had wrapped up, but when we got to Tommy's besides the Macy Dee's I spent a good deal of time chatting to the Bouncer who was also a kiwi and just happened to come from Tokaroa so it was really nice meeting another kiwi instead of just aussies. But the night was fantastic as we did get a bit rowdy when it came to Bon Jovi's "Living on a prayer".

I could never have imagined that CANADA Day would be that much fun, having some drinks with great friends and what better place to celebrate it as well.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1214816040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1214816040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1214816040/tpod.html Tue, 22 Jul 2008 04:57:03 -0400 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Shuswap, British Columbia, Canada

Today after a pretty horrible night of sleep due to the heat in the Hostel as the windows were unable to be opended all the way to let a breeze, we loaded up for the Drive from Vancouver to Banff by way of Shushwap.


Things were actually going rather well, minus the temperature on the bus, even with the Air Conditioning going at full bore the bus with about 18people was still very much like a human heat box. Made several stops along the way for stretching and refreshments, but also so organise a replacement Bus as "Jack" actually was playing up on our Guide so it was decided to makesure that we did not get stranded in the middle of nowhere they would have a replacement driven to Shushwap.


We got to see a lot of the Ranching land of British Columbia, and it is very much the most depressing and boring scenerary I have seen, but we also passed through not only the Home of Raspberry's, but also the Home of Chainsaw Carving but also the Home of Houseboats in Canada.


We finally got into Shushwap after a good 10hours of driving and covering over 500km but finally got settled and then spent most of the evening just chatting and called it a night because of another very busy day getting from point A to point B.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215389100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215389100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215389100/tpod.html Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:06:46 -0400 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Banff, Alberta, Canada


Today our little band of merry travellers left the HI Hostel in Japser minus Muscles and Heidi who were staying on for a another day or two, but we slowly made our way back towards Banff making some stop offs along to way to see the sights and sounds of the area. I finally tired my very first "World famous in CANADA" Nanaimo bar, this is a chocolate cookie base with coconut in it, then a layer of custard and all finished off with a coating on chocolate on top and I must say I was a bit sceptacle at first over it but after that first bite what an absolutly fanastic slice.


We gor back to Banff and got dropped off at the Samesun where Nicole and myself were able to score a room with two double beds which was really nice then we all went out to dinner at a nice little Irish Pub and off back to the hostel for some well deserved sleep.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215907320/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215907320/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215907320/tpod.html Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:04:31 -0400 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Drumheller, Alberta, Canada


An early start this morning as we had to get to Calgery from Banff to pickup some other travellers for the ride out ot Drumheller and the Last Chance Saloon, but the ride to Calgery wasn't to bad as we had Jeff the Giant behind the wheel.


From Calgery to Drumheller where there is a Dinosaur Museum and where the town has got Dinosaur fever by putting up giant statues of Dinosaurs around the place, the land is as dead flat as you could imagine for miles around, well actually for as far as the eye can see.


After a good hour and a half of looking at fields full of Canola flowers and baby wheat we finally reached our destination of Drumheller and what a tacky place if I may say so as there is a statue of a dinosaur on literally every street corner and then getting to the Museum there I was even more gobsmacked. Instead of a Museum being a place to broaden your minds with knowledge it is been turned into a place to sell cheap products made in China and whats even worse in the Cafeteria there they actually have three fastfood outlets plus a Satarbucks brewed coffee service.


After wandering around the Museum getting the photos that I wanted to get without having loads of kids congregating around me where there as a good Dinosaur I made my way to the Cafeteria for a nice refreshing cold drink and a snack to waste the last wee bit of time put aside for our group to wander around the Museum.


When we were fishend with the Museum we made our way to the HooDoo's by way of the Ferry crossing on the Red Deer River, and the Ferry wasn't to bad just the sort of thing that could sink anytime sort of one, but an experience never the less. The Hoodoo's are pretty amazing as they are columns of Sandstone I think and the area around them has been eroded from human, and natural elements but these have still survived like the Apostles of the Australian coast.
But go figure the Asian Mother and Daughter team who were on the tour for the day with us held us up as they were not as the bus when they sdhould have been and Jeff had to go grab them which got him annoyed and the rest of us also angry but no apology at all.


We got to the Last Chance Saloon for a beer which was the location for some of the Movie "Shanghai Knights " was filmed where the local population is 27 as of this moment, and then made our way back to Calgery.


Got into Calgery and then a group of us went to the Stamped for the evening and I must say it is very much like the Easter Fair back home as they seel just about anything and everything including stuffed animals that are bigger than the kids who win them, but they do sell those incredible little Donuts.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215647700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215647700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215647700/tpod.html Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:57:54 -0400 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Calgary, Alberta, Canada


Today didn't go to badly to start with even though I thought we were leaving at 8am so I was up and ready by about 7:30am only to then learn from Jeff the Giant that we were not actually leaving until 9am so I got on with doing some of the journal entries.


When we got on the road we headed out of the city to a smaller community called Okotok which in Canadian Indian means place of "The Big Rock" as this is the location for The Big Rock which was actually deposited by a Glacier many millia ago, but then the Indian history as to why it is there is much more appealing.


"THE ROCK THAT RAN"


One hot summer day, Napi - The supernatural trickster of the blackfoot" sat upon the Rock to rest. Because it was so hot Napi threw his robe over the rock saying "Here I give you my robe, because you are poor and have let me rest of you. Keep it always".


Napi walked on and it to rain. Napi sent to the rock and asked it to lend him the robe, but the Rock refused. Napi got angry and took "HIS" robe.


As he walked away he heard a aloud noise, the Rock was chasing him!


Napi was scared and ran. His friends the buffalo, the deer and the antelop tried to stop the Rock but were crushed. Nearly exhausted Napi called upon some bats for help.


The bats dove at the rock and one hit it in the middle and split it in two


And the most ironic thing about the Rock is that it is actually from the region of mountains around Jasper, so this Rock weighing more than 16,500 tons is more than 500km away from the Canadian Rockies from which is originated and it is lying in the vast plans of the Albera prairies.


We got to the location of the Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump and they actually had a dancing display going on which was involving some members of the Blackfoot Tribe which originated from around the Calgery Plains area. The dancing and native costumes were absolutely breathtaking, there are photos I took but words just can;'t describe the experience of being there when they were performing.


A museum has been built next to the actual location of the Buffalo Jump and it explains about the whole process and a movie was made with a reinactment which really put it into perspective which made the experience that little bit more special.


I will leave it there as being in a place like the Buffalo Jump is an experience that words just can not do justice for, but believe me when I say that if there is a place in the Top10 List of places to see before you die, this is definitely in that list.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215905820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215905820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215905820/tpod.html Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:52:28 -0400 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Got a pickup from the University this morning as I had a Studio there last night which surprised me as I had no idea that the University would allow anyone who wasn't a student stay there, but it was clean and quiet which was the main thing. After getting my stuff ready and checking out was waiting for the Cab to pick me up with low and behold there are Muscles and Sabrina walking towards the man office building and they had actually left a message for me at the front desk for when I got in but I never received it.


Organised to meet at the Front of the Stamped and I headed off to the Hostel, so after checking in headed to the Stamped and waited for them and caught up with them at 12:45 so we headed in and grabbed some food and then parted ways at the Main Stadium but actually picked up a ticket to the Chuck-wagon races tonight in the Gold Area of the stand which will be really good. So will grab some Bison burgers this arvo and also some of the Little Donuts also.


We met Up at the designated time even though I had actually hoped that the rain clouds would burn off it actually suddenly opened up with first hail and them rain which pretty much lasted on and off for the rest of the afternoon / evening. Due to the races being held at 7:45pm it gave us enough time to meander into town and paruse one of the large shopping centres which actually has a giant indoor garden built onto the top floor of the department store which was a real nice relaxing things and a surprise all at the same time.


Made it back to the Arena and picked our way through the masses of people to get to the gates so that we could get our seats. Due to buying in the Gold Section I was kind of protected by the overhang of the Stands roof but even though I was dry for the most part I was chilled through to the bone due to the strong wind that was blowing all evening. But it was worth every freezing moment there as I got to know the family next door to me as they were originally from Nebraska and Wisconsin and it made the night that even more special and will always keep intouch with everybody who I have met along this entire journey of mine.


The Chuck-wagon races went well and then they had the after-show show which was not to bad but very much like something you would find at most festival kind of events but it was still well worth the money and the time spend freezing that night as it is the whole experience rather that certain bits and pieces that are appreciated.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215300660/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215300660/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215300660/tpod.html Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:32:40 -0400 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Jasper, Alberta, Canada


This was a pretty big day for me today as when we visited the Angel Glacier field just up the road from the HI Hostel in ... I came to peace with both myself and also Mother Nature, it sounds stupid to most people, but I finally got my head cleared and everything that I need to get done in my life for the next bit of time sort of came together and I knew what I needed to do. I think it was due to the silence of the area even with tourists there, and also the calming sound of the rushing water and the rugged beauty of the area that triggered something and I will never forget this.


First thing was to throw away the Ring that Clairce have given me when we were together as I had been holding onto it in the hopes that we would work thigns out, but that was really holding me back so it is now sitting on the bottom of a glacier lake near Jasper.


During the period of the day we put together a different personality for me so I am now Allistaire Pumpernickle, and I have never really felt better about everything that since coming to peace with myself. A set of 15 Rules were written for me to work with to make me a different person including not eating pies and only 1 energy drink.


We made our way around Jasper, and besides being a small town it is still a very beautiful area with the mountains forming a perfect backdrop to the area.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215396840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215396840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/seal/roadtrip_2008/1215396840/tpod.html Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:15:39 -0400 The Ultimate Canadian Roadtrip '08

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Banff, Alberta, Canada


Our group didn't get in until around 3am, and thinking I had to be up and ready for the bus at 8am like everybody else, I got up and ready at 8am just to be told that I actually still had a free day in Banff and realised that I could have actually slept in, but instead I hooked up with Vanessa and procedded to climb Sulfer Mountain in town.


Firstly climbing a mountain is a really good way to work off a hangover and really give the body a good workout without going to a gym. But onto more important things, it took us about 1.5hrs to climb the 5.5km track up Sulfer Mountain but when we got to the top, the views are breath taking as you can see the Canadian rockies stretch out both towards the west and also the east. The town is nestled down in the valley with Lake Minnewanka in the background, it is so incredible minus all the tourists from Asia and America who take the condela up, but we climbed and didn't have a ticket we were able to get back down on the condela for free.


Spent the rest of the afternoon window shopping and visiting Lammles so Vanessa could pickup some jeans, and this place is the dream shop for Cowboys as they have everything from Hats to Belt Buckles.


So ended up just grabbing some Golden Arches for dinner, but on the way back up to the hostel actually saw a Coyote which looks very much like a Wolf and that is why I got mistaken in thinking it was a Wolf until Sarah the guide told me the following day.
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